St. Barts Shopping Vacations

Art
There are, of course, the handicrafts: the sweet doll-like cottages, the colorful fishing skiffs, the woven straw, and a traditional local music that can provide a lively atmosphere at local events.

Decoration
we have much more choice. You can find a variety of shops presenting objects and furniture for very different styles of home interior, though the Caribbean style is the most widely represented. Whether you have a home in St Barts or not, you might like to see the selection made by the local merchants. From European, South American, to Indonesian furniture and object of decoration, French linen and fabrics, etc. . .

Fashion
Let's say you are coming down here to escape an extremely busy life in which you are always bound up in a three piece suit, or other uncomfortable clothing. What a joy it is to let it go for a while, and to enjoy the sensation of gossamer fabric, of the sun and the wind, on your body . You do not have to dress up much in St. Barths, it is a casual place. And, as one would expect, the local choice of bathing suits, pareos, and casual clothing is excellent.

Food & Wine
One of the best things about St. Barts is the quality and variety of the food, and the various services related to dining. This is true not only in numerous local restaurants, but in many local homes and rental villas as well, due to the unusually wide range of food and drink available at local grocery stores and wine shops. And, shopping for food and drink in St. Barts can be a delightful pastime, bringing the visitor in contact with the local inhabitants.

Beauty & Well-being
We are all so busy, between our job, our home, our family, and all the rest. We all try to take care of our self during our busy life, we rush to exercise, to a massage, or to a beautician. Rushing to a massage, hum . . ., that does not sound right, believing in it probably makes it work. While in St Barths, you won't have to rush into anything, so the pleasure you will get in taking care of yourself should be multiplied.

Perfume and Jewelry
Most of the local tourist magazines look more like perfume, jewelry, and watch catalogs than what they pretend to be. There is a reason for this.The duty free port status of the island has made it singularly attractive, especially to American customers, to buy those items during a vacation in St Barths.The most famous names in perfume, jewelry, and watches are represented in the various shops of the island, and local jewelry designers satisfy the tastes of those in search of the unique.

Books & Publications
There was a time, not long ago, when news of the outside world was infrequent, incomplete, and sometimes simply wrong. But, rapid developments in transportation and communications have put an end to all that, and residents no longer depend upon a visitor's month-old Time Magazine or Paris Match to find out what's what. In addition to an enthusiastic local press and the Internet, most major American and European publications can be found on St.Barths a day or so after their national distribution. Additionally, as might be expected, there is a growing number of books extolling the virtues of the place.

Cigars
Open air restaurants, the trade winds, and the tolerance of the French make St. Barths a tobacco connoisseurs dream come true.

Tee Shirts
They are everywhere, in everyone's wardrobe, and range from a very cool high-fashion statement to something suitable for wiping down the car. Our favorite, from more than 20 years ago, said: "Le Select - St-Barth" on the front, and: "A Sunny Place for Shady People" on the back.