Travel Guide: St. Martin

The day after our wedding we boarded a plane for St. Martin for our weeklong honeymoon. Because I had been so busy with wedding planning, I have to admit that I ended up winging most of this trip. But despite my lack of research, we were not disappointed. Here is my Travel Guide to Saint Martin: where to stay, when to go, what to eat and see and I’m even sharing an interesting story or two along the way!

Why Go

St. Martin is like experiencing two countries for the price of one. Actually, that’s exactly what it’s like. One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea, it comprises two separate countries, divided between it’s northern French side, called Saint-Martin, and it’s southern Dutch side, Sint Maarten. The island is full of busy resorts, vibrant nightlife, and duty-free shops. It’s also home to 37 beautiful beaches so you’ll always be able to find a beach chair and a spot on the sand. 

The island was hit hard by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and many places are still rebuilding so if you have your heart set on visiting a certain business or restaurant, make sure to check that they are still in operation even if they are listed in your guidebook. 

When to Go

We went in August because it was for our honeymoon, but I’d suggest visiting in winter. It will definitely be busier but we found many places to be closed because we were there in the off-season. Also, why not take a week or two to escape the cold?

Where to Stay

My mother gave us her timeshare as part of our wedding gift and we were able to book a room at the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort in Phillipsburg on the Dutch side of the island and it really had it all: several swimming pools and a hot tub, a swim-up bar and outdoor fire pit, pool cabanas, restaurants on site as well as a water sports center and boat excursions. I loved the little shopping promenade and more than once we hit the food mart. 

The resort also has family activities and we enjoyed a massage at the spa while we were there. And they have Fort Amsterdam, one of the island’s historic sites right on the property. But even with all of this to keep us busy, we wanted to get out and see the island and we were able to rent a car right at the hotel. So convenient!

I would definitely stay at Divi again, but next time I’d love to take a few days on the French side, just to switch it up. L’Esplanade will be reopening in November 2021 after it suffered severe damage during Hurricane Irma. Or if you’re not into the large resorts and prefer a boutique experience, Le Petit Hotel looks charming.

What to See

Firstly, you must check out both sides of the island, Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin. Luckily it’s a short drive between the two capitals, Phillipsburg on the Dutch side and Marigot on the French side. Both are unique and beautiful with their own distinct culture, language, and architecture.

You’ll find your best bargains on Front Street in Phillipsburg as well as the Coliseum Princess Casino which isn’t super glam but still fun if you want to do a bit of gambling. 

Also on the Dutch side is Maho Bay. One of the most photographed beaches in the world, Maho Bay is located right next to the Princess Juliana International Airport and every afternoon travelers love to take pictures of the approaching planes and feel their jet blasts. 

On the French side, Marigot offers opportunities to shop some of your favorite French designers. There is also Fort Louis. Originally built in the 1700s to protect the settlement of Marigot and the harbor, it’s been abandoned for centuries. But the ruins of this old fort are beautiful as are the views from its cliffside location. 

Though we did not go all the way up to the top of Pic du Paradis, we did get up pretty high and it offers heart-stopping view of all of St. Martin and St. Maarten, as well as the surrounding islands of Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius. You can either hike your way to the top or take a cab. If you do hike, make sure you’re wearing the appropriate gear and shoes, and bring water!

But what makes St. Martin so attractive is the 37 gorgeous beaches around the island. So if you’re looking for a place to sit back, relax and soak in some sun, this is definitely the place for you. Many beaches offer free entry, but if you want a spot under one of the umbrellas with beach chairs it will cost you a fee. Each beach usually has a snack stand or restaurant that offers delicious cocktails as well as food delivered right to your beach chair.

Where to Eat

St. Martin is home to many different fusion cuisines and with its combination of five-star eateries and beach shacks, you’re bound to find something you like that fits your budget.

Probably my favorite place that we ate was Loterie Farm at the Hidden Forest Café. The restaurant is in a treehouse! Unfortunately, it was badly damaged during Hurricane Irma and there are ongoing efforts to reopen it. But they have so much more than good food, this is actually a destination in and of itself. Visitors can hike, lounge in a pool cabana or even take a zip line through the treetops on the 135 acres of forest and farmland located near the foot of Pic du Paradis. 

The Carousel Gelateria and Bar was something we stumbled upon in Marigot and I loved it! It had been forever since I’d enjoyed a carousel ride and their gelato was delicious and refreshing on a hot August day.

At the Driftwood Boat Bar, you can actually sit at the bar or one of their tables and watch the planes arrive at the airport over Maho Bay. Obviously, it can get a little noisy here with the plane engines so if you have little ones that don’t like loud sounds or if you prefer a quieter atmosphere, this is not the place for you. But if you enjoy a thrill, check out Driftwood Boat Bar.

La Sucriere serves up the most beautiful french pastries that you’ll find on the island. We made more than one stop into this adorable cafe and tried something new each time.

We actually met the owner of Toppers on our way to St. Martin and he told us to stop in anytime for a free drink. Since we hadn’t really planned anything we decided to check it out and surprisingly our new friend was there, behind the bar, and he served us those free drinks. Toppers kind of reminded me of the Cheers of St. Martin. Everybody there seemed to know each other and quickly got to know us.

What to Bring Home

While we were there I may have been living off of cocktails made with guavaberry liqueur. It’s rum, my favorite, but it’s made with guava berries and it is so sweet and delicious! We made sure to bring home a few bottles for us … and our nearest and dearest, of course. Handmade local items like bright shirts and dresses as well as hats and bags can be found for a steal at outdoor markets. Designer clothing and shoes are popular buys as well as French perfumes and cosmetics. The wide selection of hot sauces make for great gifts and we also found some beautifully embroidered linens including a baby bib that Arielle wore on her Christening day!

My Favorite Memories

As this was our honeymoon of course I have a lot of wonderful, romantic memories from our trip to St. Martin. But I think what I loved the most was being able to relax on the beach together, just the two of us. It had been a year of nothing but wedding planning so we really enjoyed being able to take a break from real life and soak it all in. And St. Martin was the perfect place to unwind. 

Though I was a little disappointed that many of the bigger attractions were closed because we were there in the off-season, in the end that allowed for even more downtime which I needed more than I knew!

In my next travel guide I’ll be sharing all about our anniversary trip to the Von Trapp Family Lodge and Stowe, Vermont. So Stay tuned for that!

*This trip was taken pre-COVID. Make sure that you check into your destination’s COVID protocols prior to booking and traveling.