St. Martin/St Maarten
June 23 - June 30, 2021 (8D7N or 6D5N): What a treat as you get to visit one island comprised of 2 separate countries with the northern French side (Saint-Martin) and the southern Dutch side (Sint Maarten). We spent 8 days on the island and celebrated my 40th while working remotely. But I’ve curated an itinerary that you can relax and see the island in 6 days, or extend it while working remotely if you prefer to. The island is so small that with a rental car (a must), you can easily visit all the sites.
*Highly Recommended
Day 1
Afternoon arrival in SXM from JFK (~4 hrs direct via Delta)
Pick-up rental car from National
Check-in @ Airbnb* (Simpson Bay, steps from the beach)
Snack @ Captain’s Rib Shack* (Try the ribs & stuffed crab back)
Simpson Bay beach* (A long stretch of beautiful sandy beach)
Shop @ Carrefour (Pick up some local cheese/alcohol - Old Man Guavaberry Brand/Sint Maarten’s Distillery)
Dinner @ Balls and Wine*
Day 2
Simpson Bay beach
Lunch @ Vesna Taverna* (Try the fish soup)
Philipsburg:
Courthouse (Pic only)
Philipsburg Boardwalk (A lot of businesses/restaurants did not survive the pandemic)
Great Bay Beach (A port without any cruise activities when we were there)
Snack @ Dutch Blonde Beach Bar (Try the local Blonde Ale)
Drive through Pond Island
Fort Louis* (Free; 8-5pm)
Shop @ Super U (Pick up some inexpensive French wine)
Dinner @ Alina Sushi* (Sit by the bar and ask the bartender to make you some of her special G&T’s)
Day 3
Grand Case:
Snack @ Rib Shack (lolo#6)
Swim @ Beach* (Access the beach from Lolo #6)
Orient Bay Beach:
Orient Bay Nude Beach (Chairs/umbrellas available for rent)
Lunch @ Coco Beach* (Delicious food & drink but on the expensive end)
Orient Beach (Choppier waters than the western side of the island)
Anse Marcel Beach (Park at the parking lot nearby and walk between the hotels to get to the beach)
Happy Bay Beach* (Our favorite beach! Drive to the end of the road and walk for 10 mins will get you to a quiet beach with a large sculpture & iguanas. Great for snorkeling and clothing-optional!!)
Dinner @ Le Tropicana*
Walk around Marina La Royale
Day 4
Enjoy the plane landing view - check the schedule here
Snorkeling by the rocks in front of Sunset Bar & Grill
Mullet Bay Beach* (Enjoy a beautiful stretch of beach with fewer crowds away from the concessions stands; chairs/umbrellas available for rent)
Lunch @ Da Waterhole Beach Bar & Grill* (Try the red snapper)
Friar’s Bay:
Drinks @ Kali’s Beach Bar
Hike to Happy Bay Beach (0.8 miles RT from Friar Bay)
Dinner @ Le Cottage*
Midnight champagne toast on Simpson Bay Beach
Day 5
Rent a speed boat from Tropical Boat (€350 for Cap Camarat 6.5 - fits up to 7 people):
Marina La Royale
Dock @ Grand Case:
Lunch @ Cynthia’s Talk of Town* (Try it with the homemade sauce)
Snorkeling @ Creole Rock (OK to skip as we didn’t see much there)
Spot sea turtle
Snorkeling
A short hike to the eastern side of the island
Pic Paradis* (Amazing view; we hiked for 10 mins to get to the top as the road was too rough to drive up)
Birthday Dinner @ Bistrot Caraibes*
Day 6
Kayak @ Simpson Bay Beach
Rapid covid test @ Pharmacie Bellevue (€35, make an appointment ahead of time)
Lunch @ Top Carrot* or Little Jerusalem* (Portion here is huge)
Afternoon flight to JFK
Other points of interest & food:
Philipsburg
Grand Case
Dinner @ Le Pressoir
Dinner @ Blue Martini Bistro
Simpson Bay
Lunch @ Indigo Beach Bar and Restaurant
Dinner @ Jai’s Contemporary Indian Cuisine
Dinner @ Palapa Grill and Lounge
Maho/Mullet Bay Beach
Lunch @ Mario Bistrot at The Cliff
Dinner @ Jax Steakhouse
Tips:
Make sure you read up on the latest COVID-19 testing/entry requirement. In short, vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested, and travelers who recovered from COVID-19 within 9 months before departure can enter with acceptable proof of recovery.
Amex Centurion Lounge opened up in October 2020 - take advantage of it and visit the speakeasy (1850) if you fly out of JFK T4.
For your first visit, look for accommodations in Simpson Bay as it offers a good base for you to enjoy the island.
The car rental process at National was decent, although we did not get the size of the vehicle that we reserved on day 1.
Grand Case was our favorite French town. It offers gourmet french food, local rib shacks, a beautiful beach, and easy access from the Dutch side.
All the beaches are free on the island
To get to Pinel Island, you can rent a kayak or take the ferry from Ferry to Pinel Island if you don’t plan on renting a boat. But Tintamarre Island can only be reached via a private boat.
Pharmacy Souliaga offers a free COVID test but needs to line up prior to 9:30 am.
If you fancy, you can catch a 45-min high-speed ferry to St. Barth ($85 RT). Be sure to check out Nikki Beach.
