On our first trip to SXM we never left the island! (Why would we...it is so amazing!!). We would like to spend 1 day exploring a surrounding island on our upcoming vacation...after all, there are so many that call out "come explore me!!" If you (the expert SXMers <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />) had to pick one between Tintamarre, Anguilla, & St. Bart's, which would you choose? #beachbabies #notshoppers. #notourlasttriptosxm

Go!!!

Tintamarre isn't much in the line of exploring but it's close, inexpensive to get there, and if you want a peaceful retreat it's okay. Be prepared for no services if you opt for Tintamarre......

Of all the near islands, my personal preference is Saba because it is so very different from all the others but since it's not even on your list and there aren't any beaches to speak of..........

St. Bart's is beautiful if you want to go where the beautiful people go and do what the beautiful people do and you can afford to spend like they spend. Today, having tried about every means of getting there, I would fly over from Esperance Airport and if there is such a thing anymore, I'd try for a catamaran sail back, or else one of the fast ferry boats. Beaches are gorgeous and it is very beautiful. Rent a car and explore and check out the famous beaches where the rich and famous play. Passports required along with a thick wallet.......

My preference is Anguilla because it's all StB isn't. Well, except for expensive which it can be or not, depending on how you choose to spend a day there. The beaches are drop dead gorgeous and there are many beaching and dining options but the island itself is flat (Anguilla=eel) and not terribly picturesque where StB is hilly and very scenic with some equally incredible beaches. Anguilla has some excellent snorkeling spots and the people are very friendly. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Anquilla from Marigot. Easy and quick..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Ya but the cab ride to the beach and back was more expensive than I thought it would be. The cab fare was more than the boat ride over and back.

Thank you Pat & all, for your experience! I am interested in Saba for its majesty and beauty but we don't want an expensive diving excursion. We are not into the rich and famous or their large pocketbooks....AT ALL! We, however, are of the Club Orient persuasion and have relatives that sailed to St Bart's for the same beaches & the nostalgia is intriguing! Anguilla seems like our best choice as we are, shall we say...."thrifty"...and I have read that Shoal Bay is on top of most beautiful beaches! Is it worth the extra taxi fare?(I've read $60 round trip) thinking a boat trip with lunch & drinks may be more economical than a ferry for two & taxi. Thoughts?

I don't mean to sound cheap. Just thoughtful about getting the most bang for our buck! Working towards a life on the water, after all!

Not cheap at all....and AXA isn't that much less than St.B but it is logistically easier to do.

Once off the boat on AXA you still need a car or taxi and then lunch and chairs if they aren't included though there are a few places that do include them with meal prices. Shoal Bay Beach is often on the top ten best beaches list and truly is gorgeous. But don't get caught in an "OB point of mind" clothing wise as they wont be amused at all. Just no sense of humor, at all.......

If you choose to do AXA via one of the all day snorkel and lunch trips I think they're a more economical way to go but you generally see less of the island that way.

Re Saba, not much to do there if you aren't a diver but we went and did a site-seeing tour with lunch and hiking stops for those who wanted to do that. It's a totally different pace and mindset out there and exceptionally neat and clean and tidy, too. It took us twenty plus years to get there for the first time but we liked it so much we subsequently arranged a stay-over trip as a part of our SXM vacation one year. It's a great place to do some serious limin'........... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

That is all good info Pat! We are very active (my love keeps us moving most of the time til my bad ankle yells quit!) so Saba is intriguing as we enjoy hiking! While we do like sans clothes we don't live and die by it so Anguilla sensibilities are fine by us & we wouldn't dare push the law. Chairs are not such a concern since my honey can barely sit still for a minute! :(Although we did enjoy them one day our last trip...I must have worn him out! Lol...not a chance). Do you feel the north side of the island is worth the journey? I've looked at the Tango to Shoal Bay by aqua mania & the quality time tour to Anguilla & prickly pear...but that Celine to Tintimare does look relaxing & luxurious...a departure from our norm. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

I may be putting too much thought into this. As I recall, sand, water, beer, & baguettes were all we really needed. I vowed not to waste packing space on make-up but hair conditioner & sunscreen were a must! I'll most likely spend way too much time planning & then let most of it go with the tide...but the build up is so much fun that I can't help myself! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

I have to be honest - it's years since we've been to Tintamarre and when we went it was a solo journey as opposed to a group activity but we truly enjoyed our few idyllic hours there. I'm sure if your trip is a Celine trip it will be a good one since I've never heard a negative review for Neil and/or the Celine.

We've done a few Eagle Tours on Quality Time and they were very enjoyable but they were around the island Eco trips and not out to AXA but we've done the Prickly Pear snorkeling excursion from SXM in years gone by and it, too, was a lot of fun.

One suggestion for you in booking any packaged trip - decide ahead of time if you want a sailing experience with drinks, lunch and such included or do you want a booze cruise with some snorkeling thrown in for good measure. And then there's the possibility of a true snorkeling experience that doesn't take you to any of the near island ops but does get you to a few of the best snorkeling locations around SXM. They're all fine and fun but ask the questions before you book so you aren't disappointed and you get the experience you want for your money. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Good suggestion Pat! Not that we don't like the booze but those noisy "boom box booze cruise" trips would not be what we are into. I think phone calls and confirmations may be the way to go! This forum is so helpful in that the wheel doesn't have to be reinvented & past experience (by you all) alerts us newbies to what we need to focus on. So helpful!! Thank you!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

You are very welcome and that is what this forum is all about, as long as you keep in mind we all have different likes and dislikes and our experiences will vary based on that. And most of all, remember that most of what each one of us says is purely OPINION and will vary from person to person on almost every topic.

Enjoy your return.....and isn't it wonderful that now you know what you have in store and you have the advantage of being able to anticipate until the reality is here. Enjoy..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Tintamere is by no means luxurious. There are no services there at all. That being said, if you are the "Club O Type", you may want to try the Tiko Tiko day cruise to Tintamere. It leaves from Club O and offers umbrellas, drinks and lunch on the boat. It is not a loud "booze cruise" and the crowd is as rowdy as your particular group that day is. The Tiko is a sponsor on this Board, so click on their page to get some more info, or do a search on this board for Tiko and you'll get plenty of information.

i think one of SXM's biggest perks is being able to easily visit other nearby islands

Tintamarre is just a deserted island...Pinel is closer and has amenities

the other islands you mention are actually other "countries" (i use the term loosely)...much more to explore and experience there...Saba is really nice if you want a completely beachless excursion, as there is literally no beach (unless you count the tiny man-made one by the airport)...best to hook up with a taxi driver at the airport and have them give you a tour of the island...Anguilla is easier to get to and has some awesome beaches....i would just rent a car at the ferry terminal, and explore the whole quiet island at your own pace

I don't know why it didn't occur to me to rent a car on Anguilla! I guess because we have rented a car for our entire stay on SXM and my brain omitted a second car! Great idea & I love having the freedom that would provide! Done!

just FYI, in Anguilla you drive on the left...not a big deal, since it's a very flat island, with not a lot of traffic...very laid back

consider Andy's Car Rental, which is just outside the ferry terminal....his website doesn't seem to be working, but i believe he's still in business...just Google Andy's Car Rental Anguilla, and you should be able to find contact info...or just ask for him when you get off the ferry, most everyone will know where to find him

another FYI, when you rent a car, you will also have to pay for a driving "permit"...i think it was $15-20...so total price for a car, including permit, should be ~$50/day

Andy's Car Rental

interesting thread. So, is the best way to get to Anguilla on the Celine or another craft out of Margot? Thanks

TANDP,

I can't answer for "Best way" to get there but purely my opinion, the easiest and probably the least expensive way to get there is the regularly scheduled ferry that runs between Marigot and Blowing Point, Anguilla. And then you can add in your own activities once there but remember, its not inexpensive over there and many places and services do not accept credit cards. If you're staying on the Dutch side of the island I think there's also a ferry that runs between the airport and Blowing Point but I know nothing about costs, schedules or anything else relating to it. And truthfully, I know absolutely nothing about the Celine to Anguilla if they even have a trip there.

All the ferries do is get you there. The rest of the day's activities are up to you. Rent a car or taxi? Walk to the nearest beach and spend the day there, but then you don't see anything of AXA. Taxi tour or rent a car? Lunch and chairs on a nice beach? All have expenses that can mount up. On a recent trip, my daughter dropped over $500.00 for her family of four to spend the day there, but no sooner did they get there when the weather changed and a storm blew in. It got so bad they summoned their taxi early and returned again to SXM, having spent less than 2.5 hours there.

Perhaps the easiest AXA day is probably to do a prepackaged tour that includes (possibly?) transportation from where you're staying to the boat you're booking on and then transport to AXA with a snorkel stop along the way (or not?), along with lunch somewhere over there and then back on the boat and then the whole thing in reverse back to SXM.

There are all kinds of options - none better and none worse and none what I'd call inexpensive but all fun if you can find the one that appeals the most and offers the things you're most interested in. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful input! By chance, do you know the ferry schedule or where I can find it?
TandP

I can't help you with an actual schedule but I do know they run every hour from about seven or eight in the morning till seven at night and on the half hour they do the return run.

You could probably google it under 'Marigot St. Martin Ferry Schedule' or 'Blowing Point to Marigot' or something similar to that. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Hopefully the link below will give you your desired information.

http://www.anguilla-beaches.com/anguilla-ferry-system.html

Very helpful information! Thank you, Indeed!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

We have made a few trips to Anguilla and a few to St. Barts. Did enjoy the scenery on St. Barts, but loved Anguilla. We rented our own car (drive on left side) for less than a cab would have cost for as many stops as we wanted to do. Went to the Cuisnart Resort and went through their hydroponic farm with famous Howard Resh as our guide, made a stop a mile or two away at Bankie Banx's Dune Preserve, headed across the island to Meades Beach and Blanchard's Restaurant, made famous by their book A Day At The Beach, a stop or two in a few art galleries and naturally a stop at Shoal Bay East for a swim and snorkle. We ate at Gwen's at Shoal Bay East. Just make sure you get back in time to take the last ferry or you might have the cost of a room added on to your schedule. PS - made sure you have an island map to help in your journeys