Superficie

I just returned from a week at Pelican Resort in St. Maarten. I went solo, single female in my mid-30’s. Despite a few minor inconveniences (lost luggage, long lines), I had a great time and wanted to share my experiences in hopes of helping the next traveler.

Flight

I flew Spirit Airlines out of FLL. I am one of the biggest budget/bargain shoppers. However, trust me - pay the extra -100 to fly a different airline who has better processes in place to handle the passengers, luggage and flights. If you do fly Spirit – get to the airport earlier than the two hours required (at least an extra hour). Spirit had major issues handling the number of people checking in for international flights. The international line had tents set up outside (long lines are common) and the line was longer than a football field outside. Skycab (sp?)/ outdoor check-in did not exist. Make sure you get in the right line – there is one for domestic and one for international. I was in line outside for almost two hours and the Spirit crew would occasionally walk by and pull people out of line whose flights were close to departing. However, they just put you in another line inside and at this point you are cutting it really close. I almost missed my flight and there were several empty seats that lead me to believe that other passengers really did miss their flight. I paid to check one bag. Apparently, this is new and if I would have done it online it would have cost only . Then they make you drop your bag off to be scanned. Again, this was another hold- up. The bags were stacked up and they could not handle the volume. It is no wonder that my luggage did not arrive on time. There were several people that I spoke to during the course of my trip that had lost and/or delayed luggage from Spirit. One couple that flew in the same day I did, never received their luggage at all and Spirit finally admitted they lost it. I flew out on Saturday – so at least there was a Sunday flight. The Sunday passengers were told to expect their luggage on Friday. Also, flights never depart/arrive on time with Spirit. When you are on board the plane, only water is free. You must pay with a credit card for a soda or juice and any snacks (no cash is accepted). BTW- make sure you look out the window when you land to see how close you are to the beach.

Suggestions

Pack light – try to carry-on if at all possible. You really don’t need that many clothes. If you check luggage – carry-on a day’s worth of clothing and a bathing suit. Unlike the US, other countries do not have the same diligence in delivering luggage. Many people said that it takes a trip to the airport and physically speaking with someone to ensure they look for your bag.

Car Rental

I rented a car from Ace rental. They had the best rates (although I am sure other companies were similar). What I didn’t think about as a single traveler was reliability of the vehicles. The condition of the vehicle was moderate. You could tell it had been in a few minor fender benders. On day two, the temperature gauge came on. Fortunately, I knew how to check the water and it was low, so I just added some. Make sure you check the tires and that a spare tire is provided. There are a lot of pot holes in the roads. You should have a car to get around the island. If you went non-stop it would probably take you about two hours to drive around the entire island.

Condo & Amenities

I traded my timeshare on Interval International and ended up at Pelican Resort in Simpson Bay on the Dutch side of the island. Upon arrival, the check-in line was long. I felt relatively safe there. The resort was in a good location and it had amenities and convenience of a spa, grocery, restaurant and marina (ferries to other islands) all on property. The room itself was not the greatest. It was outdated and had a little mildew smell. However, it was clean and I didn’t hang out in the room.

I signed up at check-in for the Sunday sunset cruise. It was on the “Lambada” catamaran and went along the coast down towards Cupecoy. It was money well spent. The trip was about an hour and a half and allowed the drinks were free – Carib beer, rum punch and alcoholic drinks. It was definitely a bargain! I also heard the wine tasting on Wednesday night was good.

The Peli Deli (grocery store) at the Pelican Resort is actually pretty good. I drove towards Philipsburg until I hit a big green grocery store (less than 10min.) to do my main shopping. The remainder of the week, I shopped Peli. The prices are reasonable (quoted in Dutch guilders) and the selection is good. They make fresh sandwiches and have pastries available.

The spa, L’Aqualigne at Pelican Resort is top notch. I woke up with a stiff neck and called on Saturday to make an appointment for that day. The owner, Marc, personally greeted me when I arrived and set me up for a shiatsu massage with Sasha. The quality was equal if not better than most massages I have received in the US. He personally ensures that all the masseuses and estheticians meet his high level of standards. The spa is quiet and tucked underneath the main pool by the beach. They are a full service spa with facials, waxing, laser hair removal and have a package called “Smile and Shine” that deals with a make-over and teeth whitening. I would recommend L’Aqualigne.

Scuba Diving

I would highly recommend Jeff at Ocean Explorers for diving. I did a two tank scuba dive with them. They only take 4-6 people out on the boat and the dive master goes down with you. They are very knowledgeable and safety conscious. It is just down the corner from Pelican Resort in St. Maarten. Also bring a shortie or rent one for .

Ocean Explorers helped me coordinate a day of scuba diving in Saba. The ferry boat leaves from Pelican Marina in the morning. It delivers you to the dock in Saba (about an hour ride) and the dive master, Steve, with Saba Deep diving, meets the boat to transport you to the dive shop a few hundred feet away. There is a restaurant above the dive shop, so as you check-in you can go upstairs and order lunch. This trip is a little different because you come back to the dive shop for lunch in between dives. The diving was spectacular. Again, they were very safety conscious and Steve ensured that everyone stayed within his profile but was allowed the space to see the beauty of the sites we dove. We did a wall dive and went about 70 ft. They put together a nice package for you to take home on your dives.

Beaches

I spent a day at Dawn Beach. It is in the Oyster Pond on the East side of the island, right where the French meets the Dutch. Mr. Busby’s Beach bar is good to park. They have chairs that rent for approx. /day, although the guy next door that rents the yellow chairs in front of the area where they rent beach equipment was cheaper. I brought my lunch. Mr. Busby’s was on the pricier side. This was a quiet beach with mostly couples and families (nobody was nude). In the afternoon it got a little noisy because the condo at the end of the beach had a DJ that was blasting music. The snorkeling is good at this beach and it is simply beautiful.

I also spent a day at the popular Orient Beach. If you are facing the beach, on the right at the very end is where everyone is totally nude. Aside from that, regular or topless is normal. I rented a chair and umbrella for the day. The restaurants here are also a little pricy. However, the water is crystal clear and beautiful.

Mullet Bay is also highly spoken about by the locals. I drove past it. It is near Maho area.

There is a spot called the Galeon Bay for windsurfers. It is just South of Orient Beach. I took a drive out there – road is seriously bumpy and it is right near a horse back riding company.

Other Islands: I booked both Island ferries through Aqua Mania at Pelican Marina. There are ferries that go out of Marigot. However, I didn’t want to deal with getting up earlier to meet the ferry and driving back to Pelican at night. I did hear that it is much cheaper from Marigot if you are going to Anguilla. Otherwise prices are the same.

Saba

There was a group that went on an island tour and hike in Saba. All seemed to have a good time and said there were different levels of hikes. Saba is beautiful and very primitive, unlike the other islands I visited. It is a place where everyone knows everyone and crime is almost non-existent. Oddly enough, this was an island with no beaches. There was no shopping at the harbor area and not much of any for those that did the island tour. The people who would enjoy Saba are scuba divers, hikers and people who appreciate flora and fauna. Bring a bottle of water.

St. Barths

I took the ferry from Pelican to St. Barths for the day. The trip is about an hour and was a little rough. Take medicine if you typically need to. Upon arrival, I chose to take an island tour with one of the taxi drivers ( US). There were 7 of us in a van and he stopped at various places so we could take pictures. The driver dropped us off at St. Jean Beach, also known as the Nikki Beach area and arranged to pick us up in a few hours to return us to the port. There are two sides of the bay at St. Jean divided by the Eden Rock Hotel, so I walked a little further down to the other side. There was also a place on the beach that rented windsurfers – mostly mistral equipment. Again, the water was beautiful and it was relatively quiet. However, it was right near the tiny airport and you could watch the planes taking off.

Anguilla

I didn’t make it to Anguilla on this trip. However, others I spoke with said it was more primitive than St. Maarten but not as much as Saba. You can book to swim with the dolphins there and they take you on an island tour. Aqua Mania also has a snorkeling trip to there – you should check if you actually get to tour the island.

Bars/Restaurants

I went to the Buccaneer Bar which is right down the street from Pelican. The food was good. I had a grilled ahi Tuna sandwich with fries for . Across the street is an Indian restaurant called Amand. I never ate there but heard that the food was good.

Sunset Beach bar is the happening place to go. The bartender, Junior, is great. This is the place near the airport where the planes fly in super low over the beach. They are known for one of the best burgers on the island. Right next door is another popular bar called Bliss and next to Bliss is Bamboo Bernies. All are within the same plaza. The Sunset Beach bar has something for everyone with theme nights. Check out their website for the latest schedule. Sunset is very casual and laid back. Bliss is South Beach, Miami style. I did not make it to Bamboo Bernies.

Basics

Everyone took American dollars. However, some of the smaller shops, only took cash and did not accept bills, so get smaller denominations. I drove all around the island and felt relatively safe. I was careful to leave the beaches around 4 p.m., so I would be back before it became dark. Driving is on the right, but the roads are a little confusing. I went out to a few clubs at night. However, I always stuck close to Simpson Bay/Maho area. I wouldn’t feel safe driving in Phillipsburg at night and wherever I went, I made sure I could get a parking spot up close.

The local food is seafood. You will be able to find almost every type of food somewhere on the island. Because of the French influence, you can find great croissants and pastry shops.

Do not leave anything in your car that you don’t want stolen (especially at the beaches). Thieves know how to easily get in trunks of cars.

In my opinion, prices are equivalent or better than the United States. If you drink Heineken or Carib, you usually pay 50 cents to a dollar vs. for an American beer.

What to bring: collapsible beach cooler; mask, fins and snorkel. My resort did not provide a hair dryer.