A trip to St. Maarten is usually quite uncomplicated , and the island has many attractions to offer its visitors. The country is geared for tourism, which makes everything from transportation to choosing where to eat exceptionally easy. Regardless, here are some tips which could…Read More

A trip to St. Maarten is usually quite uncomplicated , and the island has many attractions to offer its visitors. The country is geared for tourism, which makes everything from transportation to choosing where to eat exceptionally easy. Regardless, here are some tips which could make your stay even cheaper and more enjoyable.

1. The country is split into two sections. There is French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten. However even if you don't speak either of the two languages, English is widely spoken by locals throughout the country so you shouldn't encounter too many difficulties.

2. Public transportation runs frequently during the day, and local buses run between both sides of the island. During the night, the number of public buses drop significantly, causing considerable waiting periods. If you are downtown in Philipsburg, the best place to wait for a bus is along Back Street as all the buses run through here regardless of their end destination. Typical bus fares range from $1.00 to $1.50 USD.

3. If you had a long day of shopping however, and the local bus simply won't cut it for you, you don't need to panic. For a twenty-five minute drive from the yacht marina at Simpson Bay to Philipsburg, I was quoted only $7 USD. Luckily for me however, a bus chose that oppurtune moment to swing by so I jumped in instead!

4. Maho Beach near the airport is a great place to spend at least an hour of your day. As if you need another reason besides white sand, warm sun and sparkling clear waters to convince you! However what makes this beach so special, is the fact that if you're not aware of the main attraction, it will definitely scare you. Planes cross over the beach literally over your heads as they make the final approach to land! Seeing as St. Maarten has such a busy international airport, the planes land almost every two minutes!

5. The offical currency of Dutch St. Maarten is the Netherland Antilles Florin/Guiler (NAF). However the United States Dollar is widely accepted throughout the entire island, so it would be highly unnecessary for anyone to change the money before heading to the country. Most prices in restaurants, hotels and even the public buses are quoted in USD.

Hopefully, at least one of these five tips will help any prospective visitors. St. Maarten is a great destination whether your stay is a week in a resort/hotel or simply a day trip during a cruise. Filled with friendly locals, great shopping and beautiful beaches, there is something here for everyone!Close

The yacht which we sailed to St. Maarten was called the Mystery. It was a 40 foot Beneteau which made up part of the fleet of ships belonging to Ondeck Antigua. Before we left the Antiguan port of English Harbour, we were given a quick…Read More

The yacht which we sailed to St. Maarten was called the Mystery. It was a 40 foot Beneteau which made up part of the fleet of ships belonging to Ondeck Antigua. Before we left the Antiguan port of English Harbour, we were given a quick tour of the vessel. This tour was conducted by Joe, a voluntary crew member and it was very informative, helping to put two first time sailors at ease.

The boat had a decent sized living room area, complete with a table and two sofas. There were three cabins onboard, one forward cabin and two aft cabins. Although they looked small, they appeared to be comfortable with soft mattresses and thick bed sheets. In each cabin, there were small closets and cupboards to store small items and documents.

The bathroom was small but functional, and using it was definitely a battle. I did get a few bruises, but that's all part of the deal. There was a small kitchen onboard, complete with a tiny stove and a sink. Food was stored in small compartments close by, and a few dishes, cups and cutlery were washed and stored in the sink.

While the crew started to make preparations to leave, we were taken to the deck for a safety briefing. We were told that once the ship is moving, to always secure three points of contact with the vessel. For example, two feet on the floor, and one hand on the railing. This was to help prevent us from falling overboard in the event of rough seas.

We sailed out of Antigua at around 7:30 pm, with the intentions of arriving at Simpson Bay, St. Maarten in time for the 9am bridge. The wind was quite high, and the yacht cut through the waves at a decent pace. I had to wear a waterproof jumper and a matching jacket to sit on the deck, complete with a life jacket. Not the most flattering of outfits I've ever worn, but extremely necessary none the less.

We were shown how to steer and helped the crew to sail, plus taking shifts to keep watch. For a first timer, the experience was beyond thrilling, and I had several bouts of adrenaline rushing through my system when the boat lurched unexpectedly.

The night passed by quickly enough with the help of coffee, and within 10 hours of leaving Antigua, we arrived at St. Maarten. Docking the yacht proved to be quite a task however, because even though we made the 9am bridge, we had a difficult time finding a space to dock in the marina. We spent at least 45 minutes waiting for assistance before we were successful.

Finally, everything was set, and the Captain hurried away to clear us with immigration. I completed my very first international sailing trip, and it was an adventure of a lifetime. St. Maarten is only 20 minutes from Antigua by air, but the 10 hour boat trip was worth it!Close

You are in need of a rental car to enjoy the many beaches that St. Martin boasts - from quiet and deserted to very bustling. I'll start this review at the edge of the French side near the Maho area. BAIE LONGUE: This beauty of…Read More

You are in need of a rental car to enjoy the many beaches that St. Martin boasts - from quiet and deserted to very bustling. I'll start this review at the edge of the French side near the Maho area.

BAIE LONGUE: This beauty of a beach is Hotel La Samanas romantic setting. A long trek along a dirt road filled with pot holes will reward you with a paradise almost to yourself. Lots of beach here, many beautiful homes with large properties make it very private. You'll see a few cars parked along the edge of trees with a path leading to the beach with beautiful soft sand and usually calm water. There are no services here - bring your own blanket and cooler but it's ideal for those who dream of quiet romance.

BAIE DES PRUNES: Even further along this rutted dirt road is this cove - frequented by the French - mothers with children. Not easy to get to and again no services - you're on your own here, but the sand and water are nice and it's sure to be quiet.

BAIE ROUGE: Just a little blue and white sign marks the entrance to this beach - food, drinks, chairs, and umbrellas are available. (I've written a separate journal entry dedicated solely to this lovely beach.) Good snorkeling here near the picturesque rocks at both ends. People come and go all day long here - especially when the cruise ships are in port. You can rent chairs and umbrellas and order food and drinks from two grill shacks. Don't miss it.

MATI BEACH: This beach is between Baie Rouge and Marigot. Mati Beach and Layla's have restaurants that serve lunch and dinner at times. We have always the beach deserted and lots of seaweed and washed up trash along the shore. Unless it gets cleaner, we feel there are better choices.

FRIAR'S BAY: Again access to Friar's Bay is a dirt road found between Marigot and Grand Case. There is lots of room for parking and a large restaurant/bar and decks with tables and benches. Trees provide shade. We were there for a full moon party - the band was great, the place crowded with everyone enjoying food, drinks, music, dancing, and a bonfire. The water is very calm - seemed to be a good place for families with young children.

ANSE MARCEL AT L'HABITATION: A very calm beach with talcum powder sand lined with seagrape trees, lounge chairs, and covered gazebos - for hotel guests - but no one shooed us away. The restaurant and bar are open to the public but there are no facilities on the beach. The access road is very steep and windy. The hotel has been bought by Radisson and renovations will soon begin.

ORIENT BEACH: St Martin's most popular beach with both locals and visitors. It's very crowded when ships are in. Truly a French experience - don't miss it. My other two journals explain it in detail.

DAWN BEACH: Now belongs to Westin.

The ABSOLUTE best place in the world is St. Maarten during Carnival. The locals are already SUPER friendly, but during Carnival season, everyone on the island is HAPPY—even the visitors. There are two that take place, one on the French Side that takes place during…Read More

The ABSOLUTE best place in the world is St. Maarten during Carnival. The locals are already SUPER friendly, but during Carnival season, everyone on the island is HAPPY—even the visitors.

We went to St. Maarten for the first time Dec. 7 to 21, staying the first week at Flamingo Beach and the second at Divi Little Bay. We arrived in St. Maarten late on Dec. 7 (a Saturday) and were feeling a little disoriented -…Read More

We went to St. Maarten for the first time Dec. 7 to 21, staying the first week at Flamingo Beach and the second at Divi Little Bay.

We arrived in St. Maarten late on Dec. 7 (a Saturday) and were feeling a little disoriented - that feeling that you get when you're in a foreign land, you don't know anyone, you don't know where to go or what to do first. The next morning, since we didn't have a car rented, we decided to take a bus tour offered through the hotel to get a feel for the island. It was $13 per person. We went on a loop around the island, towards Maho Beach, then the market at Marigot, to Orient Beach for lunch, through the French Quarter, and to Phillipsburg, where we stopped to pick up some groceries. All in all, it was worth the money and driving around and getting our bearings gave us enough confidence to eventually rent a car.

For the first couple days we weren't too brave though, and kept it simple, just staying at the Flamingo beach, snorkeling, and tanning. It's a pretty enough beach, although it was a little too crowded for our liking.

By Tuesday we rented a car, which definitely offered us some freedom, and I think we probably should have had it from day one.

BEACHES:

Since we had a car, we decided to do some exploring and checked out a number of beaches we had read about. We would recommend Cupecoy Beach for its beautiful cliffs, Orient Beach if you like to people watch and want water sports activities, and Little Bay for snorkeling - a very small sampling of what's available.

TOURS:

Random Wind: Martin and his wife Saskia (spelling?) were perfect hosts. This tour was so relaxing, with only about eight other guests on board, plus the crew of four. Seeing the St. Maarten coastline from the boat was spectacular. The drinks flowed freely and there were lots of snacks, as well as a tasty lunch. We stopped at a few beaches to snorkel, although never found any good spots. Still, the sail itself was worth the $75. We highly recommend this tour. Check out their website at here.

Gypsy Tours: We took this day trip after a presentation at the Divi Little Bay orientation. For $75, we circled the whole island on a fishing boat, stopping at Creole Rock, Pinel Island, and Tintamare for the mud bath. This was a great and relaxing way to see these three popular spots without having to spend a whole day at any of them (however, the snorkeling at Creole Rock was the best we saw on the island and we would have liked to stay there longer). From Creole Rock we went to Pinel Island for some more snorkeling and lunch. It was very pretty. The snorkeling wasn't great, but wasn't awful either. There was lots of very small fish, but the coral was very shallow, so unless you feel comfortable floating only a foot over prickly black sea urchins, it can be a little scary, especially when an ugly green eel sticks its head out of the rocks right under you! That happened to me, so I high-tailed it out of there (after taking a picture, of course). We found a couple conch to look at too. As we cruised, we caught a small Rainbow Runner. Pat got to reel it in, so he was happy to catch a fish in St. Maarten. From Pinel, we headed to Tintamare for a mud bath. Keith our captain mixed up some clay with water, then we slathered it on and scrubbed ourselves with sand. Our skin felt very soft afterwards. Felt just like kids again. This was a full day (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and well worth the $75 each we paid.

MARIGOT: We went to Marigot a couple times to the market, even got there at 8:30 a.m. one Saturday to buy fresh fish. It's a bustling little town. The market was interesting, though only bought some fresh fruit. Took the walk up to Fort St. Louis and were treated with great views of Marigot and the coast. Thought of going to Pic Paradise, but a security guard at our hotel warned us that it was too dangerous, so we opted not to.

SHOPPING: We unfortuntely decided to go to Phillipsburg on a day when there were seven - yes that's right, seven - cruise ships in port. Need I say more?

DRIVING: Driving in St. Maarten wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. You just have to be aggressive like the rest of the drivers, or you'll never get into or out of traffic. Our first day, we had a dump truck carrying a load of pellets (not tied down!) pass us, so we learned to drive a little faster. It was so much fun to explore the island.

NIGHTLIFE:

After our drunkfest the first night, Pat and I took it fairly easy, although Brad, who is single, headed out on his own a few nights and had a pretty good time. Our first Tuesday night, we went to the Greenhouse for two for one drinks. Aline, from La Veranda, and her boyfriend Devon took us there. More great St. Maarten hospitality! It was quite a pick-up joint for the young local guys, who were hitting hot and heavy on the single female tourists. And it was fun to watch the locals strut their stuff on the dance floor, breakdancing and doing all that hip-hop stuff. They really know how to move. Danced and drank until closing at 2 a.m.

We also went to the Lady C Floating Bar a few nights, Uncle Harry's for drinks one night, the Buchaneer Beach Bar, Sunset Beach Bar, and to Lee's Roadside Grill several times. We found if you sit at the bar, you're bound to meet lots of intesting people. We also checked out Cheri's Cafe one night and found it pretty lame. The local entertainment playing included a guy dressed as Tina Turner (complete with rainbow wig and pink sequined dress) singing "What's Love Got to Do With It" very badly. It was mostly families and wasn't at all what we were expecting. We got there around 10 p.m. and it closed at 11 p.m., so I'm not sure why it's considered a hot spot.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: We loved our holiday on St. Maarten. It's truly a beautiful island with so much to see and do, you almost need a vacation when you get home. After a very busy first week, we spend the second week letting sand gravity take over. The island and it's people are certainly very charming.

You can get some very good deals, especially on higher end electronics, jewelry and watches. We met a man from India, named Vicky, who works in Majesty Jewelers. It was Sunday and it was his only day off. He was sitting on the pier, just enjoying…Read More

You can get some very good deals, especially on higher end electronics, jewelry and watches.

We met a man from India, named Vicky, who works in Majesty Jewelers. It was Sunday and it was his only day off. He was sitting on the pier, just enjoying the ocean breeze, when we happened to stroll by. He asked where we were from, talked about his country and ours, his family business, etc. Just a very pleasant person. As we were leaving, we asked him where he worked, that is how we found him later. We found that although St. Martin is called "the Friendly Island", we found it more like "Try to find someone who even calls this home" island. Most people on the Dutch side are from somewhere else, and working there to make a living. My apologies if this is off base. Anyway, we found Vicky later and we bought a beautiful Tanzanite ring from him. We thought we had made a great deal, too.

A note about making a deal in the jewelry stores. If they just won't come down that last little bit, find out when they open in the morning. If you are their first customer of the day, they want to make the sale because it is good luck for the rest of the day.

You can buy t-shirts at four for $10 (some places advertise eight for $10 but we couldn't find eight that we wanted) and up. Sarongs were four for $10, towels were four for $10. We bought a few sarongs, a couple beach bags, and other treasures. Prices were really very low!

The girls finished off one of their days by having their hair braided. If you want this done, remember that what you pay is what you will get. If you talk them down to $20US they will only do a $20 job. The girls managed to talk them down to $30 each, but mom arranged to give a good tip out of her pocket. Thus, we paid $45 for each girl. I understand that is an average, good deal price. They will start by telling you that it is $1 per braid. Just remember that both of my daughters had over 70 braids! They come with three beads on each as well!

Note - Every store, street corner, and nook and cranny has cold beer for sale. Drinking time is all day long, and you are welcome to drink as you shop.

A few people are duped by flashy advertising into staying in the Maho Beach area, only to discover that all afternoon, widebody jets from the US, Canada, and Europe thunder over their hotels and beaches to land on the runway of the Princess Juliana International…Read More

A few people are duped by flashy advertising into staying in the Maho Beach area, only to discover that all afternoon, widebody jets from the US, Canada, and Europe thunder over their hotels and beaches to land on the runway of the Princess Juliana International Airport. The runway begins literally 10 feet from the sands of Maho Beach, and as the planes approach for landing, it looks as if beachgoers could literally jump up and grab the landing gear. This offends many folks, and they leave after fighting for a refund with hotel management. After all, most people go to the Caribbean for a nice quiet vacation.

HOWEVER, there are a few of us out there who think the idea of a white sand beach, crystal blue water, and massive widebody jets is pretty cool! It gives St. Maarten just the edge it needs to scoot out other beachy, commercial places in the Caribbean like St. Thomas or Aruba.

For interested parties, the best plane watching is Thursday afternoon and all day Saturday. This is when the 747s and Airbuses from Europe arrive and depart. There is nothing quite like the feeling of lying on the sand or floating on your back and having a 747 whiz 50 feet over your head! You can actually hear the air whistling with turbulence 5 minutes after the plane has landed!!!

Takeoff is even more dynamic. The massive planes taxi to the end of the runway, only 50 feet from the short fence at the beach. The runway is very short, so the planes must crank their engines to maximum for about 30 seconds before they release their brakes and roar down the runway.

This creates a jet blast which roars back toward the beach at over 150 miles per hour. Ever experienced 150 mile per hour winds? You will if you're standing at the fence or on the beach! It creates a big wave in the water which sends a wake a good half mile out into the sea.

Many people think it will be fun to stand on the beach and experience this jet blast, without thinking that with 150 mile per hour wind comes 150 mile per hour SAND. And thus, it is quite amusing to stand on the observation deck at La Terrasse, or at the Sunset Beach Bar right next to the beach, and watch the spectators line up for a 747 departure. Seconds later they all being shrieking in pain and alarm, and either dive to the ground or run for the water as the sand blasts into their skin. It's really funny! Take a camcorder.

If you wish to experience the jet blast, which you really should, at least once, my recommendation is to stand with the observers at the airport fence, and hold on tight. There is much less sand here, but keep your eyes closed! The feeling of the warm air blasting over your body at 150 miles per hour is unreal! If you're light, like me, you might even fly for half an instant. Over the years I've seen all sorts of folks gather on Saturdays to watch the big planes arrive and take off, including several folks wearing superhero costumes.

This is really a unique experience in all the world, and warrants a trip (with lots of cameras) for any aviation buff. And if you have come to St. Maarten for other reasons (God forbid) make sure you make a special trip to Maho Beach on Thursday afternoon or Saturday to see this spectacle. It will BLOW YOU AWAY! Literally.

Wednesday: Before breakfast, walk the entire length of the beach. Spend the morning on the beach and take lunch at a LoLo in Grand Case (remember they’re on the right before Il Nettuno). Talk of the Town seems to be the favorite. Ribs,…Read More

Wednesday: Before breakfast, walk the entire length of the beach. Spend the morning on the beach and take lunch at a LoLo in Grand Case (remember they’re on the right before Il Nettuno). Talk of the Town seems to be the favorite. Ribs, Johnnie cakes and a Ting to drink is de ting mon. Call Les Bistrot Caraibes for reservations. 590-29-08-29 This restaurant is to the left in Grand Case at the corner. The food is fantastic.

Thursday: Before breakfast, walk the entire length of the beach. Relax on the beach, consider snorkeling or parasailing. If you like shopping, go into Marigot for dinner. Follow the road to the airport, Texaco you are forced to turn right, and then you should turn immediately left. Be careful! At the main intersection there is no stop sign or light to control traffic in either direction. Turn right and find a place to park (you are heading for the shops and restaurants on your left in Marina Royal.) You may have to turn right onto Blvd General de Gaulle to park. The shops in Marina Royal are open for shopping tonight. When you’ve had enough, pick any one of the restaurants along the water. If you don’t like to shop, try something different for dinner at Le Pirote in Grand Case. Call for reservations. Drive past the salt pond, and turn right into street that bisects the main Blvd de Grand Case. Before the stop sign you’ll see the Gendarmerie (police station) on the right. The restaurant is behind it.

Friday: Before breakfast, walk the entire length of the beach. Relax and call L’Alabama for dinner reservations (two seatings)(590-87-81-66). L’Alabama is in Grand Case on the left about 250 yards from Il Nettuno. Try happy hour at Peeping Tom’s Bar on the beach.

Saturday: Before breakfast, walk the entire length of the beach. If you have a late afternoon flight, consider going to the airport when the ticket counter opens to check in. We usually call a day or two before to make certain of the time and to make sure we don’t clash with a flight departure time. Get your tickets then go to the window on the way to the departure lounge, check the arrival times for the Air France 747 from Paris, and pay the departure tax ($20 per person). Head back to the beach. If your flight is after the 747's arrival time, drive past the airport, and turn left when the road turns right toward the hotels and casinos. The road will go between the beach and the end of the runway. Park and get a drink at the Sunset Beach Bar and wait for the 747. As is approaches, take a stroll toward the end of the runway but stay clear of the area immediately in front of the runway as the plane occasionally catches the fence! Have your camera ready. Return the car and head home to plan your return trip. Close

There were six of us. We flew US Airways, and the flights were good actually kind of interesting, as you land almost on the beach on the Dutch side of the Island at the Princess Jullian Airport. The island itself is beautiful. The Dutch side…Read More

There were six of us. We flew US Airways, and the flights were good actually kind of interesting, as you land almost on the beach on the Dutch side of the Island at the Princess Jullian Airport. The island itself is beautiful. The Dutch side is cleaner and safer than the French side from what I could see.

We stayed at the Sonesta Maho resort right across from the casino. It was nice, but the view was breathtaking. The sunsets were out of a magazine and the Caribbean Sea was so warm and crystal-clear! You could see every fish, rock, etc. The food in the hotel was good, and so was the liquor!

We ate at several different restaurants. The first was Cheri's, which is an outdoor Italian restaurant. It was okay, kind of pricey for the food (I had fettucini alfredo for $16).

The next night we ate at RARE. It was a new steakhouse on the island down from the hotel. It was excellent, but it is definitely fine dining! Our bill for all six of us was almost $300. The steaks are fantastic!

Last Thursday (April 6), my close friend and his colleague were victims of a horrible hate crime during their visit to St. Maarten. My friend, Ryan Smith, is currently in an ICU wing of a hospital in Miami, being treated for a fractured skull and…Read More

Last Thursday (April 6), my close friend and his colleague were victims of a horrible hate crime during their visit to St. Maarten. My friend, Ryan Smith, is currently in an ICU wing of a hospital in Miami, being treated for a fractured skull and confirmed brain damage. His colleague (both worked for CBS) was released, having received a huge scar across his skull and large cuts all over his back. Ryan is unable to speak and is experiencing major difficulties with his motor skills.

The attack happened after their group was harassed by two men in a bar after my friend and his boyfriend were seen hugging one another. The two local hecklers were removed from the bar. However, on their way to their car, my friend and his fellow travellers were attacked with a four-pronged tire iron by a car load of locals, including two women. The suspects have not yet been found and the official investigation has been turned over by the police to the Department of Tourism.

Regardless of the claims of the island to be gay friendly, this experience, nor the subsequent follow-up by its government, has shown effective procedures for hate crimes. Whether you're gay or not, please consider rethinking your trip to St. Maarten until justice has been served to those who committed this heinous crime. No traveller is safe in this former paradise anymore. And no one who values human life should reward such a place with their tourism dollars.