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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: TravelReady]
#250998
03/25/2021 12:16 AM
03/25/2021 12:16 AM
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 933
SammyM
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 933
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That's great you're coming to St. Maarten! You've come to the right site for info because many of the people who post on this forum are long time SXM visitors and possess a wealth of knowledge about this island. Renting a car is smart choice, especially if you are staying at the Oyster Bay Beach Resort which is a little bit off the beaten path IMO. Let's start with groceries and the closest place that I can think of is a place called 'Super 2-3 Market' which would be roughly a mile to the west of where you are staying near the McDonald's restaurant in the Dutch Quarter. It's been a little while since I've spent time in this area, but you would follow Oyster Pond Road west and then southwest until you hit Bishop Hill Road where you take a right turn. Follow this past Parrotville Bird Park (recommended -- really nice man runs this place) until you reach the traffic circle. You'll pass the McDonald's on the traffic circle and exit on to Illidge Road and the market will be on your left hand side with parking in front. As with any Caribbean Island, I would highly suggest going during the day light hours and lock your rental car at all times while leaving nothing of value inside it. Not trying to scare you at all, but just good common sense for visitors. This would be the closest place to Oyster Pond, but someone on the board might have a closer location. What I might suggest instead is after you land and get your rental car, there is a very nice Carrefour Market on Bush Road in Phillipsburg which would be on your way to the Oyster Bay area so you could stop there and load up on groceries en route to OBBR.
As for beaches, I have read where the ones in the Oyster Bay area have been in rough shape lately with lots of sea grasses washing ashore, etc. I would suggest a few beaches on the french side to the north starting with Orient Beach which would be a mere 10 minute drive. Lots of places to eat and drink right on the beach (Kontiki, Bikini Beach, etc.) and an abundance of beach chairs and umbrellas to rent. Of course, the southern end of this beach is 'Plage Naturiste' or a nude beach which is actually clothing optional. Worth a visit if that suits your taste, but if not stay north of the rocks that separates this portion of the beach. A little further north in the area known as Cul-de-Sac you can catch the Pinel Ferry which will take you over to Pinel Island (Ilet de Pinel) which makes for a nice day trip and also offers beach chairs for rental and a place to have lunch called 'Yellow Beach.' Other beaches on French St. Martin that I have been to and recommend include Grand Case, Anse Marcel, Friar's Bay, and the secluded Happy Bay Beach which may be the most beautiful beach on all of St. Martin.
Since you have a rental car, I would also suggest driving over to the dutch side and near the airport there is Simpson Bay Beach, Mullet Bay Beach (on calm days), and the famous Maho Beach where the incoming aircraft land directly over your heads! Adjacent to Maho Beach is the Sunset Beach Bar which has a nice restaurant and a nice little gift shop that my wife likes to visit.
For things to do there is the aforementioned Parrotville (in the Dutch Quarter), but another interesting place is Loterie Farm which is actually a nature preserve and offers some nice hiking trails and a place to have lunch along with some scenic views. There are also plenty of casinos on Dutch St. Maarten, but since I have never won money at any of them I can't provide a casino recommendation to you. In Phillipsburg, in the southeast corner of the island the sea port has ferry boat excursions that you can take to other nearby islands such as Anguilla and St. Barths. Both are beautiful, but the ferry ride on the Great Bay Express can get a bit choppy so we bring peppermints along if the ride gets a little harsh. St. Barth's is a very pretty but very expensive french island with lots of high end shopping, but it's hard to get around unless you rent car over there. Taxi fares are outrageous so don't do that!
St. Maarten has a plethora of great dining spots on both sides of the island. Whatever your taste is, you'll find it here. Some of my favorites from the past include Mark's Place (near the Carrefour Marker) in Phillipsburg, Chesterfield's (near the cruise port), Jax Steakhouse in the Maho area, Topper's (on Welfare Road in the Simpson Bay area), Zee Best Bakery (breakfast), Bistrot Caraibes in Grand Case, Spiga (also in Grand Case), and Le Piment in the Orient Bay Village. I have not dined in the Oyster Pond area in the last several years, but I'm sure some others can provide you with some recommendations near where you are staying. Keep in mind that most (if not all) of these places offer both indoor and outdoor seating so simply request that if that's your preference. Hope this is helpful!
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: TravelReady]
#251003
03/25/2021 06:31 AM
03/25/2021 06:31 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,146 Louisiana
o2bnsxm
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,146
Louisiana
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I would recommend to have Jenni do your groceries for you. Due to old age and bad memory, I can't provide website. Do your shopping online, pay for the items, and they will be delivered to your condo and will be there when you arrive. Cold beer in the fridge to welcome you is always a picker-upper. I'm sure someone will assist in Jenni's contact info (if she is still in business-we haven't used her since our last trip a couple of years ago).
Last edited by o2bnsxm; 03/25/2021 06:32 AM.
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: o2bnsxm]
#251006
03/25/2021 07:48 AM
03/25/2021 07:48 AM
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 390
Uksimonusa
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 390
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I would recommend to have Jenni do your groceries for you. Due to old age and bad memory, I can't provide website. Do your shopping online, pay for the items, and they will be delivered to your condo and will be there when you arrive. Cold beer in the fridge to welcome you is always a picker-upper. I'm sure someone will assist in Jenni's contact info (if she is still in business-we haven't used her since our last trip a couple of years ago). Jeannie's website is https://www.shopndropgrocerysxm.com/ excellent service and still in operation, great to have everything waiting for you when you arrive
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: Uksimonusa]
#251018
03/25/2021 09:27 AM
03/25/2021 09:27 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852
Central Florida!
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First, welcome to TTOL!! If you have any general questions about the forum, please post here or feel free to send me a private message. (Just click on my user name and then send me a note from there. The times being what they are, I assume that you are all caught up with all the hoops you need to go through, just to arrive in SXM?? If not, please check out the official SXM travel website at this LINK to make sure what you need to do to arrive. As far as after you finally arrive, Jeannie is a good idea for beginner, until you get your 'legs' under you, but I seem to recall that OBBR is one of the ones that won't let Jeannie pre-stock your unit, as they do something similar from the resort? Best to check on that. OBBR is kind of isolated, especially since Irma and Covid, as a lot of restaurants in that area have not opened back up. Plan on either getting groceries delivered for the first night, or eating at the resort, because after a long day travelling, it would be a bit daunting to try to find someplace else to eat after night the first night. I'm very bad with directions, so will leave those to someone else, but actually I think the biggest large grocery store would be Carrefour. Mark's Place is right next to it, and is a great low key lunch and dinner place, with huge portions, suitable for leftovers, and favorites like ribs and fettucine al fredo. I see in the Daily Herald newspaper that they have procured a beach cleaner for Dawn Beach (which is the beach where OBBR is), so hopefully maybe they will keep the seaweed cleaned up there. If not, don't despair though, as you do need to check out the other beaches. Even if there is lots of seaweed at OBBR, it should be fairly clear at Mullet and at Simpson Bay Beach, both of which you should go to regardless, as well as to Orient. Orient is the famous nude beach on island, but you can go to the non-nude section of the beach, if you prefer. You should at least have one very nice lunch on the beach there, and take in the French flair. At Mullet, there is everyone's favorite rag-tag beach bar, Rosie's, with great ribs and chicken and fries, where you normally get carry-out and eat on your beach chair. It is not the case everywhere on island, but at Mullet in particular, you can take your own cooler, with your own liquid libations and sandwiches, etc., for lunch, if you're on a budget. , On Simpson Bay, you could check out Karakter and Mary's Boon (which are right next to each other), or at the other end, El Zafiro. I am partial to Simpson Bay, as the best beach on the island, but others will differ. Since this is a girls' trip, I would like to address the question of security. Take standard precautions that hopefully you would anywhere, but try to be aware that just because someplace is heartbreakingly beautiful, that doesn't mean that bad things can't happen to you if you don't follow some basic rules. You say that you are not going to get wild, but I would say in general, there is not much good that happens after midnight. Try to avoid wearing lots of jewelry, flashing lots of cash, and lots of fancy I-phones, etc. ALWAYS lock your car when you're driving and always lock all the doors in your unit when you go to bed. I do want to reiterate what the others have said about stuff in your car, and even more strongly. Do NOT leave anything in your car, at ANY place, for ANY length of time. Period. Especially PLEASE resist any temptation going to and from the airport to stop somewhere and leave luggage in the car. Please feel free to post any other specific questions and I'm sure there will be lots of people who will chip in to help Enjoy!!
Carol Hill
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: TravelReady]
#251049
03/25/2021 11:48 AM
03/25/2021 11:48 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649
Brookfield, CT.
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Thanks to all the previous posters you’ve gotten some great island information. Take to heart what they’ve given you as it really is good info.
My standard rules for SXM:
Leave the valuable jewelry home and concentrate on wearing the costume stuff.
Leave nothing in your car anywhere that you would feel bad about losing. And keeping it locked at all times is usually suggested by the rental agency.
Stay out of ‘iffy’ looking areas. Particularly at night. If it looks iffy, it probably is.
I choose NOT to carry a purse at night but if I must, I carry a small hand bag with a minimum of valuable items in it and I leave all my cc’s at home but for two I might use on the island.
With regard to Mark’s restaurant that Carol mentioned, we find the mussels there to be some of the best on the island though IMHO, it’s hard to find a bad restaurant on SXM.
Many places, offer free beach lounges with the purchase of meals so it pays to ask. We usually stay on the Dutch side and beyond Mullet Bay which is our favorite island beach even when it’s not swimmable and which does NOT offer free lounges, we enjoy ElZafiro and Mary’s Boon, both offering free lounges with meals. I believe Karachter does, too, but we haven’t been there for a while.
If you would like a really high end beach day with comfortable beach furnishings and incredible dining, try the Anse Marcel Beach Resort. But beware, it can become a VERY expensive day. We usually rack up a hefty day charge and use a cc, charging it in EUs for the better exchange rate.
I think our favorite beach restaurant is Friars Bay Beach Cafe. Where else but on Friars Bay? The road to it is horrendous but the restaurant is lovely. Note, though, they do NOT accept credit cards. You will find that many of the best places are hidden away on lousy access roads but they’re worth the effort to find them.
If you plan a party evening around the island, it pays to hire a driver even if you have a car. Chances are your resort has preferred people they can recommend. My suggestion is negotiate a price and a pick-up time and arrange to pay them at the drop off at your home resort. Get their cell phone number, too.
I didn’t mean to become so long winded but after almost fifty years of annual visits I’ve found these things to work for us.
Wishing you a wonderful trip
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: pat]
#251055
03/25/2021 12:36 PM
03/25/2021 12:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852
Central Florida!
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Echo Pat's comments regarding Anse Marcel Beach Club, as a really wonderful day, but echo that it is NOT a budget friendly day! Beautiful, quiet setting, just a really SPECIAL day, particularly if you reserve a cabana for your meal. You should be able to find a menu online, that will give you an idea of some of the prices. Beautifully prepared and presented French food, in a beautiful setting, with a couple of bottles of French rose'??? Can't beat it!
Carol Hill
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#251061
03/25/2021 12:49 PM
03/25/2021 12:49 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,799 Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,799
Auburn, WA
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Echo Pat's comments regarding Anse Marcel Beach Club, as a really wonderful day, but echo that it is NOT a budget friendly day! Beautiful, quiet setting, just a really SPECIAL day, particularly if you reserve a cabana for your meal. You should be able to find a menu online, that will give you an idea of some of the prices. Beautifully prepared and presented French food, in a beautiful setting, with a couple of bottles of French rose'??? Can't beat it! Exactly our sentiments. Only down side is that drive down after those bottles of Rose.
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: TravelReady]
#251063
03/25/2021 12:59 PM
03/25/2021 12:59 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852
Central Florida!
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I usually drink bottled water at home, so I normally buy bottled water on island, because I prefer it, but the tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Most bigger places take Master Card and Visa, but NOT Amex. You do need to bring a fair amount of cash though, and some smaller bills, for things like the BBQ shack places, tips, etc.
Carol Hill
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: TravelReady]
#251427
03/29/2021 01:10 PM
03/29/2021 01:10 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852
Central Florida!
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NO, definitely not cheaper at the airport than in stores. Liquor is available at regular grocery stores, like Carrefour, and even the little mom and pop Chinese grocery stores. Liquor is dirt cheap in SXM..
Carol Hill
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: lcote]
#251431
03/29/2021 02:13 PM
03/29/2021 02:13 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,852
Central Florida!
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Yes, she can get it for you, but it will cost quite a bit more than you can get it yourself... Just get whatever you might want for the first day..
Carol Hill
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Re: Heading to SXM
[Re: lcote]
#251432
03/29/2021 02:17 PM
03/29/2021 02:17 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,799 Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,799
Auburn, WA
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And you can ask Jeannie to get THAT for you as well. Which will be more expensive than the airport with her added service charge.
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