Running out of time? What is it?

Don’t know about you but what exactly is the fascination of SXM. For us, it’s a combination of resting, swimming, enjoying the place you are at and then discovering old and new places to eat and the excitement of doing so and meeting old and new friends. But this surely could apply to anywhere you visit often. Somehow though it doesn’t with SXM. It has a draw, but what is this magnetic draw you ask. It’s not the prettiest, has political problems, Beaches aren’t like Anguilla. More crime than I seem to recall in the 80’s. Etc, etc. Or are we running out of time on our trips, not being able to see and do all we want and therefore telling ourselves that we have to go back again and again to continue this everlasting pleasure?
Or is it that over the years we have been elsewhere and come to the conclusion that this place has it all so why go elsewhere? Dutch, French unique on one Island, with a choice of French, Dutch, Caribbean, Indian, Italian, American foods in Restaurants and Supermarkets. Throw in some Middle Eastern foods as well!! And Casinos, plenty of them for those interested. And we put up with at times crazy traffic and hideous road!
Reading this as I write, seems almost to good to be true. I mean we have Bermuda, upmarket Caymans, Antigua, Barbados, all very nice, all very boring. Well that’s not totally true, but you know what I mean.
I think it’s a combination of many things that draw us in and yet the potential that SXM has even after Irma is so compelling if only both Governments truly realised this. But would we want more intense development?
Not really, just smarten areas up, give retailers/restauranteurs more of a chance to conduct business, make sure the time shares/hotels that were hit bad are completed and allow us to run out of time for many years to come, preferably twice a year!
Rambling thoughts.....will shut up now..less than 3 and a half months to go for out third trip this year. Greedy I know, but ran out of time on the first two!

My wife and I travel to many different places both domestically and internationally, but St. Maarten has always been one of our favorite locations for many, many reasons as you have noted above. For many of us we first visited the island as a cruise port stop, and frankly it crushes many of the other ports-of-call in the Caribbean in just about every category. So, if I had to pin down three specific reasons why we will always return to SXM I suppose they are as follows:

1. The open and accepting culture here is paramount. One visit to Orient Beach was all I needed to realize this was the right fit for me. If I wanted a conventional beach here it was. If I wanted to sunbathe and eat lunch without a stitch on that was totally at my discretion. This is not the case on many other Caribbean islands unless you want to book a week at an 'all-in-one' place like Hedonism on Jamaica which is fine for some folks, but not really for us. Frankly, Im surprised that other Caribbean islands have not tried to model their culture after St. Martin in an effort to boost tourism. St. Barth's would be the closest, but it is prohibitively expensive and even though I can afford it I'd prefer not to throw money away when St. Martin delivers more bang for the buck.

2. The dining on SXM is simply unbeatable as you have noted above. Restaurant prices are reasonable at most places, and the quality and variety of the food is terrific with only a few exceptions. Yes, it takes some travel if you're staying in the Simpson Bay area and want to dine in Grand Case, but so what. It's worth the adventure to try a new restaurant just when you thought you've covered every dining place on the island. All-in-One resorts in Jamaica, Punta Cana, Mexico can be very nice but honestly don't match the culinary experiences that St. Maarten offers. Plus, all-in-one resorts are like going to Disney World when the kids were little and you would stay at a Disney hotel. You feel trapped when you are forced to dine at only the restaurants on the property, and what fun is that?

3. St. Maarten's climate is '24/7' which means you can go here any time of the year when the urge hits. Some caution is wise during hurricane season, but you can visit SXM any time and the odds for perfect weather are high. In addition, it's proximity to the eastern United States and Canada make traveling here fairly easy. Places like Hawaii and Spain's Balearic islands are lovely, but they take a heck of a lot longer to reach from where we live so why travel eight hours to a tropical location when we can do SXM in half that time?

So, that's why we'll keep coming back year-after-year. We'll also travel to other destinations and maybe take a cruise here-and-there, but St. Maarten is still our standard for a Caribbean vacation.

Great conversation Bran. But I have to ask, how old are y’all.? As far as me and my wife, we have traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. SXM is always where we end up, and complain about where we just came from! It’s like a glove, warm and soft, or something that your use to that feels normal. This is the best peace of heaven, albeit we do complain about our favorite island sometimes. But that’s human nature.

I also found a lot of other islands boring.

I find none of the other islands have got it all.
Good beaches, so many good restaurants, 37 square miles so easy to navigate, casinos, topless/nude beaches, good service for the most part in restaurants, two cultures, a few day trip options, affordable accommodation and food, great jewelry shopping.

Take for example other French isles Martinique and Guadeloupe can't compare in terms of accomadion options, beach quality, restaurant option or easy to drive. St Barths too expensive for me.

I know others have fallen in love with Barbados or Aruba but was not for me.

I think it's a little bit like finding that special someone.
There's a little bit of magic involved.
On my first trip on the approach even before I step foot on the soil I felt my soul dance and my heart sing.

Hey Tammy, your quote.."Be the person your dog thinks you are" reminded me of something I read recently..

Never drink and drive unless you want your dog to always wonder why you never came home

Hi Bran

I like your quote. Thanks for sharing.
❤️ my fur baby.

DItto to all of the above.....................my whole lifestyle/personality changes...POSITIVELY i mite add

I'm surprised that no one has yet to identify the "magic draw" to this island..... in my mind it's the "people".
Sure other places have nice folks, but it is the "locals" and the same familiar faces you run into every year and of course meeting someone "new" that makes this island "special" in my view.

We like the fact that SXM is half French half Dutch. We go to eat the great food offered on both sides. It isn't the water because we live near the ocean. I don't swim and hubby hates walking sand so it isn't the beaches.

We like that there are different areas around the island, some quiet, some not so quiet, some more crowded, some isolated.

And we love the people. Especially Leslie. Others we came for have since left the island and so we must, after 40 years find new people to like.

We've been to Aruba, Curaceau,. Bonaire, Barbados, Antigua, Anguilla, Bermuda, Bahamas, Tortola, Jost vanDyke, Virgin Gorda, St Johns, St Thomas, Caymans, Capri, Malta, whew can't remember all the islands, and always return to SXM. Maybe St Johns we like next best. But it in no way compares to the diversity of SXM.

My husband and I vacationed in SXM 25 times over the years. We also went to many other islands plus South America, Mexico and Florida We always came back to SXM.

Aside from the beautiful beaches, great food and amazing people, we felt that the island had a particular "adult sophistication" that we never found anywhere else. Can't really define it, just always felt it.

For us, it was, and still is, the people. Yes, its a tropical island with beautiful beaches, sunsets to die for, a huge array of food choices. But it's the approximately 110 nationalities, including native St Maarteners, that brought us back for a second visit and a year from our first visit we returned and bought a home. Over 11 years on, it's still the people. So many cultures, so many languages. And at the end of the day, there's the sea right there.

WOW...................We can't all be wrong
wonderful place, all that has been said in this string as spot on. i ve been to a few islands and have no desire to visit any more (as my local friend Wendy @ Divi sez every time i arrive).....WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love just smarten areas up! Fourth line up from the bottom.