The Friendly Island: St. Martin
One of my favorite islands in the Caribbean is Sint Maarten / Saint Martin (SXM). The island is uniquely half Dutch (Sint Maarten) and half French (Saint Martin), the Dutch side being the south half and the French side to the north. I grew up visiting the island with my family, so it has a special place in my heart. It’s a very developed/densely inhabited island compared to some of its neighbors (Anguila, St. Barths), and it’s usually a stop between getting there or to St. Kitts or Nevis.
The island caters to all groups from families to honeymooners and solo travelers. However, in 2017 the island was hit by Hurricane Irma and there are some great parts of the island that haven’t yet recovered (RIP two of my favorite places: Marigot’s Port Royal and Mr. Busby’s in Oyster Bay).
SXM is a great place to visit if you like to go on vacation and get outside of your resort to explore. There’s an endless amount of restaurants to try, and so many beaches to spend a day at. It is definitely a great option if you are looking for a place to vacation, or if you have to pass through SXM to get to another island, I recommend staying for a day or two. You’ll love SXM for the beautiful beaches, fresh seafood and local cuisines, and French culture.
What to See & Do
Hop over to Pinel Island. By far my favorite place in SXM, and also in the Caribbean in general. Pinel is a tiny island without electricity. It is home to two restaurants that are powered by generators: Karibuni and Yellow Beach (each establishment has beach chairs to spend the day at), and nothing else.
To get to Pinel you take a ferry (which will definitely be the smallest ferry in your life) and it takes less than 15 minutes to cross the channel. I really don’t think the water gets more than 5 feet deep. Ferries start at 9:30am and the last one leaves Pinel at 5pm.
If you want to reserve beach chairs in the first row, along the water, call ahead to one of the restaurants to reserve them. We always sit at Karibuni and have lunch there. Everything on the menu is super fresh, as all of their food is brought over to the island each morning. I’m obsessed with the grilled squid, their octopus stew, and their side of sweet potatoes. If you are offered a shot of rum on your way out, make sure you take it - it’s delicious.
Experience the nude beaches of Orient Bay. This is a long stretch of beach, so it’s great for walking/running, and it’s lined with restaurants and beach chairs at each. The beach is typically a bit windier and the water a little rougher because it’s on the Atlantic (there is usually a bit of seaweed too), but it makes a great spot to lounge with a breeze and is perfect for watersports and kitesurfing.
We love to sit at Kontiki Beach and have lunch at their restaurant. I recently learned it’s also great for working remotely. Their restaurant’s WiFi was perfect.
The last beach (to the south) is reserved for nudists and because the island is French they do not have to stick to just that beach. You will also get yelled at if you are accidentally taking photos, so make sure to put your phone away if you venture down there for a walk.
Treat yourself to a beach day and lunch at Anse Marcel Beach. Nestled on a quiet beach with catamarans parked in the bay, this is now one of my favorite places in SXM. The restaurant has 7 huts along the beach and you can book one for lunch. The food is seriously so fresh and unreal, although it’s not cheap.
If you take a taxi there, they may try to drop you off at the resort next door, Secrets. Anse Marcel is next to Secrets (to the left). If you end up at Secrets you can still get to Anse Marcel by walking on the beach.
Visit the nearby French island of St. Barth.
More about that here: One Day in St. Barthélemy
Go shopping in Philipsburg and then stay for lunch or dinner. It’s a bit touristy and usually filled with visitors from the cruise ships in the port, but it’s a cute town to explore with original architecture and churches.
I haven’t been in years, but we used to love eating at Tuloula Mangos.
Shopping is duty free
Watch planes land and take off from Sunset Bar. If you Google “St. Martin” you will for sure see mostly photos of this iconic spot. The bar is situated on a very narrow strip of beach next to the airport.
Visit Happy Beach and Friar’s Bay. These two beaches are connected and very quiet. They don’t have beach chairs, so you have to bring your own towel to lay out on.
I’m pretty sure you drive/park at Friar’s and then have to take a 10 minute hike to get to Happy Beach.
I don’t recall either of them having great restaurants, so maybe plan to pack some food and beverages .
Explore the island by sea. Charter a boat or book a group tour for a day or half day. There are so many great beaches to check out in SXM, and you can hit a bunch of them in a day if you travel by boat.
Some of my favorites are La Samanna, Ile Tintamare, Pinel, and Anse Marcel. You can hop off at Anse Marcel, Pinel or Grand Case for lunch too.
Have sunset drinks and watch yachts at the SXM Yacht Club in Simpson Bay. This tiny spot is located right next to the drawbridge, so you’ll see some large yachts come through. Most yachts come through SXM before making their way to St. Barth.
There’s also a new yacht club that just opened right down the street - they are only open on Wednesdays
Go out for a night at Rainbow in Grand Case. This restaurant is supposed to be great (I haven’t been yet for a meal). You will need a reservation.
There’s an upstairs bar/club that turns into a really fun time - even on Sundays. They’ll play everything from US hits to Reggaeton and French rap. They also had a bright idea to put a shop in the middle of the bar… smart on their end, dangerous for customers.
Spend the day lounging at LTC in Grand Case. LTC is a boutique hotel with great food.
Have dinner at Mezza Luna in Nettle Bay. This cute spot hasn’t fully recovered from the hurricane, but the food has not changed. They have homemade pastas and pizzas with truffles.
Go for local ribs in Grand Case. There are a number of local BBQ shacks called Lolos to try.
Gamble at a casino. The island has many casinos, so if you’re into gambling a bit, this is your place.
Casinos are only on the Dutch side
Snack on a fresh French baguette. The French bread is unreal, so if you’re not gluten intolerant you are in for a treat. Throw on some Dutch or French butter - oh it is so good.
Check out Zee Best for a croissant. There are a few locations around the island to grab one of their fresh, fluffy croissants.
Visit Anguilla. Anguilla is a super nice, very flat, island and you can see it from the East coast of SXM. Ferries depart from Marigot and take about 25 minutes.
Summary of Where to Eat (if above is too much to go through) & a few others:
*Note: Most Grand Case restaurants require a reservation and are closed on Sundays
Karibuni (Pinel Island)
Kontiki (Orient Beach)
Mezza Luna (Nettle Bay)
Anse Marcel (Anse Marcel)
Taloula Mango’s (Philipsburg)
Rainbow (Grand Case)
Le Pressoir (Grand Case)
L'Auberge Gourmande (Grand Case)
Le Cottage (Grand Case)
Spiga (Grand Case)
Indigo (between Philipsburg and Simpson Bay)
Skip Jack’s (Simpson Bay)
District 72 (Simpson Bay)
Where to Stay
SXM is not known for having THE BEST hotels. I also haven’t stayed in many, but here is what I would suggest:
La Samanna. Definitely the nicest hotel on the island, this Belmond property is located on the French side of the island.
Divi Little Bay. This is where I grew up staying. It’s located on a “little bay,” as its name suggests, so there’s not much wind and the water is very calm. It’s pretty much the equivalent to a Marriott and not anything close to a boutique hotel (places I like to stay these days), but it’s a great location, the timeshare rooms are huge, and the water at this beach is the best. Growing up we would go snorkeling, banana boating, and I remember one day we found so many ginormous star fish.
LTC. I recently learned of this place and I don’t know much about it, but it’s a boutique hotel in the center of Gran Case, on the water and surrounded by some great restaurants that are all within walking distance.
Secrets. What used to be the Riu Palace and also Radisson Blu, was destroyed by the hurricane and came back recently as Secrets, an all inclusive I believe. I don’t know much about it, other than the beach is great and right next to Anse Marcel restaurant.
Villas. I’ve never stayed at a villa in SXM, but there’s a bunch and definitely worth checking out.
Logistics / Tips
I’d highly suggest renting a car when visiting. As you can see from my list above, there’s so much to see, and it definitely helps to be able to get around on your own. Just prepare yourself for some very steep hills.
Beach chairs will cost you. They are usually ~$15-25 each for the day, depending on the place.
The Dutch side’s currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (ECD) and the French side uses the Euro, however, both will accept USD.
Traveling to St. Martin during the pandemic/COVID requirements. We visited in February 2022 and had to fill out a form here__ you have to apply and get approved. If you do not have a booster shot then you have to apply with a negative PCR test (you will be denied if you submit a rapid) taken within 48 hours. The approval process is usually a very quick turn around.
xx Em