Our previous Caribbean trips have been to St John, USVI. There, we usually try to do a different beach per day with a couple of favourites that we always return to.

What are we likely to find on SXM? Would we probably follow the same pattern or are we likely to find one that will meet all our needs and we'd just stay there? On St John, you miss a lot but not exploring as many beaches as possible. How about SXM?

Normally, we like quiet beaches -- our kids are grown up and don't come with us any longer. This year, we're traveling with friends who will have their 16 & 15 y-o son and daughter with them, so we may have to consider something more lively but on teh other hand perhaps not too lively given the kids' ages.

Any hints and tips on the SXM beach scene would be great!

Orient Beach (CO southern end, watersports,many beach bars & cafes)
Dawn Beach (nice beach to relax)
Friars Beach (quiet beach with 2 beach bars; go over the hill to Happy Bay)
Baie Rouge (beautiful with good snorkeling to the right by the rocks)
Mullet Beach (nice beach; little hot sometimes -leeward side)

Orient is my favorite. Lots to see and do. Have fun.

dont forget about taking a ferry to Pinel ($7 r/t) great beach and a great time

Go... explore... they are all different! some are more "commercially" developped than other, some are almost not commercialised, some have very powdery thin white sand, other have more corse (sp) ivory sand, some have shallow water, other have deep water, but over all they have one think in common : they are all magnifiscent!

And this is here bellow what I mean...:

Baie Rouge



Grande caye (great key)



Baie Rouge



Baie Rouge



NO SHE IS NOT NAKED

Baie rouge from Morne Rouge



Cupecoy



Cupecoy



Cupecoy



Happy bay



Happy bay



Grande Caye view on Tintamarre



Le Galion



Grande Caye



Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2008 05:13PM by Tabba Khady.

Gorgeous photos!!!!! Can you edit to indicate what beaches are what? That would be great.

I agree! Explore but understand that most roads are not marked well nor are the beaches so get good directions before you set out to the beach. If you can find a detailed map of the island.

Philippe, gorgeous photos. I envy you for living in such a beautiful place.

Annie

Done...

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Maclain,
We too love St John and get there whenever we can. The snorkeling in St. John is superlative to Sint Maarten, on French and/or Dutch side. Do not expect good snorkeling in Sint Maarten.
Also St. John is 3/4 a National Park, Sint Maarten is much more developed commercially.
Philippe didn't mention some of our favorite Sint Maarten beaches like Prune in Terre Basse and Mullet Bay Beach. Both totally different from each other.
Remember it's not like St. John.
Have a great time.
Cheers
irina

Thanks so much Philippe for the ID's on each. I never saw some of those beaches, even with the amount of times we've been there. Especially Grand Kaye and Happy Bay. Grand Kaye seems so beautifully quiet.

And Irina...how true...The two islands can't be compared and should not be. They should go with their eyes wide open to a different type of Caribbean vacation. And the most fun of all...is meeting new people who can share their knowledge or even meeting friends you've "spoken to" online that can ultimately form friendships spanning a continent and a lifetime.

My suggestion to anyone visiting the island is to meet others on the beach and begin friendships. These newfound friendships can enhance the SXM experience even more so.

Wow, P, great photos
They make me homesick...
Dee says you missed your calling..you should have become a photographer.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

My Mom was a great teacher for that matter beside her diplomatic career...
She discovered her passion for the photography when I offered her her first Camera while I was 14 years old. She became instantaneously a great photographer, never ceased to increase her talent ( she was still taking photos few days before passing away even though she was handicapped by the malady), and when she retired she entered a new career somehow as a freelance photographer for great European French magazine likes "terre d'Aventure", "Geo Magazine" (the french equivalent of the National Geographic) and many others. She also published on her own, including some postcard.
BTW some of those shots above were taken with my... cell phone

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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