I must say my wife and I never felt unsafe during our stay in St Maarten last winter but then at our age we're not late night birds any more and generally have a very pro-active attitude towards personal safety.
Over many years of Caribbean travel we became increasingly disillusioned about not only safety but also standards of service and changing attitudes towards tourists along with stuff just generally being poor value for money. We called time on Barbados for this reason many years ago. Plus the fact it has a socialist prime minister more interested in slavery reparations from Britain than looking after British tourists who make up the bulk of their visitors.
In fact any Caribbean island with its reparations begging bowl out will get short shrift from us. I don't do business with grifters.
St Maarten was a breath of fresh air. Good service, excellent food and drink and a very good attitude towards tourists.
We also noticed just how many workers had come to St Maarten from other Caribbean islands with no intention of going home anytime soon including the charming barman at D's beach bar.
I often ask is there any Caribbean island left that's safe, not overwhelmed by All-Inclusive resorts and still retaining its original character.
I guess I'm living in hope more than anything else because I've yet to be told of one.
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