St. Maarten where to go what to do?
Oct 20th, 2011, 07:16 AM
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St. Maarten where to go what to do?
My wife and I are traveling to St. Marten the first week of November 2011. We are staying at Oyster Bay Beach Resort. Recently my wife read some reviews about the island has a big problem with sea week taking over the beaches, so some of the beaches are unusable. Is this true? Also does anyone know if Oyster Bay Beach Resort finished their renovations?
We are also celebrating my wife’s birthday, her graduation from graduate school, and our wedding anniversary all the same week. So we are looking for some great places for dinner and to blow of some steam and have fun. Please help us have a great time on St. Maarten!
Also is Leisure Car rental a good place to rent from?
We are also celebrating my wife’s birthday, her graduation from graduate school, and our wedding anniversary all the same week. So we are looking for some great places for dinner and to blow of some steam and have fun. Please help us have a great time on St. Maarten!
Also is Leisure Car rental a good place to rent from?
Oct 20th, 2011, 12:36 PM
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Luxury Caribbean Resort - La Samanna is a luxury Caribbean Resort Hotel & Spa set on the exclusive Baie Longue beach in St. Martin, Caribbean. Resort offers ...
www.lasamanna.com
stayed there many years ago beaches were fine then
Found best food at Marigot...
carrentals.com Personally would use a major lots of
postings on car scammers there if you will do some searching.
Congrats,Have fun,
www.lasamanna.com
stayed there many years ago beaches were fine then
Found best food at Marigot...
carrentals.com Personally would use a major lots of
postings on car scammers there if you will do some searching.
Congrats,Have fun,
Oct 20th, 2011, 01:27 PM
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(from an Antigua web site)There is a small pest that has decided to make a trip to see Antigua’s beautiful beaches. You have heard many complaining about the Sargassum seaweed which has been creeping up onto some of our beaches. So what exactly is Sargassum seaweed and why is it visiting? The seaweed originates in the Sargasso Sea. The Sargasso Sea is actually a body of water within a body of water. The Sargasso Sea is the only body of water without land bordering it, and is found in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The seaweed can be found as a floating mat in the Sargasso Sea and is the ecological home to many organisms. The seaweed is usually held in place by strong currents with a few bits slipping through occasionally ending up on the shores of Caribbean beaches during the summer. This year due to unusual storm patterns a large mass of seaweed has found its way onto the shores of many Caribbean islands. Hopefully as the storms lessen so will the weeds. On the positive side the seaweed can be used as an excellent fertilizer if you can stand the smell.
On French St. Martin, northern beaches like the popular Orient Bay and Le Galion as well as the east coast beaches have been the most affected, said Jadira Veen, president of the Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation, a nonprofit environmental awareness group. On the Dutch side, Guana Bay Beach has been out of commission for months because of the seaweed, she said. But hotel beaches are likely to be assiduously tended, which can make a difference. DAWN BEACH (Oyster Bay), for example, which is also on the east coast and has been faced with large amounts of seaweed, is mostly clear of it because several hotels have been working hard to keep the beach attractive for tourists, Ms. Veen said.
Meanwhile, Mullet Bay beach, Cupecoy beach and others on the western side of the island “are still pristine white sandy beaches as one expects in the Caribbean,” she said.
Thrifty and Dollar have been the source of many complaints. Leisure was mentioned as a reputable dealer.
I can't help you with restaurants. My reservations are for February 2012 and the last time we were there was 10 yrs ago. We are staying at Princess Heights. Let us know how you find Oyster Bay as we will spend a lot of time there.
MESKI
On French St. Martin, northern beaches like the popular Orient Bay and Le Galion as well as the east coast beaches have been the most affected, said Jadira Veen, president of the Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation, a nonprofit environmental awareness group. On the Dutch side, Guana Bay Beach has been out of commission for months because of the seaweed, she said. But hotel beaches are likely to be assiduously tended, which can make a difference. DAWN BEACH (Oyster Bay), for example, which is also on the east coast and has been faced with large amounts of seaweed, is mostly clear of it because several hotels have been working hard to keep the beach attractive for tourists, Ms. Veen said.
Meanwhile, Mullet Bay beach, Cupecoy beach and others on the western side of the island “are still pristine white sandy beaches as one expects in the Caribbean,” she said.
Thrifty and Dollar have been the source of many complaints. Leisure was mentioned as a reputable dealer.
I can't help you with restaurants. My reservations are for February 2012 and the last time we were there was 10 yrs ago. We are staying at Princess Heights. Let us know how you find Oyster Bay as we will spend a lot of time there.
MESKI
Oct 20th, 2011, 06:21 PM
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I am a planner...I read the boards a lot the following is excerpted from those boards.
Our favorite beaches: Baie Rouge, Friar's Bay, Mullet Bay, the beach in Grand Case right in front of our hotel.
We took a snorkeling trip on the Lambada to Prickly Pear, Anguilla, which was fun and relaxing, all at the same time. We'd brought our own masks, but they provided masks, fins and life vests for all who needed them. There was food and rum punch and everyone had a really good time. We snorkeled on the reef off of Prickly Pear and then swam to shore for lunch. With fins, it was an easy swim!! Just know that snorkeling in St. Martin and Anguilla is not as great as in other parts of the Caribbean, but it was good enough and certainly worth the day trip.
Supermarket: US (Market???). Better choices than Match, much larger.
ATM's: went to the one by Match for Euros, one near Mullet Bay on the Dutch side for American $$
After last week's 'iffy' weather, it is now beautiful so, if you are 'beach people', you should visit Palm Beach. It has only been open about 16 months, and it is a cut above the other operations. From there you can then walk the length of Orient Beach, which is the longest, and - arguably - the best on the island.
To get to Palm Beach, take the road from Marigot towards French Quarter (Quartier d'Orleans) or Oyster Pond.
After passing the new roundabout just after Hope Estate, you continue until you see the Cadisco gas station on your left. IMMEDIATELY past there, take the turning to the left, then IMMEDIATELY fork right. That will take you to Palm Beach.
Coming from the other direction, go past the MAIN entrance to Orient Bay on your right (and Les Jrddins de Baie Orientale opposite) then take the first turning to your right. If you pass the Cadisco gas station you have gone 50 yards too far!
If you go to Philipsburg with the intention of doing other things than going to church, I would not do so on a Sunday, as most of the shops etc. on Front Street will be closed.
For a 'romantic evening' I would suggest either Le Tastevin or L'Escapade. Both are on the waterfront in Grand Case, and both (of course) have websites. You should book in advance and request a table (presumably for 2 !) front line to the water - and pray that it doesn't blow a gale.
For anyone interested in visiting St Martin, I recommend taking a daytrip on a Catamaran over to Anguilla. The snorkeling around Sandy Island is incredible and absolutely worth the visit. If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to assist if I can!
Definitely rent a car....there is so much to explore - just don't leave belongings in your car and don't rent from Thrifty. Mullet Beach is great to go to as in Pinel Island, Orient Beach, Happy, Baie Rouge, etc. You'll want to dine in Grand Case - and there is a great restaurant in Cupecoy - called La Gondala...check before you go - some may close in summer....Have a great time!
Even if you do not feel that you WANT to do so, you definitely MUST rent a car - but NOT from Dollar/Thrifty !
I suggest that you take a photocopy of the important page(s) of your passport, and carry that with you at all times, but leave the original document - together with any significant cash that you will not need during the period when you will be outside the Resort, plus other valuables - in the Resort safe.
Oyster Pond Dining
Aura
144, Oyster Pond Road
Dawn Beach, St. Maarten
Rating:
Cuisine: Contemporary, International / Fusion
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Formal Dining, Hip and Trendy, Scenic View
Best for: Special Occasion, Romantic Couples
Big Fish
Emerald Merit Road
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Captain Oliver's
Captain Oliver's Marina
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Phone: +590 590 87 30 00
Daniel's by the Sea
Emerald Merit Road
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Rating:
Cuisine: Contemporary, Italian
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Calm And Quiet, Island Feel, Outdoor Seating
Best for: Breakfast, Lounging, Romantic Couples
Mama Pizza
94, Avenue du Lagon
Oyster Pond, St. Martin
Phone: --- log in to view ---
Rating:
Cuisine: Grill / Steak, Pizza / Pasta
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Casual Dining, Outdoor Seating
Best for: Dining Alone, On A Budget
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Doing business, Local cuisine, Outdoor seating, special occasions, Scenic view, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Reservations
• “ This is what I think about when I think of St. Martin ” Sep 13, 2011
• “ A very special night ” Aug 20, 2011
Every time we come to St-Martin, we go to Mark's Place. We just ate there again this past week. It is an unassuming place where locals eat. It’s next to the supermarket Le grand Marche, with a very ordinary view of the parking lot. But ! The ribs are to die for! They just melt in the mouth, absolutely awesome. Come with great fries at a very reasonable price. I have to say; those ribs are the best we have ever had. And every time we go, they are just as good. The chicken is good too and they have local dishes like oxtail stew. We would highly recommend Mark's Place. Better than a lot of the overpriced restaurants in Philipsburgh. Go!
“ALL you can eat RIBS $12.00 YUMMMMy”
Reviewed November 27, 2010
We enjoy Marks Local hot spot on Friday night A great take out business. All you can eat ribs $12 baked potato ,salad, hot veg and bread and butter nothing fancy but just good food.
KFC
The varieties of chicken dishes offer a combination to please any chicken lover or snacker who wants a great meal quick without out a hassle. Popcorn Chicken is legendary for an on the run snack, while the Kid's Menu keeps even the most motor-mouthed child quietly eating, if only for the little while. All of these factors together earned the fast food franchise this year's top honor.
Adding to KFC's variety is the pairing up with Taco Bell in Philipsburg and Pizza Hut at Bush Road.
Our favorite beaches: Baie Rouge, Friar's Bay, Mullet Bay, the beach in Grand Case right in front of our hotel.
We took a snorkeling trip on the Lambada to Prickly Pear, Anguilla, which was fun and relaxing, all at the same time. We'd brought our own masks, but they provided masks, fins and life vests for all who needed them. There was food and rum punch and everyone had a really good time. We snorkeled on the reef off of Prickly Pear and then swam to shore for lunch. With fins, it was an easy swim!! Just know that snorkeling in St. Martin and Anguilla is not as great as in other parts of the Caribbean, but it was good enough and certainly worth the day trip.
Supermarket: US (Market???). Better choices than Match, much larger.
ATM's: went to the one by Match for Euros, one near Mullet Bay on the Dutch side for American $$
After last week's 'iffy' weather, it is now beautiful so, if you are 'beach people', you should visit Palm Beach. It has only been open about 16 months, and it is a cut above the other operations. From there you can then walk the length of Orient Beach, which is the longest, and - arguably - the best on the island.
To get to Palm Beach, take the road from Marigot towards French Quarter (Quartier d'Orleans) or Oyster Pond.
After passing the new roundabout just after Hope Estate, you continue until you see the Cadisco gas station on your left. IMMEDIATELY past there, take the turning to the left, then IMMEDIATELY fork right. That will take you to Palm Beach.
Coming from the other direction, go past the MAIN entrance to Orient Bay on your right (and Les Jrddins de Baie Orientale opposite) then take the first turning to your right. If you pass the Cadisco gas station you have gone 50 yards too far!
If you go to Philipsburg with the intention of doing other things than going to church, I would not do so on a Sunday, as most of the shops etc. on Front Street will be closed.
For a 'romantic evening' I would suggest either Le Tastevin or L'Escapade. Both are on the waterfront in Grand Case, and both (of course) have websites. You should book in advance and request a table (presumably for 2 !) front line to the water - and pray that it doesn't blow a gale.
For anyone interested in visiting St Martin, I recommend taking a daytrip on a Catamaran over to Anguilla. The snorkeling around Sandy Island is incredible and absolutely worth the visit. If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to assist if I can!
Definitely rent a car....there is so much to explore - just don't leave belongings in your car and don't rent from Thrifty. Mullet Beach is great to go to as in Pinel Island, Orient Beach, Happy, Baie Rouge, etc. You'll want to dine in Grand Case - and there is a great restaurant in Cupecoy - called La Gondala...check before you go - some may close in summer....Have a great time!
Even if you do not feel that you WANT to do so, you definitely MUST rent a car - but NOT from Dollar/Thrifty !
I suggest that you take a photocopy of the important page(s) of your passport, and carry that with you at all times, but leave the original document - together with any significant cash that you will not need during the period when you will be outside the Resort, plus other valuables - in the Resort safe.
Oyster Pond Dining
Aura
144, Oyster Pond Road
Dawn Beach, St. Maarten
Rating:
Cuisine: Contemporary, International / Fusion
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Formal Dining, Hip and Trendy, Scenic View
Best for: Special Occasion, Romantic Couples
Big Fish
Emerald Merit Road
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Captain Oliver's
Captain Oliver's Marina
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Phone: +590 590 87 30 00
Daniel's by the Sea
Emerald Merit Road
Oyster Pond, St. Maarten
Rating:
Cuisine: Contemporary, Italian
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Calm And Quiet, Island Feel, Outdoor Seating
Best for: Breakfast, Lounging, Romantic Couples
Mama Pizza
94, Avenue du Lagon
Oyster Pond, St. Martin
Phone: --- log in to view ---
Rating:
Cuisine: Grill / Steak, Pizza / Pasta
Location: Oyster Pond
Features: Casual Dining, Outdoor Seating
Best for: Dining Alone, On A Budget
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Doing business, Local cuisine, Outdoor seating, special occasions, Scenic view, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Reservations
• “ This is what I think about when I think of St. Martin ” Sep 13, 2011
• “ A very special night ” Aug 20, 2011
Every time we come to St-Martin, we go to Mark's Place. We just ate there again this past week. It is an unassuming place where locals eat. It’s next to the supermarket Le grand Marche, with a very ordinary view of the parking lot. But ! The ribs are to die for! They just melt in the mouth, absolutely awesome. Come with great fries at a very reasonable price. I have to say; those ribs are the best we have ever had. And every time we go, they are just as good. The chicken is good too and they have local dishes like oxtail stew. We would highly recommend Mark's Place. Better than a lot of the overpriced restaurants in Philipsburgh. Go!
“ALL you can eat RIBS $12.00 YUMMMMy”
Reviewed November 27, 2010
We enjoy Marks Local hot spot on Friday night A great take out business. All you can eat ribs $12 baked potato ,salad, hot veg and bread and butter nothing fancy but just good food.
KFC
The varieties of chicken dishes offer a combination to please any chicken lover or snacker who wants a great meal quick without out a hassle. Popcorn Chicken is legendary for an on the run snack, while the Kid's Menu keeps even the most motor-mouthed child quietly eating, if only for the little while. All of these factors together earned the fast food franchise this year's top honor.
Adding to KFC's variety is the pairing up with Taco Bell in Philipsburg and Pizza Hut at Bush Road.
Oct 20th, 2011, 11:36 PM
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A couple of small points.
La Samanna IS great, but it is about as far away from Oyster Pond as you can get so, if you decide to dine there, I would suggest that you use a cab, rather than have to drive back after an excellent meal accompanied by the usual quantity of wine etc.
The cab will cost you around $30 plus, each way.
The best food on the island is considered to be in Grand Case, though there are some luxury restaurants in the casino area around Maho. Apart from a couple of good restaurants on Marina Royale, Marigot itself is not great for dining.
Match supermarket no longer exists. It went bust a few months ago.
La Samanna IS great, but it is about as far away from Oyster Pond as you can get so, if you decide to dine there, I would suggest that you use a cab, rather than have to drive back after an excellent meal accompanied by the usual quantity of wine etc.
The cab will cost you around $30 plus, each way.
The best food on the island is considered to be in Grand Case, though there are some luxury restaurants in the casino area around Maho. Apart from a couple of good restaurants on Marina Royale, Marigot itself is not great for dining.
Match supermarket no longer exists. It went bust a few months ago.
Oct 21st, 2011, 05:40 AM
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Hi! Here's my TR (with photos) from our second trip to St. Martin last year. Hopefully this will help in finding some things of interest to do-it's a great island!
http://www.fodors.com/community/cari...-7-15-long.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/cari...-7-15-long.cfm
Oct 21st, 2011, 02:12 PM
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Depending upon how active you are these are the things my wife and I did while we were there last week. Oddly enough we had a really tough time making time to get to the beach! 
Lorrie Farms is a great place to visit and definitely do the Zip-Extreme line. It's two hours from top to bottom and can be a bit of a workout depending upon how active you are. My wife and I box and workout with a trainer, so we sailed through it pretty easily. We spoke w/ a gentleman who was 67 years old and he had a blast doing it as well - but he did say he thought he was going to be a bit sore the next day.
We stayed at Simpson Bay Resorts on the Dutch side of things and it was ideal for us because we scuba-dove three of the 7 days we were there. Don't let the fact that you haven't scuba dove deter you, they do some intro courses that are quite nice from what a woman traveling w/ her three kids (20, 15 and 10) said.
Take a dinner cruise. Again, we went with Aqua Mania and had a blast. The dinner cruise is all you can eat and drink - and you will drink a LOT! The mix is yummy and goes down well. The whole crew knows how to put on a good time. btw - we did a timeshare tour of the Westin properties (which are VERY nice btw) and got the dinner cruise for $30 above the cost of the cruise ($100 off essentially).
We hunted around for a place that we liked on the French side. I respect DavidSXM's advice on here - however we weren't able to find any of the really great areas. We found the marina, which was o.k. but the shopping district wasn't anything like what we found in Phillipsburg. It more than likely was due to our being clueless, so I defer to David's expertise in that area.
Phillipsburg is a great way to spend the afternoon. Be forewarned though, you'll see more perfume and jewelery/watch stores than you'll ever imagine possible. Nevertheless - we found that area to be very nice for walking around and rubbing up against the local culture.
Of all the restaurants we at, the Stone was one of the best. Not to take anything away from the other local places, but the presentation at the Stone was awesome. A wooden plank is brought out with two roughly 4"x4"x1 1/2" stones at about 400 degrees still cooking the mean you've ordered. The seasoning was wonderful, the sides were great and the prices were right about what we were paying for the other meals.
The one thing I wasn't really prepared for though was our meal costs. If we got out of a place for $50 I was thrilled. This isn't like running down to your local Chipolte or Noodles for a quick $20 dinner. Of course my wife and I rarely drink in the states, so that might be the added difference. However most dinners we were right around the $100 mark - not all, but several of them.
We also slated an afternoon at the Sunset Grill to watch the planes land and take off. If you haven't seen the videos of this event, head over to YouTube and there's plenty of videos there to watch. There's nothing like this in the states to get this close to planes, commercial planes landing. That, and if you get lucky, there'll be a gal at the bar with her top off.
Regardless, go with the flow, keep your wits about you and you'll enjoy your time.
Lorrie Farms is a great place to visit and definitely do the Zip-Extreme line. It's two hours from top to bottom and can be a bit of a workout depending upon how active you are. My wife and I box and workout with a trainer, so we sailed through it pretty easily. We spoke w/ a gentleman who was 67 years old and he had a blast doing it as well - but he did say he thought he was going to be a bit sore the next day.
We stayed at Simpson Bay Resorts on the Dutch side of things and it was ideal for us because we scuba-dove three of the 7 days we were there. Don't let the fact that you haven't scuba dove deter you, they do some intro courses that are quite nice from what a woman traveling w/ her three kids (20, 15 and 10) said.
Take a dinner cruise. Again, we went with Aqua Mania and had a blast. The dinner cruise is all you can eat and drink - and you will drink a LOT! The mix is yummy and goes down well. The whole crew knows how to put on a good time. btw - we did a timeshare tour of the Westin properties (which are VERY nice btw) and got the dinner cruise for $30 above the cost of the cruise ($100 off essentially).
We hunted around for a place that we liked on the French side. I respect DavidSXM's advice on here - however we weren't able to find any of the really great areas. We found the marina, which was o.k. but the shopping district wasn't anything like what we found in Phillipsburg. It more than likely was due to our being clueless, so I defer to David's expertise in that area.
Phillipsburg is a great way to spend the afternoon. Be forewarned though, you'll see more perfume and jewelery/watch stores than you'll ever imagine possible. Nevertheless - we found that area to be very nice for walking around and rubbing up against the local culture.
Of all the restaurants we at, the Stone was one of the best. Not to take anything away from the other local places, but the presentation at the Stone was awesome. A wooden plank is brought out with two roughly 4"x4"x1 1/2" stones at about 400 degrees still cooking the mean you've ordered. The seasoning was wonderful, the sides were great and the prices were right about what we were paying for the other meals.
The one thing I wasn't really prepared for though was our meal costs. If we got out of a place for $50 I was thrilled. This isn't like running down to your local Chipolte or Noodles for a quick $20 dinner. Of course my wife and I rarely drink in the states, so that might be the added difference. However most dinners we were right around the $100 mark - not all, but several of them.
We also slated an afternoon at the Sunset Grill to watch the planes land and take off. If you haven't seen the videos of this event, head over to YouTube and there's plenty of videos there to watch. There's nothing like this in the states to get this close to planes, commercial planes landing. That, and if you get lucky, there'll be a gal at the bar with her top off.
Regardless, go with the flow, keep your wits about you and you'll enjoy your time.
Oct 21st, 2011, 07:15 PM
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I spent seven years on active Duty with the USAF and 19 years with the Rhode Island Air National Guard. I was a jet engine mechanic for the last ten years. Jet engines are dangerous. They generate extremely high noise levels and the air blast can lift a small plane and flip it (I witnessed the result). Once I was caught near (200 feet) a large cargo aircraft during engine run-up and I did not have ear protection. I put my fingers in my ears and covered my head with my arms. Still I was sick for a full day (nausea and headache). A word to the wise!
Oct 22nd, 2011, 03:18 AM
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In case anyone tries to locate, or check the website of the place where Brian and his wife used the zip line, you should note that it is LOTERIE FARM, in Pic Paradis, on the French Side of SXM.
Brian didn't quite get the spelling right !
Brian didn't quite get the spelling right !
