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I have to be honest here, I chose to go to St. Martin due to its proximity to Anguilla and St. Barth. In my research, I knew that there would be ways to visit these islands either by ferry or flight. And guess what? I got all three, yippee! I am one who loves to see stamps in my passport! Fun fact, many years ago, I used to collect stamps (geek alert). And it makes me sad to think that these stamps will eventually be phased out. I asked around to those in my circle if they had ever been. Everyone who told me they have gone (several have a timeshare there), absolutely loves it. It is called “the friendly island” and rightfully so as we found out from our own experience.
I usually fly Delta https://www.delta.com and originally was supposed to make this trip in March but changed to April instead. I had used points for the original flight, but those were reimbursed to my account, thank you Delta. I ended up using those points to book our entire round trip to St. Lucia for our 25th anniversary in the fall! I had booked our flights to St. Martin thought Capital One Travel and received a $300 credit https://capitalonetravel.com. It pays to have money-saving options when you have the right cards. It’s a win-win situation. Anyway, I used Expedia https://expedia.tp.st/sBfJE1Yx to book a car rental since I figured it would be easier to get to the marinas each time we took a ferry and have the flexibility to navigate around this small island. The car company was Europcar and they had a convenient shuttle just outside the terminal to take you down to their office and pick up the car. We rented the vehicle for 4 days and it cost just under $120. I used Hotels.com https://www.hotels.com to book the Grand Case Beach Club which I also posted on my Instagram @allora_travel_. The great thing about using Expedia and Hotels.com, is they have combined along with VRBO, to produce rewards called OneKey. This took effect in July 2023. The more trip elements you book through the year (car, hotels, flights, etc.), the higher your status and level of perks.
On our first full day, we took a ferry ride over to Anguilla. I had booked this ahead of time on https://www.stmartinbookings.com and the cost was $100 per person. Inside the office is a restroom before you get on the boat. It’s also crucial to mention, you must bring your passport! They stamp it before and after. This particular ride was through Calypso Charters by the airport. We parked our rental which cost less than $10 for the day. The ride is smooth and takes less than a half hour. We left at 9:30am and had to be back at the Blowing Point terminal in Anguilla at 3:45pm for a 4:30 departure back to Sint Maarten. Anguilla is very small and we felt that we had plenty of time to relax on the beach. We also rented a car for the day through Andy’s Auto Rental. There are other companies available, but they have a 3-day minimum and we were day trippers. The cost was only $57 for the day and I had the exciting experience of being the driver on the right side inside the car and driving on the left! When you leave the island, you will pay a departure tax. For the 3 of us (myself, husband and son), the cost was $57 for the day. We paid in cash, but I think they also let you use a credit card.
As soon as we hit the road, we made our way to Shoal Bay which is on the northeastern end of the island. This beach has the softest sand I have ever had the pleasure to walk on. It was quiet and there were several places to eat right on the beach. And talk about cheap chair and umbrella rentals! You must eat at Olas Tacos. Their food and drinks were amazing. I had the chicken tacos and sex on the beach. It was orgasmic. I personally would come back to Anguilla because it is so tranquil. It has a different vibe than St. Martin, so if you’re looking for an absolute oasis, visit Anguilla!
Our second day we had to deal with some imminent rain but it wasn’t terrible as we made the most of it on Orient Bay. This is one of the more popular and bigger beaches on the east side of the island. There are also plenty of food options to choose from. If you know anything about me from previous posts, I just love food and nearly center where to go next based on the cuisine available. I was barely optimistic when we ordered pizza from Bona Mama. As far as I’m concerned, if you go south of New Jersey or you’re not in Italy, it just isn’t going to be good. Boy, was I wrong! The food was de-lish and our host was quite entertaining. It really hit the spot, so thank you. And of course, I always make room for dessert…pineapple mint gelato which was across the road from our pizza joint. So refreshing on a hot day.
On our final full day, we took another ferry from Marigot to St. Barth. This was also booked ahead of time on https://www.stmartinbookings.com for $87 per person on Voyager. There is a public ferry available from this town as well which is cheaper but does not allow you to book in advance. I chose to spend the money and book ahead since we only had a few days to enjoy the region. Let me warn you, this ferry ride is ROUGH. I read on Pinterest that it was, and believe me, they were not kidding. I tend to get seasick and wore those magnetic bands and didn’t feel awful. But even my husband, who is not a fearful person, looked at me many times over the hour to ask what the heck was I thinking?! If you tend to get seasick and really want to get over to St. Barth, there is an option to fly. You will pay more money and I heard from a coworker that the landing is terrifying as well. So tread lightly, no pun intended. Although you might feel at times that you will be thrown over the side of the boat and literally have to tread water! You will arrive in Gustavia which is such a pretty town. And expensive. Not just to shop, but the food as well. There was a chasm in the price difference from Anguilla and St. Martin. But if you know ahead of time and really want to go, you make that choice and spend accordingly.
There was a downside to taking Voyager at the end of the day. It might have just been an isolated incident, but the boat was 30 minutes late which meant we didn’t get back till just after 7pm. It was dark and we were getting quite hungry. The ride back is not nearly as threatening and easier to handle since you are going in the same direction as the wind and waves. Overall, it was a decent experience and I got my passport stamp!
Our last day we had time to sleep in and have a good breakfast without having to rush to the airport. I mentioned in an Instagram post that we ate a few times at Sunset Cafe which is onsite at the Grand Case Beach Club. The food is delicious and the wait staff is so nice.
You may have noticed me spelling Sint Maarten/St. Martin in these 2 different ways. That is because the island is split between a Dutch and French side. You will see the road signs change as you make your way around the island. The currency in Sint Maarten is the Netherlands Antillian Guilder and euros are used in St. Martin, but USD are widely accepted along with credit cards. There were no forms to fill out to enter or leave the country and the departure tax is already factored into your flight cost. Most flights leave in the afternoon. SXM is not a huge airport and so most major airlines fly in, clean the plane and load the passengers for the flight back home. This island is great to visit most of the year, but I would be cautious during hurricane season. I had a wonderful time and would certainly come back!
