Hello,

This forum has been a great and helpful find.

With 3 whole weeks, we are looking for recommendations for things to do, sights to see, excursions to take, places to shop, places to eat and places to drink.

Also, is it easy and or worth it to visit neighboring islands either for the day or a single overnight?

We probably won't get back in the immediate after years as we have other world places calling us when covid ends so we want to see/do AMAP while not sitting on a beach.

Thanks,
Liliana

Rhino Safari is a fun excursion for several hours which includes snorkeling and you get to see a lot of the island from the water. You can go solo or two to a watercraft. Orient beach is beautiful with many beach bar restaurants to enjoy the day and have lunch. They also offer parasailing and jet skiing among other water activities.

Many people like Lotterie Farms.

Sand bar, Whole in The Wall, Red Piano ate some who have live entertainment most nights.

Jordan Village has a lot of casual places to eat. Maho Village has a nice casino with some good higher end restaurants, we like Sublime.

Watch the planes depart and arrive either from Driftwood or Sunset Bar & Grill. Tortuga cafe also has a great view of Maho beach and plane arrivals.

Dining is available from the Lolos to upscale and in between. We like to dine with a water view but it’s not mandatory. Indigo Beach bar restaurant has become a favorite of ours for a good upscale lunch.

I’d suggest reading the SXM trip report section for more details.

We are heading to the island again next month for our 29 or 30 visit. We love Orient, Simpson Bay and Mullet beaches.

I hope this helps. Feel free to message me.

Wow, three weeks for your first trip!! I'm envious!!

As far as trips to other islands, I confess I am not up to date on what the Covid requirements are to visit other islands. PRE Covid, I would have the following observations with regard to near islands that one can visit for a day or a single over-night.

Pinel is part of French St. Martin, so it's the easiest to get to. Just take a ferry from French cul de sac, which are scheduled approximately every hour or so. When I say "ferry", I basically mean an overgrown dinghy.. There are some great restaurants there, a lovely view of St Martin, you can walk over to the other side of the island. A really nice 'beach' day, with a different view. No difference now with Covid.

I guess I should put Tintamarre and Green Key in here also. Green Key is the small island you see immediately in front of Orient Beach. No scheduled trips there. If you're athletic, you could kayak over there. Nothing much to see, except some great snorkelling there and some turtles. Tintamarre is the large island off in the distance, behind Green Key off of Orient. Tintamarre is not accessible except by one of the many boat excursions that go there. Often the boat will stop at Green Key also. Many of the boat excursions have lunch on Tintamarre (on the boat). Great snorkelling there, and a lovely deserted island, with some abandoned ruins to see on the opposite side. No difference now with Covid.

Anguilla has always been a popular day trip from St Maarten or St. Martin. Most people take the regular ferries from Marigot, which leave on a regular schedule. Anguilla has breathtaking beaches, and you can see some of the spectacular resorts that dot the island's beaches. Many of the boat excursions also have trips to Anguilla, that include lunch either on the boat or at an island restaurant. Anguilla, as of now, I'm pretty sure you have to have a Covid test to enter, within a certain period of time. Perhaps 2 days? Not sure, so that can be a negative to going there right now.

St. Barts is the vacation paradise of the rich and famous from France and elsewhere around the world. You get there via scheduled ferry from Marigot or from the Dutch side, or by small plane flight. If you have a tendency to be seasick, you may want to opt for the small plane flight, either from the Dutch side airport, OR from the airport in Grand Case. Look for a totally FRENCH atmosphere, beautiful people, amazing food, and high prices. I honestly don't have any idea what the Covid protocols are to get to St. Barts now.

The other fairly popular day trip, or possibly a one or two overnight trip, is Saba. Saba is totally different than any of the other islands, very laidback and unspoiled. There are basically no beaches there, but spectacular scuba diving, amazing views, and a hike up it's tallest peak, which if you are lucky and catch a clear day, you have the most amazing views. If you enjoy totally getting away from it all, it might be somewhere you might consider for a short overnight stay. Again, I have no idea what the Covid protocols are to get there now.

St Barts requires all visitors to be fully vaccinated with the booster to enter. If you do not have a booster shot, the second vaccine cannot be older than 7 months. If it is, you will need a negative antigen test not older than 48 hours.

Anguilla is still not allowing charter boats entry for snorkel trips.

Saba: All vaccinated travelers require PCR test taken maximum of 72 hours before arrival or a rapid antigen test taken a maximum of 48 hours before arrival. This does not apply to daytrip passengers. ALL persons entering Saba must fill out the Saba EHAS entry form within 24 hours of arrival and receive approval before travel,

From Auqamania website

It’s been a few years since we’ve done the near islands so I have to admit to knowing absolutely nothing about their current Covid-based entry requirements.

Based on past day-trips and stay-overs to St. Barts, Anguilla and Saba, I would still make Saba my first choice of all mentioned. We did a three night stay-over there during a St. Maarten trip years back and felt, of the three larger near islands, Saba was the most unique. And no, we don’t hike and/or dive but we had been there once on a day-trip and we just knew it would be the perfect place to do some serious limin’ which is just what we needed that year. We stayed at the Queens Garden Inn in a beautiful upper suite where the views of the island were extraordinary.

Anguilla and St. Barts are lovely - and STB is definitely the place to see and be seen as long as you don’t mind spending some serious bucks for the privilege but when all is said and done, the main features of both of these islands are the beaches and I personally think the numerous beaches on St. Maarten are just as beautiful. Saba is totally different and just not what I was expecting to find in the Caribbean.

The only caveat I would offer is DONT go there looking for beach bars and a party- hearty atmosphere - I’m sure it’s there somewhere if that’s your pleasure - and do bring a good book for chillin’ around the pool. Once you’ve toured the island and seen the museum, witnessed the ladies creating their beautiful Saba lace, driven through the hydroponic garden area and witnessed the incredible vistas from all vantage points, that book will be your best friend.

With regard to St. Martin-St Maarten there are any number of daytrips and daytime activities - just take your pick - but my best suggestion is spend some time exploring all the island has to offer. It really is a one-stop-shopping type of destination and deserves to be seen in its entirety.

Enjoy!! 😊😊

rickjames--I don't think that is correct, with regard to Anguilla not allowing day boat trips, as someone here on TTOL just posted about a day trip to Anguilla.

That's out of Auqamania/ Lambada and Tango. If there is a company who is doing day trips to prickly pear and Anguilla I would like to know. Going around the island is fun but the sail to Anguilla is nicer IMO.

rickjames--here is a link to a trip report of a person who did a day trip to Anguilla, using the public ferry. Link

and a link to the protocols for day trip visitors to Anguilla. (Unfortunately only a Facebook link, but that is apparently what is 'official' these days.. ) Link

Spend a couple of hours at the parrot sanctuary, where the birds will eat seeds out of a cup you are given.

LINK

Take a perfume class at Tijon, where you can create your own scent. Reserve ahead of time.

LINK

Some sailing options, all of which are good, are:

No1SXM: day or sunset sails

LINK

Enigma/Celine3: all-day sail on large, beautiful boat with bountiful lunch; his prices are creeping up there

LINK

Flagship II: full day on beautiful boat

LINK

Spellbound: Full-day sails to various locations. Call to find out where they are going.

LINK

For St Barth, skip the ferry and fly out of the French side airport in Grand Case. You’ll save the Dutch side departure tax, and fares are lower. French-to-French protocols are looser, but bring your Passport and vax card.

St Barth can be outrageously expensive, or it can be no more expensive than St Maarten. It all depends on what you choose to do, and where you choose to go. Shopping at Diamond Genesis or Prada is one thing, shopping at Chamade or the Le Select shop is another. Having a beachside lunch at Eden Rock is one thing, grabbing a burger at Le Select is another.

Thank you to all, I am compiling a list. We are not rigid, daily agenda planners, but we do like to have an idea of things we might like.
It is possible we sit on the beach everyday. But anguilla, St Barts, parrots, sailing all sound great.
Liliana