Best Time To Visit: The island’s climate is warm year-round, but the social scene is at its very best around New Year’s Eve, and the legendary regattas - St Barts Bucket and Les Voiles de St Barts, held in late March and April each year.

Key Cruising Areas:  All cruises should include time in the glitzy Gustavia, as well as anchoring out at some of the many beautiful beaches found on St Barts and its surrounding islands and islets. If you are keen to explore more of the Caribbean, it is within easy reach of the nearby Dog Island, Anguilla, and St. Maarten.

Don’t Miss: The island’s superyacht regatta, St Barts Bucket. Held in late March, the island sees dozens of superyachts, including the impressive J Class, gather for a series of races.

Best Spots for Wining and Dining: The list of excellent bars and restaurants is long on St Barts. One of the highlights is the island institution of Le Ti Saint Bart, where you can expect hilltop views, great food, and even better parties. Dining is superb at the soon-to-reopen Eden Rock and at L’Esprit Saline, where chef Jean-Claude Dufour showcases St Barts’ unique French Caribbean fusion food. For a sunset drink, head to the beachside restaurant Shellona, or the exclusive Nikki Beach.

Best Local Dish: Although there are plenty of excellent Creole dishes on the island, St Barts is most famous for its French cuisine. And of course plenty of the freshest fish.

Local Culture: The island’s first successful European settlement was founded by French buccaneers, giving St Barts a strong French identity, but also creating legend of buried treasure, with bounty said to lie in the coves of Anse du Gouverneur and the sands of Saline. Apart from a spell as a Swedish free port (a status the island had kept) which left the capital city with its name, Gustavia, the cultural influences here have remained mainly French.

Best Beach: Anse de Grande Saline beach is one of the island’s most beautiful, with white sand, clear waters and no buildings along this stretch of coastline to break the view. A strong second is Colombier, locally known as Rockefeller’s beach. This unspoiled beach is only accessed by foot or boat and is the ideal spot for a picnic.

IYC recommends: A trip to the uninhabited islet of Île Fourche, which lies off the northwest tip of St Barts. It sits within the Nature Reserve of Saint Bartholomew and as a result offers excellent diving when the currents are right. Take the tender to shore and hike amongst the sparse scrub-like vegetation to reach the top of the islet’s five peaks.