Flew JB from JFK to SXM. Check-in at the airport was unexpectedly easy since we had our docs in order (passport, vaccine card & EHAS approval). They checked our docs and initialed them before we could check our bags. We have Global Entry so got TSA Precheck approval. Flight left early and arrived at 11:15 a.m. Love getting in early! We were the only flight (or maybe the first flight) in so no line at Immigration. Staffing was pretty good for SXM standards. Luggage came quickly. Lesley (Kennys Car Rental) was there to greet us with a smile. We got plate #2! Breezed over the causeway on our way to the French Side, round the traffic circle to a HUGE LINE of traffic. We inched along; it took us well over an hour to make it to Esmeralda. A combination of the French Side access closed from the French Quarter due to protests and construction between Marigot & Grand Case. They’re putting the power lines underground and digging up the side of the roads. After checking in at Esmeralda and despite all of the delays we still managed to get a delightful lunch at Coco Beach by 2 pm.

Stayed 11 nights at Esmeralda. What a beautiful spot! The flowers and landscaping are gorgeous. The room was comfortable. Continental breakfast included with room. The staff was outstanding, very gracious and accommodating.

Meals that I can remember:
Coco Beach for lunch twice. Pricey but delicious in a beautiful setting.

Orange Fever for lunch twice. Great pizza as always.

One lunch each at Kontiki, La Playa & Wai. All are “connected” with Esmeralda so you can charge to your room which is always a bonus for us since we don’t have to carry much cash or a CC. All were very good. I always order fish and they did not disappoint with either freshness or presentation.

2 lunches at Perch. Can’t beat the view here! Mahi Mahi was great. Pro tip – go for lunch at 1:15 so you can get your Happy Hour (1:30 – 2:30) drink delivered to your table.

Le Piment (Orient Village) once for dinner. Good but not quite as good as in the past.

Ocean82 (Grand Case) twice for dinner. Exceptional! Wonderful ambiance, oceanside. The Grand Marnier souffle is TO DIE FOR.

L’Astrolabe (on grounds of Esmeralda Resort) twice for Friday night Lobster night. Outstanding. Beautiful setting, wonderful service. Prix Fixe menu of $45 euro gets you app, entrée which can but does not have to be lobster with 2 wonderful sauces and dessert. PLUS entertainment by Shine that is quiet enough to enjoy conversation by AND good to dance to! Also went another rainy night for dinner (lovely again).

L’Atelier (Orient Village) once for dinner. Great food. Friendly service. Had beef tartare prepared tableside. This is the place to go if you want meat, but they also have great fish and vegetarian options.Excellent.

The Friendly Diner (Orient Village) once for dinner. We both had pizza. Would not recommend. They’re pretty new and maybe they’ll find their way soon, but not yet.

Bistrot Caraibes once for dinner. Very good. We both had the Lobster Thermidor (fresh lobster from the tank!). Excellent but VERY rich. Pro tip: get a table in the 3rd row inside or in the corner to minimize the traffic noise.

Wai Plage (on Orient Beach) once with group of 10 for dinner. Thursday evenings they are open for dinner with live music. It’s essential to reserve in advance. I messaged Christelle through their Instagram page about 5 days in advance and got an immediate response. The food was delicious – especially the Cote du bœuf (grilled prime rib) that my husband ordered to share. Service is SLOW, but friendly.

This and that:
The beaches on the French side were gorgeous. Yes, there was seaweed, but it wasn’t that bad and the beaches were raked/maintained.
We spent 2 days at Coco Beach (“home” beach for Esmeralda). You pay a little extra here for chairs & umbrellas but the service is special. Your fee includes padded chairs, umbrella and a bottle of water each. They were very good at refreshing the ice and checking on your needs. The rest of the time was at ClubO. There were plenty of chairs if you got there by 10 a.m. and the quality of the chairs has improved since the last time. It was good to see the November regulars back on the beach. Still sad that nothing seems to be happening with reconstruction. We only saw Cedric once. He seems to be very busy with politics now. Patrick does a great job getting the chairs and umbrellas distributed.

The first few days on the island the French side had protests. We were only affected when trying to get to/from Philipsburg which was on our arrival day (Wednesday) and Friday where we were turned around by the police at the old road into ClubO. We never felt unsafe.

The Island looks gorgeous. Unless you look closely, it looks almost “back to normal”. Everyone is friendly and welcoming.
We were never asked to show our vaccine cards or papers once we left the airport. We did not go inside any grocery store but noticed that people seemed to mask when going in. We did mask at Grape (wine store).
Leaving the Island: we flew back on a Sunday to Newark on JB. Checked in online the night before and did the Attestation Form for JB when we got the email from them. JB was very thorough at informing us what would be needed. That being said…when we got to the check-in line for JB, at least 50% of people in line had NOT looked at their emails and hadn’t filled out the Attestation in advance. They did have someone at the beginning of the line helping everyone fill it out online. It’s NOT necessary to print the form out. There are several checkpoints, but everything was well staffed and the lines moved quickly. The flight boarded and left on time. Global Entry made re-entry easy and quick. This was the first time we returned through EWR vs JFK and the Global Entry ports were much emptier here. Since we cleared so quickly it was a bit of a wait for the luggage to come off the plane.

It was a GREAT trip!