TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin English-language bookstores

I'm not on the island now, but am curious about English-language bookstores. I found a few online (but the stores lack web pages). One is called Van Dorp (A.T. Illidge Road 106, Unit 3, Madame Estate, Sint Maarten). There may be others.

Has anyone visited any bookstores? I was at the bookstore in Marigot once, pre-Irma, and the woman there said that they had only French books, not English.

I've searched for a real book store as well and never found one. Depending upon what you are looking for, go to any bar that sailors frequent (e.g. Lagoonies or the St. Martin Yacht Club) and they'll have a bookshelf with books. The idea is put one in and take one out. Although a couple of years back I brought in 2 cases of books (I'd switched to a Kindle and e-books) and put them into the bookshelf. The next day I was back and saw that most of them had been taken and not replaced... So much for the sailor's honor system...

Sadly, there haven't been any English language books at SMYC in over a year. There is a Van Dorp shop in Simpson Bay but I wouldn't call it a book store, although they do have some books. And they are not cheap.

Thanks for the replies. For the past two years or so, there's been a Little Free Library in Marigot, with a mixture of English and French books. Like most Little Free Libraries, the yield of good books is small -- but we've taken some books from there in the past, and make donations as well.

I'm confused, are you looking to BUY books, or to do the swap thing? It's been a long time since I've been there, but I think that Shipwreck Shops used to have a fair number of paperbacks. There should be someplace outside security at the airport that has some paperbacks also. As far as a lending library, most of the resorts have a lending library, but I don't honestly know whether they intend them to be used only by guests or not. Most of them are probably situated where you could probably walk in and no one would notice regardless. You might give one or two of them a call and ask what their policy is. Beachside Villas used to have a HUGE lending library, washed away by Irma, and it's getting built back up some now. BSV is gated though, so you couldn't access it without their permission.

Carol,
Sorry to confuse you. I asked about a bookstore (I'm willing to buy books), but the need is for reading material -- so either a lending library or "take one, leave one" shelf serves the same need. Thanks for your suggestions.

OK, best wishes. If you do end up calling one of the resorts, I would be interested in hearing what they tell you. I can't remember where it was precisely now, but I recall that the Atrium had a lending library, as well as LaVista.

The LaVista library is quite large. We have used it in the past. We don't stay there but they know us.

I love real books. I love to read them, I love the feel of them in my hands. However, I’ve been downsizing for the past few years, and most of my library has needed to go. Most of my books have been donated to a local charitable operation. There isn’t a nearby bookstore for me to support. Most of my reading now is on a Kindle, but I’ve kept the older books which are most important to me.

I've got thousands of books on my Kindle and all I have left aboard are my technical sailing books and the complete Encyclopaedia Brittanica Great Books of the Western World which weight about 150 pounds in total and come with a 10 year reading plan. I'm about halfway through...

The yacht club on Airport road has a BIG selection!! No, you will not be let in to Beachside villa's if you are not a guest! There is a gift shop on Airport road where a few of the restaurants are located. ( on the lagoon side) Nice owner, they had new books.

As I said above David, SMYC has NONE. And hasn't for quite some time. The big bookcase is gone and everything left is non English.

AUC Spouse--were you able to have any success at any of the places suggested?

Carol,
We're not on the island yet. Arriving October 2. Thanks to everyone who posted suggestions.

Oh, ok.

Where do you stay/live? Do you know anyone at Cupecoy Beach Club? I’m not there but the “library” is huge. Many many fiction books for swap. I just don’t know if they would let someone in just to swap books

Good idea Kimster! LOL
Go for it!
I'm here waiting for you to save me! OUT!
love ya
i

obviously your not sleeping!! will call you after I ride today!