Talk to me about St Maarten (1 Viewer)

[3 hour lunch]

Strongly considering for our next vacation. What did you like or not like?

Need a car?

Recommendations for places to stay or stuff to do?

Did you go to Anguilla or St Barths? Worth it?

Open to hearing other options too....have done Aruba, Maui, Cancun, St Thomas in recent years.....

 

[shadyridr]

High five the planes

 

[dino259]

High five the planes

Get sand blasted!

 

[Dentist]

Black dot

 

[The Duff Man]

Have been three times.

First time I spent half my time on Dutch side, half on French side. Dutch was party central. College kids, loud music, American chains littering the streets (Subway/Burger King), casinos and broken beer bottles on the beach. A blast if that is what you are looking for.

The French side is like Europe meets Caribbean. Plenty of French spoken everywhere, the stores and contents are mostly from France. Excellent food and atmosphere that is very different than Dutch side. We stayed at Grand Case Beach Club which is a phenominal place that is walking distance to Grand Case, home of plenty of fine cuisine.

We enjoyed Grand Case so much, the next two times we stayed there the whole week and not on the Dutch side. Rented a car the first two times and explored the island. Orient Beach is the biggest beach and is a fun place, many other small beaches. Phillipsburg and Marigot also worth visiting.

Expect to see topless women on French side...and for a change they are actually ones you WANT to see topless.

 

[eoMMan]

Beautiful water there. Probably the prettiest blue color I've ever seen.

 

[Van Dyman]

Cuba's open for business.

 

[3 hour lunch]

Sounds like the French side is more for us; although we're suckers for casinos so would probably head over to the Dutch side once or twice. Any excursions or anything worth doing? St Barths looks nice too for a day trip.

 

[El Floppo]

St barts is a tough day trip... unless you fly. Boat is vomit-city unless you don't get even a little sea sick. Anguilla is an easier boat ride with options from public ferry to semi private ferry to day trip catamaran. Other than nice beaches, people and reataurants, not a lot to see there.

Fwiw, we try to go to Anguilla every year (got married there too) and have only spent one night in st maarten. I love st barts, more interesting island to me and the french people are actually nice. Beaches arent as nice as anguilla. Great food at both.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Have been three times.

First time I spent half my time on Dutch side, half on French side. Dutch was party central. College kids, loud music, American chains littering the streets (Subway/Burger King), casinos and broken beer bottles on the beach. A blast if that is what you are looking for.

The French side is like Europe meets Caribbean. Plenty of French spoken everywhere, the stores and contents are mostly from France. Excellent food and atmosphere that is very different than Dutch side. We stayed at Grand Case Beach Club which is a phenominal place that is walking distance to Grand Case, home of plenty of fine cuisine.

We enjoyed Grand Case so much, the next two times we stayed there the whole week and not on the Dutch side. Rented a car the first two times and explored the island. Orient Beach is the biggest beach and is a fun place, many other small beaches. Phillipsburg and Marigot also worth visiting.

Expect to see topless women on French side...and for a change they are actually ones you WANT to see topless.

We were thinking about going to Grand Case this fall via Costco Travel. Can you elaborate on your experience at this place?