Villa La Belle Aurore

Transportation tips - onto St. Barths Get to St. Martin FIRST Fly from the US to St. Martin. American Airlines, US Air and Delta currently land in St. Martin. American Airlines has the most flights. Try to book your flight so that you arrive in St. Martin by at least 4pm so you can make a connection to St. Barths. Fly from Europe to St. Martin: Air France fly to St. Martin daily during the winter and three times per week in summer.

Our family uses the following web sites and travel agent to book flights:
www.travelocity.com
www.cheaptickets.com
www.hotwire.com

Many of our guests have had difficulties getting bookings on St. Barth Commuter, Windward and Air Caraïbes from their travel agents. One of our local travel agencies, Saint-Barth Evasion, will gladly write the tickets and mail them to you. In fact they can write all of your tickets. Ask for Sabine, Josette, or Jean Noel and contact them at:

Phone: 011 590 590 27 77 43.
Fax: 011 590 590 27 80 45.
E-Mail: stbarthevasion@wanadoo.fr.

Get from St. Martin to St. Barthelemy SECOND

From St. Martin to St. Barthelemy you can take a commuter flight or ferry boat.

Customs & Immigration

The island of Saint-Barthélemy (SBH) is part of France. All EEC Citizens need is their national identity card. In order to travel the neighboring islands, a valid passport will be needed. No vaccinations are required. American and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport and a return plane ticket. (Be sure to check with your airline as to which documents they require and the time that you will need to arrive at the airport prior to departure.) The airstrip in St. Barths is small, and pilots are required to have special training to land. For many, the landing, especially on a windy day, is an adventure in itself. The airport in St. Barthelemy is NOT open at night.

A Note About Connecting Flights In St. Martin (SXM)

The Island of St Martin is divided into Dutch (Sint Maarten) and French sides, both with a population of around 30,000. Princess Juliana International, the major airport for St Martin (SXM) is on the Dutch side. All of the major International Carriers will land at Princess Juliana International (SXM)

The French side does have a much smaller airport at Grand Case (SFG), offering regional air services to Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Bart (SBH). In order to leave from or come from Grand Case, you will have to take a taxi (it is far from Princess Juliana International - so don't get confused).

Both US Air, Continental and Delta have baggage agreements with WinAir and Air Caraïbes. This means that on arriving into St. Martin (SXM), you will avoid having to go through St. Martin customs and immigration and claim your luggage, recheck into the WinAir or Air Caraïbes. desk and then proceed to the gate. If you have checked your luggage through, (or have brought none with you) proceed through Gate 10 (the in transit gate), show your tickets and passport and proceed to the WinAir #8 Gate.

American Airlines has had no formal relationships with any of the interconnects to St. Bart since 1989. This means that you will have to go through St. Martin (SXM) immigration, claim your luggage and then take it through the terminal to recheck unless you book your connection with St. Barth Commuter.

Other choice is to contact Brice at St. Barth Services and they will take care of everything and they will put you on the very next plane to St. Bart, with absolutely no hassles! They can also to the return trip with you and expedite you through the wait lines at American as well as any of the other carriers - Ask for their VIP service. It works !!!! This cost a little extra, but sure is nice. Web site for St. Barth Services: http://www.stbarthservices.com/

St. Barth Commuter: We always try to book St. Barth Commuter when using American Airlines or Air France as they will meet you on the tarmac and you can pass through the St. Martin TRANSIT gate. St. Barth Commuter will pick up your luggage in St. Martin and bring it to St. Barth. This luggage service saves you hours of hassle going through St. Martin customs, immigration and rechecking your baggage. The web link for St. Barth Commuter is http://www.stbarthcommuter.com/ You can book with them direct from there web site. St. Barth Commuter offers both scheduled flights and private charters. Their prices are very competitive.

Winn Air: Winn Air has regular scheduled flights from St. Martin to St. Barth. They have a luggage arrangement with US Air, but do not with any other airline. You can pass through the transit gate in St. Martin if you arrived on US Air and checked you baggage through or if you have only carry on baggage. The web site for Winn Air is: http://www.st-barths.com/winair/index.html

Tradewind Aviation Expands St. Barth Service:January 24, 2006 - St. Croix, USVI and Oxford, CT: Following on an extremely successful 2005-2006 holiday season, Tradewind Aviation has announced the St. Barth Shuttle scheduled service between San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Barthelemy, FWI. Tradewind Aviation operates a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans and Pilatus PC-12’s based in St. Croix, USVI and is the only U.S. Jet Prop charter company to be specifically authorized to operate in and out of St. Barth’s. The Caravan and Pilatus are the newest aircraft to be found anywhere in the Caribbean; with air-conditioned executive-configured interiors and plenty of room for luggage, they offer excellent service to the islands of the Caribbean. Tradewind flies all flights with two fully-qualified experienced crewmembers, all of whom have been specifically authorized to fly in the challenging environment of the Caribbean.

Beginning February 3, 2006, St. Barth Shuttle flights depart San Juan on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 8:30 a.m. and return from St. Barth’s at 10:30 each morning. The flight time is less than one and a half hours in air conditioned comfort. The fare is $350 per person each way.“Long weekends in St. Barth are now a convenient option,” explains David Zara, Vice President of Tradewind, “passengers can easily fly to San Juan from the ‘states the night before, enjoy a relaxing evening in San Juan, and be on the beach the following morning.”

“We are proud to be an additional link for the people of St. Barth” says Eric Zipkin, Tradewind Aviation’s President. “With the St. Barth Shuttle, residents of St. Barth can easily access shopping and connecting flights throughout the world.”The St. Barth Shuttle joins Tradewind Aviation’s highly successful VIP charter service to and from all islands of the Caribbean and Tradewind’s world-renowned service in the continental United States.Headquartered in Oxford, CT, Tradewind Aviation is a United States certificated Air Carrier with a fleet of over a dozen aircraft operating in the U.S. and Caribbean. Tradewind Aviation has an unblemished safety record of several years and is highly rated by independent aviation safety auditing firms. More information about the St. Barth Shuttle and VIP Charter services can be found at www.tradewindaviation.com and by calling 800.376.7922 or 203.267.3305

Inter Island Carrier Luggage requirements:

Passengers are permitted, free of charge, 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of total checked baggage. Excess baggage will be accepted if space permits at an additional weight charge for the excess baggage. Each passenger is allowed one (1) piece of carry-on baggage, total weight 3 kilograms (6.5 pounds). Standard size applies to carry-on baggage - 10 x 10 x 14 inches or 25 x 25 x 35 cm; carry-on baggage must fit under the seat in front of you.

Departure Tax in St. Martin: You might be due a refund:

On the way home... additional note here - American Airlines now collects a St. Martin departure tax up front and it is included in the price of the ticket you purchased. As most travelers actually stay in St. Martin, collection of this departure tax really has made leaving St. Martin a lot easier. American Airlines has no way of knowing what your final destination is and has to assume you are staying in St. Martin. But as a traveler coming and going to St. Bart and not staying overnight in St. Martin, you are exempt from this departure tax.

And, unless you plan on staying in St. Martin overnight after leaving St. Bart, you will be leaving an additional $20.00 per person in St. Martin. If you'd like the departure tax returned to you, give the American Airlines ticket agent in St. Martin when you check in for your flight home a Photostat (make a copy before you leave your office) of your ticket from St. Bart, the last boarding passes) you received as you just left St. Bart, and your white "stub" that you got from the St. Martin Immigration that you just received when you landed in St. Martin, and your passport and they will graciously give you back $30.00 cash for each person qualifying. If you feel obligated to thank us for this hidden gem, thanks us and refer a friend!

Sea Transports: If you arrive to late for a flight connection to St. Barth or just like ferry boats you can book your crossing with one of the Ferry services from St. Martin to St. Barth. In this case you would go through customs in St. Martin collect your baggage then take a taxi to the port servicing the ferry you have chosen. Remember if you are arriving on the Ferry you will need to advise the rental car agency and La Belle Aurore caretaker which ferry and the crossing you are scheduled on so they will meet you at the port in Gustavia. The island of St. Barthélemy can be reached by sea using facilities provided by the ferries 'VOYAGER' twice a day (round trip) to Marigot Bay and Oyster Pond (Wednesday and Sunday only) (011+ 590 590 87 10 68 ), and 'EDGE' once a day (round trip) from Tuesday to Saturday to Simpson Bay (011+ 599 544 26 40/26 31). A one-way trip on the Voyager takes 1 hour 15 minutes, while the Edge takes 45 minutes.