Active Pursuits

Beaches

St. Barts has some 21 white-sand beaches. Few are crowded, even in winter; all are public and free. Topless sunbathing is common (nudity is officially permitted on two). The best known is St-Jean Beach, which is actually two beaches divided by the Eden Rock promontory. It offers watersports, restaurants, and a few hotels, as well as some shady areas: There's fine snorkeling west of the rock. Lovely, comparatively uncrowded Flamands Beach, to the west, is a wide, long beach with a few small hotels and some areas shaded by lantana palms. In winter, the surf here can be rough, though rarely hazardous.

Lorient Beach, on the north shore, is quiet and calm, with shady areas. An offshore reef tames breakers save on the wilder western end, where French surfer dudes hang out and hang ten.

For a beach with hotels, restaurants, and watersports, Grand Cul-de-Sac Beach, on the northeast shore, fits the bill. It's narrow, breezy (the preferred site for wind- and kite-surfing), and protected by a reef.

North of Gustavia, the rather unromantic-sounding Public Beach is a combination of sand and pebbles more popular with boaters than swimmers -- it's the location of the St. Barts Sailing School. There is no more beautiful place on the island, however, to watch the boats at sunset, perhaps over the imaginative Asian/Creole/Latin tapas -- cod carpaccio to coconut ceviche -- at trendy Do Brazil, a favored lunch spot as well. Located near a small fishing village, Corossol Beach offers a typical glimpse of French life, St. Barts style. This is a calm, protected beach, with a charming little seashell museum.

South of Gustavia, Shell Beach or Grand Galet is awash with seashells -- or it is when the conditions are right. Rocky outcroppings protect this beach from strong waves. It's also the scene of many a weekend party.

Gouverneur Beach, on the southern coast, can be reached by driving south from Gustavia to Lurin. Turn at the popular Santa Fe restaurant (tel. 590/27-61-04; stop for drinks on the way back to savor sensational sunset views) and head down a narrow road. The uncrowded strand is gorgeous (as are the mostly nude beachcombers), ringed by steep cliffs overlooking St. Kitts, Saba, and Statia (St. Eustacius), but there's no shade. You'll find excellent snorkeling off the point. Grande Saline Beach, to the east of Gouverneur Beach, is reached by driving up the road from the commercial center in St-Jean; a short walk past disused salt ponds over the sand dunes and you're here. Lack of shade doesn't deter the buff sunbathers (the late JFK, Jr., was famously photographed here), or the many families who find the shallow ocean bottom ideal for swimming.

Colombier Beach is difficult to get to but well worth the effort. It can only be reached by boat or by taking a rugged goat path from Petite Anse past Flamands Beach, a 30-minute walk. The lookouts here are breathtaking; several adjacent coves are usually patrolled only by peacocks and mules. Shade, seclusion, and snorkeling are found here, and you can pack a lunch and spend the day. Locals call it Rockefeller's Beach because for many years David Rockefeller owned the surrounding property (Harrison Ford allegedly bought his blue pyramidical house).

Fishing

Anglers are fond of the waters around St. Barts. From March to July, they catch mahimahi; in September, wahoo. Atlantic bonito, barracuda, and marlin also turn up frequently. Yannis Marine, Gustavia (tel. 590/29-89-12; www.yannismarine.com), charters a 9m (31-ft.) Contender outfitted for deep-sea sport fishing. A half-day trip for five costs 750€ ($1,125), which includes a captain, fuel, snacks, drinks, and fishing equipment. Yannis also offers boat rentals, snorkeling trips, and island excursions; sunset cruises (7-11 guests) cost 650€ to 900€ ($975-$1,350).

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is fast becoming one of the most popular sports here. Former champion Enguerrand Espinassou gives expert lessons at 7e Ciel of St. Barth Kiteschool, at the Ouanalao Dive center on Grand Cul-de-Sac (tel. 690/69-26-90), open daily from 8am to 5pm. Kitesurfing costs 300€ ($450) for a 3-hour lesson, 450€ ($675) for a 5-hour lesson, and 800€ ($1,200) for 10 hours. Reservations are recommended, especially in high season.

Sailing

Charter the beautiful Lone Fox, a wooden sailing yacht built in 1957, for a day of sailing, swimming, snorkeling, and exploring the St. Barts coastline. You'll have a captain and crew on board to do all the heavy lifting. The maximum number of passengers is 12, and the cost is 900€ ($1,350) to 1,400€ ($2,100), depending on the season (tel. 690/33-27-91; www.lonefoxcharters.com).

Scuba Diving

Marine Service, quai du Yacht-Club, in Gustavia (tel. 590/27-70-34; www.marine-service.fr), is the island's most complete watersports facility. It operates from a one-story building at the edge of a marina on the opposite, quieter side of Gustavia's harbor. Catering to both beginners and advanced divers, the outfit is familiar with at least 20 unusual sites scattered throughout the protected offshore Réserve Marine de St-Barth. The most interesting include Pain de Sucre off Gustavia harbor and the remote Grouper, west of St. Barts, close to the uninhabited cay known as Île Forchue. The only relatively safe wreck dive, the rusting hulk of Kayali, a trawler that sank in deep waters in 1994, is recommended for experienced divers. A resort course, including two open-water dives, costs 110€ ($165), as does a "scuba review," for rusty certified divers, while a one-tank dive for certified divers begins at 60€ ($90). Multidive packages are available. Ouanalao Dive St-Barth (tel. 590/27-61-37; www.ouanalao-dive.com), located in the Grand Cul-de-Sac, is another recommended outfit with single and double-tank dives, night dives, and an open-water PADI diving school course (590€/$885; they also offer kitesurfing). An equally reliable Gustavia outfit for both diving and snorkeling is Plongée Caraïbes, Quai de la République next to the post office (tel. 590/27-55-94; www.plongee-caraibes.com); rates are competitive.

Snorkeling

Hundreds of shallow areas right off beaches such as Anse des Cayes teem with colorful aquatic life. Marine Service runs daily snorkeling expeditions. Group excursions cost from 65€ ($97) per person. Private snorkeling trips cost 600€ ($900) for a half-day trip, 1,000€ ($1,500) for a full day. They can also rent snorkeling gear and suggest top locations.

Surfing

Beach clubs rent out equipment for surfing St. Barts' main surfing beaches, including Anse des Cayes, Toiny, Miliou, and Lorient. Contact the Reefer Surf Club (tel. 590/27-67-63).