Barbados or St. Barth's
 

Considering both...which would you recommend and why?

Spent a week at SB. Small island, easy to get around, beaches fair, no shade, minimal shopping and nightlife. Had a villa with another couple, had a wonderful time, very quiet, wouldn't go back. It depends what you want.

This above poster is nuts! Is he talking about the same St. Barts as the rest of the world? The beaches are gorgeous, the shopping is fabulous- ranging from local boutiques to couture shops--Cartier, Armani, Hermes... The food is all french cuisine and is amazing! This is one of the best, if not the best, islands in the Caribbean. Barbados is of no comparison, although I have not been there. You should check out www.rumreggae.com for an overall view of the islands.

I've been to both and it will realy depend on what you're looking for. St Barths is without a doubt (for me) the most equisite island in the Carribbean. No poverty, no crime and scads of dining, shopping, dining, beaches, dining . . . it is more expensive than Barbados but to me worth every cent. Barbados is a much larger island with its share of poverty and crime (no more than any other island and less than most) you will have a much wider selection of price ranges for dining and accomodations. Barbados is a nice island, St Barth is an experience.

we've been to both, found them very different as stated by others. Barbadoes is absolutely beautiful, with a phenomenal variety of topography in a very small area. The southwest coast is tropical, beachy, with many many people. The northeast coast is very high, looks like Big Sur, with huge boulders, crashing surf, high winds, wide vistas. In between are cane fields. Sandy Lane is the class act, with two fine golf courses. There are many rentable villas along the southwest coast, several resorts. The island people are very friendly and struck me as living in less poverty than those on St Croix, St Thomas, Nevis. St Barth's is sui generis due to the patterns of settlement and lack of a slave based economy during the colonial period. Everybody must have a job, there is apparently no poverty, and the population is very homogeneous, f that makes your motor run. My impression was that the restaurants flew young Frenchwomen in to work as waitresses in the excellent restauarants, which are tres expensive and service complet rather than service non complet (tip is included but they don't always tell you this, and adding 20% to a bill which already includes the tip is a risk you run). Most of the beaches on St Barth are facing the Atlantic and the surf is fairly rough.

Have been to both and both are very nice in very different ways. Barbados is larger with a major city Bridgetown. Some commerce and very friendly people. Accomodations on Barbados run from the smallest of guesthouses to the fanciest resorts. <BR> <BR>St. Barts is small island, very quaint, french speeking. St. Barts is more expensive generally than Barbados. Both offer beautiful beaches and clear bathtub temperature water. Myself I prefer Barbados, more diversity or maybe it's the Mt. Gay Rum?

The islands are very different. To me, nothing beats St. Barts. It has wonderful dining, excellent shopping in Gustavia (which is a great port town), french ambiance, friendly people, a number of really beautiful beaches (Salines, Gouverneur, Colombier, Flamands, St. Jean) and virtually no crime. <BR> <BR>Roads are very hilly and driving around can be a bit of an aventure. It is a relatively quiet and upscale place - if you're looking for casinos, shows, and other mass-tourism trappings, you won't find them on St. Barts. <BR> <BR>The price you'll pay is...the price. It's very expensive. And worth every cent!

Ashley - My experience was different from yours, and I believe that I can express my opinion without being called "nuts." People can disagree without being rude, which seems to be so prevalent on this board.

Dave, if someone had been next to you (in person) and had said the same thing with a laugh in their voice (which most of us usually do when talking about the islands), it probably wouldn't have seemed so bad. the great thing about the internet is being able to share with so many; the bad thing is having no idea if they're smiling or not. if you pretend they are, then whatever words you read may seem different. just my way of bringing my "island fun" home with me. ;-)

My wife has been to both islands and she would go back to St. Barth's - we both like to snorkel and didn't find much great snorkeling in St. Barth's - but there are days sails which go to some good snorkeling nearby - the food was terrific not only in the restaurants but in the markets - it truly was a bit of France - butter and camembert from Normandy, great baguettes, wine, - dinners could be expensive but lunches need not been. A couple of hotel suggestions on St. Barths - Eden Rock on one the main beaches or where we stayed Carl Gustav (which we stayed at half-price through our Amoco Motor Club travel club - room with a great view over the port, a private plunge pool - the bathroom was a little small consider the other levels of luxury but perhaps this more acceptable to European guests - I suspect most of the clientele is French and/or other European. A good friend spent his honeymoon at Le Toiny - which is the most expensive hotel on island I believe - quite secluded and not on a beach but he loved it. If I went back I would try and rent a villa for a week (and bring some friends). It is an easy island to visit (just be sure your rental car has an automative transmission unless you are really good at manual transmissions - the roads are something else - but once I got the automatic, I could enjoy myself.)

I have recently returned from a vacation in Barbados, and have to say after vactioning on both islands that st- barths is an experience but, that I found an exqusite villa in Barbados with the same caliber of luxury offered, and have saved myself enough money to vacation a second time this summer. I found the villa through a msg on this board that pointed me in the direction of Luxury Retreats who offers villas on both islands and worldwide. I highly reccomend their services, I was more than pleased with the accomadations and staff, and would reccomend them to all exclusive travelers. <BR>Best Regards, <BR>G.Scott