St. Barthelemy
Listings

Ouanalao Dive

Plongée Caraibes- Catamaran

St-Barth Plongée

Hotel Sofitel Christopher

Sunset Hotel

SYP Main Page

Caribbean Menu

Dive Services

Ouanalao Dive St Barth Beach of Grand Cul de Sac 97133 St-Barthelemy French West Indies Tel. (+59) 06 90 63 74 34 http://www.ouanalao-dive.com Located on Grand Cul de Sac beach, the diving center Ouanalao Dive proposes you 3 daily diving excursions : at 9 a.m, 11 a.m and 2.30 pm, including discovery dives for all diving skill levels, and PADI, ANMP-CEDIP and FFESSM certifications. Other activities offered are snorkeling excursions and private outings upon requests. The gift shop operates a rental service for snorkels, fins, masks, and kayaks.   Plongée Caraibes- Catamaran BP 1028 St Jean 97012 St Barthélémy cedex F.W.I. Ph. + 590 27 55 94 and + 690 54 66 14 Our Catamaran "Odyssée" the most comfortable dive boat of St barths is located at the entrance of Gustavia harbor in front of the Schipchandler shop. Our shop "Le Brigantin" is after the Post Office. We dive every day at AM900-AM1100-PM215. In our clear waters you will meet sea turtles, rays, angel fishes, eels, friendly barracudas and baby nurse sharks. » Number of Dive Boats: 1 » Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 10 » Gear Provided: Mask, fins snorkel, BCD, Reg, wetsuit, weights, tanks » Rental Gear Available: No » Nitrox Available: No » Type of Diving Available: Wreck, wall, reef, pinnacle » Total Dive Sites: 22 » Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 5 » Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 30 » Certification Agencies: PADI, CMAS, FFESSM » Courses Offered: PADI up to divemaster, CMAS up to 3 stars plongeecaraibes@wanadoo.fr http://www.plongee-caraibes.com   St-Barth Plongée Quai de la République BP-46 - Gustavia 97095 Saint-Barthélémy Tél. 05 90 27 54 44 Spirit of St-Barth Plongee Birdy Dive. Sea fans waving with the tide like streaming hair, myriads of kaleidoscopic fish hovering before the entry to a cave, a leopard ray’s slow dance contrasting with the silky white sand beneath it, the motionless station of a nurse shark sheltering close to a wreck, the vibrant, translucent colors of cuttlefish in quiet waters, a school of jacks passing through submerged lava arches … A green turtle gently paddling in the Caribbean blue, yellow grunts softly brushing against fragile sponges and anemones, blue-headed rainbow wrasses crossing before bouquets of red coral … Make no mistake, in St. Barths the real sights lie beneath the surface! Saint-Barth Plongée This is our theater, Welcome to the show! contact@st-barth-plongee.com http://www.st-barth-plongee.com

Accommodations   Hotel Sofitel Christopher Pointe Milou 97133 St Barthélémy FWI USA Phone: 800-SOFITEL France Phone: 08 03 88 00 00 Local Phone: 05 90 27 63 63 Local Fax: 05 90 27 92 92 http://www.hotelchristopher.com Spacious and comfortable rooms all overlooking the ocean and equipped at the level of your demand. Private patios and terraces in each room. The Hotel is surrounded by a flourishing garden with various essences. Neo-colonial decoration with island wood furniture.   Sunset Hotel Gustavia, P.O. Box 661 97133 Saint Barthélémy French West Indies Tel. +590-590-27-77-21 Fax. +590-590-27-81-59 sunset-hotel@wanadoo.fr http://www.saint-barths.com/sunset-hotel/ Front of scuba facilities -10 rooms hotel with panoramic view of Gustavia harbor and Sunset- short harbor-side walk brings you to Gustavia restaurants and boutiques.

Travel To St. Barthelemy

St. Barthelemy does not have an international airport. Visitors fly into several nearby islands, then commuter flights bring you to St. Barths. St. Barths airstrip is short and narrow and and accommodates a 19 seat plane max. Pilots flying to the island must be specially trained. On a windy day, the landing can be adventurous. The most convenient gateway to St. Barths is through Juliana Airport in nearby St.Maarten, where flights arrive daily from both the USA and Europe. International carriers arriving at Juliana include American Airlines, Continental Airlines and US Air from the USA, and Air France, Corsair and KLM from Europe. From St. Maarten, Windward Island Airways, Air Tropical, and St-Barth Commuter, make the ten minute shuttle flights to St. Barths.

St Thomas is serviced by American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and U.S. Airways. From St. Thomas, Air St. Thomas provides scheduled service to and from St. Barths.

Other islands servicing St. Barths include Guadeloupe, a popular route for visitors arriving in Guadeloupe via Air France and Corsair, as well as St. Martin and Puerto Rico.

Arriving By Sea As an alternative to flying into St. Barths, you can also use the ferry services available from St. Martin and St. Maarten. The MV Voyager departs daily from the waterfront in Marigot, St. Martin, bound for Gustavia, at 9:00 AM and at 6:15 PM. 590 590 27 54 10 for reservations. Oyster Line departs daily except Thursdays from Oyster Pond, St. Maarten, for Gustavia, at 8:30 AM and at 4 PM. 590 590 87 46 13 for reservations. There is also a hight speed ferry named The Edge that comes to Gustavia once a day from Tuesday till Saturday. It leaves from Pelican Marina in St. Maarten at 9 AM. 599 544 26 40 for info and reservations.

Entry Requirements Valid passports are required for all US and Canadian citizens traveling to the French West Indies. For European Union citizens, the same requirements apply as traveling to France. For citizens of other countries, a visa may be required in addition to a passport.

Activities Shopping - St. Barths is a duty free port and most of the shopping is done in Gustavia and St. Jean. Local arts and crafts, designer French and Italian clothing, jewelry, watches and perfumes top the shopping list - all duty free. Dining - You could visit St. Barths again and again, and never run out of new restaurants or dishes to try. American to Italian, French to Mexican, Asian to Creole... well, you get the picture, it's all here. Nightlife - Looking for outrageous nightlife, party til morning? Sorry, that's not St. Barths. Some of the restaurants and hotels offer entertainment and there are several notable nighspots in Gustavia. Hiking - There are a number of trails that allow you to discover St. Barths, including several beaches that can be reached only on foot. Climb to the top of Mount Vitet, 938 feet (286 meters) high and experience a breathtaking view of the countryside and surounding waters. Horseback Riding - Another great way to relax and have fun. Ride the trails and along the beach with the wind in your hair. Water Sports - Besides diving, there is great snorkeling off the beaches, windsurfing, surfing, jet skiing, sailing, and kayaking. Fishing - Big game abounds offshore. Marlin, wahoo, blackfin and yellowfin tuna and sailfish top the charts. Fitness - There are several gyms in St. Barths, plus some of the hotels offer fitness rooms.

Helpful Traveler Information

Location: Lesser Antilles,17 56 N, 62 45 W Size: 13.1 Sq. miles (21 Sq. km) Capital: Gustavia Population: 7,000

Getting Around There are two taxi stations on the island, one at the airport and one in Gustavia on the public dock. Rental Cars While the island is very small, a car is always nice to have. There are a number of rental agencies available offering a veriety of cars, compact SUV's and even scooters. You must have a valid driver's license. There are only two gas stations on the island, and both are closed on Sunday. The one near the airport is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. The one in Lorient is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. There is an all-night automatic credit card gas pump at the airport station.

Dress St. Barths has a year round tropical climate. Comfortable, casual clothes are the order of the day. Formal dress, coats or ties are never required. Swimsuits should never be worn in town.

Electricity Voltage is 220 AC, 60 cycles. American-made appliances often require French plug converters and transformers.

Mail Service St. Barths has one Post Office with two branches. The main Post Office, on rue du Centenaire in Gustavia, opens daily 8 AM to 3 PM, and closes on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. The branch in Lorient is open from 7 to 11 AM weekdays and from 8 to 10 AM on Saturday. The branch at the St. Jean Commercial Center, near the airport, opens daily from 8 AM to 2 PM, as well as Wednesday and Saturday morning 8-11 AM. Both are closed on Sunday and holidays. UPS, Federal Express and DHL all have agents on the Island. Banks--The two main banks are both in Gustavia. The Banque Francaise Commerciale, rue du General-de-Gaulle (tel. 590/27-62-62), is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 12:30pm and 2 to 4:30pm; it's closed Wednesday afternoon. The Banque Nationale de Paris, rue du Bord-de-Mer (tel. 590/27-63-70), is open Monday through Friday from 8am to noon and 2 to 3:30pm; closes at noon on Wednesday. Currency--In 2002, St. Barts, as a political part of mainland France, abandoned its historic French franc and joined the Euro umbrella. Get current Currency Exchange Rates. Emergencies--Dial tel. 16 for police or medical emergencies, tel. 18 for fire emergencies. Hospital--St. Barts is not the greatest place to find yourself in a medical emergency. Except for vacationing doctors escaping their own practices in other parts of the world, it has only seven resident doctors and about a dozen on-call specialists. The island's only hospital, with the only emergency facilities, is the Hopital de Bruyn, rue Jean-Bart (tel. 590/27-60-35), about a 1/4 mile (.4km) north of Gustavia. Serious medical cases are often flown out to St. Maarten, Martinique, Miami, or wherever the accident victim or his/her family specifies. Language--The official language is French, but English is widely spoken. Pharmacies--The Pharmacie de Saint-Barth is on quai de la Republique, Gustavia (tel. 590/27-61-82). Its only competitor is the Pharmacie de l'Aeroport, adjacent to the airport (tel. 590/27-66-61). Both are open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm; on Sunday, one or the other remains open for at least part of the day. Safety--Although crime is rare here, it would be wise to protect your valuables. Don't leave them unguarded on the beach or in parked cars, even if locked in the trunk. Taxes--There's an airport departure tax of 4.55 Euro ($4.05), but no hotel tax. Telephone--St. Barts is linked to the Guadeloupe telephone system. To call St. Barts from the United States, dial 011 (the international access code), then 590 (the country code for Guadeloupe), then 590 again (the area code for St. Barths), and finally the 6-digit local number. To make a call to anywhere in St. Barts from within St. Barts, dial only the 6-digit local number, and ignore the prefix 590. To reach an AT&T operator from anywhere on the island, dial tel. 0800-99-00-11. To reach MCI, dial tel. 0800-99-00-19, and to reach Sprint, dial tel. 0800-99-0087. Time--When standard time is in effect in the United States and Canada, St. Barts is 1 hour ahead of the U.S. east coast. Thus, when it's 7pm on St. Barts, it's 6pm in New York. When daylight saving time is in effect in the United States (April through October), clocks in New York and St. Barts show the same time. Tipping--Hotels usually add a service charge of 10% to 15%; always ask if this is included in the price you're quoted. Restaurants typically add a service charge, too. Taxi drivers expect a tip of 10% of the fare. Water--The water on St. Barts is generally safe to drink. For information before you go, contact the French Government Tourist Office (tel. 202/659-7779; www.francetourism.com). There are offices at 444 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022 (tel. 212/838-7800); 9454 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 715, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (tel. 310/271-6665); or 676 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3360, Chicago, IL 60611 (tel. 312/751-7800). On the island, go to the Office du Tourisme, in the commercial heart of Gustavia, adjacent to La Capitanerie (the Port Authority Headquarters), quai du Général-de-Gaulle (tel. 590/27-87-27).