Going somewhere different...

Hi Everyone,

We have a trip planned for Jost in December and was thinking about trying out St. Maarten for our spring trip without kids. Can anyone recommend someplace that has a similar vibe as Jost does? We typically do our spring trip to Jost but thought since we were going in December we'd venture out.

Change, it's so hard sometimes!

Thank you,
Becky

By similar vibe you mean pretty beach with tons of beach bars? I would say the area just past the bridge in Simpson Bay has great nightlife but the beach isn't the prettiest. However in SXM its cheap and easy to rent a car and go exploring every day.

I would say it is a different but still a great experience.

Hi Becky
Orient has a ton of great beach bars, most brand new this year after the 'cane, but is totally overrun with [censored], way worse than CGB.
We stay on the beach in Grand Case, a very calm quiet spot with the best restaurants in de ilons, but spend a lot of days here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=friars+b...AQIJA&dpr=1

If you want something quieter, like JVD, I'd look at Anguilla.

Yeah, Anguilla has beautiful beaches and no riff raff. So second that if you are looking for quiet.

Yup- Anguilla will fit the bill better than St. Maarten.

Yes. Anguilla!

What part of like JVD? Anegada can be like JVD.

If remote quiet and quality is like JVD you cannot go wrong with

http://www.petitstvincent.com/



You could also consider here:

http://www.guana.com/

What part of the JVD like are you trying to match or even avoid?

I'd head straight to St Barth's....

While PSV and Guana Island are nice enough
if you can swing it, there are places to go that
don't require the sale of any of your kids.
Nesbit Plantation in Nevis comes to mind.

Mike

During the day, sports clothes, shorts and sundresses are acceptable. In the evening, dress is smart casual. Jacket and tie are not required. Ladies, flat or wedge shoes are recommended as heels tend to dig into the lawn. Jeans, t-shirts and shorts are not permitted in the Great House after 6pm. However, from May to October gentlemen may wear dress shorts and a collared shirt at dinner.

The rates are 500 to 1,000 a night plus lunch at daily lunch for $29 per person, per day excluding taxes and service charge.

Thank you everyone for your input. On Jost we stay at perfect pineapple. Not looking for nightlife, just to be able to relax. We've visited Anegada many times before as well, both charter and extended stays at Cow Wreck and the Guest House at Anegada Reef Hotel. That's our idea of a vacation.

We have flights on hold for St. Marteen and are deciding if we are going to stay the whole time on St. Marteen, on Anguilla, or a few days on each. For the ones that suggested Anguilla, any recommendations for what area to stay in?

Becky

We stayed in the Meades Bay area of Anguilla 5 years ago. We thoroughly enjoyed that vacation and keep meaning to get back to Anguilla. (We are 20+ year STJ veterans getting ready for our 3rd VG trip next month, the VI pull is strong)

There was nothing we didn't like about Anguilla and it compared favorably to STJ and the BVIs. The one thing we missed however, was the VI topography. Anguilla is flat and dry-ish.

I second this choice! Rent a Moke (if they still have them) and visit a different beautiful beach everyday. The food is great - it's as French as you are going to find in the Caribbean.

St. Martin and even Anguila are much bigger places with much to do. Many and in some cases far, far more people. Anguilla has the equivalent of over 600 hotel rooms. It is flat and the beach certainly incredible. Anegada on steroids maybe?

The BVI is so popular because it is easy and almost the US. Burgers, wings, and fries are on every menu for US dollars. There is no easier charter boat sailing.

For some once they experience the food and flavor of the french islands they never want to go back to the VI again. The french islands which are not marketed to the US are very interesting. Guadeloupe is really a set of islands where you can bareboat or pick one like Jost or Anegada to relax, eat, and explore the quiet culture.

http://www.guadeloupe-islands.com/guadeloupe-islands-2/

The Guadeloupe Islands have something for everyone except those that only want an american suburb.



The ferries do work in Guadeloupe.

Marie Galante has been on my wish list for a couple of years.

Hey Kermit;
My wife turns 40 in May and I have tried hard at talking her into another bareboat charter but she wants to also "try something different" for her 40th and stay somewhere where she will be waited on. We have decided on Anguilla also because the beaches are supposedly great. Where do you plan on staying?.. We are currently looking at all the choices.

We aren't sure yet. Will probably finalize where we are staying this weekend.

Why not compromise and do a crewed charter?
That's what we did for my wife's 40th.

We did think about doing that....I even showed her Catatonic website; just not sure about the whole captain thing since I enjoy all the facets of being the captain but the hostess/chef would be great. Her feeling is that the bareboat trip is more fun with a small group of friends and something we will do again fairly frequently; maybe even late summer or right after hurricane season.