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Caribbean Travel Roundup
Paul Graveline, Editor
Edition 56
July
15 1995
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This has to be one of the most difficult trip reports I've ever written and probably one of the longest. One because after 2 weeks everything just sorta blends together, and two it is sooo depressing knowing we probably won't be able to go back for another year. We highly recommend staying at least 2 weeks if you can do it. When we reached Friday of the first week and said "we'd be going home tomorrow" and looked at each other with a look of horror, we knew we'd made the right decision. You most certainly will come home relaxed. Getting back into the work routine has been tough. The flight down was pretty routine except for the Miami airport which has to be the most poorly laid out, most inconvenient, poorly marked airport ever! This is an airport to be avoided if at all possible!
The plane to SXM was packed so it took us a while to get through immigration. We had carry on luggage so went to kiosk to pick up coupons, etc. Then out to pick up our car. Somerset was there waiting for us and it was nice not to have to rely on a taxi.
We stayed at Coral Shores Villas the first week. When we arrived the office was dark and the manager was no where to be found. I had spoken to the stateside representative just 2 days before so assumed we were expected and had given her our arrival time. Just as we were deciding where we were going to spend the night (it was 9 p.m. and we were tired!) we were able to find the manager who had been waiting for us all day. Our arrival time apparently had never been communicated. Things definitely improved after that. The villas was large and very comfortable and the view through the tropical garden across Simpson Bay to Beacon Hill was simply breathtaking. It came as a gorgeous surprise every morning and every time we looked. The villas provide a complimentary breakfast for the first day. There was actually enough food for us for 3 breakfasts! There was also a delicious Chardonny chilled and ready for us in the fridge. The maid that came in daily did a great job and was just such a sweet person. We most certainly would stay here again.
Still at Coral Shores. Sunday morning stopped in the office to call Somerset and get the paper work for the car taken car off. Make sure you check with your stateside insurance company about whether or not it covers you out of the US. Ours offers very limited coverage so we were hesitant to drive before taking care of paper work. Good thing because we noticed a bashed fender that we would not have seen in the dark. No answer at Somerset so went for a walk to Pelican beach and to explore Pelican Key which is a mixture of permanent residences--several for sale (gorgeous)--and rentals. Stopped at La Vista for lunch. Nice, uncrowded little poolside restaurant with terrific hamburgers (huge), fries(huge serving) and the local Soca beer. Had an interesting selection of burgers and salads and such. Would also be a good place for an inexpensive supper.
Called Somerset again, boss was taking a nap--call back later. Thought about going down to lovely little pool at Coral Shores (there is no beach, but there is a ladder from the coral into Simpson Bay so you can swim or snorkel in the bay. Decide just to veg out on the gorgeous deck. Vincent came around 5. One thing we like about Somerset is they do not work on Caribbean time. When they say they will be there, they are. In fact apologized for being 10 minutes late. Teased Vincent about being famous via Prodigy while letting him know we wouldn't even consider renting from anyone else.
Tried to go to Turtle Pier for dinner, but couldn't find parking. Ended up at one of our old favorites--Paradise Cafe. We were both still feeling stuffed from lunch. We both started out with pumpkin soup, which was a special that night, Paul had stuffed shells with shrimp (4 shells and 4 shrimp), I had conch fettucine Creole. Food was as good as usual and the price was right as well--about $60 including a rum punch each before dinner. Only down part was the humungous insect that ran across the floor. The woman across from us very accurately said, "I know they are here, but I don't want to see them." Probably a roach since they are a common problem in warm climates. We discovered that there is a second parking lot for Paradise Cafe on the far side of the building. Sometimes parking looks limited but it really isn't.
Monday went to Food Center. The traffic on Cole Bay Hill and at the blinker is just as awful as ever. Making a left turn to get back to Simpson Bay is still just a big game of chicken (Forgot about the Food Center on Bush Road which is much easier to get to and out of onto the main road). Since we had nothing perishable in the car we decided to find the Divi Little Bay where would be staying the next week.
Had lunch on the villa deck, took our "old folks" nap, and went to Mullet Bay--still one of the loveliest beaches on the island. We spent very little time on the beach and a great deal of time in the water. We did go to Turtle Pier on Monday. They still have some animals in cages (primarily monkeys and birds) as you walk in and some birds in the mangrove trees. There was a great band--guess you'd call it that--one man on steel drums and a guitarist. They were a highlight of the evening. The menu at Turtle Pier is now pretty much continental and really excellent as well as reasonably priced. Not much ambiance. We sat inside at a "window-side" table adjoining the deck . These table are pushed right up to the picnic tables on the deck. You can hear every word from the table next to you whether you want to or not. The food, however, was so good we'd go back in a minute. We both started out with a lobster bisque which was sort of Caribbean style in that it was slightly spicy, and delicious. Paul had Caribbean style yellow fin tuna with capers and butter sauce, and I had shrimp St. Croix in Cruzan rum and cream sauce with fresh herbs. If you order this save some bread to clean up the sauce. You won't want to miss a drop. The vegetables served with the meal were some of the tastiest we had. In addition, I had rice with my meal and Paul had a baked potato (wrapped in foil). Skip dessert here. It's not up to the rest of the meal. About $60 for two including a rum punch each before dinner.
We had breakfast on the deck every morning and most lunches. Tuesday we went to Baie Rouge in the morning and just lost track of time. Plenty of shade and wonderful calm water (it isn't always here). Tuesday night we went to the Boathouse for dinner. This place is much like many of the shore restaurants in New Jersey. But then it is owned by an American. The Boathouse, Chesterfields, and Seafood Gallery are all connected. Food here was also excellent and reasonably priced. Paul had conch chowder and I had a conch cocktail, we both had filet wrapped in bacon which was done to perfection and fork tender, baked potatoes and salads. Also had 2 beers each. They ran out of Soca beer . It is popular. Again about $60. Boathouse does not take credit cards. Manager was explaining why to the couple behind us who apparently planned on using one. Keeps costs down.
Wednesday we went shopping in Philipsburg ( at least I think that's one of the day's we went shopping). Parked at Chesterfield's and walked in. Bobby's Marina was full. Spent time at Touch of Gold and was treated well. Offered cold drinks, suggestions were made as to what would be becoming, trade-up policy explained, etc., etc. I made it very clear at the outset that I was just starting to look and would not be making a decision that day. I was still treated with courtesy and was never pushed to make a decision. Heeru did not wait on me. Had a nice lunch at Chesterfields. I had a red snapper salad. Neither of us can remember what Paul had just that it was good. iced tea for both of us. About $20.
At this point guess we were starting to relax, because things just kind meld together except the important stuff like restaurants. We did go to Baie de Prune. All of the usual shady spots were taken, and we discovered why very quickly. There are really very few points where you can easily walk into the water. The area to the right of the beach entrance is completely rocky way into the water. The area to the left of the entrance is really the only good point to enter the water. That, Baie Rouge and Mullet remain our favorite beaches.
Thursday night we went to Saratoga. This was a real splurge and worth every penny. The menu is innovative, appealing and the food is excellent. The ambiance is wonderful. We each had 2 Peche Kir. Paul had potato leek soup with grilled scallops and caviar sour cream, I had gazpacho with lobster. He had grilled salmon with garlic butter and I had the salmon in puff pastry with spinach and mushrooms (have had it before and it was just as wonderful as always. Paul's dinner came with pomme fritte (sp?) and christophene, mine with rice and christopene. We usually do have dessert here because they are so good. Paul had sorbet with fresh fruit, I had a lemon saboyne tart with fresh fruit. Ended with expresso. About $130. Had opportunity to chat with chef and tell him how much we enjoyed his creative menu. The compliment was much appreciated.
Friday we simply vegged out at the villa. That evening we went to Lynettes to see the King Beau Beau Show (who's a graduate of Hofstra and American). We went with some friends, Althea and Ed Bogdan, and their guests. This is much more fun with a group. Food at Lynettes was good, but no rave reviews here. Paul had the conch chowder which was yet a different version and the seafood curry. If you don't like coconut, skip this one as it is more like some types of Thai curry which use coconut cream rather than the more familiar East Indian Curry. I had the seafood bisque and stuffed crab backs, which I thought were very bland compared to others that I've had. We each had a Soca beer, Paul had sorbet, I had expresso and Joanne had an ice cream dessert with pineapple sauce and 6 spoons (Grin).
Saturday was a day we'd both like to forget. Check out at Coral shores was the offer of a villa until our flight left. We explained that we were staying on the island, and we were still offered the use of a villa until we could check into the timeshare. No complaints there. The manager couldn't have been nicer. We'd already made arrangements to leave bags with Althea and Ed (they were neighbors about 3 villas away the first week). We went into Marigot for lunch. Big mistake!!!! Huge traffic jam going in.
Paul was starting a killer headache and it was hotter than ****. We tried to have lunch at Chanticleer on Port Royale. It took over an hour and a half to be served 2 salads with grilled seafood. Paul was in such agony he had to keep getting up and leaving the restaurant (tiny only 10 tables). I explained to the hostess (owner?) what the problem was and she very graciously offered him aspirin, which he'd already taken. He thought walking might help, and we ended up at the harbor. What a mess it is. They are getting ready for cruise ships to come in and there is much building going on. The intention apparently is to have the market in stalls inside. The view from the sidewalk cafe portion of some of the restaurants has been completely obliterated. What we saw did not look like it was going to be very attractive, and the character of the harbor most certainly will be destroyed. Paul was in not shape to drive to I was initiated into the SXM driving scene by my first feat being to back out of a parking place in the middle of Rue Charles De Gaulle. Didn't find driving that much different than around here.
Went back to Althea and Ed's to pick up bags and head for Divi Little Bay. Made arrangements to go to Yvettes together on Monday and headed for timeshare. Check in took forever . Unit had two hand towels and no TP and was dark and dreary. We were tired, hot and grouchy. At that point I really wished we'd come home instead of staying. That didn't last long. Many pluses and a few big minuses for Divi. Will post separate report under timeshare topic if anyone is interested. We had dinner several times at Cafe Divine in the Divi complex. Food, service, and ambiance get very high marks. We actually had some of our best meals here all of them about $60 or under and all of them with a drink before dinner, 3 courses and coffee. They have a fantastic dessert trolley! They do not advertise, but you do not have to stay at Divi to eat there. However, you should make reservations. The barbecued shrimp Creole was fantastic. If you like escargot theirs are some of the best we've ever had. The menu doesn't change much but what they server is top notch.
Things started looking up on Sunday. Once again we thought we had one of the best views on the island from our patio. We were in a unit farthest away from the hotel complex and the last on the lower level of the timeshares. There was a rock cliff to the right of the unit with orchids, cacti, and few other things growing out of the cracks. The seawall to Great Bay was in front of our unit and the anchorage's for the cruise ships were about 200-300 yards away in the bay. I loved the old-fashioned heavy wood French doors. We really didn't wander far while at Divi. The beach is small, but nice and uncrowded--if you walk past the time shares and toward the hotel. Going to other beaches from there was just too inconvenient, at least a 25-30 minute drive.
Went to the Carnival parade on Sunday. If you're there--you should go but don't believe what anybody tells you about the time it starts. Add 2-3 hours! The costumes were gorgeous and colorful, but we thought most groups really looked tired--jump up had been the night before. The trucks with the piles of amplifiers still are painful and entirely too loud. Your entire body hurts from the vibrations. Again it was hotter than *** and some people in the groups were having problems with heat prostration. They were prepared for it and it was handled. Fights broke out across the street from us 2x ,and the police who were not at all visible were there in seconds. It could have been real nasty.
More restaurants--we went to Le Pavillion for a splurge and had the usual wonderful meal. The good food, the wonderful ambiance and the gracious service is still there. The older woman that has been seating people for years is still there. And they still have the cold banana souffl with chocolate sauce. Yum! We also went to Chesterfields for dinner one evening (had to take the ring I bought back because a stone fell out used there parking lot and decided to just stay for dinner. Another good choice. We don't remember what we had only that it was good, the cost was around $50 and we'd go back. They do not take credit cards.
Oops forgot Yvettes--best place to get a really inexpensive meal. Gracious, friendly service and good food at great prices. Had first curried goat. If you like veal you probably would like goat. Dinner for the two of us was about $40-45. There is lighted sign on the road but it's till easy to miss the turn.
Some other highlights--we went to the St. Martin zoo one day. If you're used to a large metropolitan zoo it will probably be a disappointment. The purpose behind it is a good one. The birds by the office are a riot. The butterfly farm is intriguing. You are given a personal tour which is very educational and interesting. The enthusiasm of the biologists doing this is wonderful.
Day trip to St. Barths. Got lucky. Smooth sail over and back. Crew told us trade winds were more like August and had been since March otherwise it is a very rough sail over. Worth a day .
Exploring the island. Don't be afraid to play "wonder where that goes". The view from Friar's Bay is gorgeous, the drive to Dawn Beach is interesting, The hill didn't bother us as we have some hills that are similar in our area and have had to occasionally drive them on ice. Not fun! Coconut Beach, Baie Embrochure(sp?), is a nice family beach not far from Orient Bay. Lots of shade and calm, calm water .
Shopping--bought a ring a Touch of Gold Too. The owner waited on us and couldn't have been more pleasant. One of the stones fell out in the condo. I found the stone, took it back and it was taken care of immediately. The jury is still out on whether or not it was a good buy. Am waiting for an appraisal.
I like somewhat contemporary designs and they have a nice selection and do not have the same things in both stores.
One of the evenings that was the most fun was dinner at Bogdan's. Althea is a fantastic cook. Spent the evening listening to Bogdan's and their best friends who'd also owned at Coral Shores tell "war stories" about ownership on the island and the experience of being on the island during a hurricane.
Whew, hadn't realized trip report was going to be so long. It was a great 14 days!
When we arrived at Coral Shores I began by putting away the 78 pounds of meat I had brought with us. I then proceeded to unpack our 4 other suitcases and get settled in. Having done this we then put on our bathing suits (I was already dripping wet from perspiration) and went for a dip in the pool.
The grounds at Coral Shores were as lovely as ever even though there has been no rain in quite some time. The staff of gardeners take wonderful care of the grounds and it shows.
The villa we rent (owned by friends of ours) had been refurbished and was lovely.
On Tuesday we headed out early for the Food Center to stock up for the next several weeks. We bought lots of stuff and spent about $300 on groceries. Next stop was Caribbean Wholesalers for our supply of beer, sode, pineapple juice and cigarettes for Ed. That completed we were ready to begin our vacation. We spent the remainder of the day being as lazy as we could.
On Wednesday we went over to the Cliffside . We spent a couple of hours there, then drove over to Mark's Place to have lunch.
Most days we would get up in the morning, have breakfast on the deck which faces the lovely gardens with the Caribbean just beyond the gardens. After breakfast we would walk down to the pool and just relax in and by the pool for a good part of the day. By late afternoon we were always ready for a nap. The nap gave me the energy to go to the casino every night .
I would like to make a few comments on the island in general. The traffic is as bad, if not worse, then ever, which is probably one of the reasons we rarely leave the property during the day.
We were on the island when the military ships were in. There were ships in a couple of times while we were there. We encountered the sailors all over the island and I must comment that I NEVER saw one of the men misbehave or act in any manner that was not becoming. One day when we were shopping in Philipsburg and stopped for some ice cream a group of about 6 sailors stopped and chatted with us. They were courtesy and made me proud to be an American. They were also YOUNG and made me feel old . During the day they were dressed in civilian clothes and at night in their whites, which, by the way, sparkled. Made me just want to ask "who did your laundry".
We did spend a good deal of time at the Cliffside. As I have a physical problem that makes walking in the sand difficult for me, I was able to sit up on the deck at the Cliffside while Ed was down on the beach and in the water.
I did very little shopping on this trip. I did buy some tee shirts for my grandchildren and a pair of earrings for my daughter in law for her birthday. Ed bought me a piece of crystal for my birthday. I also bought a lovely tablecloth and 12 napkins for my big dining room table (126inch) for just $39. Table linens are a bargain on the island.
One of the funny things that happened to us was having people find us no matter where we were. It turns out that there are only 2 cars on the entire island like the one we own. (I never saw the other one)
Another observation I made while riding through the Mullet Bay Resort is how terrible the grounds there look. The drought on the island has taken it's toll. The greens at the golf course are more brown then green and the entire resort looks like it could use a face life.
There was a notice in the casino at Port de Plassaince that as of May 26 the Sheraton would no longer be running the casino (I'm not sure about the rest of the resort). I asked the casino worker who was taking over and her answer was "the owners".
In order to be able to remember where we ate, what we ate and how much it cost, I kept a diary or log of each day. The days that are skipped we ate at a place my husband affectionately calls "Chez Althea"....translated it means that I cooks some of the 78 lbs. of meat the I brought with us!
April 24-As is tradition on the day we arrive, we ate a the Paradise Cafe. I had a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing, followed by blackened swordfish served with rice and fresh vegetables. Ed had the New Zealand mussels in garlic butter and the kebob. The kebob had chicken, beef and shrimp and he had French fries and vegetables also. Total bill was $66.
Just a note, all meals prices were without liquor but included a soft drink or two each.
April 25-Don Carlos. We shared an order of nachos. Ed had the tacos served with rice and refried beans. I had the chicken chimichanga also served with rice and refried beans. $40
April 26- We went to Mark's Place for lunch. Ed had the lobster salad and fresh strawberries for dessert. I had the poulet creole (my favorite) and profitarolls for dessert. I am not sure of the bill since but think it was around $40. April 27-Chez Althea ate at home.
April 28-Lynette's. Ed had the conch cocktail and a T bone steak. I had the blackened Mahi Mahi. It was served with fried plantains and vegetables. The bill was $65 per couple, which included the show. They add $4 pp to the price to cover the cost of the show. It was a pleasant evening.
April 29-The Mini Club. We went there for their buffet. It was a wonderful as ever. They have 3 kinds of soup, French onion, conch chowder and fish soup. There is a variety of salads, cold lobster with a mayonnaise dressing, a roasted pig, a ham, lamb roast, roast beef and turkey. There are so many side dishes such as rice and pasta dishes. There is also a variety of desserts and fresh fruit. The meal comes with a bottomless bottle of wine (your choice red, white or rose). The price is $40 per person.
April 30-Laguna. I had a green salad with a vinegarette dressing and ziti forno. Ed had carpaccio (raw beef shaved VERY thin with a wonderful dressing). He then had pasta with Alfredo sauce . A very good meal. $64
Just want to note here that we NEVER had a meal that was not good while we were on the island. Some meals were better then others, but all were good.
May 1-Yvettes. Ed had the conch cocktail and conch stew. I had the lobster cocktail and pork chop stew. All the stew dishes are either a meat or fish that has been pan fried then topped with a such of peppers, onions, garlic, etc. Very tasty. $45.00
May 15-Barvaria . This is a wonderful little German restaurant on the airport road just next to the Pelican entrance. We both had the potato soup which is flavored with ham and is wonderful. Ed had bratwurst and I had port schnitzel <sp?> which was great and enough for two. Both meals were served with salad and fried potatoes. $44.
May 18-Hoa Mai. This is a favorite with both Ed and I. This restaurant was originally in Grand Case and is now in the French cul de sac. I had the Vietnamese Soup, we both had an order of nems (plus one to go home) and we shared a dish of chicken with bamboo shoots. The nems that came home with us were uncooked and a few days later I cooked them for lunch and they were GREAT. $60.
May 19-Cafe Juliana. We were at the airport so that I could call my mom and find out how things were at home. We decided that a hamburger sounded good so we each had a bacon cheeseburger and shared a dessert called the Denmark which is a sundae with vanilla ice cream, Dutch chocolate syrup and whipped cream. That was yummy. $30.
May 20-This time Ed had the pasta eggplant and I had the spaghetti carbonara. $25. This place has become our "kim sha". Kim Sha was a local chinese restaurant on the beach in Simpson Bay. When ever we could not decide where to go, or just wanted a quick, inexpensive meal, that's where we would go. Well the Sheraton bought the property and Kim Sha went out of business. It is the type of place we will go when we don't know where we want to go.
I think that I should mention at the point that we never did get into Grand Case for dinner. I think we just became lazy and with some many more places being along the airport road, we just don't do as much driving especially at night.
May 22, The Grill & Rib Co. All you can eat ribs for $10.95 each. I was in the mood for ribs for a few days so we decided that was where we would go. $26
May 24. As usual, we had a wonderful meal. We had a Caesar salad. I had veal cutlet parm. with spaghetti and Ed had shrimp scampi with spaghetti. The food was as good as ever and our waiter Everette was as good as ever also. He has been working their since it opened. It is a pleasure to walk into this place and had everyone remember you and make you feel special. The bill was $76.
May 25- I had a tossed salad with the warm bacon dressing and the Lobster Terrina. That is a specialty of the house. The meat is removed from the lobster shell, mixed with wine, cream, peppers, onions and seasonings and put back in the shell. It is to die
for. Ed had the grilled lobster. Both were served with rice and vegetable. A wonderful meal. $90.
May 27-La Diva. Ed had a Caesar salad. For his main dish he had three cheese pasta. It had gorgonzola, parmesan and one other cheese. It was terrific. I had Piccata alla Diva, which was medallions of veal in a fresh orange and cream sauce. We then shared a piece of cheesecake that was still warm from the oven. It was a lovely meal. We have eaten here previously and always enjoy the food.
May 28-Chez Althea ate home.
May 29-Paradise Cafe. As is traditional with us, our last night on the island is always dinner at Paradise Cafe. I had the grilled lobster and Ed had the chicken kebob. We both had a romaine salad with warm bacon dressing. $90.
Each meal was followed by a trip to the casino. There is a slot machine at the Casino Royale that I PERSONALLY paid for but they would not let me take it home! All in all our trip was wonderful. It was nice having so many friends on the island and meeting some new ones. I am ready to go back, but must wait till next year.
All in all our trip was wonderful. It was nice to be a "beach bum" for a while.
We pick up the car and went on to the Pelican. Boy do they need to get some good help at the reception desk. We were one day late in checking in, called and let them know this 2 weeks previous to arriving. They tried to tell us we could not get into the room until 4:00 P.M., no way! After a little arguing we finally got settled. We did have a good unit at the Pelican. It was an end unit so we had some nice cross ventilation in the living room. I started a journal so I could have at my fingertips all the places we went. After a week or so I got tired of that so I guess I'll just have to wing this!
We spent most of our days just watching the sand grow at Mullet Beach. That is without doubt our favorite due to all the shade. A lot of toplessness there. I believe that the only beach we have been to that we have not seen that is the Pelican Beach, which (as most of you know) is man-made and just so so. Never went there this trip.
We have been going to SXM for about 10 years and this is the first time that I drove!! I loved it...didn't bother me at all and I would much rather drive on SXM than I-95. But we did have a gas guzzler. It seemed that every other day we were putting in $10 worth of gas, course it wasn't that often but...
Philipsburg was like a ghost town. I have never seen it so deserted. . The several times that we went to Marigot it was mobbed, a lot more people than Pburg. Guess the merchants in Pburg don't kick back enough to the cruise ships!
After spending a week at the Pelican we moved over to Beacon Hill, which we like so much better. We would have breakfast in, pack a cooler, drive to Stop and Shop and pick up a loaf of bread and then head off to Mullet Beach. What a life! Only made one trip to the Casino in the whole month we were there.
Now if only I could remember the places where we ate! I will give the best ones first. Sebastiani in Grand Case. Wonderful food and great service. Saratoga where both Paul and I had the veal with those darn mushrooms fantastic! La Pavillon which was great as usual. Le Perroquet (sp?)...I had a fantastic snapper in a garlic sauce, out of this world! La Rosa, too, we both had the veal chop, good but not as good as last fall. We had ribs at the Grill and Ribs about 4 times, honest! A good and inexpensive meal. And then Tutu Pasta in the Simpson Bay Yacht Club. They have the best pasta dishes at a most reasonable price. I think the most expensive one is $13.00 or so. We went there 3 times.
La Riviera - had a couple of lunches there and they were very, very good. Paul had a great lunch at Shiv Sagar the Indian restaurant where Sam's (any oldtimers here?) used to be. He went with the gentleman that manages the Gold Mine.
We had several lunches at the Turtle Pier and had great hamburgers there. I have always said they were better than Cheri's. Now I know that I will probably upset some people with this, but... one of the worst meals of our trip was at the Paradise Cafe. I know that is a very, very popular place with a lot of people but we have never had a good meal there. The snapper both Paul and I had was so hard and tough that I could not eat it. And another place was Don Carlos. We went there for lunch and I had a turkey sandwich, which was really very good. Paul ordered Fajitas. Now I'm sure that all of you know how they are presented...on a sizzling platter. Well, Paul got two tortillas rolled up with about a tablespoon of filling in them. I told him to send them back but he would not. When we got the bill he was livid and was also angry with himself for not sending the back as they charged him $12.75 for that! Can you imagine it???
We had another bad meal at Messalina's in Marigot. Rather I should say Paul had a bad meal. I had a shrimp dish that was good, Paul had stuffed calamari and he said they were frozen ones and very, very tough.
We had our last meal at the Grill and Ribs and that was really great. Talking about ribs...we had lunch the other day at the restaurant that was voted the "Best Rib's" for 3 years running in Connecticut Magazine and I can't imagine why...the Grill and Ribs have them beat by a mile! I am sure that I have forgotten a lot of things...you know how it is when you get older.
Lisa and I visited St. Martin June 2 through June 9, 1995. We never really "plan" a vacation -- we just do some research, pick a spot, and then follow our moods when we get there. For other trips, our research has been limited to consulting a trusty Fodor's paperback and speaking to travel agents and a few well-travelled friends. This time, however, we are indebted to a number of on-line sources for providing a much broader and deeper range of information. The research itself, (which will be detailed later) was great fun, and it resulted in a hassle-free and thoroughly enjoyable trip. This travelogue is being written as a report to our many new pen pals and as a guide to assist future correspondents enjoy the many facets of this island paradise.
GENERAL INFORMATION
We have learned from our previous travels that each Caribbean island has a slightly different personality, and we were quite curious about the storied "split" personality of St. Martin/Sint Maarten. We were not disappointed.
The French transplants lived up to their reputation for being aloof (some might say "rude," but I believe it is merely a cultural trait and not a character flaw). This air, along with the gourmet restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and pricey boutiques in Marigot mixed interestingly with the friendly qualities of the native people to provide a colorful atmosphere north of the border. U.S. tourists appeared to be in the minority here, with most guests seemingly either French or Canadian.
The Dutch side had considerably less European flavor, but it was somewhat friendlier. It also had a unique vibrancy, due largely to the casinos and other nightlife. In addition to some nice resorts, the Dutch side seems to cater heavily to North American cruise ship passengers and timeshare owners.
English is spoken just about everywhere on both sides of the island. U.S. currency was universally accepted.
We stayed at the Marine Hotel Simson Beach, which is in Baie Nettle, just north of the border on the western side of the island. We picked this hotel because of its reasonable price ($118 per night) and Fodor's recommendation. The room was large and clean and equipped with cable television (HBO, Cinemax, CNN, and ESPN), a telephone, a small refrigerator and stove top, a safe, and plenty of hot water in the shower (which was a unique Caribbean experience for us). The place was pleasant enough with its colorful exterior, nice pool, and respectable views of the Ocean on one side and Simpson Bay Lagoon on the other. A thoughtful "transit room" allows guests to meet the noon check- out time, store belongings while they enjoy the afternoon, and then return to shower and dress before a late-departing flight. We did not try the hotel's open-air restaurant, except for the complementary breakfast buffet, which was adequate, but not remarkable. We also passed on the tiny bayside beach, watersports offerings, and tour connections. Our only complaints about the hotel concerned the occasional slow service at the bar and the staffs' stinginess with ice (which the French apparently believe is a precious commodity). Our plan all along was merely to use the hotel as a base from which to explore, and it served its purpose well. I don't believe we could have picked a better location, as it was convenient to most everything we wanted to do on both sides of the island. Our sources accurately informed us that renting a car was essential. So, at a rate of $156 for the week, Budget Rent- A-Car provided us with one of their many white Hyundai Excels. Thankfully, Budget printed the license plate number on the key ring. Otherwise, many a night we would have had trouble locating ours.
The roads were exceptionally good but were rudely and abundantly punctuated with jolting speed bumps, especially in Mullet Bay. There is really only one main road, so getting lost is not a problem. The Excel took us to several marvelous beaches, a wide variety of good restaurants, shopping excursions in Marigot and Philipsburg, and night crawls to Maho Bay. We also spent one afternoon on a scenic trip around the island.
BEACHES
The spectacular beaches were our favorite part of the island. We had some sand time every day. All of the beaches are public, and the ones we visited were easily accessible by car. At the more popular beaches, chairs and umbrellas are available for rental for five dollars per item, and there is usually someone there selling reasonably cold beer and soda (about $5 for two). We got smart after a couple of days and bought two straw mats ($5 each at a shop in Maho), an umbrella ($28 at a shop in Philipsburg), and a small cooler ($13 at Food Center in Philipsburg). Ice and six-packs can be purchased at U.S. prices from Food Center or from any of the numerous small "supermarkets" that line the main road on this part of the island.
Baie Rouge was just a couple minutes by car from our hotel, but I think it would have been our favorite beach no matter how far away it was. We made four trips there. The soft sand and calm, clear waters are bordered by rocky cliffs and green hills. A hundred or so visitors peppered the long, main crescent. This was a perfect number, as we were never crowded nor deprived of people-watching opportunities. A handful of poor souls on the western end apparently forgot to pack their swimsuits.
Gus's Original Beach Bar and Grill -- a dilapidated shack and pavilion located near the only entrance to Baie Rouge - - plays great tunes and serves a fabulous cheeseburger ($5.50) and a fine grilled shrimp kabob ($9 with green salad, rice, and potatoes).
While by no means spectacular, there are colorful fish and other interesting marine life right off the beach around and beyond the rock formation at the eastern end of the main crescent. Snorkeling equipment can be rented at Gus's for eight dollars a day.
I suspect that more than a few couples have snorkeled around the rock formation and then stolen a private moment on the small stretch of sand that is accessible only by water or by steps descending from the private mansions atop the cliffs.
Coupecoy is on the Dutch side near the border. It was less than ten minutes from our hotel and was our second favorite beach. The beach itself is even more beautiful than Baie Rouge.
There are three sections to Coupecoy. The southernmost stretch is bordered by the Sapphire Beach Club, a timeshare complex. The northern part is at the base of beautiful white cliffs on one end and at the bottom of a rocky hill on the other. The middle section is the smallest and most interesting. It is a fairly narrow stretch at the base of the cliffs. We were told that the sand shifts periodically. While we were there, it was kind of a double-decker beach, with some sand at sea level and then a shelf of sand about six feet above the water. There were some prime locations where portions of the cliffs hang over the sand to provide a natural umbrella.
The three sections of Coupecoy can be accessed by the public in one of two ways. A road at the northern edge of Sapphire Beach Club leads to a parking area from which one could take a fairly long walk down to the southern section or hike several hundred feet along the cliffs to some steps that lead to the other two sections. We found it easier to turn on another well-marked road a few hundred yards north and pay two dollars to park seventy-five feet or so from an entrance to the northern section.
We didn't try Coupecoy's southern section. As mentioned above, it was a pretty good walk from the public parking areas. It was also somewhat crowded. It did, however, appear to offer jet ski and small sail boat rentals. The other two sections combined were about the same size as Baie Rouge. There were probably just a little more than fifty sunbathers on these two strands together. Judging by the perfect tans, I suspect that about a quarter of them don't even own a bathing suit. The rest of us wore normal beach attire, at least below the waist.
The waters at Coupecoy are a little choppy, but not dangerous. We had great fun body surfing on both of our visits there. It was also inspiring to sit on the sand under the cliffs and watch the waves roll in.
There is no grill at Coupecoy, but a guy was at the entrance selling beer and soft drinks from a small cooler. For lunch, we grabbed a surprisingly good sandwich and some chips at a convenience store a few hundred yards from the entrance.
We scoped out Baie Lounge (on the French side about midway between Baie Rouge and Coupecoy) but didn't spend much time there. It is a long, breathtaking stretch of pristine beach. Except for an area near the ritzy La Samanna resort (far away from the public entrance), this beach was practically deserted. We had not yet purchased our beach paraphernalia, and we knew we wouldn't last long without umbrella rentals or drink vendors. On our sole drive around the island, we stopped by Orient Beach (the famous "clothing optional" beach in the northeastern section of the island). We didn't see anything spectacular about this narrow beach, and it was far too windy and too crowded to be enjoyable. And, while we had enjoyed the novelty of sharing Baie Rouge and Coupecoy with the occasional free spirit, we decided that it just felt too weird for two folks from the Bible Belt to be around so many naked people in such a small space.
We regretted not stopping at Dawn Beach or Oyster Pond, both of which looked beautiful from the mountain roads. Also, we had heard good things about Maho Bay Beach, and we wish we had made time to try it.
SHOPPING, SHOPPING, AND MORE SHOPPING
I am quite surprised that our research did not disclose to us the shopping possibilities in Maho Bay (on the Dutch side near the airport). The key benefit for us was that, unlike the stores elsewhere on the island, most of the Maho shops stayed open until 11:00 p.m. Maho offered several boutiques, jewelry stores, beach outlets, and t-shirt shops, as well as a music store and an art gallery.
Philipsburg on the Dutch side is packed with the kinds of shops that one might expect to see at a cruise ship port and large resort town. In addition to a much wider variety of the types of stores that we saw in Maho, there were retailers selling duty-free electronics, jewelry, perfumes, and the like.
As mentioned above, much of the Marigot shopping district had a definite European flavor. There were also shops similar to those in Philipsburg, though not as many of them. In addition, the waterfront is lined with at least a hundred small booths selling t-shirts, woodcarvings, and other souvenirs. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the locals set up a "green market," at which tons of fresh fish, bananas, and other produce are sold by small vendors. It was very colorful and well worth visiting.
We noticed some interesting shops near the Mullet Bay Resort, but we never made it by when they were open for business.
We actually did a good bit of shopping, at least by our standards. Lisa bought a couple of outfits at Girasol in Maho, and we later spent a couple of hours in Philipsburg on a fruitless search for shoes to match them. For some friends and family, we bought T-shirts (3 for $10 just about everywhere) and some items that I can only describe as leather silhouettes of Caribbean natives. The latter were for sale in both Marigot and Philipsburg (we haggled street vendors in each place down to $15 each). For ourselves, we bought some beautiful pottery and woodcarvings ($10 to $30 each), and we finished out our beach ensemble with a large, tropical print vinyl bag ($5 most places). Our most exciting purchases, however, were made at the art galleries.
Nannette Rearden's Fine Arts is located inside a sidewalk cafe in Philipsburg. She carries a good selection of prints (about $30 - $ 50) and a few original works (expensive) by many of the well-known artists on the island. She also had some inexpensive original watercolors by some less-established painters. We bought two beautiful signed prints by Lucia Trifan, a Romanian immigrant.
Alexander Minguet is a French painter who occasionally lives on the island and has a bit of a reputation for self- promotion. His watercolors are quite exquisite though, and one can spend anywhere from ten to several thousand dollars and take home a card, poster, print, lithograph, or original work from his gallery in Marigot. It is worth the trip just to meet Fred, the passionate Frenchman who runs the gallery. Be careful though -- he charmed us into purchasing five lithographs and a poster. I gathered that Marigot-born Roland Richardson is one of the most respected artists on the island. He also has a gallery in Marigot, and it was run by his son's very lovely and delightful girlfriend. Richardson's oils, watercolors, and etchings are all magnificent, and most are valued accordingly. However, he is kind enough to make many of his smaller original etchings available for under a hundred dollars each. We couldn't decide which one to buy, so we now own three of them.
Finally, the Art Gallery in Maho carried a wide range of works by many fine local artists, including several of the ones we had learned about at Nannette Rearden's. We were well beyond our spending limit by the time we visited, so mostly we browsed here.
However, Lisa turned her back for a minute and I bought a really cool poster of a lost treasure map. I have been instructed to hang it in my office.
DINING
We had read a great deal about the abundance of fine restaurants on the island. It is all true. Lisa and I love to dine well, which to us means good food, wine, service, and atmosphere. We also enjoy finding interesting dives with great cheap food. We always order different things, share them with each other, and then argue about who ordered the best food. We were disappointed only with the fact that most places stopped serving at 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. We are pretty late diners, even when we are not on vacation.
We were anxious to try several of the highly-acclaimed French restaurants, but the nightlife in Maho kept drawing us to the Dutch side. Fortunately, though, we made it to Le Poisson d'Or in Marigot one evening. This restaurant is located in a beautifully restored stone house on the waterfront. The tables (around 20 in all) are on the terrace. We had a delicious crab meat and roasted pepper appetizer. Lisa followed that up with grilled scallops wrapped in prosciutto. This was quite tasty, but she agreed that it could not compare to my grilled tuna covered with roasted pine nuts and a sauce I can't spell or pronounce. We finished off this wonderful meal with the most incredible desert either of us has ever eaten -- a chocolate souffle with Grand Mariner topped with toasted almonds. The cost of this meal, including a bottle of wine and an automatic 15% service charge, was $140. It was worth every penny.
Le Fish Bar is located in a small shopping center near our hotel in Baie Nettle. We stopped in for a late lunch on our first day and were pleasantly surprised. Lisa had a refreshing chilled vegetable salad, and I had a terrific swordfish brochette. With beverages, the tab was around $20. Dollar-for- dollar, it was the best meal we had.
Our other dining experiences on the French side were lunches at Gus's Original Beach Bar at Baie Rouge and two visits to a delightful sidewalk cafe and bakery (if it had a name, I have forgotten it) in Marigot. Two people can easily get by for under $20 at these places.
Cheri's Cafe, an inexpensive open-air restaurant on the main drag in Maho, is sort of the Hard Rock Cafe of the island. I gather that most people go there primarily to say that they have done it. It does have a lively atmosphere though, and it is open late, so we ate there twice. The burgers were pretty good, but we didn't care for anything else we tried.
We learned that Lynette's (on the main road between Maho and the airport) is a favorite of many of the folks who visit the island regularly. After our experience there, I can understand why this is so. Our seafood bisque was decent, but I am not a fan of curry and the chef is. Lisa's main course was an absolutely superb grilled Mahi-Mahi. I ordered stuffed crabs with a creole sauce without inquiring about the ingredients and was disappointed to discover that it too was made with curry. When our waitress saw that I wasn't eating it, she kindly volunteered to take it away and offered either to bring something else or take it off our bill. I tried to decline, explaining that it was my fault, but she wouldn't hear of it. So, I helped my bride polish off her entre, and then the same waitress cheerfully prepared our excellent Bananas Foster. The tab for our appetizer, Lisa's entre, the desert, several beverages, and a service charge was a perfectly reasonable $56. While we were there, the staff sang "Happy Birthday" at three different tables. Somehow I can't see the French doing that. We will be back.
We had an urge to eat serious Italian food one evening. There are at least two such options in Maho. La Rossa's had been highly recommended to us, but it was closed that night. So, we ventured across the street and upstairs to Cafe Toscana. Our table was on its beautifully decorated terrace overlooking the busy shops below. We first shared a fussilli and grilled vegetable appetizer. Lisa complains about not being able to find gnocchi at home, so her choice of entre was easy. I had a grilled sirloin with parmesan and scalloped potatoes. Both of us were quite pleased. With a bottle of Pinot and the service charge, the tab came to about $70. One of our favorite cheap meals was at the Grill & Rib Co., upstairs on Front Street in Philipsburg. The tender allyou-can-eat baby-back ribs are only $9.95. They are covered with a delicious peanut sauce and served with fries and "Johnny Cakes" (lightly-fried sweet bread). If the heat had not suppressed my appetite, I would have eaten this place right out of business.
We split a salad and a pizza for under $25 at two different places. The Trattoria & Pizzeria (behind Cheri's in Maho) was pretty good, though the pastas being served to other patrons looked better. We stumbled into Uncle Sam's Pizza & Pub on our last night on the island only because everywhere but Cheri's had stopped serving dinner. Two U.S. couples opened this place in a space beneath Lynette's in the winter of 1995. This uniquely American concept is apparently new to the island, and it seems to be working for them. Several people were gathered at the bar watching a basketball game while others engaged in an intense game of darts. Our waitress was one of the owners. She was very friendly and filled us in on what it is like to live and work on the island. Her husband prepared a marvelous grilled chicken and roasted pepper pizza. We wish them well.
We do regret not trying any of the famous spots in Grand Case. We had heard great things about Cha Cha Cha Caribbean Cafe, among others. On our next visit, we will also try Paradise Cafe and Turtle Pier Bar & Restaurant both of which are on the Dutch side. We visited the latter just after the kitchen closed on our last night. Their ribs are famous, and all of the tables are right on the water. We also enjoyed walking through their miniature zoo.
BLACKJACK ANYONE?
I had never been to a casino, but I guess I made up for it on this trip. There are ten casinos on the island, and we tried our luck at three of them. Given my lack of experience, I can only compare them to each other. I have no idea how they stack up to casinos elsewhere.
We took very small stakes into the Casino Royale in Maho, the Grand Casino at the Mullet Bay Resort, and the Atlantis Casino just past Mullet Bay. All three were large enough for several hundred players, and all offered craps, roulette, Caribbean stud poker, video draw poker, slot machines, and (my favorite) blackjack. I believe I also noticed a sports book at one of them.
The Casino Royale was the flashiest of the three. We got our feet wet there but didn't go back after our first visit. The Atlantis seemed to be kind of seedy, and the clientele was sort of gruff. Our favorite was the Grand. Everyone seemed to be having a good time there, and the cards were much kinder to me.
As for the other nightlife, we enjoyed roaming around Maho just shopping and people-watching. The Casino Royale also houses Coconut Comedy Club as well as a theatre where a production of La Cage aux Folles was playing. We didn't try either. Cheri's had live music and dancing each night. The term "live" is used very loosely here. What we saw was pretty lame. I wish we had had more time to look for better music venues. I'm sure they must exist. Indeed, there was at least one place on the waterfront in Marigot that seemed promising. We were told that the nightlife is much better in the high season.
FINAL NOTES
We had every intention of taking a day trip to St. Barts or Anguilla, but time slipped away from us. This will definitely be on the agenda for our next visit.
We really enjoyed our drive around the island. The mountainous eastern coast was much greener and less developed than our home base. It seemed more similar to the other islands we have visited, except the roads were better. We took some wonderful pictures from above Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond.
Two passages from Fodor's '95 Caribbean really sum up our experiences. First: "The standard of living is one of the highest in the Caribbean, so the islanders can afford to be honest and to treat visitors as welcome guests." We saw no crime and very little of the price gouging that one often finds at U.S. resort areas. Second: "Perhaps what makes this island unique is the opportunity it affords the visitor to lead an active life one moment and to come to a complete halt the next. For all its bustle, St. Martin/Sint Maarten is still a Caribbean island brushed by gentile trade winds. You can do nothing at all and enjoy yourself immensely." We couldn't agree more.
RESEARCH CREDITS: Verbal reports by our dear friend, Caribbean Cruise Queen Amy Wienstien, helped guide us in selecting the island. As always, Fodor's was very reliable in setting our expectations. Prior to leaving, we spent a few weeks checking the travel boards at America On-Line and became pen pals with some wonderful and generous people, including klikstopp@aol.com, who had just returned from the Marine Hotel, and KUDemonCat@aol.com, who is a veteran of five trips to the island. We also joined Travel-L, a free mailing list on the internet. Several Travel-L-er's responded to my initial request for information, but none was as kind and helpful as SXM veteran thomasl@QUCDN.QueensU.CA., who sent a six-page guide that she had prepared and then answered almost daily barrages of specific questions. The "Thomas Guide" served as the inspiration for this report. Finally, we downloaded a host of reports from current and back issues of Caribbean Travel Roundup from http://www.digimark.net/rec-travel/caribbean. CTR contributors provided invaluable information about beaches, shopping, restaurants, car rentals, expenses, and much much more.
My family spent 10 days in St. Martin staying at the Flamingo resort. We are owners there and have a studio unit on the 1st floor facing the ocean. The 1st floor units are about 100 sq. ft. larger than the other floors since the patio comes out further. The total space in our studio was 700 sq. ft. There were a pair of charcoal grills about 20 ft. from our patio and we grilled 8 of 10 nights. I own a butcher shop so we brought a lot of goodies. Our friends own the week before us, in the same unit. So we arrive early and they get to stay late for al longer vacation. Only this time RCI screwed up. our friends called to spacebank their '96 week and RCI banked their '95 week. They showed up with no place to stay on Sat. It took $150 in phone calls to RCI to straighten out the mess. They ended up with a 2 bdr in the Flamboyant Bldg. Very nice. Had a new frig and dishwasher. Only complaints were too few fry pans and had to move on the next Sat. to original unit. They are discussing further compensation with RCI.
The weather was very nice. A couple of brief showers but they seemed to come just as we had wandered into the room.
The first dinner out was at Sambucca's. We thought it was nice, although it was not busy. I can see how it could get noisy with it's high ceilings. 5 of us ate for $115.00 including 2 nice bottles of wine. Sit by the doors near the canal for a nice bit of atmosphere. We went shopping in Philipsburg on Monday with three cruise ships in town, but it didn't seem crowded.
One t-shirt store kept changing their price signs as we were in there, higher when cruisers came in, lower after they left. The ladies found nothing that day to buy. (Dodged the 1st bullet!)
Went to Cupecoy and Orient beaches. Cupecoy was beautiful as always. Someone had built a crude shack with a sign that read "Security Line, $2.00", on the dirt road along the beach. We ignored it as we drove through. Got no hassle from anyone.
Orient was not busy as was the whole island while we were there, still in off season till July.
We went to Waikiki for a little lunch, not again. 2 cheese plates with 4 SMALL pieces each, 1 fruit plate, 1 child's burger, and 5 sodas = $60.00!. No liquor on that day due to elections. We were not impressed. Beach chairs were $6.00 each for the day. Next time we went to Orient, went to Bikini area. Chairs were $5.00 and snacks were better.
Back to P'burg on Thurs. and I met my Waterloo. My wife was looking for a gold bracelet so we went to Touch of Gold Too and were serviced by Sanjay. Very attentive, I got 2 Heinekens, she got a 2.75 ct. diamond bracelet in a channel set design instead of the standard tennis bracelet. I think she got the better part of the deal. Our friends got a gold chain for him and a 3 ct. tennis bracelet for her. I got another Heineken.
The next day in Marigot we ate lunch at Les Cocotiers (sp?) at the marina. She had a large shrimp salad and I had a chef salad. Daughter had a pizza. All were delicious. We could not seem to remember that when you ask for water, you end up buying a bottle for $4.00. The meal cost $50.00. Needed several Heinekens of course!
Had lunch the next day at Cheri's. Too loud, too slow, and only an avg. meal. Had breakfast 1 day at the Boathouse. A little slow but large portions for a small price. Ate dinner there also. Again service a little slow but the food was good. My daughter said they had the best French fries on the island.
For fathers day we took the Seaworld Explorer, a semi-submersible boat out of Grand Case. I got on free and so did my daughter as it was Father's day. Saved $50.00 by doing that. Good thing. We were not that impressed with the 90 min. trip and would have been upset had we paid the full $80 fare. It ended well as we ate lunch at Surf Club South. Free mimosas or Bloody Mary's on Sun. from 11:00 to 1:00. Good food and a good time. Could not talk my wife into donating her bra to their bra tree. Would have been a good addition. This is always one of my favorite spots.
Spent the rest of the time on the beach at the Flamingo. Saw lots of fish while snorkeling. After going through 6 cases of Heineken by myself in 10 days, this is all I can remember.
We made a brief (5 day) visit to St. Martin on our way back from Grenada. The best schedule (but not the best cost) was via LIAT, leaving at 8:00 AM, stopping in St. Vincent and St. Lucia, changing planes in Antigua, and arriving before noon. People have complained about LIAT service, but other than the plane being 15 minutes late at Grenada, the flights went smoothly. The plane varied from half empty to completely full, depending on the leg. Changing planes in Antigua did seem to involve a bit more confusion and walking than seemed necessary, however.
We had reserved a car on St. Martin through Budget, and were met at the airport by someone waving a "Budget reservations" sign and a van to take us to the office a short way down the road. There is apparently a rule, which Budget refuses to honor, prohibiting car rental firms from picking people up at the airport. I do not know what the other outfits are doing now. We got a fairly new Nissan Sentra which was apparently an upgrade from the class we had reserved. Went to Don Carlos at the end of the airport for lunch. This is a Mexican restaurant that we like quite a bit. Repeated it for lunch on the day we flew back to JFK.
We stayed, as we have a number of times, at the Grande Case Beach Club. A continental breakfast is included in the price and is served in a small bar area that has replaced the Panoramique Restaurant that burned a year ago. We understand that it will be rebuilt soon. The hotel has finally added a small pool above the bar area overlooking Petit Plage.
Our main object in visiting St. Martin was to go to our favorite restaurants and chill out on the beach. Consequently, we spent most of our time on Grand Case and Orient. There were a fair number of people on Orient, especially at the built up part at the public entrance. Most of them were wearing full bathing suits. Toplessness was fairly common further along, but very little full nudity. The Club Orient section was as usual.
We did visit the new Butterfly Farm near Orient. The $10 admission is worth it. They make it very interesting, and you can take photographs.
Also went to Marigot for the Wednesday morning market and to have an espresso. This used to be a local produce market, but has been enlarged, permanent stalls and enclosed shops have been built, and it has been mostly taken over by sellers of T-shirts and souvenirs. Basically, it is no longer interesting or attractive.
As for restaurants, we went to Mark's Place twice. This is our favorite. It was voted best restaurant in the Caribbean by Caribbean Travel and Life in 1994, and has maintained its standards. Excellent Creole and French food at very good prices. I especially like the octopus stew. Shiv Shigar is a very good Indian restaurant at the end of Front Street in Philipsburg. For those who go back that far, it is in the location that used to be Sam's Place, but will soon be moving a few doors along. It has some interesting dishes; paneer tikka is one that is different and very good. Another restaurant that we go to every time we are in St. Martin is the Wajang Doll, also in Philipsburg. This serves excellent Indonesian Rijstafel, either a 19 or a 24 dish version, in a very nice setting. The fresh fruit desserts are exquisite. This runs a little more expensive than the others, but still basically moderate. Finally, Bistro Nu in Marigot is another Creole French restaurant with a varied menu that is very popular with the locals as well as visitors. Don't be put off by the back-alley location.
ST. THOMAS: BOLONGO BAY VILLA BY RICH SLATTA
My wife, eight-year-old and I spent 6 days at St. Thomas, VI, in late April-early May 1995. Here are some impressions and suggestions for future travelers.
Bolongo Club Everything: We stayed in a Bolongo Bay Villa (room 1724) on their all-inclusive plan. We enjoyed a large, light, air-conditioned room, with full kitchen, walk-in closet, small dining table, king-sized bed, and sleeper-sofa. The second- story balcony overlooked the very attractive bay, some 25 yards away, and one of the resort's two swimming pools.
Although nice to gaze at, Bolongo Beach is very rocky and makes for poor swimming and snorkeling. We usually took the free shuttle for a 7-minute ride to neighboring Limetree Resort. (Shuttles run every half-hour between the two facilities). Limetree Beach is much sandier, good for swimming, and has OK snorkeling off the rocky points at either end. We also enjoyed playing on kayaks, water trikes, and foam mattresses. A handsome pool, with poolside bar, sits just in from the beach.
Outings: We took a half-day sail on Heavenly Daze II over to Honeymoon Beach on St. John. It's a pleasant outing, with a tasty make-your-own sandwich lunch. Honeymoon Beach is sandy and gorgeous and includes a small reef and rock area with fish and a modest variety of coral. Caneel Bay resort is a 10-minute walk away. We also snorkeled off a nearly island. The site, chosen for the benefit of divers, not snorkelers, included a shipwreck. We enjoyed watching the fish around the wreck, but the coral formations along the coastline were nothing special. The daily sunset cocktail cruise though Charlotte Amalie harbor is a relaxing way to ease into the evening.
My wife and child loved the Atlantis Submarine ride. The morning tour, only half-full, allowed them to move about the ship and see more. The afternoon tour was booked full. This outing ($60 adults; $25 children) gives non-divers an exciting look at sealife 90 feet down. We also took a full-day 70-mile cruise on Limnos V, which we enjoyed immensely. Limnos V is a 53-foot, high-speed twin-engine catamaran, not a sailboat. Captain Jeff put our 8-year-old at the helm and awarded him a cruise permit at the end of the day. We departed at 8AM and the route first took us from Red Hook on St. Thomas over to the Hyatt Regency on St. John to pick up more passengers.
We sped along the north side of St. John and Tortola Island, enjoying the captain's tidbits on island history and lore. We passed near the wreck of the Rhone, a prime diving spot. Next stop was the wonderful Baths on the southwest tip of Virgin Gorda. A short jitney ride and 350 yard trail brings one to a wonderland of huge, uplifted rock slabs. These huge rocks come together overhead to form cathedral-like rooms. Here one can swim and explore the bizarre rock caverns. We recommend snorkeling. Head left and follow the rock formations to a wonderful variety of fish and coral some 100 yard down from the beach. The surf is fairly strong so take care not to get pushed into the rocky shoreline.
After a tasty sandwich lunch in the harbor, we headed past Peter Island to the caves on north side of Norman's Island. This is a GREAT snorkeling site--too bad the tour leaves one only an hour to explore! Snorkel into three caves of varying depths. Minerals in the rock stain the walls brilliant purples and other colors. Explore the fantastic variety of sealife along the rocky coastline. Bring your underwater camera! This is a great spot! Then its back along the south coast of St. John, around to the Hyatt, and back to Red Hook by 4:30PM. You can call Limnos Charters at 809-755-3203 (about $90 per adult; children half- price).
Other guests also gave glowing reports of tours aboard the Stormy Petrel or Pirates Penny. Those boats, however, charge full-fare ($100) for children, leading us to believe they preferred adults-only. The route is similar to that described above but stops at Peter Island rather than Norman Island. Telephone is 809-755-7990.
Charlotte Amalie: This shopper's paradise is also a fascinating place for a historical walking tour. (Given the roads and traffic, I did not wish to drive. Taxis are cheap, usually $4-$5 per person). Wear your walking shoes and tote a bottle of water! Hike up for the view from Blackbeard's Castle. Visit the old churches (Moravian, Dutch Reformed, Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal) and the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. The Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas is celebrating its bicentennial from August 1995 through June 1996. Call 809-774-4312 for a calendar of special events.
The history museum, housed in old Ft. Christian, is under renovation, so not much is on display. The lime-colored legislative building and other old government buildings are also picturesque. Narrow steps, winding streets, and lots of colorful flowers and shrubs lend charm and warmth to the town.
Food: The menus of Bolongo's three restaurants are too limited and conventional for our tastes. We got nothing typical--no plantains, fried conch, or other Caribbean specialties. Catch of the day was OK, but food quality and service varied from so-so to poor. Lobster varied from tender and savory to tough and tasteless--ditto the steaks. Iggies is the most US-like--pizza, sandwiches. Fries and cole slaw comes with everything--good for kids. We experience the slowest service and poorest food at Lord Rumbottom's at Bolongo. The Caribbean Lobster House at Limetree is the best of the lot--the seafood buffet is well worth it. Service anywhere is better if you eat earlier. A 6:30 dinner at the Caribbean Lobster House includes a beautiful sunset over the bay. Do have a lunch or snack at Coconut Henry's, the beach shack on Bolongo Bay. The cook has a great way with chicken! Try the jerked chicken or David D's salad, with spicy chicken. She also whips up big, juicy hotdogs and hamburgers.
Regrets: We never got to Coral World nor to the great snorkeling site of Coki Beach. I would not take the all-inclusive plan at Bolongo again. The Bolongo "children's program" is OK for very young kids but worthless for those over age 6 or so. And the program ends at 5PM--exactly when parents would most like a break! I would use the extra money to take more custom outings and to eat at more interesting restaurants. Sapphire Beach Resort sounds great--can anyone provide any specifics on it? Do they have a children's program? Overall, we greatly enjoyed our stay. A several-month drought had left the island dry--we had clear 90 degrees days all week. Just as our jitney headed for the airport, St. Thomas got a much-needed rain shower--but not on our time.
ST. VINCENT, THE GRENADINES: YOUNG ISLAND BY SANDY O'HARA
If you want to live out your dreams of living on the perfect private Island in the Caribbean, Young Island , St. Vincent, in the Grenadines should be your choice. A tropical wonderland complete with azure and emerald waters, and a nice well-groomed beach.
Our fabulous adventure started when soared off Barbados in Mustique Airways Baron for our 50 minute flight to St. Vincent. We were with a retired couple from Britain, a wedding gown and tux and ,of course, the soon to be bride and groom. We zoomed through the sky and landed at E. T. Joshua Airport. Upon arrival William William whisked us away in his Van. Driving on the wrong side of the road in typical Caribbean style, passing everything in sight. We were safely deposited on Young Island.
The "African Queen" diesel powered steamer putted from Young Island and picked us up. After a brief five minute ride, we were deposited at the dock. The rum knock out drops awaited us with the traditional hibiscus floating on top. We roamed through the lush tropical path along the lagoon pool to the end of the beach to our oasis Cottage #10. This wonderful paradise of living room, bedroom, and outdoor shower, was beautiful decorated and comes complete with private deck, hillside gazebo, and 5'deep "PLUNGE POOL." We immediately shed all of our attire and went skinning dipping in the cool fresh water plunge pool.
Our arrival day was also the managers cocktail party. The "African Queen" takes all of the guests over to Fort Duvernette for a torch-lit cocktail party and then whisked everyone back for the wonderful dinner prepared by an award winning chef. Each meal is enhanced with freshly baked bread of which you can choose of one or all of the six kinds. This resort also boasts of a pastry chef. Who after I gained Ten pounds, asked me if the desserts were awesome. Several nights a week and elegant buffet is served. Breakfast can also be a gastronomic experience with the flaming rum French toast. This is some of the best dining we have ever enjoyed in the Caribbean.
The Hotel goes out of their way to please the guest's wants and wishes. Many tours can be arranged. Hiking through the rain forest, boating to the Baleine Falls or taking advantage of their sail away package. We chose to take a trip along with another couple to Tobago Cays with Dominique our guide.
Our adventure started in the usual Island style of hurry up and wait. We were flying from St. Vincent to the Island of Union via Mustique. We were meeting Dominique at the airport. We waited and waited and Mustique was ready to go and we had no guide. Finally Dominique arrives with child in hand. His greeting was my son wanted to go but he now has changed his mind. He went to the counter and informed the agent and the pilot that the flight must wait 15 minutes until his wife picked up the child. Only in the Islands, we waited. We had a fabulous day aboard Captain Yannis 60 ft Catamaran. We sailed from Union Island to Palm Island, on to Mayreau where we had a good lunch aboard the boat and then off to the Cays. Each spot had a fabulous white sand beach and great snorkeling. We flew back to St. Vincent from Union in time for an afternoon dip in our pool and dinner. This was a wonderful trip and would highly recommend flying to avoid the choppy seas that lay between St. Vincent and Tobago Cays.
Our next day was an invitation to the wedding for the young couple we flew in with. We were invited like several other couples minutes before the wedding. We all went to Sunset Point in swim attire and beach hats for the ceremony. The bride wore a simple silk taffeta dress and the groom his tux. The attendants were another couple who were on their honeymoon whom the bride and groom met at the resort. It was a bit unusual but indeed a nice service.
Now back at home we reminisce about our days at Young Island. Laying on the beach, snorkeling around the Island, taking a dip in the salt water lagoon pool, climbing up the 100 or so steps to the top of the Island to looks out at the breath taking vistas.
We were to lazy to windsurf, row or take the sunfish sailing. We surely enjoyed our plunge pool sunrise to sunset.
Young Island is indeed a tropical paradise. Can't wait to go back-- Hope to see you in YOUNG'S paradise!
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TURKS AND CAICOS: PROVO BY BARBARA GAITHER
It's not your typical tropical island but I thought it was full of natural beauty. It was also nice to be on an undeveloped island without a lot of high rises and crowds. The beaches were beautiful and the water was a gorgeous turquoise blue. At first we were disappointed in the snorkeling because the water was real rough the first few days. By the end of the week it was a lot calmer and snorkeling at the "white house" was fabulous!!!
We took a 3 hr. boat trip that went to the iguana island (I think its called Sand Cay). As soon as the boat pulled up, the iguanas came running out to greet us. They were really cute! The boat continued on to another uninhabited island where we collected sand dollars and then to a snorkeling spot which was fairly decent.
We also took a full-day sailing cruise on the Caicos Sol. This trip went to French Cay (Key) for snorkeling which was pretty good, but the water was a little rough that day. Lunch was included and consisted of cold cuts, homemade salads and homemade conch
chowder--very delicious. We were then shuttled in the dinghy to the cay which is a bird refuge. If you wanted to, you could walk around the entire island in about 45 minutes.
We rented a jeep for the week and went to conch farm and drove around the rest of the island. We found a deserted beach on the south side (Cooper Jack Beach) that was real nice. Driving the road between Sapodilla Bay and Chalk Sound was gorgeous. We stayed part of the time at Ocean Club and part of the time at Grace Bay Club. We were very happy with both places.
Some of the restaurants we enjoyed were Alfreds, Caicos Cafe, Bonnies, Prestancia, and for a special gourmet dinner, Anacoana at Grace Bay Club was great--expensive, but worth it. Breakfast at the Tiki Hut and lunch at the Banana Boat were also good. I would definitely recommend Provo to anyone who wants to get away from it all and just relax and enjoy the water and water sports.
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