Catching a good breeze off Grand Cul de Sac beach. -- Photos by Jim Garnett, SUN

Some things are worth paying for. If that's your mantra, then St. Barth's may be the vacation spot for you. No fast food, no timeshare sales pitch, no vendors on every beach. St. Barthelemy is the Caribbean's unspoilt, uncut jewel.

Everything here is understated wealth, from the $440 a night hotel rooms to the line of stores around Gustavia harbour -- Hermes, Cartier, Bulgari and so many more.

The flight in, generally from St. Maarten, is a heart-stopping sleighride on a 20-seat twin prop. The trip is just 10 minutes but the memory will last a lifetime.

IMPOSSIBLE ANGLE

The pilot lands at an impossible angle, over a hill and between two 'mountains.' Somehow, the aircraft stops -- or rather does a high speed turn -- at the end of the runway mere feet from disappearing into St. Jean Bay.

Some visitors, returning to the island, swear they will only take the ferry in from St. Maarten, never the plane!

There are 30 to 40 hotels and about 80 restaurants on St. Barth's, nearly all upscale.

The island is only 21 sq. km and, on a map, it looks like you will be able to walk anywhere, but you will need to rent a car. The terrain is extremely steep and outside Gustavia and St. Jeam there are no sidewalks.

Traffic moves swiftly to tackle the next hill. Even the locals hitch rides rather than risk their lives walking between villages.

The beaches are numerous, clean and you'll have lots of sand to yourself.

The majority of tourists are French and they are split on the topic of topless sunbathing. About one third of the women go for the strapless tan.

The island has roots in both the French and Swedish worlds. In the late 1600s, the French established the first permanent settlement on the island, using it as a base for French buccaneers to set out and raid Spanish galleons. Then, in 1784, the French exchanged the island's sovereignty for trading rights for the port of Gothenburg.

The Swedes ran the island until 1878 when, after a major fire and changing economic conditions, it was sold back to France.

St. Barth's remained a sleepy, quiet island until the late 1980s when it became a place to be for the 'jet-set.' The Gustavia east harbour wall is lined with yachts that are probably beyond just the rich and famous. These giants run from 80 to 150 feet or more and have crews of 20 to 30.

Scooters are a popular way to explore the island.

HARRISON FORD A REGULAR

The sterns of many have huge bays built in to house tenders and jet-skis. The crew walk around in immaculate white golf shirts with the motor vessel's name emblazoned on the breast and two-way radios on their hips.

Cruise ships sometimes make this port but usually there's only one in port at a time. Some retailers resent the hoards of American tourists and say it drives their real customers away. It's said that you cannot help but run into "stars" here. Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford are said to be regular guests.

I asked some of the retail and hotel staff who they'd seen. Michael J. Fox was on the island in February and Rod Stewart was seen in Gustavia in December.

The best locations for 'star-spotting'-- apart from the ritzy stores -- are the Eden Rock hotel and restaurant and the Nikki Beach restaurant, both in St. Jean.

Eden Rock hotel and restaurant in St. Jean is a good place to play spot the stars.

The island is a watersport heaven. The wind is often strong and there are windsurf, para-sail and jet-ski rental locations around the island.

There is little nightlife and just two nightclubs on the island. Evenings tend to be spent in one of the many restaurants. An average meal can easily cost over $125 per person excluding wine and a tip. Local specialties, like most Caribbean islands, are fish, shellfish and chicken-based.

All you need to become mobile is a driver's licence and credit card. A small 4x4 costs from $65 US per day. Parking is easy close to the harbour and tourist office next to Gustavia harbour. Your hotel and the tourist office have free maps. Parking on the rest of the island is at the roadside when there's space.

There are only two gas stations, one opposite the airport between Gustavia and St. Jean, the other in Lorient, so keep the tank topped up.

HIDDEN BEACHES

Driving is amazing. There is really only one two lane road, from Gustavia, past the airport, through St. Jean and along the north coast. A few other roads loop off this one, towards unspoilt coastline and hidden beaches but these roads are narrower and you'll need to pull into driveways and off the paved surface to let opposing traffic past.

The main road is a rollercoaster ride -- steep hills and drops that required first gear in my Suzuki jeep.

There are sheer drops on one side and stone walls on the other. Traffic is a mix of small 4x4s, small commercial trucks and scooters. The scooters use the centre of the road even if there is oncoming traffic.

Even new vehicles have dents in the bodywork. It's just a byproduct of the road width, stone walls and sheer speed. The island is immaculately clean and the whole workforce is dedicated to keeping up and improving St. Barth's, which has made the island one of the most desirable destinations on the planet.