St. Maarten

My husband and I just returned from Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, "the friendly island," where we traveled with some friends. I wanted to pass along some of the things that we learned about this beautiful but quirky Caribbean island ruled by the Dutch (southern half) and the French. Traffic slows to a crawl at some times of the day and bridge openings can bring vehicles to halt for 30 minutes or more. No stoplights regulate traffic so you can't be timid and you often have to rely on the kindness of others. To make it all just a little more unpredictable, motorcyclists consider the the center line a lane of their own. But traffic aside, St. Maarten has a lot to offer. We stayed in the Simpson Bay area, which we ultimately decided was an excellent location. We could walk to many good restaurants. The beach was quiet and sheltered.
We arrived in Sint Maarten hungry and tired from an early morning Raleigh departure. A seatmate on the plane recommended Toppers, an open-air restaurant near our condominium. It was an excellent choice. My grilled squid appetizer and grilled chicken salad were flavorful and tender. My husband's beef brisket was tender and the mashed potatoes were made from scratch (not a box). We were off to a great start. The next morning, we began the day with another suggestion, a French bakery called Le Sucriere. The ham and cheese croissant and the pain au chocolat made a great start to the day. Monique, our waitress at Toppers, suggested that we explore the market at Marigot on Wednesday. Merchants and artists were selling everything from t-shirts to spices and jewelry to table linens. The Marigot waterfront was lined with French bistros and the streets with upscale boutiques. Just up the road (everything is close by on a 37-square-mile island), Grand Case is a gourmand's delight with a concentration of outstanding French restaurants as well as a smattering of beach shacks serving good and generous amounts of local fare.
Beaches are bountiful, but the two that draw the most attention are Sunset Beach and Orient Bay. Locals and tourists gather at Sunset Beach to watch the sun set over the ocean while sipping drinks at the Sunset Beach Bar and watch the planes takeoff and land (no more than a few feet about their heads) at Queen Juliana Airport. While the sunset was lovely, I couldn't understand the lure of smelling jet fuel exhaust. Orient Bay, a beautiful stretch of white-sand beach, had something for everyone, including beach chairs and umbrellas, bars serving a medley of alcoholic fruit drinks, beachside cafes and a plethora of water sports. Just keep in mind that the beaches at Orient Bay are clothing optional, although the naturalists primarily congregate at the north end of the beach. Women sunbathed topless on any Sint Maarten/Saint Martin beach.
The Caribbean cruise liners routinely dock at Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch Sint Maarten. The town caters to cruising tourists as its streets are lined with duty-free, tax-free shops and boutiques, restaurants and casinos. Jewelry is the primary lure, as shop owners stand outside their stores promising tourists 60 to 70 percent off retail price. They offer gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, tanzanite, amethyst, turquoise and more in an endless variety of settings. At Monique's suggestion, we visited Philipsburg on Friday when only two cruise liners were in port. Otherwise, the streets and shops can be congested.
Because of traffic, we ate many of our meals in Simpson Bay. Our favorite breakfast haunt was Zee Best. They served outstanding savory crepes, including my favorite, La Popeye, filled with spinach, onion, cream and cheese. Alongside the crepes, we drank freshly squeezed orange juice and munched on sweet pastries. For natural juices and food, Top Carrot was a top choice. For dinner, we enjoyed the fajitas at Jimbo's, the grilled shrimp and risotto at Saratoga and the mussels in wine and grilled red snapper at The Wharf.
We tried several evenings to find music suitable for dancing. Cherie's, Soprano's Piano Bar and the Red Piano Bar came recommended, but none offered the music or atmosphere we sought. The music at Cherie's could only be considered entertaining if you had consumed more than four rum-loaded drinks in less than an hour.
Sint Maarten/Saint Martin lived up to its name as the friendly island. We enjoyed our visit and look forward to a return trip.