Would love to try to answer as many St.Maarten questions as possible...

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='lg30047']Is there a place where my son can try hang gliding with somebody?
I read somewhere that they may do it next to Anse Marcel.
Thanks for all the great help.
Paul[/QUOTE]


Yes, check out this site of the hotel that offers it. Try to contact them as I don't have any more information. In fact, yesterday I visited Pinel Island with my family which is close to Anse Marcel and on our way home, we saw someone hang gliding from up in the hills.

[url]http://uk.hotels.com/hotel/hotels-in-netherlands-antilles/st-martin-hotels/l-hoste-hotel.htm[/url]

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='c u there hershdog']We are thinking about taking a horseback ride on the beach. Do you recommend any tour over another?[/QUOTE]


Check out this info:

[url]http://www.stmaarten-info.com/stmaartenactivities/horsebackriding.htm[/url]

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='bamntem']Can you walk from the cruise docks to Philipsburg? How far is it from the docks? And are there sidewalks? I am very athletic so walking is not a problem as long as there are sidewalks.

How much will it cost to tour the entire island by taxi or with a local tourist company?

Also is Great Bay Beach okay? How far is it from the docks? Is there a fee?


Thanks for your help.[/QUOTE]

Of course you can walk from the port to town. Quick 10-15 minute walk.
Yes there are sidewalks on Front Street, you will have no problem walking here. Touring will depend on which taxi you choose and most of them have an hourly fare and you can hire them for how much ever time you choose and they can take you around the island.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='bogforce']where would you stay at orient beach? how expensive is the food and drinks on the beach.[/QUOTE]

Orient beach overall is great. We usually pick a spot at Kontiki beach. Food and drinks can be pretty pricey but that all depends on what you buy. If you get lobster, it will cost you but a pizza is pretty reasonable considering you are in a remote location at the beach. Try to have euros to pay for stuff at the french side since it will cost you less. But if the exchange rate is 1 to 1, then its okay to pay with either dollars or euros.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='NetMom']Hi all!

I am planning a surprise vow renewal for my dh and was looking at doing it on St Maarten. We have a pretty large party cruising with us and I am doing this without a minister and the like. We need a spot that is pretty and accessible since there are some that can manuver around easily and some that can't. Outdoors and children friendly preferred since I have little ones. Any suggestions?[/QUOTE]

A few suggestions:
DIVI Little Bay - I heard that they plan weddings too! I think that you will like this since its outdoors/indoors, at the beach and very conveniently located.
Anse Marcel - An amazing place but [B]far[/B] away. Picturesque, at the beach too.
Great Bay - Close to DIVI but slightly different. Great location too.
La Samanna - I highly recommend this place but this is a splurge. Its expensive but it is one of the leading hotels of the world and has a breathtaking view. Location is pretty close to Maho, like 15 minutes away from there.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='cntrydncr1']I was wondering which beach would be the best to either parasail or jetski? Thanks for your advice![/QUOTE]

Hands down, DIVI Little bay for a quiet area or if you like crowds, Orient Beach.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='carbon']Is the shopping better on Front street or Marigot?[/QUOTE]


Marigot, is very costly but you will find more unique items in the boutiques. Front Street is MUCH cheaper but you will find similar stuff almost everywhere.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='sandybeach121']If you needed to be in the Philipsburgh dock by 5:30 - what time would you need to leave Marigot??[/QUOTE]

Leave Marigot between 4:45-4:55 or so. I think it will be safer if you reach the port earlier than risk missing the ship.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='kathi29']We'll have the usual one day in St Martin off the cruise ship. I'm thinking Divi is our choice for beach / water stuff. We are traveling with kids 6 and 12. My 6 year old would love love love the Butterfly Farm. What is our best bet for doing this stuff? I don't want to book through the ship..... so can we take a taxi/tour from the pier to the Butterfly farm and then have them drop us off at Divi (and either have them come back or catch another taxi back to the ship?)

Thanks for your help![/QUOTE]

You don't need to book through the ship. You can take a taxi from butterfly farm and then get dropped off to DIVI. Getting a taxi at DIVI is fairly easy to get back to the ship and it takes about only 10-15 minutes to get back.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='Disneycruiser#1']Divi sounds like a good option for our sons who are 3 and 6.....I am just trying to decide if we should grab a cab and do it on our own like we normally do or do it through the ship :)

Take care!
DC[/QUOTE]

Do it independently and grab a cab. Its quickest and cheapest and you can do things at your own pace.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='OC Mom']We are planning on hangin out at Orient Beach. Where should we go to get some local, casual, and inexpensive eats?? Thanks:)[/QUOTE]

Independent of Orient Beach's locale, there are some great places to get some local food that is not pricey. Try Mark's Place on Bush Road, also try Lido Barbecue in Simpson Bay, its cheap and great.

[crusinpeg]

I remember the last time we were in St. Martin there was a shop that featured art work and memoribellia from someone who's name I have forgotten. He may have been one of the markup artists on the movie I'm not sure. Anyway do you know his name and where the Gallery is located? Also If he has a web site?

[gtaylor]

[quote name='snoopy_leogirl']Independent of Orient Beach's locale, there are some great places to get some local food that is not pricey. Try Mark's Place on Bush Road, also try Lido Barbecue in Simpson Bay, its cheap and great.[/QUOTE]
My favorite place to eat on the island is [b]Lido[/b], but it's located in Cole Bay, not Simpson Bay.

Photo is of $13 worth of ribs, chicken and sides. Wine not included.

[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/gtaylor/Lido/DSCF0450.jpg"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/gtaylor/Lido/th_DSCF0450.jpg[/img][/url]

[kathi29]

[quote name='snoopy_leogirl']You don't need to book through the ship. You can take a taxi from butterfly farm and then get dropped off to DIVI. Getting a taxi at DIVI is fairly easy to get back to the ship and it takes about only 10-15 minutes to get back.[/QUOTE]

So glad you decided to come back! You must have spent an eternity reading through all the messages :)
We have pretty much decided to rent a car for the day (arthurs car rental) so that we can do what we want. I've read it is not all that difficult to find your way around.... can you ease my mind?
At the risk of repeating myself, but so you don't have to look back, we want to go to the Butterfly Farm first and then to Divi. Not sure if we want to stop at Maho to watch for planes. My hubby is only concerned that parking will be a problem. What should I tell him?

Thanks!!

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='crusinpeg']I remember the last time we were in St. Martin there was a shop that featured art work and memoribellia from someone who's name I have forgotten. He may have been one of the markup artists on the movie I'm not sure. Anyway do you know his name and where the Gallery is located? Also If he has a web site?[/QUOTE]

I think the place that you are looking for is The Yoda Guy Gallery or something like that. Its located in Old Street which is on Front Street.

[snoopy_leogirl]

[quote name='kathi29']So glad you decided to come back! You must have spent an eternity reading through all the messages :)
We have pretty much decided to rent a car for the day (arthurs car rental) so that we can do what we want. I've read it is not all that difficult to find your way around.... can you ease my mind?
At the risk of repeating myself, but so you don't have to look back, we want to go to the Butterfly Farm first and then to Divi. Not sure if we want to stop at Maho to watch for planes. My hubby is only concerned that parking will be a problem. What should I tell him?

Thanks!![/QUOTE]

You are right for the most part. Driving here is pretty easy. The only thing is that you will need someone to get you good directions to get to Butterfly Farm because it is in an area that is a bit away from the busy streets. Once you have good directions, you will have no problem at all. Driving to DIVI is pretty easy and its close to town. Maho will actually be something that you might want to try. If you are planning on doing Maho during the daytime, you can park at Caravanserai Resort's parking lot and walk to Sunset Beach Bar or the beach area there. Its a 1 minute walk and you will love the view of the water, the planes landing and taking off there. Its great! Try not to miss it. DIVI is also worth the trip. Its a great stretch of beach and pretty mellow. I think you'll like it.

[cyndij]

Snoopy Leogilr - glad to hear that you father is doing ok. Thank you for all of the valueable info you have provided to me and everyone else. We will be in St. Marteen in July and would like to visit Orient Beach. Am I correct that this is a clothing optional beach? How far from the pier is Orient Beach and can we get food, drink and beach chairs? Thansk again for all of the advice.

[stones902]

Hello Snoopy,

Glad to see you're back. I recall from some of the earlier postings that a relative of yours (perhaps your father?) had a shop in Phillipsburg? If so, we would like to stop in during our Caribbean Princess 6/25 cruise. Could you please let me know if this is correct and give me the name of the store? Thanks.

BTW, really enjoy the information that you have provided on this thread.

[judyzoo]

Welcome back, snoopy leogirl! Thanks for all the information that you’ve provided since your return.

Can you suggest any place in St. Maarten that has a Dutch flavor? Anything -- attraction, part of town, historical, restaurant?

[muscleman]

Hello Snoopy_Leogirl,

I love St Maarten. I have a time share at Royal Islander Club at Maho Bay. We will return this November and one of our favorite places to eat is at Lido. We found it by incident. I got hungry and decided to stop. We were planning on trying Johnny Under the Tree. Which one is better?

[KJHorton]

Snoopy, my son and I are animal lovers. The last time we were in Philipsburg, we went to a shop that sold items to benefit the St. Martin Animal Welfare Leage. We got some cool shirts and hats. Can't remember the name of it but when you got off the ferry from the ship, I think we turned right on Front Street. Do you know what shop I am referring to?

 

We will be in St. Martin on June 21 and it is always one of our favorite cruise stops. We have also spent a week exploring and enjoying all your beautiful island has to offer.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Fred C]

Hello Snoopy. Are you still sending out vouchers? If so, please send me one. My e-mail address is Cantorfam@aol.com. Thank You and welcome back. Fred C

[friskysman]

Snoopy,

 

Thanks for answering all these questions. My family and I are going to be down there in a few weeks. One thing my wife was interested in is the "Natural Wonders of St. Maarten" shore excursion. Here is a link to it:

 

Natural Wonders

 

The cost is around 50-60 dollars I believe. Is this worth it? Or is it something we can find on our own? There seem to be quite a few stops along the way. Are they all close enough to each that they might be within walking distance? Thanks. Here is a description if you don't want to click the link:

 

Explore St. Maarten and discover the natural beauty of this island’s ecological treasures.

 

On this excursion you will:

• Board an air-conditioned bus and drive past Philipsburg’s natural salt ponds en route to St. Martin Park.
  
• Receive valuable insight, from your guide, to the island’s ecology and natural history.
  
• Spend approximately one hour to exploring the residents of St. Martin Park, including 80 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.
  
• Enjoy a complimentary beverage at the Monkey Bar before moving on to Oyster Pond.
  
• View St. Barths’, Tintemarre, and many smaller islets that dot the Caribbean Sea.
  
• Make a brief stop at the Baie D’Embouchure lookout and learn about the importance of mangroves to the island’s ecology.
  
• Continue along the eastern shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon to the top of Cayhill. Enjoy the scenic photo opportunity of Saba, Statia, St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla.
  
• Finally, drive past Belair Fresh Pond on your way back to the ship.
  

[snoopy_leogirl]

Snoopy Leogilr - glad to hear that you father is doing ok. Thank you for all of the valueable info you have provided to me and everyone else. We will be in St. Marteen in July and would like to visit Orient Beach. Am I correct that this is a clothing optional beach? How far from the pier is Orient Beach and can we get food, drink and beach chairs? Thansk again for all of the advice.

 

Orient beach is a clothing optional beach. Its about 30 minutes from the pier. And yes, you can get food, drinks and beach chairs there. The beach chairs have to be rented.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hello Snoopy,

 

Glad to see you're back. I recall from some of the earlier postings that a relative of yours (perhaps your father?) had a shop in Phillipsburg? If so, we would like to stop in during our Caribbean Princess 6/25 cruise. Could you please let me know if this is correct and give me the name of the store? Thanks.

 

BTW, really enjoy the information that you have provided on this thread.

 

 

Yes we sure do. Its Shopper's Paradise located on Front Street across from Colombian Emeralds/Old Street. My dad owns the store.