TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin One person's take after being on island for 10 days

These are observations of island life of a tourist. This is 3rd year we have stayed on island. 1st year after hurricanes.

Airport: arrival easy with quick lines through customs. Tents have a lot of ventilation. Quick pickup of bags.

Roads: still crazy traffic. Stayed in a villa on Happy Bay so saw a lot of road work. They are in process of burying electric lines under road. Nice to see improvements being made.

Police: See more on French side than ever have. They were doing random pull overs outside of Grand Case one evening. Felt more reassured by their being there. Dutch side saw more too.

Rebuilding: Dutch seem to more ahead in the game but hear saws and hammers wherever we go. Orient is rebuilding, just slow. Still travel by many houses on French side that seems people just walk away from. Roofs torn away - can see light through them.

Always enjoy our time here. Beaches still beautiful and Grand Case still makes me leary.
Think the rains will help with growth of landscape to hide some of rundown that has always been here. With time will be covered lol

People are upbeat with lots of crazy stories!
Til next time...

Hi. Thanks for the report! Where have you eaten that you enjoyed?? Also sending you a PM..

Would like to add airport on departure was painful. Hot packed rooms/tents. Got there 1hr 45min before departure and took that whole time to get through lines.
Went to Al Dente, Pineapple Petes, Greenhouse, Chinese restaurant in Orient, Sal n Pepe, cooked at home couple times, lunch at Karachters and El Zifaro. Food was great! Really enjoyed Chinese in Orient. Staff really upbeat and wanting to provide great service.
We also did a sunset sail out of Simpson Bay Resort area. People at resort said resort is beautiful there.

Figure this year will be year to rebuild tourism as people needed to take care of themselves 1st. Was there 10 days and cruise ship in probably 5 of those days

thanks for the info. Where is the Chinese restaurant at Orient?

The name of the restaurant is SAO and if you enter the village, it's the first one on the right. There was a different restaurant there last year but can't remember which one. Again great attentive service.

Thanks.

I think it's where La Table D'Antoine was.