Life on St. Maarten - St. Martin

Extreme Fun on St. Martin

2008-04-26T17:57:00.016-04:00

There are the typical and the somewhat unusual activities on the island. Both activities introduced here have to do with flying in a special way.

Canopy Tour

The Fly Zone at Loterie Farm near Pic Paradis is one of those exceptional activities. There are two 'tree top' tours. One for kids and a much more challenging for youngsters and adults (approx. from age 10). You make your way on ropes and swings from tree to tree for an hour or so. If you belong to those people, who are easily scared by being 25 ft. above ground, be assured, it is safe, and staff is assisting you. More on this adventure and other activities here. The restaurant at Loterie Farm is also worthwhile a trip, even if you are passing at the challenging Fly Zone event!

Para Sailing

Another great challenge and fun activity is flying above the sea, almost. You are hanging in two as tandem combined seats and the wind gets you up to 30 - 50 ft above sea. A parachute like sail holds you safely in the air. Start and landing is on the boat. It is easier to do it than it sounds. You see Orient Beach at bird's eye perspective being pulled behind a motorboat. Great views of the water below you are guaranteed. The crystal clear waters reflect from green to blue. The perception of flying is magnificient making this trip a great experience. We truly enjoyed it, see the photo. Just come to the water sport activity stands at Orient Bay Beach and book. More about Orient Beach here, and restaurants in the Orient Beach area here.

Best Villas of the Island

2007-05-23T23:43:00.001-04:00

There is hardly any island with such a great choice of villas for rent as St. Martin/St. Maarten. Prime locations are Orient Beach and Dawn Beach. There are also hidden gems, for example in the Terres Basses area. This deed restricted privately managed area of 200 property owners has many great places. There are million $$$ mansions, and also more moderate homes for budget oriented travelers. Another great area, which has gained reputation during the recent years, is the area above Happy Bay. A favorite villa for moderate budgets is Villa Canoua.

When it comes to location, luxury, and style, we strongly recommend Villa Belle Mer. This exquisite villa (understatement!) is a great place for a large family or a group of friends with a budget around $ 1,000 a night.

Villa Belle Mer

An informative website entirely dedicated to villas is here.

Volatility of Island Business

2007-05-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

Business Life Cycles can be short on the island. Restaurants, car rentals, excursion services, rental villa owners, basically all tourist service providers can quickly change ownership, or go out of service, or change focus. Therefore, when being a repeat guest on the island, always keep your eyes open, many things may have changed since last time. Apply your own judgement, and check whether additional verification is needed. Don't count on 'official' tourist boards, they don't follow these developments. At least half of the businesses, especially the smaller ones, are not even registered. Better Business Bureaus and similar organisations are unknown here. Here, you see the remaining assets of a jet ski business, 'parked' under a tree in French Quarter. Other more significant mysteries are the Radisson Hotel at Anse Marcel, which should have reopened in 2006, but still doesn't show a sign of life, or 'Da Livio' restaurant in Philipsburg, once a popular upscale place, now a defunct building. The positive side is that new businesses and services pop up every day, and some add interesting attractions to the island, see here. When you do your St. Maarten/Martin travel planning on the Internet, watch out, many directories are less than up-to-date, and may misguide you. Email for verification!

Rental Cars

2007-02-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

Chasing for a good rate, when renting a car is a kind of standard for all tourists. Fair enough! Unfortunately, you see only the rate, may be model or size class of the car, and not much else, when you decide on how to drive around on the island.

The island has more than 100 active car rental companies, from 1-2 cars rented from the kitchen drawer, or a shack to the 50+ cars big name franchise company. Visitors can rent from Dutch side companies and French side companies, both provide cars at the airport. Rates are at US level or even lower. Off season from about $25/day, and high season from $35+/day.

The most common misunderstandings, when renting a car on St. Maarten

Visitors chase for rates only, and do assume the cars being safe and in good condition - wrong! Some are not!

People rent "micro" cars, they would not even sit in back home. Where do you leave your luggage? What's about crash safety? What's about comfort?

Renters believe, the credit card absorbs all risks. Wrong!

You can return the car any time earlier before the committed rental period ends, and get only the used days charged. Wrong!

The companies are as creative with extra charges, e.g. tire tread fee, as they are in the USA. Wrong, the companies do not yet have this kind of creativity, and the quoted rate is usually the final price!

So many choices, so little transparency! Right! If you need to collect your air miles with one of the big names, okay, spend a bit more, and do so. Don't assume the same efficiency from those big name franchise outlets on the island, as you may be used at home. If you decide for a local company, and there are several good ones, ask for cars not older than 1 - 2 years. Potholes and other challenges get cars get into a bad shape quickly.

When you rent a car from a Dutch side company, be aware that you drive around "branded". The Dutch license plates have the letter "R" to begin with, so everybody knows from a distance, that you are a tourist. "Best Deal" car rental even has advertising slogans on each rental car. If you mind about, rent from a French side company.

An economy sized car, like a Toyota Corolla or Kia Rio is sufficient for most island destinations. Jeeps are fun, but not really required on the island. They cost 2-3 times the rate of before mentioned cars. The extremely small cars, like a Kia Picanto, are not worthwhile the little saving. An overview of rental car companies can be found here or here. The listed names on those two links are not an endorsement.

Visitors report high ratings for "Best For Less", also known as Alizes Car Rental, a very reliable small French company run by her dedicated owner Martine. Yes, they speak English. I especially like the brand new SUV's at very moderate rates. "Best-4-Less" meets you at the airport, hand over the car right at the airport parking, and you also can drop it off at the public airport parking, when leaving. Most of the larger companies have their parking lot and offices off airport and shuttle you to these places. Guess, what works faster!

Just to avoid any misconception: The photo with the car rental shack at the top is taken on the island. The company is no longer in business. And, one last advice, if the car is not in a safe condition, just don't accept it. Check locks, tires, brakes, ...

Why are you stopped on the road? Warning!

2007-01-27T14:49:00.000-05:00

Money makes the world go round .... Some friendly, good looking girl or guy waves you from roadside. You stop for curiosity or to help, and very different to what you expected, you have become part of a high pressure sales pitch. An OPC (Off Premises Consultant or Contact) lures you to a timeshare presentation. Free drinks, free food, free trip, free ... When following this temptation, you get exposed to an intense sales event, and possibly, you spend $15,000 for a timeshare investment. Rumour is, 1 out of 3 "invitees" sign a contract.

If this is, what you really want, fine, if not, just forget about all the freebies, and don't go there. They recently jailed a few of the OPC's for illegally working on the Dutch side. The business is just to good, so they popped up on the French side next day. Before you make an investment, think about, when being back home. Do you really use a timeshare sufficiently? Are the recurring cost properly calculated? Does a vacation rental give you more choices, and "bang" for your vacation bucks? Visit the BBB website for some food for thoughts on timeshares!

Ghost Places and Phantoms on the Island

2006-11-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

Some places come and go. Just more frequently on an island than somewhere on the continent. Some places are just virtual, they don't even exist, but you are lured to. So, I received an invitation to link to a website for a new bar on Dawn Beach, called 'Barefoot Beach Bar'. This email made me curious as I haven't seen any new beach bar, and I am there every week. Looking on the photos of the website, it turned out that none of the photos had been taken at Dawn Beach at all, may be not even on the island. Here a view, how Dawn Beach looked like a year ago, before construction changed the perspective.
So, I started to doubt my capabilities to recognize the reality. I went to Mr. Busby's Beach Bar, the premier bar and restaurant at Dawn Beach. I asked the manager about the new bar being opened here, and he stared on me like being a fool, and told me, there is no new bar. So, I was glad that my eyes and my brain hadn't misled me, but obviously, some weird folks try to mislead visitors. It reminded me not to believe in everything, you see on the Internet. People tend to play all kind of games. Why? Sometimes difficult to detect, but leave your antennas scanning!

Best Croissants in Town

2006-10-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

Croissant and Baguette are synonyms for France! When being on St. Martin, some things are very Caribbean, and some are very French. Don't miss the French favorites, and the best are in Marigot!

'La Sucriere' is located at the main street 'Boulevard de France' along the seaside, and it is worthwhile a trip around the island from time to time (at least for me). The croissants are unsurpassed! The breads, pain au chocolat (chocolate stuffed croissants), cakes, and tarts are equally good!

If you look for another nice breakfast and snack place, just 50 yards further north, same boulevard, look out for this great bakery and self service lunch place. They offer a great variety of food, pizzas, and pastries.

Both bakeries are favorites for sitting there at day time watching the active life at Marigot's waterfront with its colorful markets. New parkings between the market stands and the sea front were recently built, so finding a parking shouldn't be too difficult. Eat French, breathe Caribbean!

New Airport - Unchanged Excitement for Enthusiasts

2006-10-24T12:45:00.000-04:00

Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) just opened its entirely new airport terminal. The new arrival and departure facilities are very modern and in line with international standards. Unfortunately, the airport website doesn't show much of it, yet! This new airport certainly makes flights to and from St. Maarten more pleasant. Those airplane watching freaks, who enjoy to see a B747 or a A340 in 'arm lengths' thundering over Maho Beach at Sunset Beach Bar will not miss anything. The runway remained unchanged. The higher capacity of the airport attracts even more airlines, which means more landings. Good or bad? A matter of perspective! See the present arrival and departure schedule, here! The departure tax for international destinations remains a hefty $30 for the time being! Rental car parkings will remain off the airport. Beside the established car rental companies with offices at the new airport, still a big choice of smaller off airport companies exist. More on rental cars, here!

Oasis at Boardwalk

2006-10-06T13:12:00.000-04:00

You left your cruise ship for your non organized island exploration, and walked the short distance to Philipsburg. You are still polite, although two Time-Share property sales people already tried to lure you into a suspicious free ride to xyz resort, a couple of souvenir sales people failed to sell you the same Bob Marley T-shirt, which you objected to purchase one cruise stop before, and you look for a spot to relax. A place, where you are not ripped off, where people are friendly, and care about visitors. I guess, we found it for you!

Chez Delphine is located at the beginning of the boardwalk in Philipsburg, where a wide, paved pedestrian zone divides beach and town. Right at a the edge of Speetjens arcade, a spot filled with little shops and a small museum.
You either sit under the roof of a Caribbean styled cabana, and watch the bypassers, or you sit under the palm trees between board walk, and the unbelievably green and blue waters of Great Bay. Run by Delphine (see photo), a charming French lady, who perfectly speaks English (we love her accent), and her very accommodating local staff makes this place a real gem in bustling Philipsburg. Her great menu at moderate prices features sandwiches, the classics, like hamburgers, the French touch with quiches and croque monsieur (toasted baguette bread with cheese and salami), and salads at anytime of the day. You can get the food at regular size or at large size for the seamen appetite. For lunch and dinner time, the choice gets bigger and even more delicious: A wide choice of fresh salads, pasta, seafood, and various chicken and other meat dinners are offered.

Chez Delphine is the only place in town, which prepares smoothies from a variety of fresh fruits, no concentrate, and all at moderate prices. Let your kids enjoy a snow cone freshly prepared with different flavors just for a Dollar.

Chez Delphine serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some weekday nights. A special favorite is the barbecue with fresh lobster, seafood, and meat. If you make it on a Wednesday, even better: Live music from 11:00am with Caribbean tunes, and from 6:30pm, you may want to listen to live music with a touch of soft Latin American favorites.

A good time for a refreshing drink under the palm trees on the bay side of Chez Delphine's place. The shadow of palm trees, the slight ocean breeze, and the feet in the sand create the right 'Bacardi' feeling!

Open every day from 8:00am - 5:00pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday also open for dinner, Wednesday with live music from 11:00 am, call, if you are not sure about opening hours: (599)522-2313. More info on St-Maarten-Info.com

Great Trips at low Cost

2006-02-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

What are the best island trips? Although impossible to answer right for everybody, here a few ideas, which represent a good value, and do not cost you a fortune.

Drive to Cul de Sac on the French side at the Northern end of the island and take the ferry boat to Pinel Island. This is genuine 'Caribbean', great beach, best way to relax. There are a few small restaurants and bars. Some serve drinks in the water on floating trays! No credit cards. $6.00/person and trip.

Take the passenger ferry Voyager from Oyster Pond on Sunday or Wednesday to St. Barth. It starts at 9:00am and returns at 6:30pm. The return trip is approx. $75.00/person. The comfortable ride is 1 hour each direction. Great views to both islands. You need a passport to go. No departure tax as it is charged on the Dutch side. You go from France to France! You land in Gustavia, the picturesque port town of St. Barth. Contrary to common opinion, St. Barth has not only high priced food and drinks to offer. It all depends, where you go to. Our recommendation: Cocoloba Beach!
Go on a half day cruise, a so called shore trip, with Captain Morgan. Great time, and the rate is around $85/person. They offer excellent service, great trip, and include many goodies!
Still too expensive? Go local! Wave one of the passenger vans, also called jitneys, to stop, board, and just go to the very end of its route. Locals going or coming from work share the ride with you. Typical rate per trip is $1 or $2. Go from Philipsburg towards French Quarter, change the bus, proceed to Grand Case, and Marigot, you may have to change again, and return from Marigot to Philipsburg, or any other direction and destination. This recommendation is for the more adventurous visitor!

In case, you are searching for great accommodation values, start here!

Why do tourists become careless?

2006-02-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

Tourists robbed, burglaries, pocket thieves, yes, we have all of these ugly experiences. But why are some tourists so careless? Visitors drove up to Pic Paradis, the highest peak on the island, parked their car, left everything inside including $10,000 !!! And some thieves burglared the car. Terrible!
Would you park your car with all these valuables at NY's Central Park, or in Paris, or in Amsterdam ...? Most people wouldn't, but why do they forget about all the security basics, when being here? And these people had been here 20 times before! Difficult to believe, how somebody can neglect or disregard all warnings!

We know of people, who leave their credit cards inside the car, we saw suitcases on backseats of cars being parked for hours, saw handbags on beaches with nobody close by, travel bags sitting unattended in front of hotels, and there are people, who have much less, who decided to go the easy way of committing crimes, and they take the opportunity. Dear visitors, don't create opportunities, nowhere, the world is not perfect, and certainly this island is a melting pot with a share of criminals lurking for these opportunities. More about the island, here, and here!

Construction at some Places

2005-11-20T23:11:00.000-05:00

Booming tourist business, more cruise ship passengers than ever before, and the island seems to enjoy an unbroken attraction for many visitors. Is it better than some of the other destinations? Yes, because many other islands have either too little to offer, or fight with unbelievable crime, extremely high prices, or lack of attitude. St. Maarten and St. Martin is on a critical path and got to be very careful not to stumble into the same mistakes others were running in! The photo (above)shows the present status of the Marriott construction at the Southern end of Dawn Beach!

Is it the time to look somewhere else? Not necessarily! It does matter, where you go and what you want to see. Believe it or not, the two photos are taken from exactly the same spot at the same day! This 'sea and sand' photo shows beautiful Dawn Beach with St. Barth at the horizon.

Ask your hotel, your condo agency, your villa rental about construction close by before you book. If you don't mind construction impact, some grant discounts during the construction period. Relatively untouched areas with little or no construction are Orient Bay, Terres Basses, Oyster Pond, and some other quiet spots. The Dutch side has more development ongoing than the French side.

The last genuine Island Restaurant

2005-08-28T15:34:00.000-04:00

Le Poulet d'Orleans is eventually the last genuine creole restaurant on the island. And it is absolutely worthwhile to enjoy their food one night.

It is away from the touristic areas on the main 'National' road from Philipsburg to Orient Bay. After crossing the local area of Quartier d'Orleans, a sharp bend to the left, and "voila" on the right side, hard to miss, is the restaurant. It is about a 5 min. drive from Orient Beach and about 30 min. from Simpson Bay, see this map. Open most nights, except Monday, and at some days (?) for lunch.

Fish and seafood plates, in oil fried accras, a kind of seafood meat balls, and 'boudin', a sausage, which is not every non natives favorite, are served at very moderate prices. There also classic main courses with chicken and lamb, and all is served very fresh. Toni, the owner/chef has vast experience from abroad, he worked in Louisiana for a while, and elsewhere in the USA, and he knows, how to please guests. His family, mainly his teenage, kids serve, not perfectly, but very willing to be attentive.

The terrace is small, not more than 4 -5 tables fit there. Inside, not really the place to sit (no a/c), but still, don't miss: It is a family museum with plenty of memorabilia from past times. Feel free to walk around, look closely, and get an impression of the not so good earlier times on the island. The main stairs, see left, are not accessible, as you would step right onto the road. Drive into their parking, and access the restaurant from there.

They accept USD and Euros. Please, don't press them for 1:1 exchange rates, the prices are already low. I find it anyway unfair to demand 20% discounts, when paying with US-$. Did anybody ever hear about NYC restaurants giving European tourists 20% discount, when paying in Euro?

Le Poulet d'Orleans is a relict of ancient island times! Local favorites, family restaurants, and outstanding (French) gourmet restaurants are reported about infrequently on this blog. More from this restaurant guide or from this one. These reports are neither paid for, nor sponsored, and in most cases owners do not even know, they exist. Unbiased, but with personal opinion. This is what blogs are for!

Mont Vernon Plantation Opened

2005-08-03T10:30:00.000-04:00

Although the island has a rich history, and its nature is fascinating, only very few places remind to this rich heritage. The initiative of local entrepreneurs has made a change. In July 2005 opened a park and museum at Mont Vernon, close to Orient Bay.

Coffee on display, and to taste (free espresso). More about the new park, see here!

Located at the place of an ancient plantation, the park features tropical plants, and shows the historical, and the economical development tied to these plants, such as coffee, cotton, indigo, and sugar. The well designed area includes new, and historical buildings, embedded in a lush park. Easy to walk foothpaths make this an enjoable excursion. It is a great place to visit with kids, and for adults, too. Even those being on a shopping spree, find some genuine island merchandise in the attractively arranged shop on site. For opening hours, location, and map click! Close by lodging, find here! Don't miss this park, it is positively one of the best things, you can do for a few hours off the beach, either on a cruise ship day excursion, or on your next island vacation!

The last* "Best" Hit List for Beaches

2005-07-27T22:17:00.000-04:00

Most first time visitors have these "What are the best ..." questions on their lips. And the beaches are certainly the most requested hit list items. Then let's go:

Best Beach for a Lunch on the Beach: Friars Bay
You sit right on the beach under a palm branch covered, sun protecting table, and the sea is less than 15 ft away. The restaurant has great food, has style (not just a snack bar), and the beach is great. Good mix of folks from local to tourist. Bad: the two access roads are a mess!

Best Beach for People Watching: Orient Bay
By far not as nude as its reputation, this place has something to see for everybody, old, young, stylish, sloppy, ..., and it's always nice to guess, who are the day time cruise ship visitors, and who are the "inside" people.

Best Beach for a romantic Dinner: Grand Case
Drop in any of those great French dining places lined up at the Grand Case Beach. Just smashing, when the lights reflect on the water, and very little waves create the surf sound. A good and moderately priced place with good Ocean front seating is The California.

Best Beach for Crazy People: Maho Beach
The Maho Beach right under the runway approach is a unique experience. Fantastic and crazy!
Unfortunately, at this point in time not much sand is left. Watch the jets approaching, roaring over this sand strip, sand blasting people, and have your beer at Sunset Beach bar. When you are an airplane freak, you are certainly attracted to the loudspeakers listening to the pilots and tower during approach. Best time of the day is around 3:00pm - 4:00 pm, when the B747 and the Airbus 340 arrive.

Best Beach for Quiet Times: Guana Bay

For some unknown reasons not as popular as the other beaches, may be because there is hardly any bar or restaurant. Nevertheless, great sand, sometimes more waves than at other beaches on the opposite side, worthwhile a visit before others find out, too! Find out more!

Best Beach for Kids: Gallion Beach

The water is flat, just 2 - 4 feet deep for some distance from the beach. Some shadow under the trees, sand, ... and the adults can do their windsurfing class, or even kite surfing. Slight disadvantage is the poor access road.

Best Beach to Rent a Villa: Baie Rouge

There are great properties for rent, right at the beach, just a few steps from your entrance door or the infinity pool. It is a very private area. The entire community is gated and somewhat shielded to the outside. Great place for privacy.

Did I forget to mention? There are 30 other beaches with great sand, snorkeling, swimming, watching, ... just explore!

* 'last' for my blogs in 2005

Vibrant Art Life on the Island

2005-06-12T16:53:00.000-04:00

Painting by Dona Bryhiel (Copyright protected)

Dona Bryhiel developed an unique style of painting, which certainly is influenced by her French background, and her earlier life in the South of France. Her work nowadays is focused on the Caribbean, and especially the role of wonderful Caribbean women, their beauty, their exotic flair and their role in daily life. Dona's paintings are intended to impact feelings, to create impressions, and thoughtful reflections about the island life. She works at Oyster Pond in the French part of the island. Her gallery shows some of her creative work, not only paintings, but also ceramics, and other art work. See her paintings, ceramics, and textiles, and you will have won a new perspective of life and people on the island. Her gallery is at Av. du Lagon, about 800 yards from the Dutch border, towards Coralita Beach before the corner of rue de l'Escale. Dona Bryhiel has her own Internet presence at www.DonaBryhiel.com

Painting by Dona Bryhiel (Copyright protected)

10 Tips for Saving Money

2005-05-24T20:42:00.000-04:00

Some people claim, St. Maarten is expensive, even more St. Martin. Yes, and no! Compared to, let's say, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, or the Bermudas, this island has very moderate prices. Yes, it is more expensive than typical main land destinations, or the USA. There are still plenty of opportunities to stay within a budget. Here ten tips for reducing your expenses:

Money Savers

Go local. Instead of calling a taxi, use a mini bus or "jitney". Just wait and wave at the road side. Typical fares are $ 1.00/person. Plan your trip, get a map!
Buy at Cost-U-Less* in the Dutch part, when you require bigger quantities. Good choice of wine, US food, ... It's a Sams Club type of outlet, no membership required.
Fill gas at CADISCO* at $ 0.72 a liter, approx. $ 2.60 a gallon. There are two stations, one next to Orient Bay, one at Marigot in direction to Nettle Bay. It's about 10 - 20 cents cheaper than at other gas stations.
If you smoke, a carton of Marlboro is as low as $ 9.00 in Philipsburg at Tobacco Plaza*, side street, off Front Street 23 at Touch of Gems. If it has to be the US-version, PRIME Cash & Carry or Cost-U-Less has them for $11.00 - $12.00 a carton.
Internet access at no cost? If you have a notebook with a WiFi card, try public access at the Philipsburg boardwalk area. For a limited time, the provider Smitcoms* provides free service (see the blog of Jan. 17 on this subject) during the trial period.
Can you say 'No' to a sales person? If so, get one of the timeshare promotion vouchers for a reduced rental car rate, or a free meal,and free drinks, often a value of $ 100. The flipside: You got to listen to the sales pitch for buying a timeshare slice. The vouchers are available at various locations, car rentals, along the road, on websites, who offer you freebies with the little string attached!
You need to load your cooler? Shop at Carma Importers* at Cole Bay, and get inexpensive beer and water, or see Netco*, same area, next to PDG (everybody know them), and buy a case of beer (24) for roughly $ 15.00.
Gamble with other people's bucks! Some of the casinos, e.g. Atlantis* , attract people by giving them chips for $ 10, when registering at the courtesy desk. No obligations, just use them as your start capital!
Prepaid mobile phone cards for US phones are best to buy at ECC*, 13 Richardson Street, Philipsburg. It saves you expensive roaming, if you get it working at all. Their cards start at $ 10 only and per minute charges of 29 cents to the USA! More info here under mobile phone.
Departure day has come, you are early at the airport, check in is done, what to do? don't pay the high airport snack bar prices. Go right, like going back to Philipsburg, after 200 yards on the lagoon side, you find 'Turtle Pier'*. This little oasis, right at the water, is a great dining and drinking place. Save and enjoy!

* All quoted companies are unrelated to me, and I don't get commission, or whatsoever!

Maximize Your Vacation - Safe Time

2005-05-22T17:15:00.000-04:00

You finally got your week off, you head for St. Maarten, and you may end up waiting at banks, supermarket cashier lanes, rental car agents, ... Not exactly, what you were planning for, right?

Here 4 tips to save precious time

The airport in St. Maarten has no rental car park located directly at the airport. Courtesy vans take you somewhere. The next rental agent in walking distance, less than 100 yds. from the exit gate, is Best Deal car rental with its car park right there.
When heading to the French side, let's say Orient Beach, don't take the road through Marigot. Traffic jams are very common. Take the road through Dutch quarter, French quarter, and this brings you faster to the Orient beach area. Maps are here.
Still sending postcards to friends? Nice! Post offices can be a nightmare, queues everywhere. When using the French postal system, go to the Marigot office, and look for the stamp vending machine. It works - most times. 75 Euro cents for the USA. The Dutch post office is best to see between 1:00 - 2:00 pm, and less queues than the French office in any case.
Keen on communicating with many different hotels, villa owners, boat operators, and the like for your trip planning? There are plenty of agencies, who assist you without extra cost, often even get you a better deal. For activities, you may stop by at Oyster Pond, next to Captain Olivers, or at various hotels, and on Front Street. On vacation rentals, click here for more.

Nautical Experience in Marigot

2005-05-21T22:35:00.000-04:00

This weekend in Marigot, they had a kind of boat show, a little local fair of those enterprises involved in watersports, from dive operators to yacht charter companies, and those who do a little tail riding including the French police (Gendarmerie), who had a display and tried to hire recruits. The most appreciated fun were the various free rides, either on jet skis, on floats in the marina area of Marigot

or on stylish sailing boats.

Marigot has its own distinct flavor, somewhat like a French seaside town at the Mediterrean coast, and still very Caribbean. There is sometimes a negative attitude of US travelers towards Marigot, which is hard to understand. Language? No, this can't be the case. It happened a few times during my today's visit that I addressed people in French, and they asked me, whether I could speak English. They come from everywhere, and the French could even be a minority. Is it the lower level of commercilisation? Even better! Strongly recommended for your next trip!

American had been the Fastest!

2005-05-20T23:06:00.000-04:00

The French police proudly use their new radar equipment, and ... the winner is an American citizen with 117 km/h (approx. 73 miles) on the road! Not bad, as we always thought the locals would be the fastest. Or did they spare the locals, when speed controls were applied? Or did the locals know, where and when the gendarmes are out to measure ?

Fake photo - not taken here.

So, don't assume that the new and only professionally asphalted road on the island, the one from the Dutch/French border towards Bellevue/Marigot is thought to be a speedway. The permitted 90 km/h (approx. 55 miles) are already on the high side considering the driving style and vehicle conditions. If you like to share driving experience 'the Caribbean way' and need a vehicle, see here.

Hotel or What ?

2005-05-10T17:18:00.000-04:00

This island is full of surprises. Sometimes scary, more often funny. In Marigot, the main "capital" of the French side, we found a small hotel, which coexists in a kind of interesting neighborhood. May be, not the way guests intended to peacefully rest.

Don't enter the wrong door!

Popularity of Dawn Beach

2005-05-07T15:13:00.000-04:00

The Southern part of Dawn Beach, where the Scavenger beach bar is located, has an excellent reputation as the best beach with a beach bar in the Caribbean, according to a recent issue of Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine. This didn't go unnoticed for tourism managers! Some new development is planned, which will replace the ruins of the hotel blown off by a hurricane 10 years ago.

Scavenger Bar as of 2005

Dawn Beach is also a good spot for snorkeling. Due to its picturesque Caribbean flair, it is a popular spot for beach weddings. May be, some relationships started there under palm trees.

At Dawn Beach In front of Scavenger Bar

Those travelers, who prefer privacy and non standardized accommodation, have plenty of choices on in the Dawn Beach area. A large number of fine villas and condos are on the market, and many times, they are even the less expensive solution. See here for a fine property at Dawn Beach.

Art Lovers at St. Martin

2005-03-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

The island has a vibrant art scene. A recent art promotion had 60 participants, who made their work publicly available. This "Open Door" event showed an amazing range of art being worked on. Some are more visible, as famous Roland Richardson, also called the Father of Caribbean Impressionism, and some are working in secluded studios, and have their work on display in famous NY-City galleries. A typical example is Norma Trimborn with her unique, expressive oil paintings of exceptional vigor. Away from the commercial zones, between quiet Baie Lucas and Oyster Pond are the premises of Dona Bryhiel, a French artist with very interesting artworks of Caribbean and Southern France subjects.

The above mentioned Roland Richardson has been honored with a limited edition of a French postal mail envelope, valued at 83 Euro Cents, which is sold exclusively at the French post offices on the island.

We also make this wonderful print (see above, reduced scan) on its original envelope available at $ 4.50 including mailing, sent to island and art lovers in its original, unused condition, or stamped and mailed through the French postal service. Payment preferably by PayPal, user-id here.

A new section of the widely visited island website St-Maarten-Info will be dedicated to ongoing art events.

Crime - a Serious Island Problem

2005-03-14T07:48:00.000-05:00

Recently, there are more reports about crimes on the island. A significant share happens between the local population, often involving battery and assault. Unfortunately, also some robbery incidents involving visitors occurred. One focal point has been the area around Oyster Pond, an usually very quiet area.

A widely discussed question in message boards, such as TravelTalkOnline.com (TTOL) is the inconsistent response by police. Mainly, the French police, the Gendarmerie Nationale has been blamed for being non responsive.

Living here, the picture is somewhat mixed. The French Government is spending substantial funds for security. Beside the local Gendarmerie staff, they swap in some 38 additional Gendarmes each quarter, who are delegated from police stations in France. These officers publicly show a lot of presence. They regularly establish road blocks, and check people and cars.

The municipal police force is a separate city controlled unit mainly dedicated to traffic control and street safety. They show a strong presence in Marigot and Grand Case, but not much at other locations.

The criminal investigations are to a large extent the domain of the Guadeloupe crime unit. French St. Martin is a subordinated, administrative unit of Guadeloupe. If a serious crime happens, they fly in from Guadeloupe, and direct the investigation.

Although, I did not personally experience any crime, and had no reporting needs to the police, I have experienced the Gendarmerie as polite, straightforward, committed, and responsive. When compared to the many other islands, we visited or lived on, it is positively one of the safer ones. (on another island, we experienced that police officers had been the burglars, and broke into our office!!!) We are here far off Jamaican "standards". Still, everybody got to be careful, and we have to realize that this island, as many others, is not a quiet Midwest town. A melting pot of dozens of ethnic groups, a wide range from super rich to extremely poor, and administrative shortcomings create a dangerous mix at times!

Orient Beach - the Island Attraction

2005-02-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

Orient Beach or Baie Orientale is a hot destination for many visitors. See photos! Certainly, it is a great beach, but it has something else for many visitors. Some are attracted by the liberal life style. You see topless women sunbathing, or, you may even see some people entirely nude. The naturists are mainly at or close to the Club Orient location, but they may also stroll up and down the beach.

View from a bar to a bikini sales stand on Orient Beach

From a French perspective, naturists have become mainstream, and are a very common appearance at all beaches on French territory. Looking from an US perspective, many consider the nudity at Orient Beach as linked to the "life style", which relates to the sexually liberated movement of swinging for some of those visitors.
Whatever the driving force for visitors might be, it is a beautiful Caribbean beach with a great versatility of visitors, families, singles, local people, curious cruise ship tourists, and many just fun loving couples, who don't care about clothes on or off, and all the exasperation about it.

Orient Beach has so much to offer, tempting waters, thrilling bars and restaurants, challenging sport opportunities, and sun, sun, sun, ... More, see here!

Amazing Choice of Restaurants

2005-01-21T16:26:00.000-05:00

This island amazes me everyday from new. The choice, when going out for dinner is overwhelming. It can be awfully expensive (and good), and just a mile further down, you find a really inexpensive place, which is not so sophisticated, but still serves a great dinner at an unbelievably low price.

Two fine examples of the wide range are these great places:
1. Tabba Khady is a new restaurant at Av. du Lagon in the Oyster Pond area. Exotic, deliciously prepared food in a very nice setting. Upper price level, but still what you may be used to from fine dining in the USA. More info here.
2. Apple Tree is also a new place at an odd location in the French Quarter, right where the locals live. School teachers have their lunch there, craftsmen enjoy their beer before going home. And food, e.g. a hot dog, starts at $ 2, or cutlet, french fries, and salad are around $ 6. More Info!

This island caters for every taste and budget!

Real Monkeys on the Island

2005-01-19T10:17:00.000-05:00

When traveling across the island, tourists take photos of goats, donkeys, cows, pigs, and you see them everywhere, even right on the main roads. The monkeys are a bit more hidden. Some formerly caged animals escaped, and live quite well in the lush island vegetation. Local residents feed them, too, and they keep their closeliness to people. Although, it is not recommended to touch them, they really don't like it as close. They may scratch you.

Here is one in Oyster Pond vicinity. It enjoys a nice fruit and vegetable cocktail.

Other wildlife on the island are the geckos of various sizes, some snake hunting mangoustes, and a variety of birds. Actually, snakes are rare, and non poisonous. Basically, the island is a pretty safe place, when it comes to animals. Some insects can be annoying, but the mosquitoes only pop up after a rainy period. More on the island, find here!

WiFi making its Way on St. Maarten

2005-01-17T09:35:00.000-05:00

Lucent and local SMITCOMS implement a wireless network, which will cover the Frontstreet area of Philipsburg at rollout in January 2005. It is even free at its start, and charges will be imposed at a later date. When you are at one of those great bars and people watching places at the Philipsburg boardwalk, take your laptop next time and surf, email, .... Stop by on our website about St. Maarten, too!

This Island Booms !

2005-01-13T21:26:00.000-05:00

It is astounding, how popular St. Maarten became. And it has happened just within a few years. Yesterday, nine (9) cruise ships came and anchored at the Philipsburg pier or offshore, because space is to limited. The jet tourism is also growing in rapid steps. Rooms can be somewhat short in high season. This agency tries it best to accommodate you at reasonable rates.

The airport undergoes major changes. It becomes a real Caribbean hub. This is how it will look like in 1 or 2 years from now.

Princess Juliana Airport Development Plan

I know, the island may loose some of its genuine charm with all these developments. At the same time, it is a great opportunity to develop in an ecologically responsible way. The French side has a well developed awareness to those needs, and they declared areas to protected zones. Let's see how this boom changes island life, and hopefully to the good. Many changes occurred before, and fear of the inherent uncertainties had always been an issue. If you want to read more about, click on history of the island

Casinos - are they really fun?

2005-01-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

Last night, we did a run into the casino world of Sint Maarten. I visited at least a dozen casinos before, in Europe, in Las Vegas, in the Caribbean, and I inheritently compare. Most casinos on this island do not have a great appeal to me. They are not well maintained, or just plain empty, or the staff is inefficient. The first 50 Dollars are gone, when the first waitress asks for ordering drinks, another 50 are gone, when she finally brings a drink after 20 minutes ... The Royal Casino is as good as it can get on the island, and that's how it gets. The Atlantis, see photo, is second choice.

The crowd - if any at all - is mainly US - tourists, who come in their sports gear, which would better be suitable for the fitness room of their hotel. Of course, there are a few exceptions, some nice looking latina girl strolling through the rows, a wealthy outfitted lady playing Roulette as a real pro, and a few typical poker face men with big cuban cigars. Still, the dominant visitor is 60, female, and feeds quarters for hours on slot machines. A bit more can be found here. Otherwise, I think the island's attractions are somewhere else, like beaches, great food, and the Caribbean sun.

How is the weather like ...

2005-01-05T11:52:00.000-05:00

The most common question potential tourists raise before visiting the island of St. Maarten is about the weather. We enjoy a slight advantage, and therefore have a better hit rate when predicting the weather: it is pretty much the same all year long. Nevertheless, there are differences in temperature, in rain fall, and most prominently in wind. Most days still have a lot of sun, and this is why tourists come here. And even during the most lousy days in January, day time temperatures rarely dip below the 80's (26 C).The actual weather is available here.

Now, what do you do, when it rains or the gusty winds drive you off the beach? Go to bars, dine cozily in one of those French places, or go a bit window shopping in Marigot or Philipsburg. This website has a great section on restaurants, shopping, and other things to do. Or just email me, and I try to help you as much as possible with first hand island information!

Nightlife on the Island

2005-01-04T23:10:00.000-05:00

There is plenty of nightlife, but it's neither at one spot, nor so easily to classify! The range is extremely wide, from hangouts for locals or tourists to somewhat weird sex establishments catering for locals and/or tourists. Now, a favorite for its life, and even more for those, who need the thrill of low flying aircrafts, don't miss the Sunset Beach Bar. This is your view, when your glass starts to vibrate:

If you prefer great bodies at an adult entertainment show, look here, and scroll to the letter "X". The sidewalk places around Marina Royale, a little harbour right in Marigot, are my favorites. See and be seen! More on this at this website !