Visit Or Skip It? Caribbean Town Named World’s Most Expensive Travel Destination

A pretty town set on an idyllic Caribbean island has been dubbed the world’s most expensive travel destination. With its crystal-clear blue waters, pretty red roofs, and harbor hosting expensive yachts, this destination is not for those traveling on a budget. Read on to find out more about Gustavia, located on the island of Saint Barthélemy, otherwise known as St. Barts.

About Gustavia on St. Barts

Gustavia is the capital of the island of Saint Barthélemy, or St. Barts, and visitors here might get a costly surprise, with expenses averaging a hefty $1,852 per day. This town is definitely a pretty place, with its idyllic beaches, luxury vacation homes, red roofs and upmarket boutiques. However, it is only truly available to travelers with serious cash in their pockets.

Recently, the travel company Florida Panhandle featured the town as being the world’s most expensive travel destination. The results come after analyzing data from more than 100 popular vacation spots. The company’s report analyzed the average prices for a flight, accommodations, meals, and daily transportation. Meanwhile, it also included the most common vacation activities at each location.

As mentioned, the data revealed that the average daily cost to travelers is $1,852, without including the cost of the flight to get there. While the expensive price tag is shocking, there is some explanation. Reportedly, most of the goods and produce on the island have to be imported which pushes prices up. Meanwhile, other Caribbean islands also have to import goods without hiking the prices. However, on top of this, ultra-wealthy travelers have made this one of their favorite spots. This partially explains why Gustavia has become a destination for visitors with serious cash.

Getting to St. Bart’s capital

The first issue many travelers face is getting to Gustavia. The town’s closest airport is the tiny Gustaf III Airport, and flights will knock you back an average of $1,500 round trip from Miami if you travel in August. However, that is on the lower end of the scale as the study revealed that a roundtrip flight from Los Angeles costs around $2,772. For the average traveler, having to drop that kind of cash just to get to Gustavia is too much.

However, it is possible to travel to Gustavia by boat and dock in the harbor among the many multimillion-dollar yachts. Still, besides getting there, accommodations are also costly. According to Florida Panhandle’s study, an average night’s stay costs around $1,700 per person, or $3,783 for a family of four. Meanwhile, daily transportation costs are around $24.

What is affordable in Gustavia?

While getting there and staying is hugely expensive, access to the town’s best beaches, including Shell Beach, is free. Moreover, travelers can explore the island and enjoy hikes through the gorgeous scenery. Shopping in the luxury boutiques is definitely only for the rich, while meals at Gustavia’s best restaurants cost on average $58 each.

However, unless you are wealthy, a visit to this beautiful town is out of reach. If you come across Gustavia while searching for a Caribbean vacation, you’ll need to save up extra cash before booking that flight. If you do have the ready cash, find out more about the town on its official tourism website.

Which is the cheapest travel destination in the world?

While it won’t be the same, the study reveals that the least expensive vacation destination in the world is Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. Here, an average daily meal costs $29 and accommodation is $90 per person per day or $193 for a family of four. Meanwhile, daily transportation will cost you a mere $1.