St. Barths Walking Route: Beaches, Gustavia & Lighthouse
Explore St. Barths' most beautiful coastal destinations on this 11.3 km route through the Caribbean island. Visit pristine beaches including Grand Cul-de-Sac, Saline Beach, Gouverneur Beach, and Flamands Beach, then explore the capital Gustavia, its iconic lighthouse, and the renowned St Barts Airport.
- Distance
- 11.3 km
- Mode
- route
- Start
- Grand Cul-de-Sac
- End
- St Barts Airport
- Stops
- 7
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Grand Cul-de-Sac — Beach on the northeast side with shallow water and windsurfers
- Saline Beach — Very beautiful and clean beach with views of St Kitts visible in the distance
- Gouverneur Beach — Beach on St Barts accessible for hiking and exploration
- Gustavia — Immigration port with processing, shopping, and cruise ship docking; main town of St Barts
- Gustavia Lighthouse — Lighthouse offering beautiful lookout points and views of the town from above
- Flamands Beach — Beach on the north side of the island facing towards the Caribbean
- St Barts Airport — Unique airport where planes take off and land over the ocean
Useful for your trip
- Food
- Nikki Beach is a luxurious beach club where you should dress up with nice beach attire; it's not casual dining.
- Food
- Eden Rock offers gourmet food and luxury dining with valet parking available, convenient for the St Jean area with limited parking.
- Food
- There are more restaurant options down the St Jean Beach with better pricing than Nikki Beach and Eden Rock, allowing more casual dress.
- Transport
- Pilots require a specific type of license to land at St Barts Airport; it's an experience arriving on these planes with unique landing procedures.
- Transport
- You can take a ferry boat from Philipsburg on St Martin as an alternative way to reach St Barts if flying is too risky for you.
- Tip
- Grand Cul-de-Sac has a short mountain hike (5-10 minutes) offering great views of the beach and Atlantic Ocean from a lookout bench.
- Tip
- At Grand Cul-de-Sac, the lagoon has shallow water where you can wade out quite far, ideal for wind surfing and water activities.
- Where to stay
- Hotels near Grand Cul-de-Sac typically require valet parking unless you arrive early; some beaches have limited parking.
- Tip
- St Barts is noted as one of the safest and most pristine islands in the Caribbean with no litter and exceptional cleanliness.
- Where to stay
- Saline Beach has nearby hotels allowing you to walk to the beach in the morning and evening; it's a calm, relaxing area to stay.
- Tip
- Gustavia is the capital and main cosmopolitan area with restaurants, shopping, ferry arrival from St Martin, and cruise ship docking.
- Tip
- The Gustavia Lighthouse offers scenic views of the capital from above, includes a botanical garden and remnants of an old French Fort.
Video on this route
Best Things To Do in St. Barths 4K