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MY OVERDUE MAY TRIP REPORT: ANGUILLA-ST.MARTIN

With the help of short hand notes, here goes my belated Anguilla-St.Martin trip report. Thought I'd get this posted before the next trip rolls around. Just a few days away...

TRANSPORTATION:

BY AIR:
Jet Blue- Even more space seats. Worth it, even being all but 5 feet, 2 inches. Perks include more legroom, expedited security, early boarding, and early access to overhead bins.

BY WATER:
Port de Marigot/Blowing Point Ferry- Via Marigot ferry runs every 45mins, starting at 8:15am and last ferry at 6pm. Via Blowing Point ferry runs every 45mins starting at 7:30am and last ferry at 6pm. Hours of operation as per timetable on the ferry map provided at the terminals. Fortunately, it's not 100% accurate or we would have missed the ferry back to SXM. (Ran into an issue upon check out at the Viceroy due to a security safe malfunction.) After the 5:15pm departure from Blowing Point ferry terminal, which I thought was the last, there were two more departures of 5:40pm and 6:15pm. Cost $15/passenger + departure tax. Departure tax in SXM was $5, in Anguilla $5 for day trippers or $20 overnight visitors. Travel time approximately 20 minutes.

BY LAND:
Bryan's Car Rental, Anguilla. Ronnie Bryan was a pleasure to do business with and we will definitely rent from him again. Thanks, PreK, for this recommendation. Cruised around in a Hyundai Tucson with R23 plates. Suitable for the birthday occassion, 23rd of May. Some things you should know about when driving in Anguilla:
* $20 temporary drivers license fee is mandatory.
* Driving is on the left side of the road; my job was to remind my chauffeur to keep left.
* You can get lost, no matter what anyone tells you (damn roundabouts!).

Kenny's Car Rental, St.Martin. Lesley Bruce continues to be a pleasure to do business with. Cruised around in the usual white Toyota Corolla. I promised to take it easy on Lesley the next few trips because with our side trips to nearby islands he has done us many a favor by dropping off/picking up the car in atypical places than the usual Princess Juliana airport. Thanks, Lesley! Some things you should know about when driving in St.Martin:
* Driving is on the right side of the road; after a few days of driving on the left side of the road, my job was to remind my chauffeur to keep right.
* Speed bumps are still sneaky, even though we have a mental roadmap of the sleeping policemen. I'd be thrilled to see these painted one day.
* Drivers are still crazy, especially the scooters who create their own imaginary lane down the middle of the road.


Random parking next to a fellow Kenny's renter in Grand Case.

Winston Blythe, St.Martin. For a couple of days we were corolla-less and relied on taxi. We had a positive experience with Winston. At the time, I was unaware that he was a TTOL sponsor. Very reliable. Would use him again if needed.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Viceroy, Anguilla. Located in West End. Stunning! The entrance is a long drive, flanked with palm trees, before you reach the equally stunning resort. Upon check-in, we received a warm greeting from the resort manager and a refreshing libation. In addition, a friend called in a bottle of champagne and fruit platter for my birthday. Great surprise and beginning to a wonderful few days. We spoiled ourselves with a one bedroom suite; the balcony offered a personal plunge pool with a magnificent view of Barnes Bay and Meads Bay. The resort is located in between.


Our view. Word of advice, don't walk into these doors. They are really, very strong.

Things we enjoyed during our stay include:
* Tennis- All you need to do is reserve the court and it comes fully equipped: rackets, balls, towels, water, sunscreen, you name it.
* Snorkelling- We brought our own gear and spent some time between Meads and Barnes Bays. It would not surprise me if snorkel gear is available for guests.
* Sunset Lounge- Offers some refreshing cocktails to go with the complimentary plaintains and edamame, sunset or not. Just steps away from the infinity/adults only pool.



* Lots of other perks available if we had more time, like the complimentary bikes or golf carts for the villa rentals.

http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/anguilla/


Princess Heights, Oyster Pond. Our first construction-free stay at our place- hurrah! Thought the day would never come.



FOOD AND DRINK:

Food and drink in Anguilla, in no particular order...

* Dolce Vita- Located in Sandy Ground. Italian beach restaurant, lunch and dinner during high season, dinner only during low season, closed September-October, reservations recommended. Recommend the fresh pasta dishes.

What we ordered...
appetizers: caprese salad and calamari
entrees: homemade lasagna and (special) spaghetti with lobster and garlic in white wine sauce, made spicy to order
dessert: housemade sorbets, orange and raspberry flavors

All was delicious. WIFI available.

* Geraud's- Located in West End among a small strip of stores. Menu consisted mainly of pastries and sandwiches, closed Mondays, breakfast/lunch/dinner on Tuesday-Friday and breakfast/lunch on Saturdays & Sundays (as per waitress although their website does not indicate dinner). Recommend the breakfast bagels. I ordered the NY Bagel: egg, pastrami, swiss cheese. It was a toss up between that or my second choice, Barcelona Bagel: egg, chorizo, smoked gouda. WIFI available.

http://www.anguillacakesandcatering.com/index.html

* Elvis' Beach Bar- Located in Sandy Ground. Large projection screen right on the beach makes for a great location for watching sporting events; basketball was playing the night we went, although we were hoping to catch some live music, which they have from time to time. The bar is a wooden boat with benches all around. Very laid back place to grab a drink.

* Pumphouse- Located in Sandy Ground, not too far from Elvis' Beach Bar. We were told this is the place to go, especially on Thursday night, so we went on a Thursday night. There was live music and the place was definitely energetic, but it also felt like a tourist trap. Glad we went but would not rush to go back.

http://www.pumphouse-anguilla.com/

* Veya Restaurant- Located in Sandy Ground. Our highlight meal of our short side trip. Atmosphere, food, and service were top notch. It reminded me a little of Sol e Luna. There was also some live jazz the night we were there, icing on the cake. Did I mention the food was amazing?

What we ordered...
appetizers: conch carpaccio, layered salad (shrimp, avocado, corn, black bean)
entrees: grilled local lobster, snapper with parsley mashed potatoes and vegetables
dessert: coconut cake with coconut caramel sauce with vanilla ice cream

http://www.veya-axa.com/menus.php

* Straw Hat- Located in Meads Bay, short walk along the beach from the Viceroy. Thanks to a recommendation on TTOL, we gave this place a try and quickly fell in love with it. It's no surprise that this business has received recognition from Gourmet Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit, etc.



What we ordered...
lunch: panko crusted fish n' chips with coleslaw, tuna tartar with homemade potato chips
http://www.strawhat.com/menu.php

* Gwen's Reggae Bar & Grill- Located on Shoal Bay East, Upper end so it's a decent walk from the main entrance that most are familiar with. I've heard good things about the ribs here. Next time. Since we just had lunch, we came purely for the drinks and of course the view. Had some rest and relaxation on the hammocks.

Not too shabby of a way to spend a day in paradise.

http://news.ai/ref/reggaegrill.html

* Madeariman Bar & Restaurant- Located on Shoal Bay East. Coming from the main entrance, you will see Uncle Ernie's to your right and Madeariman to your left. It's a step up from Uncle Ernie's as far as food and ambience, although both share the fabulous beach front view. We also had some interesting company of cats, lizard, and rooster. In case you're wondering, the rooster won the grand prize (lizard).

What we ordered...
lunch: pizza and fish sandwich with fries

* Serenity Cottages- Located in Upper Shoal Bay, next door to Gwen's. This was a place recommended to us by the "voice of reason Pat" during our accommodation search process, but I eliminated it due to no pool. From the outside, it looks very charming. Very pretty grounds and right on the beach. We stopped by for a drink and really enjoyed the peace and quiet.

http://www.serenity.ai/

* da'Vida- Located in Crocus Bay. Wonderful property with lots of potential. Next year there will be a grand opening of a spa, so I've made a mental note to return. In the meantime, you can spend a day here pampering yourself with a great meal and lounging on the beautiful white sand beach. No live music the night we were there, but they do have live music on some nights. We also did not order from the full menu, but chose to share tapas.

What we shared: spicy seafood pizza (lobster and shrimp), beef kebab with teriyaki sauce, caribbean vegetable fritters, grilled vegetable salad with warm goat cheese... and chocolate lava cake with strawberry sauce and vanilla ice cream for a decadent end to a nice meal.

http://www.davidaanguilla.com/html/

* Trattorio Tramanto- Located in West End on Shoal Bay West. Very short drive from the Viceroy. You get the same pristine beach that Anguilla has to offer without the crowds of Shoal Bay East; this was yet another fabulous find. Apparently this place is frequented by celebs; the entrance is adorned with photos of some VIPs.

What we ordered...
lunch- duck panini (duck, parmesan, spinach, balsamic), aglio olio & pepperoncini

http://www.oasisbeachbar.com/


Shoal Bay West, with St.Martin in the distance.


Food and drink in St.Martin, in no particular order...
* La Sucriere- Located in Simpson Bay, next door to the FedEx center. Boulangerie and patisserie. Croissants are sinfully delicious here. We had the chocolate croissant and also chocolate coconut croissant. I love my coconut, but this was a serious overdose of coconut. WIFI available.



* Ocean Lounge- Located in Philipsburg. Restaurant at the Holland House Hotel. We aren't morning people when on vacation and we generally don't eat buffet, but if you're hungry this is worth a stop for their $17.50 breakfast buffet plus items cooked to order. WIFI available.

* Le Marrakech- Located in Marigot. Former chef/owner of Chez Ali had the opportunity to purchase, so he closed the doors of Chez Ali and has returned to Le Marrakech, where he owned it years back. He is revamping the decor. Lovely setting and more importantly excellent food. We enjoyed a family style dinner of mezzes and mains with the Frye clan (Luci Frye of SXMCooks).



* The Boardwalk Terrace- Located in Philipsburg. Happy hour 4-6pm. Spent a leisurely afternoon here. It was entertaining to watch the boardwalk come alive as a cruise ship pulled in. WIFI available.


Royal Caribbean making its grand entrance.

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/taloulamangos-1.jpg[/img]

* Bikini Beach Bar- Located in Orient Beach. Happy hour 6-7pm, I think. We had a short but sweet visit with Elisa. The wonderful, energetic Corinna was behind the bar as usual. WIFI available.

* Spiga- Located in Grand Case. Open 6-10pm everyday. We had a caprese salad to start and for entrees gnocchi with crabmeat and mac n'cheese with lobster. For those who are interested, it is 1:1 if paying with cash.

* Ti Provencal- Located in Grand Case. Unfortunately, I forgot that it is closed on Monday, and we never made it back. This is a favorite of mine for the fresh fish.

* Bacchus- Located in Hope Estate. Shop hours are 9am-6pm, lunch hours 12-3pm every day except closed on Sundays. Shop has an extensive wine selection and fine foods for sale. Lunch is always excellent, pricey but IMO well worth it. We were informed that they will be closing sometime in September for renovations. The java bar will be relocated and lounge area will be renovated due to an ongoing airco leak.

* Mr.Busby's - Located at Dawn Beach. Cash only beach bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hours are 7am-10pm every day. $1 Amstel Bright from 11am-4pm. Happy hour from 4-6pm, with beverage prices reduced to approximately half off except for hot beverages. Live music 1-5pm on Sunday.

* Satara Restaurant- Located in Simpson Bay, across from Pineapple Pete. Recently opened, thai restauarant. There's an outdoor bar and lounge area, as well as indoor bar and dining area. Food was better than expected and service good as well. There was a recent TTOL thread with questionable practices with how the establishment handled the bill; we did not experience any of that.

* Fort Louis Yacht Club- Serving lunch and dinner, closed on Sundays. Live music during high season. Can't remember what we ordered, but we liked it enough and would go back. WIFI available.

* White Flag- Located in Simpson Bay, above the Garden Market. Rooftop bar and restaurant, serving mainly sandwiches, salads, and amuse bouches. We've only done the liquids, but the food menu looked appealing. Unfortunately, it was closed when we stopped by after lunch. New hours in May were changed to 5pm -? Monday through Saturday. Happy hour 5-8pm. Just found out that it will be closed in September while we will be down as well. Next time.

* Lee's Roadside Grill- Located in Simpson Bay, across from the Royal Palm resort. It's hard to resist the smell of grilled foods. This is a favorite of ours for lunch, although there is live entertainment nightly for dinner. We ordered the grilled snapper and grilled mahi mahi sandwiches. Tasty as usual. WIFI available.

* Little Jerusalem- Located in Simpson Bay, across from the Palapa Center. Cheap and cheerful. Serving lunch and dinner. I believe the hours are 11am-12am? Portions are generous. We ordered the spicy curry mix pita and lamburger with hummus and green salad with pita on the side. All good and friendly service by husband and wife.

* Mark's Place- Located in the Grand Marche parking lot in Cul de Sac. A favorite among locals and favorites. Local dishes in generous portions are served for a very reasonable price. Any person with a normal appetite cannot leave this place feeling hungry. Curry chicken is good here, although I am convinced Bistro Nu serves the best.

* Le Santal- Located in Sandy Ground. Fine dining in an intimate water front restaurant. For an added touch of romance, you can reserve a balcony to view the sunset. Unknowingly, the table next to us was another TTOL member.

What we ordered...
appetizers: mushroom ravioli and french onion soup
entrees: snapper with salt crust and dover sole, fish were fileted table side
dessert: grand marnier souffle, limoncello apertif

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/lesantal-1.jpg[/img]

* Quai Ouest- Located in Oyster Pond. Sad to scratch a place close to home off the list, but in terms of food and service this place needs much improvement. The flavors were off with my order. I took a few bites, tried to like it, didn't like it, so I left the remainder on my plate. No complaints or any rude gestures on my part, but I got a lot of attitude by the owner for not eating my food or taking it to go. Needless to say, I won't be rushing back any time soon.

ACTIVITIES:

Activities in Anguilla, in no particular order...

* Sandy Island- This deserted little island is worth a trip, much like Pinel on a smaller scale. Ferry runs from 11am-4pm with pickup/dropoff at Johnno's Beach Bar in Sandy Ground. Cost $10/passenger. Another couple and us showed up and another couple who actually made reservations, ironically, did not. Maybe during high season it is an issue, but reservations were not needed according to concierge. Having eaten a late breakfast at Geraud's, our hefty breakfast kept us full up till dinner, so we passed on the one and only beach restaurant on Sandy Island. We heard good things about the food. Next time. Prices were pretty steep though, but no competition to keep the prices reasonable.

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/sandyisland-1.jpg[/img]
* Malakh Day Spa- Temporary set up on Meads Bay while construction is underway at Shoal Bay East. We did a sunset couples massage. It sounds much nicer than the actual experience; it was a mosquitofest. There were a whole lot and they loved us. The former spa location was next to Gwen's Reggae Bar & Grill. The new location will still be in Shoal Bay East, but I forget where exactly along the beach front. I think she mentioned the new location will be near Shoal Bay Villas?

Activites in St.Martin, in no particular order...

* Mullet Beach- $15 for 2 chairs and umbrella. Did not stay long enough to check out the new pay-per-use porta potty station. We also parked strategically so as not to be blocked in; it was the weekend and we know how the beach gets packed with locals and tourists alike.
[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/mullet-1.jpg[/img]

* Baie Rouge- Located in Terres Basses, French lowlands. Parking was a bit tight in the small lot, but we managed. There were a few guys hanging out at the entrance to the beach asking for a donation if they watched our car; we passed on the offer. $15 for 2 chairs and umbrella. We were charged $10 since we got there late afternoon. Happy hour 3-4pm, 2-for-1 frozen drinks. Think this was at Chez Raymond, not Gus Beach Bar.

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/baierouge-2.jpg[/img]

* Le Moon- Located in Grand Case, in the former location of Le Shore. Monday mojito night. From what we were told it's the place to be and it goes until the wee hours of the morning. We didn't stay long enough to find out. Mojito was good though. Music was pumping.

* Cupecoy Beach- $15 for 2 chairs and umbrella. A nice beach day was spoiled by a whacker in the nearby cave. Well, P had a beach snooze, but I couldn't relax much to say the least. My luck. Otherwise, the view was pleasant.

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/cupecoy640x480-1.jpg[/img]
* Baie Lucas- Adjacent to the small, pretty much deserted Coralita Beach. Faces the Atlantic, so it can get windy and rough. Walked through the bay a short distance to the reef. Proper footwear is recommended. We packed our water shoes.

[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/lotsanivanh/baylucas-2.jpg[/img]
Does anyone know the story behind this?

OTHER RANDOMS:
* Eldorado grocery store, Anguilla- convenient hours of 7am-10pm every day. It appeared to be a one stop shopping place, with lots more than just food items.

* Susy Hair Salon- Located in Philipsburg in the Royal Palm Plaza, near L'escargot. Back in February, I inquired about a barber shop for P, with no luck. Well, he got over his mental block of going to a salon and having a woman cut his hair. In fact, he is becoming a regular here. Susy does an excellent job. Hours Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm, Sunday 2-6pm.

* I learned what a caribbean lunch means= 4 hours of leisurely eating, drinking, and conversing about life in general. Thanks, Jeannie and H&M!