St Barthélemy is a French Overseas Collectivity in the northeastern Caribbean, a small volcanic island of 25 square kilometres with a population of around 10,000. The island was originally inhabited by the Arawak people before European contact. It was colonised by France in 1648, briefly held by Sweden from 1784 to 1878 — a period that gave Gustavia its name and its Swedish colonial architecture — and returned to France by referendum. The island's modern identity is a blend of French metropolitan culture, Swedish colonial heritage, and Creole Caribbean tradition.

The Creole community — the Barthélemy Creoles, known locally as the Blancs Matignon — are the island's original French settler descendants, with a distinct culture, dialect, and dress tradition that survives alongside the island's contemporary luxury identity. St Jean Bay is protected by a reef and offers some of the finest snorkelling in the northeastern Caribbean. Colombier Cove, on the island's northwestern tip, is accessible only by boat or trail and offers the island's most secluded crystal water experience.

All cultural experiences are arranged independently and paid to local operators at point of service.