St. Maarten / St. Martin anyone ?

[SeaShelley]

Has anyone here been lately ? DH won a trip through work and we are heading there in early April !!!

What are some of the must see things ? Do you have a favorite restaurant to suggest ?

Thanks all ! Let the dieting begin !

 

[meliss8599]

It was a stopover on a cruise I went on a little over two years ago so I didn't get to spend much time exploring the island; however, the beaches and water are absolutely GORGEOUS and among the most clear and beautiful I have ever seen.

Congrats on winning the trip and I hope you have a fabulous time--enjoy!

 

[rabx5]

Be prepared-most of the beaches are nude. On the French side.

Not saying you have to be nude, but there are nude people on the beaches.

The water is gorgeous !!

The cab drivers are super friendly and helpful

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Sorry, can't help with places to eat. We also stopped there on our cruise last November. I really like the island. It is by far the cleanest I have been to. The people were also very friendly! I'm sure you will have a great time!

 

[christineann]

We visited the island while on a cruise in 2006. We did a catamaran trip to Tintamarre, a nature preserve, and it was absolutely beautiful with great snorkeling.

 

[chirurgeon]

I have one word. Jewelery. I got the most gorgeous amethyst bracelet there when our cruise ship went there. Also, we did a fantastic Snuba excursion. We went to an cove where a bunch of boats sank during a hurricane several years ago. I have heard very good things about the island. Have a great time.

Kim

 

[KathyTX]

As for the beaches: you'll generally some topless beachgoers, but not completely nude. There is one section at the far end of Orient Beach that is clothing optional, but we haven't seen any widespread full nudity on the St. Martin beaches. Orient Beach is gorgeous, and always has a nice breeze. There are lots of other, smaller beaches you'll want to try, too.

Where are you staying- Dutch side or French side? The Dutch side is a lot more Americanized.

The French side has some wonderful dining. You can't go wrong visiting Grand Case for dinner. The biggest problem there is deciding WHICH of the incredible little restaurants to visit for dinner!

We like to visit the little bar at the end of the runway at the airport to drink a few beers and watch the planes come in. (Sunset Beach Bar?)

We like to visit Philipsburg and roam the shops and watch all the people getting off and on the cruise ships.

In Grand Case, Calmos Cafe is a laid back place where you can eat a burger on the beach while you dig your feet into the sand and watch the sun go down.

If you tell me where you're staying, I can tell you our favorite spots around there.

 

[SeaShelley]

I have one word. Jewelery. I got the most gorgeous amethyst bracelet there when our cruise ship went there. Also, we did a fantastic Snuba excursion. We went to an cove where a bunch of boats sank during a hurricane several years ago. I have heard very good things about the island. Have a great time.

Kim

Oh Kim - "you had me at jewelry". I really would like to come home with a new bobble!

Kathy - we are staying at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort, which looks to be on the Dutch side in Phillipsburg. I would love to roam the shops there. Any idea how I find a cruise ship schedule....I'm not sure I want to compete with those crowds !!

 

[KathyTX]

Dawn Beach is gorgeous- you should have beautiful sunrises! The Westin has only been there for a couple years. It looks really nice.

Here's a link to the Port of St. Martin, complete with cruise ship schedules: http://www.portofstmaarten.com/schedules.htm

It's actually pretty dead in town on days with no ships. Many shops don't open or have short hours if there are no tourists to sell to.

Are you planning to rent a car? There are taxis on the island, but it's a whole lot easier to get around if you have your own car. And when it comes to cars on the island- the smaller, the better! The roads can be pretty narrow, and parking awfully tight. I think driving there is a lot of fun, and my ideal rental would be a little Smart Car.

 

[Forevryoung]

My aunt has had a timeshare on St. Martin forever (23 years, won it 21 years ago in the divorce settlement). I'll get you the list of our favorite restaurants and beaches if you PM me (because otherwise I will forget). We aren't big shoppers so I can't help you there!

 

[S. C.]

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[SeaShelley]

Thanks everyone for the advice and information.

Kathy - we are not planning to rent a car. We are actually party of a very large group through my husband's company; our last winning trip was to Grand Cayman with about 180 other people ! We have quite a few planned activities / dinners, etc., but also some free time to do as we please: which to me translates into beach time or shopping time.

I will have to work on my dickering skills when I head shopping. I really want to come home with a new ring and I hear the deals are great!

 

[lg3]

SeaShelley - you may want to check over on the DCL boards too. There is a lot of info on the island. We were there in sept. '07. I've got to now, but will try to post pics, etc. later.
It is a beautiful place!