St. Maarten/St. Martin

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St Maarten Paradise

A November 2003 trip to St. Maarten/St. Martin by avad88

Tropical paradise awaits in St. Maarten. It was a wonderful island, half Dutch and half French. It has friendly people with beautiful beaches and gourmet dining. Who could ask for anything more?

  • 7 reviews

The AtriumBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Best Things Nearby:
The location is great--there are lots of restaurants, movie theatres, and shopping nearby, and it's only a few miles from the airport.

Best Things About the Resort:
Lovely setting, great staff, and beautiful rooms.

Resort Experience:
This is a Gold Crown resort and it's worthy of its rating. The place is immaculate, spacious, and has a wonderful view from the balconies. The kitchen is complete with dishwasher and all needed appliances. The bedroom had a king-size bed and plenty of closet space. The pool is rather small, but who needs a pool with all the great beaches in the area? The resort furnishes beach towels.

There were lots of activities and the staff bends over backwards to help you. We loved it and would even consider buying there.

  • Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
  • Activities: Excellent
  • Amenities: Very Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
  • Family Friendliness: Fair
  • Service: Excellent
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Grand CaseBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

There are so many wonderful restaurants in Grand Case--it is a road made up of great establishments offering all types of cuisine from French to creole. Also, the loo-loos in the area are open-air with great ribs and chicken cooked on the grill.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Marigot MarketBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

The Market in Marigot is on the waterfront and the locals come out to sell fish, spices, veggies, and all kinds of handmade things at reasonanble prices. It's held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is colorful and quite interesting just to walk around.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Marigot Market
St. Maarten, St. Maarten/St. Martin

Shopping (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Phillipsburg shopping"

Phillipsburg is a wonderful place to shop. They have some of the lowest prices on jewelry in the Caribbean, much lower than the US, and St. Maarten is duty-free. We bought gold at about $10 per gram. You must haggle with them over the price--it is expected. The jewelry stores and specialty stores are on Front Street and there are many, many of them--probably at least 50 or more. But the locals shop on Back Street--the street behind Front Street where you can buy clothing, shoes, and such imported from Europe at much cheaper prices than the US and it is fun to haggle with them.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Shopping (General)
St. Maarten, St. Maarten/St. Martin

Beaches (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Beaching"

The beaches in St. Maarten are wonderful for snorkeling, swimming, and just sun-worshipping. The water is a beautiful blue and clear, and the marine life is abundant. Orient Beach is a favorite and part of it is clothing-optional, as are other beaches on the French side of the island.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Beaches (General)
St. Maarten, St. Maarten/St. Martin

Pinel Island (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Pinel Island"

Pinell Island is a tiny island accessible by a boat from the French side of St. Martin near Orient Beach. The boat costs a few dollars each way and leaves about every 10 minutes. The island has facilities, a snack bar, chairs, and umbrellas you can rent. It is a great place to snorkel or just sunbathe away from the crowd.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Pinel Island (General)
St. Maarten, St. Maarten/St. Martin

Butterfly Farm (La Ferme des Papillons)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Butterfly Farm"

The Butterfly Farm is very interesting. They have thousands of butterflies in a large, screened-in area and you see how they multiply, live, etc. in a beautiful natural setting. The butterflies actually land on you and you can tak pictures and get up close and personal with them. A guide takes you around the area, pointing out the different types of butterflies and the plants they are attracted to, etc. It was very educational and a nice place to visit.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by avad88 on February 10, 2004

Butterfly Farm (La Ferme des Papillons)
Baie Orentiale St. Maarten, St. Maarten/St. Martin

About the Writer

avad88
avad88
St Simons Island, Georgia

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