Elysian Location Review: St. Bart’s for New Year’s Eve

New York City. Rio. Sydney. Dubai. Hong Kong: all of these locations would be a great choice for an epic New Year’s Eve celebration. New Year’s Eve – a day where we appreciate all the previous year gave us while also, just as enthusiastically, kissing it goodbye and welcoming in a new year.

But if you really want to ring in the New Year in style, you’ll head to the small, exclusive island of St. Barthélemy, commonly known at St. Bart’s. As I’ve learned, New Year’s Eve and St. Bart’s go together like champagne and caviar (of which there is much to be had).

Located in the French West Indies, this gem of the Caribbean is only accessible by private boats, ferries, and small prop planes. Tres chic. It’s this exclusivity that draws some of the world’s most famous and elite names every year to this tiny island to ring in the new year with private parties, glittering fashion and of course, fireworks.

However, while the firework show is certainly something to be experienced, it’s the superyachts that truly provide the real show.

As night approaches, the horizon in St. Bart’s seems to grow brighter – lit up in every color imaginable as the superyachts of the world show off their colors, each one seemingly more spectacular than the one before. Eclipse, Luna, Symphony, Maltese Falcon, Excellence V, and Venus were only some of Elysian’s high-profile neighbors that colored the sea with dazzling grandeur.

While I’m sure that there were plenty of parties happening on the island, as midnight approached, the real excitement was radiating across the waves.

Onboard Elysian, we gathered together on the sundeck, grasping glasses of champagne as we laughed, basking in the final moments of 2016. With our eyes toward the night sky, we counted down the final seconds together, smiles on our faces and arms around our loved ones and friends. Finally, the blast of Elysian’s horn joined in a chorus with dozens of others as the fireworks began, quite literally blasting us into 2017.

St. Bart’s, while beautiful all year round, is magical on New Year’s Eve. It’s in St. Bart’s where the sky and the sea join together to welcome the New Year in beautiful bravura.

Cheers and a happy new year to all!

Other highlights:

• Dinner at the Italian restaurant L’Isola. From the candlelit setting to the authentic cuisine, everything about our dining experience was incredible. I personally enjoyed the gnocchi and the tiramisu, but the highlight had to be the gin & tonic I enjoyed before our meal, which was hands-down the best gin & tonic I’ve ever had. My gin-drinking family agrees. Oh, and Jake Gyllenhaal, too, it seemed, quite enjoyed his dinner as well.
• Diving with Birdy & crew. We got hooked up with Bertrand Caizergues, aka Birdy, from St. Plongee Birdy Dive Center and I couldn’t have wished for more. With over 8,000 dives under his belt, it’s Birdy and his team that will take you to the most exclusive, beautiful dive spots that the island has to offer. As a bonus, you’ll have a blast doing so – as he speaks quickly and passionately in his thick French accent, filling you in on all that you’ll see on your dives. During our three dives we saw reef sharks, a juvenile nurse shark, a spotted moray, a Hawksbill turtle and also explored the Kayali wreck. Learn more: www.stbarthplongee.com
• A night on the town. What happens in St. Bart’s stays in St. Bart’s. However, I can tell you that if you’re looking for a fun, high-energy nightlife, you’ll find it in St. Bart’s. From acrobatic performances to a table-top saxophone player, we were never lacking entertainment. My favorite stops included Baz Bar and Bagatelle.