The Island Where Rich Go to Flex Has Secret…

HandoutI was starting to get used to the pandemic way of traveling. Minus the restrictions and rules, COVID-19 made traveling like the rich accessible to a lot more people. Well, at least the exclusivity part of it. Empty beaches, museums all to yourself, and the ability to go to sought-after restaurants without knowing somebody truly felt like belonging to the upper class of this world.Now that the industry is picking back up and a lot of people are finally traveling again, finding refuge from the crowds feels impossible.Pre-pandemic, if the eat-the-rich crowd ever wanted to strike at the heart of the 0.1 percent, the harbor of St. Barths on New Years was an effective starting place. All winter, this hilly French Caribbean island is the location of many a social media flex to demonstrate wealth (or access to it via a sugar daddy), but on New Years it reaches another level. The crowds aren’t of people, but mega yachts—docked or moored in and around every possible spot. This winter, after a COVID or social media shaming induced break, the island was back to being the playground for the rich.But what happens here when the weather in the big cities warms up and the wealthy head to famous summertime enclaves? This May I visited the island twice–first at the invitation of one of the island’s more storied properties, Le Toiny, to experience the off season and again by boat. I’m far from the first to “discover” the wonders of visiting somewhere offseason. But, as we head back into an era of overtourism, any chance we get to find the luxury of seclusion is worth it. Plus, in visiting St. Barths now, you’ll get to vacation like the super rich at prices that, while still steep, are significantly lower.Private pool at Le Toiny HandoutThe first question many of you who have seen TikTok horror videos of budget-conscious tourists being blown about whil …