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)

  • Old Street*

  • 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)

• Casino @ Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa

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

• Maho Beach*:

  • 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)

  • Tintamarre Island*:

    • Spot sea turtle

    • Snorkeling

    • A short hike to the eastern side of the island

  • Pinel 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

• Amsterdam Cheese And Liquor Store

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.