Saints Alive

St. Martin’s beaches, dining and nightlife are just the thing for that au natural getaway

By David Jenison

Big families tend to take the kids to Hawaii with Alice the housekeeper, but what about romantic couples and single travelers who want to explore the Caribbean islands? Travel sites push all-inclusive resorts and cruises, but St. Martin is the place to craft your own Caribbean experience.

The island doesn’t have an internal border, but it’s actually split between France and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten), and each territory has its own character. The larger French side is more beautiful with less commercialism and development, so unless you’re looking for Spring Break boozing, this is the best side to stay.

The island has dozens of beaches, but the most famous is the clothing-optional Orient Beach with its nudist resort Club Orient (“Where Nothing Is Better”). Referred to as the St. Tropez of the Caribbean, the beach features two miles of powdery white sand, reef-protected waters and a marine reserve for snorkeling. Orient is the only official nude beach, though the French side generally tolerates topless sunbathing. Just don’t expect to see any Bridgette Bardots, especially at the unfortunately named Prune Beach.

French pride is on full display in Grand Case, the undisputed culinary capital of the Caribbean. The village’s main street is dotted with fine restaurants serving fresh seafood and haute cuisine prepared by top French chefs moonlighting for the season. St. Martin’s other highlights include the colonial-lite capital of Marigot and the stunning views from Pic Paradis (Paradise Peak).

On the Dutch side, Sint Maarten offers a more Americanized experience with fast-food chains, shopping centers, golf, the Atlantis Casino and Miami-style bars. Philipsburg is the main cruise ship port, and over 1.3 million turtle-paced tourists made land their last year. That averages out to 3,562 people per day. The hordes clear out at night, however, as the nightlife fires up with perennial faves like Bliss, Bamboo Bernies, Cheri’s Café and the Privé sky lounge.

Sint Maarten features just one au natural beach, Cupecoy, but claims the island’s most beautiful coastline with the achy-breaky waters of Mullet Bay. The must-see beach, however, is tiny Maho Bay behind Princess Juliana International Airport. Stand on the sand and try not to duck as arriving planes pass frightfully close overhead with force you can feel. Still, it’s the departing planes that provide the real Jackass moments as jet-engine blasts hit you like a turbo-charged wind tunnel. The real risk-takers grab the chain links and “surf the fence,” though the less insane stick to the beach and simply get swept off their feet. The adjacent Sunset Beach Bar and Grill posts the departure times, and afternoon flights for JetBlue and Air France feature the best blasts.

Travelers overwhelmed by the sheer number of Caribbean choices will appreciate St. Martin’s proximity to other islands. Anguilla features one of the world’s best beaches, Shoal Bay, and it’s a 30-minute ferry ride away. Likewise, the French island of Saint-Barthélemy (a.k.a. St. Barts) is about two hours by boat. These islands make for excellent daytrips, but for those willing to take a small plane or a much longer ferry, the volcanic island of Saba is also accessible. In other words, St. Martin is the place to visit multiple islands without enduring cruise ship karaoke.

Whether you’re on “the French side” or “the Netherlands side,” marijuana is illegal on the Caribbean island. Even though Sint Maarten is a part of the Netherlands, it’s not Amsterdam here, despite how many times you may be approached by “vendors.” The island is largely regarded as a tourist destination and authorities here tend to be stricter than in the mainland.