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

[snoopy_leogirl]

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?

 

 

You know, its a pity to say this but not much on the Dutch Side is actually symbolic to anything Dutch. I can't think of an attraction or anything historical, but I will try to help you with Dutch shopping and restaurants.

Right next to Polo Ralph Lauren there's a Dutch Delft store which sells souvenirs that are made in the Netherlands and symbolize Dutch crafts. They are actually nice things and everything is blue and white.

 

As for restaurants, lets see, hmmm, I've heard that Marty's Gyro located in Simpson Bay next to Sunset Theaters has several Dutch specialties. Also, try Mark's Place. I think its local/Dutch-ish food.

[snoopy_leogirl]

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?

 

Actually, Lido is much newer than Johnny Under the Tree. I used to eat at Johnny's but when Lido came around, everyone started going there. And when we tried Lido, I personally liked it better so now when we crave BBQ, we go to Lido most of the time. We also had Texas Pit BBQ which I heard was one of the best but it closed down permanently.

[snoopy_leogirl]

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.

 

Ooh, I have NO IDEA whatsoever. I am so sorry. I am totally clueless with this one. I will try to find out and if I do, I will post back. But chances are that if you knew where you went last time, it should still be in the same location.

[snoopy_leogirl]

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

 

 

Hi Fred,

 

We stopped sending vouchers a while back. Sorry. If we do it again, we'll be sure to send you one.

[snoopy_leogirl]

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.
  

 

Normally I would think that it would be a waste for you to pay so much for this tour but I think taking a tour with your ship, like you might do is the best idea. Its because the places that are listed, are all pretty far apart. You are practically touring the whole island and that tends to take a while. I think it sounds like a pretty good tour and I think I would do it too. The only thing that might not interest me so much is the St.Martin Park exploration part because there's not much to do there but then again, I haven't beeen there in like 5 years and I've heard that its changed.

The other parts of the tour sound great. Also, the tour is offering you a lot of nice things to see in a short amount of time which is good. I think if you tour independently, it will cost you much more time and that will mean that you won't have much time to shop which is something not to be missed here so go ahead and try out the tour.

[nauticaz24]

Hey there. My question is, we are looking for a nice beach (preferrably a nice view) where We could rent a jet-ski. Any idea of the best beach I could go to for this. Also, how far would said place be from the port! Thanks in advance

[RASHOPPER2]

Twenty Years Ago My Husband And I Stayed At A Hotel Called Little Bay. Is It Still There? We Also Ate In A Restaurant Called Cafe Royal. Is That Still There? We Will Be Back In January And Would Like To Re-visit Them, If They Are Still There. Thanks.

[judyzoo]

Thanks, Snoopy for the hints for looking for something Dutch. I'll try to check these out. At least I know that the last time I was there and didn't see anything Dutch I wasn't missing something obvious.

 

BTW, can you tell me where Mark's Place is?

[zooxmusic]

Hi and again I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer all of these questions. I was just wondering if DIVI beack or Orient beach was/is effected by the "oil spill"

 

Brian

[singersac]

Hi,

 

I am sorry if this is a duplicate question. Where is the very best spot to snorkel if we are stopping on a ship excursion. How is Pinel Island?

 

Thanks a bunch. Leaving in 8 days! Hope the rain passes.

 

Singersac:)

[sjskrea86]

Hey Snoopy ----

This is really a great service you are offering here. I started reading some of the posts and decided to ask some questions. You may have already answered them. If so, I apologize for repeating.

 

My husband and I (along with about 10 cousins) are taking our first cruise in Feb. '06. We will be in St. Maarten on Feb. 8 from 8:00AM until 6:00PM. We haven't really planned anything yet but I am beginning to look into what we might want to do. I, of course, would love to know the best places to shop and will certainly stop in your father's place while there. I think I would be looking into jewelry to bring back to my daughters - are the prices pretty reasonable?

 

My husband loves to golf and would probably like to find a course at one of our stops. Although it is not real high on the priority list I was wondering if you knew of any place there?

 

Can you give me an idea of what you would consider the one or two "musts" to see or do while in St. Maarten? I know you've mentioned the Orient Beach - is it far from the cruise ships? What is the best way to get there and about how much time should we allow? We aren't really swimmers but I love to just relax on a beach and take in the scenery.

 

Thanks so much for your help and guidance.;)

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hey there. My question is, we are looking for a nice beach (preferrably a nice view) where We could rent a jet-ski. Any idea of the best beach I could go to for this. Also, how far would said place be from the port! Thanks in advance

 

If you like quiet, relaxed and more laid-back, choose DIVI Little Bay. Its a great place to jet-ski. I love it here.

 

If you like a more louder atmosphere, big crowds and bigger wave action, choose Orient Beach. It has much rougher waves than DIVI.

 

Also, DIVI is closer to the pier, about 10 minutes by car/taxi. Orient is about 25-30 minutes by car/taxi.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Twenty Years Ago My Husband And I Stayed At A Hotel Called Little Bay. Is It Still There? We Also Ate In A Restaurant Called Cafe Royal. Is That Still There? We Will Be Back In January And Would Like To Re-visit Them, If They Are Still There. Thanks.

 

DIVI Little Bay still exists but it looks much better now. I think it was renovated a couple of years ago and its looks great. I know that they still have the main restaurant which is close to one of the pools but I am not sure if Cafe Royal is the name of it. However, they have several cafe's all of which serve some great casual-ish food. I've eaten at Gizmo's Cafe near one of the pools and its really nice. Also, I've heard that the other indoor/outdoor restaurant has great nights with specials all the time and themes like BBQ night, Seafood night etc.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Thanks, Snoopy for the hints for looking for something Dutch. I'll try to check these out. At least I know that the last time I was there and didn't see anything Dutch I wasn't missing something obvious.

 

BTW, can you tell me where Mark's Place is?

 

Mark's Place serves up some great food, snapper, barbecue chicken and ribs. They even have all you can eat ribs for $9.95 I think on certain days. And everyday they have a special menu too. Its located at the Le Grand Marche Shopping Center at the Bush Road Roundabout.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hi and again I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer all of these questions. I was just wondering if DIVI beack or Orient beach was/is effected by the "oil spill"

 

Brian

 

Its really weird but I haven't heard much about the oil spill, I don't think that any of those areas were affected by it.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hi,

 

I am sorry if this is a duplicate question. Where is the very best spot to snorkel if we are stopping on a ship excursion. How is Pinel Island?

 

Thanks a bunch. Leaving in 8 days! Hope the rain passes.

 

Singersac:)

 

Don't worry about the weather, its raining on and off but for the most part, its sunny and hot!

 

Snorkeling is pretty nice at Pinel I've heard. I was there 3 weeks ago with my whole family and we had a blast. The only thing is that jetskiing there is very rough because of the choppy open waters. You can also try snorkeling at the following beach suggestions:

Snorkeling

Click on the beach names on the left hand side of the page and see which ones you like best.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hey Snoopy ----

This is really a great service you are offering here. I started reading some of the posts and decided to ask some questions. You may have already answered them. If so, I apologize for repeating.

 

My husband and I (along with about 10 cousins) are taking our first cruise in Feb. '06. We will be in St. Maarten on Feb. 8 from 8:00AM until 6:00PM. We haven't really planned anything yet but I am beginning to look into what we might want to do. I, of course, would love to know the best places to shop and will certainly stop in your father's place while there. I think I would be looking into jewelry to bring back to my daughters - are the prices pretty reasonable?

 

My husband loves to golf and would probably like to find a course at one of our stops. Although it is not real high on the priority list I was wondering if you knew of any place there?

 

Can you give me an idea of what you would consider the one or two "musts" to see or do while in St. Maarten? I know you've mentioned the Orient Beach - is it far from the cruise ships? What is the best way to get there and about how much time should we allow? We aren't really swimmers but I love to just relax on a beach and take in the scenery.

 

Thanks so much for your help and guidance.;)

 

 

Jewelry shopping all depends on what you want to buy but over here, we have some of the best prices overall on jewelry because of our duty free status. Just look around a bit before you finally decide because so many shops have similar items at different prices so watch out.

 

The only possible golf course you can find here is the one in Maho. Maho used to be a hotel years ago but after the 1995 hurricane Luis, it got destroyed and unfortunately, it was never rebuilt so the mainenance and upkeep of that area is not in tip-top shape but I still see people golfing there all the time but its not the best course you'll ever see.

 

Orient beach is about a half an hour drive from the cruise port. Take a taxi, its the best way to get there. Since you want to kind of relax and take in the scenery, you can spend about 2 hours there easily. Its a nice LONG stretch of beach which is great to walk. Two must see's to me: (1) The French Side -Its a great place. Kind of resembles Paris but a much smaller version thereof. Its dotted with shops, cafe's and boutiques. Also, go to the waterfront market area which has a great view of the ocean. Atop of the Fort Amsterdam, which is close to the marketplace is the most breathtaking view of 360 degrees of Marigot and the ocean. To get up however, you have to walk up steps and it takes about 5 minutes. (2) Front Street - Shopping is the best and cheapest. Literally, HUNDREDS of stores carry anything and everything from t-shirts, souvenirs, jewelry and electronics, to arts and crafts, sun color changing paraphernalia and brand name items.

[tocruzagain]

Hey Snoopy Leogirl....I'm also a Leogirl..haha!! Thanks for all your time you put in giving us novices info on your island. My husband and I will be visiting for our first trip there in November. I am thinking of just renting a car for the day so that we can make the loop around the island and see whatever we can as well as stop at Orient for a little while, then head on back to Phillipsburg for some shopping. Do you think it would be difficult for us to find our way around the island and/or to various places of interest such as Marigot, etc..on our own? We can rent a car for around $50.00 for the whole day and therefore be on our own time schedule. Also, is parking a big issue...hard to find parking or is it rather easy?? Thanks for any advice you can give here.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Hey Snoopy Leogirl....I'm also a Leogirl..haha!! Thanks for all your time you put in giving us novices info on your island. My husband and I will be visiting for our first trip there in November. I am thinking of just renting a car for the day so that we can make the loop around the island and see whatever we can as well as stop at Orient for a little while, then head on back to Phillipsburg for some shopping. Do you think it would be difficult for us to find our way around the island and/or to various places of interest such as Marigot, etc..on our own? We can rent a car for around $50.00 for the whole day and therefore be on our own time schedule. Also, is parking a big issue...hard to find parking or is it rather easy?? Thanks for any advice you can give here.

 

Actually, here's the thing. Driving here is pretty easy but you need to get good directions. Without good directions, it might be harder to get around. Also, if you are good at reading and understanding signs and directions, then your task is much easier. Parking can be a problem but most people just park in any good open space that they find. On the French Side, you can park alongside the waterfront. In Philipsburg, you can easily park at the Government Paid Parking Lot which costs $1/ hour, or for free parking, park along the pondfill or at the University parking lot. I think primarily the decision should be based on your comfort level driving around a new place and also, traffic situations can be pretty jammed up for a while depending on where you are headed and at what time so be cautious about that. If you have specific areas that you want to visit, I can try to be a guide to you and give you directions, just post back here whenever you get the chance.

[mom 37]

Hi- I am so glad that you are still answering questions!!

We will be there in Sept. on Royal Caribbeans Adventure of the Seas. They have this tour that I cant find any information on. I hope you know about this or someone else knows.

 

Its called The Loterie Farm Treetop Adventure Tour it says:

 

While you soar between the tops of majestic 200 year old Mango and Mahogany trees, you will experience St. Martins only rainforest micro-climate.

Staff will instruct you in the use of high-tech gear and safety features.

Then its up and away. The adventure course consists of a seqence of zip lines, rope swings and bridges suspended from platforms mounted in the trees.

 

It also says that this tour includes physical excertion.

Do you know how much?? We are bring our girls ages 11 and 13 yrs. old. Do you think that they would like this??

 

Thanks for your help

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

mom37- I did lots of research on this excursion and also called st.marten to ask questions. The woman I spoke with said teenagers love this excursion. I asked her about the physical excertion and she said her 11 year old daughter does the adult course with no problems. They do have a smaller course for kids to do but she said most kids over 10 are bored with it but love the adult course. They are spots to abort the course early if you choose. She added that you must book this excursion with the cruise ship as they have a contract with the cruise line that when the ships are in port all available time slots are reserved for the cruise ship passengers. There is a thread on this board that has some great reviews.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=144962&page=2&highlight=ziplines

 

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=366109&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=186&fpart=1

 

These links should answer all your questions.

 

My kids are 12 and 15 and we plan on doing this excursion. You cruise before we do so if you do this excursion please post your review of it. Thanks and happy cruising.

 

Sandie

[stones902]

Hey Snoopyleogirl,

 

Thanks for all of the great info on St. Maarten. We dropped into your father's store and I was able to speak briefly with him and your sister. You have a very nice family. My daughter made a purchase there also.

 

Just wanted you to know that we found and enjoyed the store. Thanks again for your information and assistance on the island.

[CGAGE]

Hi Snoopy LeoGirl!

A big thank you for answering all these questions! I have a very specific one...hope you can help! We've been to your island 3 or 4 times and became friendly with one shop owner in particular named Venita. She and her family own the shop and I think it's called Gulmohars. I think! It's located right next to or only a few doors down from the McDonalds on Front Street. I know it's a long shot...but do you know her by any chance, or are you at least familiar with the shop I'm speaking of? I've lost her email and mailing address since we were there last September and would love to contact her to let her know we'll be there next February. The best part is...our ship is in port from

8:00 am until 1:00 am!!! Any info you have regarding Venita or her shop would be greatly appreciated!

Also...Do you recommend hanging out in the evening at the bar/restaurants right near the ship...OR...taking a bus or taxi to Maho to check those places out? Can you recommend any places to eat and/or drink in particular? Prices really aren't too much of an issue if it's worth the money!

In closing...I hope your Father is doing better...we'll surely visit his shop as well...and would love to meet both of you!

Thanks a billion!!!

[Sandybech]

It's great being able to write to an island expert! Thanks. We have a group of about 27 coming in on a cruise the 2nd week of Aug. and would like to go on a 4x4 jeep tour. Have heard about Nasa, but they rent ATV's and it's not a guided tour. I think we would be better with a guided tour since we have not been there before. We have ages ranging from 8-very young 50 somethings. Quad Venture was another I heard about but they don't allow kids on the ATV's. ATV's might be OK in place of a jeep tour, but we would prefer the jeep tour. Any suggestions?:rolleyes:

[Nathan - Aussie on Board]

Hi snoopy,

 

can you tell me if the airport where the planes fly in over the beach is still open??? my partner and I are plane geeks and wanna try and go to this beach if its still open and planes are coming in.

 

Thanks