The Surprise Trip to Saint Martin

This 31^st birthday left me with a surprise trip to Saint Martin. After dodging the intrepid storm Fiona, I had to figure out a way to get back to the United States from Guadeloupe. Flights directly back to the U.S. were scarce and I didn’t want to wait for yet another storm to have a flight cancelled. I decided to get off the island as quickly as I could and the nearest international airport that I could find was Saint Martin. Shocked doesn’t begin cover the beauty of that island and the unique features that are hard pressed to be found anywhere else.

One thing that is unique about Saint Martin is that it’s split between two European nations, the Dutch and the French. This alone made the architecture a unique experience as the architecture on the Dutch side replicates the architecture in the Netherlands. Another unique part of this island is that everyone speaks English. While many people on the French side of the island do in fact speak French, overall, everyone converses in English.

This island is tiny. It only takes about 30 minutes to travel throughout the island compared to places like Martinique and Guadeloupe that take about 2-3 hours to drive throughout the islands. This island also accepts multiple forms of currency. When I went, the euro was equal to the dollar so I was able to pay easily in both while I was there. It was almost as if it was interchangeable. The tourism industry makes up a majority of the revenue on the island and offers so much in a tiny space.

The beaches

The beaches that I visited were pristine and lovely. They have Maho beach which is right next to the airport. It’s a small beach in size but what makes it unique is that you can watch the huge planes fly right overhead and land at the airport. It’s amazing to watch a huge vortex of a machine fly and land right in front of you while you’re basking in paradise.

Mullet Bay beach is easily the most beautiful beach I’ve ever visited. Smooth beautiful sand with crystal clear water, and an everlasting horizon. You can rent a chair right next to the water and swim for hours. With the smell of BBQ in the air and a nice bar right on the sand, this beach was vibes. I went solo and although it was the offseason, the beach was not crowded at all. I had plenty of space to swim and high tides that made floating on the waves extremely fun.

They have a nude beach on the island as well. While I went past it, I didn’t partake but I saw a lot of people visiting.

The cuisine

With this being a very touristy destination, there was no shortage of cuisine available. Many places were very decently priced and I was able to eat amazing BBQ and great food on the island. There were no shortage of restaurants and places to choose from to eat for dinner.

Activities

They have 4-wheelers on the island, ziplining, snorkeling, surfing, etc. There really isn’t too much of a shortage of activities to partake in on the island. These can all be done with advanced reservations and planning.

Natural life

There are some places to go and enjoy the natural sources that Saint Martin has to offer. One of those places is Loterie farms. There are swimming pools and places to enjoy the park or hike.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Saint Martin is amazing. There’s an ability for people to dance the night away or visit many night spots on the island.

Saint Martin’s unique culture, landscape, and policies are what make it one of the most interesting places I’ve ever visited. While there is potential to make this a place to have a budgeted and local experience, I wouldn’t recommend it. This is a place to bring and spend money. This is a place to thoroughly enjoy the luxuries that life has to offer whether that be outdoor adventures, night life, high end shopping, luxurious restaurants, this is a tourist’s paradise with options of taking ferries or flights to surrounding islands like Saba or Anguilla. I would highly recommend this “jewel of the Caribbean.