Beautiful St Barts – Where the Rich and Famous Celebrate New Year
by Gillian Birch on May 02, 2019
While many partygoers head to the ski slopes or Sydney Harbour for the New Year celebrations, discerning people-in-the-know sail to the Caribbean island of St Barts (Saint Barthélemy). With its balmy sunshine, French-influenced cuisine, exclusive service, and indulgent ambiance, it’s the perfect luxury winter escape. If you don’t have your own luxury yacht, you can easily charter a luxury crewed vessel and join the party.
Prior to New Year’s Eve, the waters around St Barts are filled with some of the world’s most beautiful superyachts and chartered sailboats. Overhead, the cloudless blue sky is abuzz with private jets and helicopters dropping off yacht owners, party-goers, entertainers, and top chefs. Behind every pair of designer shades, there’s usually a well-known face!
Your crewed yacht charter in St Barts will have an experienced captain, crew, and top-notch chef who will be well prepared for your onboard celebrations. However, in this close community, you may be lucky enough to be invited to one of the spectacular parties on the island or on a superyacht moored nearby.
If this sounds like your sort of New Year celebrations, then a luxury yacht charter in St Barts is definitely for you.
How to Enjoy New Year’s Eve in St Barts
Those on yacht charters can be caught out if they don’t know the St Barts’ protocol, but your experienced captain will already know the ropes, including where to berth or moor. They can also call ahead and secure reservations for you at places like Le Yacht Club, Do Brazil, Bonito, or Bagatelle.
If you moor offshore, enterprising motor launches act as taxis, shuttling you to and fro for entertainment, drinks, and nightlife. The glittering jewelry stores, boutiques, and bars are just a short stroll along the promenade at Port de Plaisance, Gustavia.
St Barts. Photo by @marizmo
On-board, your private chef will have everything ready for your New Year’s Eve party so you can sit back and watch the surrounding frenetic activity as private chefs, stewards, caterers, and crew set up tables, chill the champagne and tick off deliveries of lobster, caviar and oysters for the festivities. It helps that St Barts was formerly a French commune, leaving a legacy of world-class cuisine, champagne, and French-produced wine for discerning palettes to savour.
St Barts New Year’s Eve Regatta
Relax on the gently bobbing deck of your luxury charter yacht and watch the St Barts New Year’s Eve Regatta. It’s more of a catwalk for showing off yachts rather than a competitive race of speed, but it’s all part of the New Year’s Eve tradition in St Barts.
After an evening of partying, when the clock strikes 12 the harbor is filled with technicolor pyrotechnics. Flares and lights are outdazzled by impressive fireworks, each trying to outdo their neighbor. Nikki Beach and Le Plage are top places for enjoying the fireworks over Baie de St-Jean, but you can just lounge on your own deck and watch the show.
Once the New Year celebrations are over, St Barts returns to its peaceful, chic, and beautiful self. Indulge in a pampering massage at one of the upscale spas such as La Cabane De L’Isle or set sail to explore the surrounding beaches. Yachts will gradually disperse one by one back to their other life after enjoying a New Year’s Party in St Barts that’s like no other.
