Serene French St. Martin and festive Dutch St. Maarten make up one diverse island destination with something for everyone.
Of all the luxuries that await high-end travelers to St. Martin, the most decadent indulgences come in the form of spectacular cuisine. The village of Grand Case was once a simple fisherman’s village, but today it’s evolved into a foodie paradise, with over 40 restaurants clustered on or around its main street. Le Pressoir is a top pick among locals and tourists alike, with its traditional French dishes, truly unique plating, and setting inside a restored Creole cottage that dates back to the 1870s,
while The Blue Martini nearby serves up more of an island-style ambiance and Creole seafood cuisine. Not far from Grand Case sits the quaint Ma DouDou rum factory— though the word “factory” hardly describes the place. Set on a hill looking out over the sea, the facility is built right into the home of the owner, who imports her rum in barrels from Guadaloupe and Martinique, then infuses them with natural flavors. An island favorite is her banana-vanilla rum, which comes with pieces of banana floating in the liquor; Ma DouDou’s other varieties include orange-ginger and passion fruit. All the more charming is the packaging—every bottle of rum comes in hand-painted bottles, with images of fish, flowers and tropical scenery
adorning each purchase. The French side of the island is also home to a vast array of upscale resorts. At La Samanna, for example, guests spend their days in lavish luxury suites and villas outfitted with posh French provencal decor and features like marble and mahogany bathrooms, sea-facing balconies and private infinity pools. Just down the road, the new Porto Cupecoy development promises to be one of the island’s top marinas when it opens this fall with luxury residences, swimming pools, a spa and fitness center, and a promenade lined with restaurants and boutiques.
Grand Case’s dining scene isn’t just for upscale diners. In fact, what makes the area so popular is the luxury of choice. Sitting right alongside the high-end gourmet restaurants, you’ll find “lo-los,” huts serving local meat and seafood dishes popular with the island’s locals. No white gloved service here, to be sure, but meals consisting of barbecue pork and chicken, smoked meats, rice, beans and plantains are a tasty (and filling) cultural experience—and, at $5 to $10 per plate, it’s one you can enjoy on the cheap. Culture seekers can continue their feast of the senses at any of St. Martin’s art galleries. The island is renowned for producing spectacular artists, who return the favor by portraying their Caribbean surroundings in the kindest of lights. Artist Roland Richardson, whose paintings and charcoal sketches are on display at his gallery in the heart of Marigot, earned the nickname “the Father of Caribbean Impressionism” with his idyllic homages to St. Martin’s natural scenery. His best-known works depict flamboyant trees in bloom, often with a breezy blue ocean backdrop. Venture farther inland from Marigot and you’ll fi nd another of St. Martin’s famed artists: Antoine Chapon, who’s mastered the art of depicting the sea with watercolors. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Chapon creation that doesn’t include the boats on the ocean—and, visiting the artist’s gallery and home, it’s easy to understand why. The space is set on a hillside overlooking Cul de Sac Bay, with open-air rooms, a stunning sea view and plenty of sea breezes. Feeling the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin is exactly the right environment for taking in the artist’s light, tranquil creations.
Because of its small land mass and high tourist appeal, most of St. Martin/St. Maarten is developed, either by hotels and resorts or locals’ communities. For a taste of what the island was like before civilization, head to Loterie Farm, a 154-acre private nature preserve on the French side of the island. Located at Pic Paradis, the island’s tallest peak, Loterie Farm gives visitors the chance to hike, take ecotours of the surrounding area, and even practice meditation and yoga. One of the top activities here is the Fly Zone Extreme, a zip line adventure that lets you soar through the forest canopy as you traverse across ropes, cables and suspended bridges. And when you’re all done, settle in for tapas and tropical drinks at the Hidden Forest Cafe, a refreshingly plush, modern lounge that seems plucked out of a South Beach nightclub and dropped into the middle of the St. Martin forest.
Few cultures do romance quite as well as the French, so it’s no surprise that the French side of the island offers plenty for couples. Orient Beach is one of the best stretches of shoreline on the island, both long and wide enough for every couple to seek out their own private spot. Though it’s infamous for its clothing-optional section at its farthest end, Orient Beach appeals to couples of all sorts, thanks to the restaurants, bars and watersports centers that line its shores. For a bit more of a private escape, charter a boat to Pinel Island, a small offshore island that’s inhabited only during the day by a few restaurant workers, watersports providers and local craftsmen. On the lagoon side, you’ll find a wide crescent beach fronting calm, shallow seas, as well as restaurants that redefine the term “beach bar,” serving up gourmet dishes like grilled Caribbean lobster and beef tenderloin in camembert sauce. When they’ve had their fill, couples can head to the ocean side of the island, where a more private beach without any development awaits. Just a short boat ride from Pinel, Tintamarre is another uninhabited island with deserted beaches galore. Though it’s been discovered by a handful of tour companies, meaning couples often won’t have the entire beach to themselves, it’s rare to see more than 15 or 20 visitors on its wide shores. At the far end of the beach, a rock jutting out of the water serves as an ideal snorkeling spot. And couples who mix the island’s clay-like terrain with seawater will create a skin-enhancing mud to rival the best spas—or so the locals say. In fact, it’s quite normal to be greeted to the island by one or two visitors covered in the grey mud, letting it dry on their bodies as they lay in the sun.
Friends traveling together and looking for fun shouldn’t miss out on the Dutch side’s wealth of entertainment and nightlife options. The Maho area near the airport is the best place on the island to place your bets, with Casino Royale and its 14,000 sq. ft. of gaming enticing even the most reluctant gamblers. Next door you’ll find Tantra Nightclub & Sanctuary, which opened in place of the former Q Club in February to become one of the largest nightclubs in the Caribbean. And though Maho’s entertainment options are best enjoyed after sunset, there’s plenty to do here by day, especially if you’re in the mood to shop—boutiques offering clothes and sunglasses, cosmetics, jewelry and perfume line the streets.
Of all the luxuries that await high-end travelers to St. Martin, the most decadent indulgences come in the form of spectacular cuisine. The village of Grand Case was once a simple fisherman’s village, but today it’s evolved into a foodie paradise, with over 40 restaurants clustered on or around its main street. Le Pressoir is a top pick among locals and tourists alike, with its traditional French dishes, truly unique plating, and setting inside a restored Creole cottage that dates back to the 1870s,
while The Blue Martini nearby serves up more of an island-style ambiance and Creole seafood cuisine. Not far from Grand Case sits the quaint Ma DouDou rum factory— though the word “factory” hardly describes the place. Set on a hill looking out over the sea, the facility is built right into the home of the owner, who imports her rum in barrels from Guadaloupe and Martinique, then infuses them with natural flavors. An island favorite is her banana-vanilla rum, which comes with pieces of banana floating in the liquor; Ma DouDou’s other varieties include orange-ginger and passion fruit. All the more charming is the packaging—every bottle of rum comes in hand-painted bottles, with images of fish, flowers and tropical scenery
adorning each purchase. The French side of the island is also home to a vast array of upscale resorts. At La Samanna, for example, guests spend their days in lavish luxury suites and villas outfitted with posh French provencal decor and features like marble and mahogany bathrooms, sea-facing balconies and private infinity pools. Just down the road, the new Porto Cupecoy development promises to be one of the island’s top marinas when it opens this fall with luxury residences, swimming pools, a spa and fitness center, and a promenade lined with restaurants and boutiques.
Grand Case’s dining scene isn’t just for upscale diners. In fact, what makes the area so popular is the luxury of choice. Sitting right alongside the high-end gourmet restaurants, you’ll find “lo-los,” huts serving local meat and seafood dishes popular with the island’s locals. No white gloved service here, to be sure, but meals consisting of barbecue pork and chicken, smoked meats, rice, beans and plantains are a tasty (and filling) cultural experience—and, at $5 to $10 per plate, it’s one you can enjoy on the cheap. Culture seekers can continue their feast of the senses at any of St. Martin’s art galleries. The island is renowned for producing spectacular artists, who return the favor by portraying their Caribbean surroundings in the kindest of lights. Artist Roland Richardson, whose paintings and charcoal sketches are on display at his gallery in the heart of Marigot, earned the nickname “the Father of Caribbean Impressionism” with his idyllic homages to St. Martin’s natural scenery. His best-known works depict flamboyant trees in bloom, often with a breezy blue ocean backdrop. Venture farther inland from Marigot and you’ll fi nd another of St. Martin’s famed artists: Antoine Chapon, who’s mastered the art of depicting the sea with watercolors. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Chapon creation that doesn’t include the boats on the ocean—and, visiting the artist’s gallery and home, it’s easy to understand why. The space is set on a hillside overlooking Cul de Sac Bay, with open-air rooms, a stunning sea view and plenty of sea breezes. Feeling the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin is exactly the right environment for taking in the artist’s light, tranquil creations.
Because of its small land mass and high tourist appeal, most of St. Martin/St. Maarten is developed, either by hotels and resorts or locals’ communities. For a taste of what the island was like before civilization, head to Loterie Farm, a 154-acre private nature preserve on the French side of the island. Located at Pic Paradis, the island’s tallest peak, Loterie Farm gives visitors the chance to hike, take ecotours of the surrounding area, and even practice meditation and yoga. One of the top activities here is the Fly Zone Extreme, a zip line adventure that lets you soar through the forest canopy as you traverse across ropes, cables and suspended bridges. And when you’re all done, settle in for tapas and tropical drinks at the Hidden Forest Cafe, a refreshingly plush, modern lounge that seems plucked out of a South Beach nightclub and dropped into the middle of the St. Martin forest.
Few cultures do romance quite as well as the French, so it’s no surprise that the French side of the island offers plenty for couples. Orient Beach is one of the best stretches of shoreline on the island, both long and wide enough for every couple to seek out their own private spot. Though it’s infamous for its clothing-optional section at its farthest end, Orient Beach appeals to couples of all sorts, thanks to the restaurants, bars and watersports centers that line its shores. For a bit more of a private escape, charter a boat to Pinel Island, a small offshore island that’s inhabited only during the day by a few restaurant workers, watersports providers and local craftsmen. On the lagoon side, you’ll find a wide crescent beach fronting calm, shallow seas, as well as restaurants that redefine the term “beach bar,” serving up gourmet dishes like grilled Caribbean lobster and beef tenderloin in camembert sauce. When they’ve had their fill, couples can head to the ocean side of the island, where a more private beach without any development awaits. Just a short boat ride from Pinel, Tintamarre is another uninhabited island with deserted beaches galore. Though it’s been discovered by a handful of tour companies, meaning couples often won’t have the entire beach to themselves, it’s rare to see more than 15 or 20 visitors on its wide shores. At the far end of the beach, a rock jutting out of the water serves as an ideal snorkeling spot. And couples who mix the island’s clay-like terrain with seawater will create a skin-enhancing mud to rival the best spas—or so the locals say. In fact, it’s quite normal to be greeted to the island by one or two visitors covered in the grey mud, letting it dry on their bodies as they lay in the sun.
Friends traveling together and looking for fun shouldn’t miss out on the Dutch side’s wealth of entertainment and nightlife options. The Maho area near the airport is the best place on the island to place your bets, with Casino Royale and its 14,000 sq. ft. of gaming enticing even the most reluctant gamblers. Next door you’ll find Tantra Nightclub & Sanctuary, which opened in place of the former Q Club in February to become one of the largest nightclubs in the Caribbean. And though Maho’s entertainment options are best enjoyed after sunset, there’s plenty to do here by day, especially if you’re in the mood to shop—boutiques offering clothes and sunglasses, cosmetics, jewelry and perfume line the streets.
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