on holiday in St. maarten
I am so excited to be traveling again, that honestly a trip to Columbus, OH may have been an adventure. However, I was ready to dust off my passport and take in some of the most beautiful beaches in the world while visiting Sint Maarten.
This was the ultimate birthday celebration girl’s trip, and it did not disappoint! One, it’s the first time I’ve been able to see my best friend in over a year (cause COVID) and two, it’s such an incredible destination. Currently, the country is requiring that US or Canadian citizens take a r-PCR COVID test within 120 hours of arrival or an antigen test within 48 hours of arrival. The results must be loaded into a travel authorization system, and you have to gain approval to enter the country. There are quite a few hoops to jump through, but ultimately, they’re worth it.
St. Maarten has two distinct island experiences and is divided into a Dutch and a French side. The main differences between the sides are that the French side has more fine dining, in my opinion better beaches and uses different currency. The Dutch side is a bit quieter, has a variety of beaches and is more residential. The beauty starts at the SXM airport which is located on the Dutch side of the island and adjacent to Maho Beach. You can see sunbathers catching a glimpse of your landing plane as you approach. The airport itself is a bit chaotic and clearing customs took about 45 minutes. Luckily, our luggage was waiting for us once we made it through and we were able to find our transportation easily. We had the same driver, Andrew, for the total trip and he was fantastic.
We rented through Airbnb and stayed in the lovely Blue Dream Villa for the duration of the trip. It was located about 10 min from the airport on the Dutch side of the island and in an area, Jordan Village, that had plenty of restaurants and a grocery store. The villa itself was perfect for our party of three and offered many modern luxuries. The best parts were the view and the service. We had a concierge, Joy, who attended to our every need. I really don’t know what I’m going to do having to go back to real life without Joy.
Our first evening was spent settling in and getting a little sun on our expansive patio. We also enjoyed our first meal from our private chef, Manny. While hiring a chef may feel a bit opulent, it was actually the economical choice if you don’t rent a car to get around the island. While the total island is only 37 miles long, private transportation can get pricey, with most rides starting around $20 regardless of destination. Opting to stay in and have a delicious meal, was the perfect way to end our first evening.
The next morning, I woke up to see the beautiful sunrise over Simpson Bay, which bordered our home. I lounged in the pool and played around with capturing a few photos before venturing out to explore our neighborhood. We had a great lunch at a natural café, then picked up a few staples at the local Carrefour. The evening was again spent devouring an incredible meal from our chef and enjoying the villa.
We ventured to Orient Beach the following morning to spend the day in the sun and sand. Orient Beach is located on the French side of the island and was about 30 minutes from our rental. Orient Beach is ~1.4 miles long and is a bit livelier than some of the surrounding beaches. It also is home to one of the most popular clothing optional beaches in St. Maarten. We opted to spend our day in that section, and it was a lot of fun. You’re able to rent cushioned chairs for $20-$30, complete with umbrellas and tables. We had a great lunch and 2 for 1 happy hour at the Perch Lite. Randy, the bartender, made yummy frozen drinks to help combat the hot sun.
After our day on the sand, we headed back to get ready for a night on the town for the birthday celebration. We chose JAX Steakhouse to celebrate, because it had a New York feel and was one of the few places on the island that I found that served a variety of steaks. The décor was very modern, and the cocktails were delicious. The food was also very good, but the meal was a bit rushed due to the fact the island was still under an 11PM curfew and we didn’t arrive until after 9. The restaurant is located in Maho Village, which also has a lot of nightlife when it’s open.
The following day we traveled to town to get our mandatory COVID tests to return to the US. The SXM airport is actually offering COVID tests onsite if you’re interested in taking one immediately before your flight. While out, we tried a cute little bakery with delicious pastries, then headed back to our villa to prepare for the afternoon’s activities.
We decided to rent a boat to explore some of the surrounding islands. We picked St. Barth’s, which has just recently reopened to tourists, since it’s supposed to have a party vibe and great shopping. The ride to the island was horribly choppy, but we made it in one piece and after clearing customs were off to explore. The town is very small but filled with high end shops. Many were closed due to COVID, but we managed to still find several that we could check out. We then opted for lunch at Nikki Beach, the place to see and be seen. The atmosphere was very European and had a real party vibe. You can eat in the restaurant or get a table on the beach. The menu was limited, but tasty, and sushi was really the highlight. After a fun filled few hours, we headed back on the boat and had a much less eventful ride back to St. Maarten. The evening included another chef meal at the villa and an early night as we were all worn out from the day.
There are so many beaches to choose from in St. Maarten, so we wanted to explore more of those on the Dutch side of the island. We chose to spend time at Cupecoy Beach. It is extremely scenic, but the surf was very rough which didn’t allow for a leisurely swim. Cupecoy also has a clothing optional area and Dany’s Beach Bar for refreshments. Dany’s has beach eats, including BBQ and roasted fish, as well as cocktails. The afternoon watching the waves and sunbathing was incredibly relaxing. We headed back to the villa to get ready for an evening dinner in beautiful Grand Case, again on the French side of the island. We ate at Ocean 82, which boasts some of the best sunsets on the island. We were a little late to view those but were still able to enjoy the beautiful beach while eating our meal. Seafood is the specialty here, with lobster as the main attraction. We were able to order one of the last ones on the menu and it was large enough for the whole table to sample. The cocktails and dessert were the standout in this meal, but the ambiance made it the perfect choice for a second birthday dinner.
Our last day on the island we took more time to enjoy our villa. Sunbathing on the patio with morning cocktails before we headed to our flight, was the best way to spend the morning. Check out was seamless, but the airport again was chaotic, so I would absolutely recommend arriving a full two hours before your flight.
St. Maarten offers many experiences for all types of travelers, and I can’t wait to return to enjoy the beauty once more.
