TRAVEL: SAINT MARTIN
It’s been a long winter…and this girl is needing some heat in her bones. That said, the planets alligned and I worked my ass off to find a quality getaway that would keep me safe and soak in the sunshine. The result? Hats off to the beautiful island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea!
Fellow heat seekers: If you are looking for low-key relaxation and recharge, this is an incredible place to experience! I spent just under two weeks here in this tropical paradise, and I would return in a heartbeat. The people, the nature, the ocean, the food and the relaxed vibe were incredible to experience. When travelling here, you can be as adventurous or lackadaisical as you choose on this gorgeous island.
A view of the Grand Case Bay shoreline in front of Captain Frenchy’s Restaurant, SXM
Saint Martin was for the most part off my travel radar until a friend suggested it as a place to get away for some deep relaxation with incredible beaches and food. When he mentioned all the French restaurants and grocers….I was itching to experience SXM, and well, It exceeded my expectations.
Basic Information
Saint Martin/Sint Maarten is a French/Dutch colonised island in the Eastern Caribbean, about 300 kilometres east of Puerto Rico. The north side is French speaking, the south side is Dutch. The island enjoys an open border, with just a sign and monument to notate where the border line is located. Most people are fully bilingual (French/English) and many are trilingual (add Dutch/Flemish).
This is the border! An obelisk denoting the 1648 agreement between French and Dutch authories to the border division. One can easily access both sides.
Why travel here?
If you are looking for a beautiful, safe, secure, and relaxing spot to downshift, put away your tech and just be present and enjoy the sights and sounds of the nature around you, this is it.
If you love the water, and spending the day at the beach, the sand….perfect temperature waters to play in, reading a book under an umbrella and then heading out for a memorable dinner and evening, this is for you.
If you want to get into a simpler routine early to bed, early to rise and spend most of your time outside, oceanside, this is the place for you.
A view of Orient Bay from Esmeralda Resort. There is always a lovely breeze in this area.
Disclosure:
On this visit, I didn’t venture much to the Dutch area to take in the sights. This side is busier, more densely populated, and definitely has more active nightlife—and for this trip, that wasn’t what I was looking for. Sint Maarten (Dutch) definitely has many places to visit, shop, eat, relax, play, party, and enjoy the scenery. The larger cities, like Phillipsburg (NE) and Marigot (FR), are also places that will have the global name brand stores you might want to shop or visit, as well as lots of novelty stores, activities, and boating departures.
Most cities have a daily/weekly outdoor marketplace during the day that includes many vendors with clothing, jewellry, souvenirs, tchotchkes, and food. Phillipsburg & Marigot I only drove through, but both were definitely picturesque & bustling towns with lots to see and do. Beautiful architecture and a plethora of shopping, dining, and activities are present to explore.
The Highlights
Here’s the hitlist of my favourite experiences:
Seared tuna amongst a bed of sweet potato mash and vegetable deliciousness— (Sunset Cafe and Bar, Grand Case Bay Beach Club)
(1) The Incredible Food
In my opinion, the French treat food like a national sport, and everyone is invested in its success. It’s clear how much care and thought goes into the preparation of every meal that you eat in restaurants; you see it in the quality of the groceries, and also in the take-away specialty stores. There is more access to French wine than you can imagine (too many wine boutiques to count), So if you’re a foodie like me, you will be in heaven.
Morning continential breakfast with an order of eggs and bacon…..delicieux! L’Astrolabe is the wonderful poolside restaurant right on the Esmeralda Resort, Orient Bay.
The Lowdown:
French mediterranean and Creole is probably the best way to describe the food style that I experienced. Most of the dishes include local fresh fish & seafood, vegetables and fruits that are local to the Caribbean islands. That said, there is always a variety of freshly shipped meats and cheeses that arrive from Europe regularly, as well as the French-imported grocery staples in the supermarkets and boutique grocers. So if you want to experience a Euro-Caribbean vacation, SXM is for you.
I have a true appreciation for cultures that take joy and pride in food experiences. To me, it’s an important necessity in life to spend some time to relax, savour, and be social with people you care about. My experience of Saint Martin was a daily incredible foodventure. I couldn’t find a mediocre meal here!
Food culture here is focused on fresh local fish and in-season vegetables– a foodie’s dream come true! The thoughtful and curated restaurant menus absolutely embody these values. That said, SXM is not a self-sustaining island in terms of agriculture, so the majority of food items are flown in or shipped by boat to the island for consumption from Europe or other Caribbean countries. A main course in a fine dining experience will run you 22-45€ on average, not including an appetizer (15-22€) plus wine, but you’ll be swooning at the table from every delicious bite.
Fresh-caught red snapper egg rolls in a spicy aioli…..incroyable! (Les Temps des Cerises Restaurant)
(2) The Beaches!
Even after a full week, I was still in daily awe over the incredible pristine turquoise waters; they were magnificent! There are 37 beaches that you can visit on the island. Some have more waves, undertow and wind, good for boogie boarding, paragliding, and kite surfing (think Orient Bay) and some are very calm & sedate and you can find more lounging activities and snorkel ops (think Grand Case Bay).
All the beaches are public. This means thankfully that they are accessible to everyone. Even the beaches that are part of a resort must give you access to their beach (hurray!) .
Beach clubs: Beach clubs are restaurants with full service beach loungers and umbrellas. This concept makes all-day beaching super accessible and comfortable. You can rent chairs at a daily rate. Some hotels may have this service provided for you for free with your stay. If not, it averages between 8-15€ per person for the day, the average being 10€. Overall it felt like a good value and most have a full restaurant service available for you, chair-side. Incroyable!
Imagine your day: Sunscreen on, suntan, read, nap; jump in the water for a dip to play and cool off; rinse and repeat. Pack up around 5pm, head home, shower and rest, then dress casual fabulous for the evening and decide on which restaurant to have your food adventure at, followed by an evening beach stroll amongst the sound of the crashing waves…
Are you with me?
The walking pathway from LA PLAYA restaurant to its beach club? R & R anyone?
(3) The Weather
The Lowdown:
Saint Martin is an island that boasts a consistent temperature YEAR ROUND. Whether you come in January or July, you will experience the same consistent water and air temperature. How marvellous is that? The average annual temperature ranges between 25-29°C (77-86℉) and the water temperature is a delicious hug that stays between 26-28°C(79-82℉). Consider also the consistent moderate winds to keep you cool, and you there you have a perfect tropical vacation weather zone.
If it rains, (as it did several times when I was there) it’s not for long until it passes right through, so give it twenty minutes, and don’t worry about impeding any of your day’s plans. Check out annual SXM temperatures here.
The clouds never stay for long on the island.
(4) The Vibe
Saint Martin is effectively called “the friendly island” and lives up to this status. The French side definitely espouses a relaxed, laid-back, ‘enjoy the moment’ sort of experience. SXM citizens and ex-pats are friendly, helpful, and accomodating to the tourists. Also to note, there is easy access to the major creature conveniences that you’d expect to find both in and outside of the main towns. With the current European infrastructure & social services, it seemed to me safe, stable, and secure. I was never worried about my safety or security while travelling.
This is not to say there may or may not be issues in the country (as there are in every country), but in my limited travel of the island I didn’t witness any issues that left me pause for concern. I loved practising my French with the locals, I loved the daily chats I had with the locals and expats, and I loved the chill and relaxed vibe that Saint Martin espoused. Tourism is the biggest economic industry in SXM, and much effort is directed at ensuring the tourism economy remains stable and growing.
This island boasts a population of about 70 000 citizens in total, and with its limited geographical size, there definitely is a smaller town feeling. I witnessed a massive herd of goats stop the roundabout traffic until they had had their fill of the grass and terrain as they passed through. C’est amusant!
The goats on their daily forage…
Lastly, The history and colonization of SXM is quite interesting and worth understanding how this tropical travel destination unfolded since the existence of its original inhabitants, colonization, and current culture and politics. Did you know that before tourism actively began in the 1950s, the major economy was based in salt export?
Recently, there was a change of government parties in the recent election while I was there visiting and the locals were very excited about the change to come. From what they shared with me, the Saint Martin citizens are looking for a more involved governance that will effectively enact more effective and immediate change, including rebuliding since the Hurricane Irma destruction of 2017. A brief history of SXM is available here.
An example of some of the damage from hurricane Irma in 2017. This is one of several beachside that were catastropically damaged and abandoned.
COMING SOON: If you’re interested in learning more about Saint Martin, you can check out my other blog posts from this delightful destination. Stay tuned!
PLAN YOUR TRIP!
For current 2022 listings and information to all things SXM, check out this website! There’s a downloadable app included for valuable location services and a virtual pocket guide.
Grand Case Bay Beach Club, Saint Martin
