When you’re looking for the dream escape with crystal clear waters, breathtaking picturesque views and some of the worlds most beautiful sandy beaches, you can’t go wrong with the Caribbean…. almost any island in the Caribbean. While I have fallen in love with many, I am especially drawn to islands like St. Martin and St. Bart’s, with their bit of French flavor – my version of paradise.

When satisfying our craving for Parisian-inspired island paradise, we typically find our toes in the sand of St. Martin’s more affordable beaches, but our recent visit to St. Bart’s went above and beyond any previous expectations of paradise.

St. Bart’s is known as one of the Caribbean’s most elite, most expensive islands, and it certainly lives up to its reputation. The only way to St. Bart’s is via St. Martin, and this goes for every thing sold… resulting in premium costs at restaurants, bars, and stores. We took a puddle jumper from St. Martin, enjoying an incredibly scenic approach, with gingerbread house-like houses and the yacht-filled Gustavia harbor providing a jaw-dropping welcome.

Being neither rich nor famous, we spent a surreal week in St. Bart’s with st barts villas for rent booked through Islandchicvillas.com, lucky to be shown the best of the island by a good friend who knows it well. Our villa was an incredible estate, set atop the most terrifyingly steep driveway I’ve ever seen. The island roads are generally challenging, with beautiful views from dramatic, cliff-side drives. Villa Amancaya sits atop one of the highest cliffs, with incredible panoramas of the Caribbean from every area. I enjoy open air properties; there’s nothing better than relaxing on a couch overlooking the sea with a real view over paradise, a slight ocean breeze touching your cheeks. When I’m in paradise I want to breathe it in!