I'd love to get opinions on day trips to Saba and St. Barths. We've yet to visit either. Shopping is not important to us and I know that many tours drop you off in Gustavia. I think for St. Barth's we would do more of a snorkel/beach focused excursion. I read on so many reviews/posts that the boat ride to St. Barth's is pretty rough. We would absolutely take Dramamine. Is the trip to Saba as rough? TIA! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Edited to add: over the years - lots of them - we've made many trips to both islands as well as Anguilla and St. Kitts in that general part of the Caribbean. My personal preference is still Saba and it only took us twenty years worth of annual SXM vacations to get there for the first time. StB was the island we most frequently visited back then because of so many organized excursions but of the two, it was clearly Saba that won our hearts in the end.

The trip 'going' to either island can be very rough. Or not!, but more likely than not, it will be. If you are at all prone to mal de mer you might want to consider flying over and boat back. The return trip to SXM is usually very nice via the water. For Saba, fly from PJIA but for StB, fly from L'Esperance on the French side.

They are both beautiful islands but very different from each other. St.B is extremely pricey and very lovely - the place to see and be seen. More beautiful beaches, etc. Someone told me a daytrip for three, when all expenses were included cost them the better part of a grand. That was airfare over x 3, boat trip back x 3, breakfast, lunch and drinks and I'm guessing either a car or taxi plus time on Nikki Beach. But while I know you can do it for a lot less - we have - if you decide to shop it can be more, too.

My personal preference of the two is Saba......it is so different from what you typically see on a Caribbean island. No beach to speak of unless you're very lucky but there are organized dive and snorkel excursions so I've been told. We've taken the Edge over as part of an organized day-trip with sight-seeing and lunch included, and we've also flown. Saba is drop dead gorgeous and a hiker or photographers dream. We liked it so much when we finally did our daytrip we booked a three night stay-over at Queens Garden Inn and loved it even more. But this time, DH insisted we fly.

We plan to do this too for the first time on July 6th flying out of grand case to st. Barths. If you like, I can give you our opinion of our trip. Just drop us a pm.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />Thank you so much. I'd actually not considered flying over but I will look into it. I have seen a videoed landing on Saba and that was breathtaking. I think Saba may be the way we go this trip.

Pijomo, I will certainly check in with you. How long will you be down there?

Our party of four (two couples) are there July 3-11!!!

Pijomo, So exciting! It's so nice that you are going with another couple as well. We've always wanted to find travel buddy's. It never seems to work out with scheduling. Safe travels! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />

We have been to St Barths many times and the trip over was always a bit rough but the trip back was always smooth. It's nice to rent a car at least once to adventure around (but some of the roads are very narrow. Go to the top of the hill above the airport and watch a few planes land. You might have to duck. If you are not looking for a gourmet meal go to Le Select in the middle of town for a "Cheesburger in Paradise", interesting place. We went to Saba once on the Edge and the trip was very rough both ways but it could have just been the day. Pat gave a good description of Saba.