Making a Weekend on St. Maarten Happen: What To Do

February 28, 2013 at 5:28 PM | by JetSetCD | Comments (0)

Wondering when is the right time to jet down for a long weekend on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten? Right now, that's when. We did it and you can too, easily. All this week we'll be sharing the details on making the dream of sunning, sipping cocktails and spotting St. Maarten's notoriously low-flying planes a reality.

Everyone knows Maho Beach, where the airplanes land within a few hundred feet of the SPF-slathered bodies of gawking tourists, but there's more to St. Maarten than that. Rest assured that we'll bring you an entire guide to making the most of Maho tomorrow, but we can't forget the food and frolicking of other nooks of the island.

Here's four long weekend activities on St. Maarten (aside from plane spotting):

Clothing optional sunbathing

Look, St. Maarten is a tropical island split into French and Dutch sides, so prude land this is not. The most famous of the "clothing optional" beaches is Orient Bay, though it's quite a long drive which can be a challenge if you're only planning to spend a long weekend on St. Maarten. Still, the is very welcoming for ladies who prefer to tan au naturale, and Maho Beach's Sunset Bar & Grill famously lets topless ladies drink for free.

Dining at Marigot Harbour

Though Grand Case is known as one of the fine dining capitals of the Caribbean, it's a far drive if you're staying on the southern part of the island. Marigot's Marina Port La Royale, however, is easily reachable and restaurant tables line the quayside for true waterfront dining. Most restaurants here specialize in classic French dishes like escargots and the fresh catch of the day cooked meuni�re. We nommed a giant tuna steak at La Belle Epoque for dinner, and bit into boulder-like macaroons at Sarafina's on Marigot's Boulevard de France. A++ would eat again.

Scuba Diving

If you think the water is gorgeous from on land, just imagine what there is to see underneath the surface. Diving from St. Maarten is easy, and most of the full-service hotels on the island will be happy to arrange dives for those certified. We actually went about it ourselves, finding a great group in the Seahorse Diving Center at the Hotel Mercure on Simpson Bay. Pricing ranges from 45 Euro for a 1 tank dive to 320 Euros for a package of 10 dives.

Got a buddy who'd like to snorkel above while you're down below? That's an extra 25 Euro. One excellent dive site is that of the HMS Proselyte, a sunk 1796 Royal Navy frigate whose cannons and anchor now live in a vibrant reef.

Gambling

It's no Vegas, nor is it Atlantic City, but St. Maarten's casinos still have slot machines and dealer tables ready to part you from your money. At least they'll give you a head start! Look for a Customer Service or "VIP" booth or table within the casinos—like Atlantis in Cupecoy or the Sonesta's casino in Maho—to sign up as registered player and receive a starter credit of $10-$15.

[Photos: Cynthia Drescher/Jaunted]

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