I am planning a trip to celebrate my 50th birthday along w/another couple. I am trying to use a timeshare week I have and it seems like what is mostly available is St.Martin or Mexico(mayan riviera).

From the research I am doing I don't get an impression that St.Martin is a very tropical feel. Seems like a lot going on with towns, casinos,cruise ships, etc.

I would love to hear from people who really love the island to tell me what you love about it compared to other islands. I want to feel like I am really in a tropical place, want great beaches (not too crowded and my husband and I love waves rather than calm)and also cute, quaint towns(not tourist traps).

A travel agent told me the French side is like New Orleans. Will I feel like I am really on an island? Are there secluded beaches to go to?

Thanks so much. Any input will be appreciated.

I prefer the French side in order to avoid the cruise ship crowds, the casinos, etc. I have always found the French side to have more of a Mediterranean feel while still being tropical. I would have never thought of comparing French St. Martin to New Orleans.

Yes, there is plenty of tropical feel on both sides, but more so on the French, IMO. There are also a lot of great beaches, restaurants, shopping, etc. I prefer Grand Case beach for it's solitude and calm water. A lot of people like Orient Bay for the many water sports it provides. There is really an area of St. Maarten for just about any type of atmosphere you are looking for.

Have you done some research on the St. Maarten/St. Martin tourism website?

We do like the island, though sometimes it's a little difficult to say exactly why....
Anyway, one rule for us is to AVOID Philipsburg. This is the place where all the cruise ship tourists, casinos, time share hawkers, etc., congregate. We always stay on the French side, at Oyster Pond. A nice, safe and quiet area (for now anyway; rumour has is that they're planning on building a huge casino complex there - God forbid!). What we like about St. Martin, specifically the French side, is that it has a very French 'feel' combined with the Caribbean climate. We often go to the town of Grand Case and have an excellent coffee in a tiny coffeeshop next to the newspaper shop. The restaurants in Grand Case are great, all (or mostly, anyway) run by French chefs.
Within walking distance of 'our' hotel (Captain Oliver's) at Oyster Pond there are also some French-run restaurants that are simple but very nice, (especially 'La Fregate' - our discovery for this summer!).
Anyway, this is our St. Martin experience - we usually follow 10 days in St. Martin with 10 days in Anguilla, a wonderful contrast and the perfect vacation for us!

A small addition to my previous post - regarding beaches, we often take the little boat from Captain Oliver's across the bay to Dawn Beach: a nice, quiet family-type beach - a few vendors but NO jetskis thank goodness (only the last time we were there we were annoyed by a few idiots (Americans!) who were actually FISHING on that beach - can you imagine that? Fishing on a public beach full of people, including many small children? What if somebody gets a hook into their eye? You wouldn't believe anybody would be crazy enough to do this, but alas....)

Statia - You mentioned you like Grand Case beach and it has calm waters. Are there any beaches with great waves?That was my point - that I am thinking the beaches are all calm which is not what we want.

Have you ever done a sail trip to a deserted island?

Have you been to the Bahamas? I have also been checking into that.

Thanks.

Juldie, you can actually find a little of everything as far as beaches go on St. Maarten/St. Martin. It sounds to me, however, that you would prefer Orient Bay. Bear in mind, though, that parts of Orient are clothing optional. It's a beautiful beach with a lot of nice bars, restaurants and water sports.

As far as taking a day trip to a deserted island, I believe there are snorkel trips availalbe to Pinel Island, and perhaps one other small island offshore from the mainland.

Sorry, I can't comment on the Bahamas having never been there.

Juldie

The water conditions at any beach depend on the weather and to what extent the beach is protected by off-shore reefs. Some are usually quite calm, but others, especially some of the East coast beaches, can have significant waves - Guana Bay in particular, also Dawn Beach and sometimes parts of Orient. Quite a variety.

For deserted islands, Pinel is 5 minutes away and is only deserted in the sense that nobody lives there - it can be quite crowded at times. Tintamare is a bit further and there are day sails to it; also Prickly Pear.

It has been some time since I was in the Bahamas, but I don't think it compares well; however, there is a great difference between Nassau and Freeport and the out-islands.

St. Martin is built up and touristy in places - sometimes too much so - but it does offer a great deal of variety and it is not hard to concentrate on the parts that appeal to you.