FERRYEXCURSIONFERRY TRAVEL JOURNAL

Destination

St Barth,
at a glance.

Conditions on the crossing today, and the events worth timing a visit around.

Crossing conditions

Slight swell, comfortable for most

Sea
1.0 m
Swell period
5 s
Wind
13 kn ESE
Air
29°C, overcast

Sea state off Gustavia, updated through the day. This is background for packing and expectations, not sailing advice. Operators decide whether a crossing runs, and their word is the only one that counts. Data from Open-Meteo.

Why the sea state matters more than the forecast

The crossing between St Maarten and St Barth is short, roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on the route, but it runs across open water rather than inside a sheltered channel. Sunshine tells you very little about how it will feel. Swell height does. Under about a metre most passengers are comfortable; above a metre and a half the boat moves enough that anyone prone to motion sickness should take something well before boarding rather than once they are aboard.

If you are choosing between the Dutch-side and French-side departures, see our complete guide to the St Maarten to St Barth ferry route.

What's on

St Barth's calendar is small but unusually concentrated: a handful of events fill the island completely and push ferries, flights and villas to capacity. The St Martin and St Maarten dates are included because they affect the ports you travel through.

  1. Tuesday evenings in season, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    Grand Case Harmony Nights

    St Martin · Culinary

    Grand Case bills itself as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, and in season its main street closes to traffic on Tuesday evenings for a street festival of food stalls, music and craft. An easy evening out from the French side.

  2. January 2027Dates to confirm

    St. Barth Music Festival

    St Barth · Music

    A roughly ten-day cultural showcase of classical music, opera, jazz and ballet, with international artists performing in Gustavia and Lorient. Evening performances, so a late ferry back to St Maarten is rarely an option: most visitors stay over.

  3. Early February 2027, ending Ash Wednesday (10 February)Dates to confirm

    St. Martin Carnival (French side)

    St Martin · Carnival

    The French side's carnival builds through the first week of February and peaks over Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday, with parades through Marigot. Worth knowing if you are routing through Marigot for the ferry: the town is busy and parking is scarce on parade days.

  4. 8 February 2027

    St. Barth Carnival

    St Barth · Carnival

    Colourful local parades and island celebrations centred on Shrove Monday, ending with the burning of Vaval on Ash Wednesday. Gustavia is at its liveliest and the harbour front fills early.

  5. Mid-February 2027Dates to confirm

    St. Barthélemy Half Marathon

    St Barth · Sport

    An annual scenic 21.1 km run winding through Gustavia and the hills above the harbour. Roads on the route close for the morning.

  6. March 2027, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    SXM Festival

    St Martin · Music

    An electronic music festival staged across beaches and villas on both sides of St Martin. Draws an international crowd and puts real pressure on flights and accommodation for the week it runs.

  7. 17–21 March 2027

    St. Barths Bucket Regatta ↗

    St Barth · Sailing

    The premier superyacht regatta, in 2027 running an expanded four-race format from Thursday to Sunday. Gustavia harbour fills with the largest sailing yachts afloat and the island books out well ahead: arrange ferries and accommodation early.

  8. April 2027, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    Les Voiles de Saint-Barth Richard Mille

    St Barth · Sailing

    St Barth's other great regatta, and a very different character to the Bucket: a competitive fleet of maxis, classics and racing yachts, with a week of racing and evening events ashore in Gustavia.

  9. Late April into early May 2027, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    St. Maarten Carnival (Dutch side)

    St Maarten · Carnival

    The Dutch side runs its carnival separately from the French side and much later in the year, over roughly two weeks at Carnival Village in Philipsburg, ending with the Grand Parade. Expect heavy traffic around Philipsburg on parade days, which matters if you are catching a ferry from that side.

  10. 24 August 2027

    Fête de Saint-Barthélemy

    St Barth · Culture

    The island's patron saint day and its most local celebration: a blessing of the boats in Gustavia harbour, followed by regattas, a public dinner and fireworks. Quieter season, genuinely local atmosphere.

  11. November 2027, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    Saint Barth Gourmet Festival

    St Barth · Culinary

    Visiting chefs, several of them Michelin-starred, take over island restaurants for a long weekend of collaborative menus. Booking a table is essential rather than advisable.

  12. November 2027, dates to be confirmedDates to confirm

    St. Barth Cata Cup

    St Barth · Sailing

    An international F18 catamaran regatta raced close inshore off St Jean, which makes it one of the most watchable events of the year from the beach.

  13. 31 December 2027 – 1 January 2028

    New Year's Eve & St. Barths New Year's Regatta

    St Barth · Sailing

    The busiest days of the St Barth year: superyachts packed into Gustavia, harbour parties and fireworks over the town at midnight, followed by the New Year's Regatta. Ferries, flights and villas are booked months ahead.

Dates marked “to confirm” are the right month but not yet officially published. Always check with the organiser before booking travel around an event.