TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Would you still go...

if the French border were closed?

I hope it doesn't happen, but if the EU does close to North American travelers as is being discussed, and if the French side of St. Martin isn't exempted from that, we will have to stay on the Dutch side until the travel ban ends. We will still go, as we stay on the Dutch side, and while we enjoy visiting French side beaches and restaurants, we'll still want to support Dutch side businesses. Just wondering how many others would do the same.

I want to go, but I understand their worries about bringing COVID back to St Maarten. My assumption is that if French side closes to US citizens the Dutch side is very likely. I would probably just opt for Hawaii this year if it doesn't look good. I am supposed to go in mid August. Surely we will see how things are going thru Mid July to make a decision.

I wouldn't assume that. Been to Hawaii, it's nowhere near the same. But of course, that's why they have vanilla and chocolate.

I was in the Military on the Big Island and still have friends there so it has more appeal to me than most probably.

Absolutely still go as there are plenty of wonderful restaurants and activities on the Dutch side. Booked for two weeks in December. Hoping borders are open but wouldn’t think twice if it wasn’t

Definitely - As the old saying goes "half a loaf is better than none!" I stay on the Dutch side anyway, and last year in January with the protests/riots I didn't get over to the French side at all. I still had a great vacation. But honestly I don't spend that much on t he French side anyway so mine may be a minority opinion.

I would be perfectly happy on the Dutch side, I would however mis som of the good french restaurants

Our answer is no. We stay on the French side and probably spend 95% of our time there.

We usually do split stays, 3 days on Dutch, 4-5 on French. Not planning to go unless both sides are open and safe.

We're not going until mid-January so.. things might settle by then (or not) but I think I would still go to see my tennis friends ...BUT....I would definitely miss going to Happy Bay, Grand Case and Orient ..BUT...I would accept hanging on the Dutch side which is MUCH better than sitting home in Massachusetts....in January

I would have to give it some serious thought. While I stay on the Dutch side, most of my considerable beach time is on the French side. Along with that consideration will be how long do I want to spend in a plane, especially if there isn't a vaccine by my travel time? With three legs and an overnight required before getting to SXM, that's a big consideration for me.

Would I still go? Yes! My villa is on the Dutch side and to be honest since Irma I only went to the French side to visit friends. I would stay at the villla, swim in the pool and tan on a chaise lounge on the roof terrance. I would miss the French restaurants and Orient Beach. I would go to Cost U Less and Ace Hardware. I would go to Greenhouse in Philipsburg. I would shop for groceries and cook at home. I would do my fast food runs to Burger King and KFC. I would still have a good time with half the island cut off.

We went to SXM 15 years...and we always said...if anything ever happened to club orient...we would never go back. Sadly...it happened. Without Club O SXM is just another Caribbean island...beautiful, wonderful...but just like all of the others. This is our personal preference...we know there are thousands of others who love the Dutch side and we are happy they still have a place to go.

If the French border were closed, but I could get to and stay on the French side, yes I'd go. For a one week stay, yeah, I could stay on the Dutch side, but we really like a 3 week plus stay, and I could not bear that solely on the Dutch side. I say this, assuming we could stay at Mary's Boon, which for some inexplicable reason, holds a special spell over me. What really brings us back to St. Martin year after year is GCBC and the Grand Case restaurants, but with a decompression stop at Mary's boon prior to departure. (And, from what I've seen posted here, BSV would be an alternative)

We are booked for 2 weeks on the Dutch side, airfare is booked and non refundable.

Hoping we will be able to go and enjoy.

Not being able to visit the French side would definitely be a "bummer" but we would still go.

If the French border were closed it would be because the EU has banned travelers from North America, so I'm afraid that probably wouldn't happen for you. We spend three weeks as well, and while we'd miss the French side beaches, we'd make do. Hoping it doesn't come to pass, as I think it would kill the French side economy.

We are booked for 2 weeks on the Dutch side, end of January, and hoping that it is safe to travel then. French side open or not, we would still go, if it is safe to travel. We would certainly miss some of our frequent stops, but would definitely go.

In absolute honesty, while we typically enjoy a day or two at Ans Marcel, a day or two at Friars and perhaps a day in one of many Grande Case locales, that’s only 3 to 5 days at best out of our two weeks plus, and if those days couldn’t happen, this wouldn’t be the end of my world.

I’ve always preferred the Dutch side and staying on a beachfront property makes this even more so the case. On our last trip we decided we could stay at BSV the whole trip and if it weren’t for seeing island friends and dining out, we could be perfectly content there without ever leaving. Between the units being ocean-front with a lovely pool and pool-deck for sun bathing, and the addition of the restaurant and bar at El Zafiro right next door, we could do our entire trip there without leaving much.

As far as SXM being almost the same as any other Caribbean island, having stayed on a whole bunch of them, I personally think that’s a misstatement but that’s my opinion and having been there a few times, the allure of Hawaii is destroyed for me by the reality of the ten hour flight each way.

Keeping my fingers crossed for November but in the end, what will be will be........

The French border being closed would in no way stop me from going.

The different possible permutations here make my head hurt. Country Sint Maarten is not a part of the EU, but it is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is. Saint Martin is part of the EU, as is France. Other French Caribbean islands (Guadeloupe, Martinique) are part of the EU, but St Barthelemy is not.

What will the Netherlands do? What will France do? How will it impact St Martin/Sint Maarten? I don't think that anyone, including the politicians on the island and in Europe know.

For me, I was thinking about slipping down to SXM in early December. But for now, I'm just going to have a seat on my back porch, have an icy cold adult beverage, and just watch what happens instead of speculating about political moves which I will never understand.

But that's just me.

I was wondering....what are the Netherlands rules and regulations? It looks like they are requiring a 2 week Quarantine in their "islands". If so...it may not be a case of would you go even if the French side is closed. It may be a case of...Americans are not allowed...period.

Yes I would. I used to love going to the French side but many things that have changed there over the past 10 years have changed my feelings. Most of what I enjoy now is on the Dutch side so I would be perfectly happy to spend all my time there.

Not easy to go to Hawaii. Right now a 2 week mandatory quarantine for visitors and residents. Don't see that changing soon.

If the French Side were not available, I would not go. The only two times we are on the Dutch side is when we arrive at the airport, and when we take a taxi from the French side to go back to the airport to leave the Island. We did go to the Dutch side once while on the Island, to spend a few hours at the Casino (near the Airport). That is the only time we spent any time on the Dutch side during any of our Vacations. We have no reason to go to SXM if the French side is not available.

Ditto JoeC047

We are booked for 2 weeks oct.31 to nov.14 ar SBR Villas, room and air are booked all I need is to book the car. We spend about 90 % on the Dutch side and have been going for 19 years so not going to French is not that much of loss. We will definitely go as long as the Dutch side is open.

Funny...in 15 trips to SXM...we landed on the Dutch side and drove to the French side. There was only one time we went back to the Dutch side to shop...for our 30th anniversary in 2002. Other than that we never went back to the Dutch side until it was time to leave. It is all a matter of personal preference. I agree with o2bnsxm

As of August 1st no quarantine with negative COVID test in Hawaii

So far. All could change by then.

We are booked for March 2021. IfFrench side closed to us so be it. We will support the island in any way we can even if it means eating in Dutch Side places we had previously not planned to in past years.

We would still go. We are booked for 5 weeks at SBR. We have found that e visit the French side less and less over the years. Used to go to Bai Rouge every day. Now we rarely go to the beaches, hanging around the pool has gotten more attractive. No sand to wash off, ability to run to the room for anything. Now only to eat in Grand Case. As we age driving there at night has become more and more challenging. We'd still go a couple of times but if the border is closed we'd just eat on the Dutch side. Getting older has certainly changed what we do. LOL

We do generally go to the beach most every day, but we did spend several days by the pool at La Vista Beach this past year. I completely agree about not driving over to the French side at night! Our first several trips, we ate in Grand Case every night. Now we rarely venture over there after dark. As you say, getting older changes what you do!

If I HAD to make that choice, I would still go, but closing the border between French and Dutch side again would be an absolute economic disaster for the island, on top of all the others.

We always stay on the Dutch side at various Simpson Bay locations. Since Irma closed RP most recently, we’ve stayed at El Z and love the location and easy access to Maho, Cupecoy, Simpson Bay restaurants, bars and casinos. We enjoy occasional trips to French side beaches and fun spots for lunch...but if the Dutch side allows us we’ve rebooked for two weeks in late October. It’s something to look forward to for sure, and if we are not allowed then we will continue to change our plans until we can go. I don’t agree that SXM is like other islands - it’s very special to us and that’s why we’ve been going every year but one - most times twice a year - since 2002.

Thanks...Cathy

It would be a big impact. Our next trip in Dec is Dutch Lodging with a heavy dose of France planned each day. Might be a trip killer.

Why would only France bar North American/US? Netherlands is EU too.

As the board boss said economic disaster.

Folks would come to Dutch side purportedly with the virus and camp Dutch. But a French sider working on the Dutch side would pick up the virus and take it across the border.

It is time for the locals to demand “one island” for goofy things like this.

The colonies persist.

Although I am not 100% sure on this, the Dutch side of SXM is technically autonomous, so they make these kinds of decisions locally, regardless of what Holland thinks. Technically the French side is part of FRANCE, and therefore France can tell them what to do. I think.

Country St. Maarten is NOT part of the EU.

Carol, you are correct.

Netherlands is EU, But Sint Maarten is not.

St Martin is governed directly from France, which is EU.

This has caused a bunch of problems these last months. Frustrating for both sides.

If EU does ban US traffic, there is a very good chance they would force St.Martin to do the same.

Elaine--thanks for that confirmation, but that would be devastating, if it happens.

Absolutely.