One of the Most Breathtaking Places on Earth
- Nicole Maranto
- Apr 12, 2017
- 5 min read
Wishing you were somewhere warm? Can't wait for the summer weather to roll in? Have a lot of stress from school or work? Well don't fret, I have the most relaxing, fun, and happiest place for you to unwind in! It's called Sint Maarten!
Sint Maarten is a beautiful little island in the Caribbean. It has gorgeous blue waters, breathtaking scenery, and amazing food. It truly is a place to escape from reality. There are so many interesting little places to explore on this island and so many wonderful beaches to see. You might be thinking this sounds expensive and out of your price range, however, if you do your research it can be a fun and affordable trip.
My boyfriend and I visited Sint Maarten for a week in March of 2016. We stayed in a modern, yet cost-effective hotel right on one of the main streets in Philipsburg. The hotel was called the Holland House and was located right on the beach. It sat across the street from all the popular shopping stores in the area. It was a very nice hotel with a great staff. The only downside about staying in a hotel around this area and not in one of the many resorts that the island offers is that once all the daily tourist from the cruise ships leave many of the stores and restaurants close down for the day. This can make it a struggle to find things to do at night. Nonetheless, the hotel we stayed at had a fabulous bar that was open late. We also explored the area at night and found some fun local restaurants. My favorite restaurant we ate at quite a few times was right on the boardwalk called the Blue Bitch Bar. They had delicious drinks and burgers, I would definitely check it out if you plan on traveling to Sint Maarten in the future.
The town of Philipsburg is way too cute! There are so many unique shops hidden on the island that offer different kinds of souvenirs, jewelry, clothing, and food. There also are a variety of activities you can find around town. Some of the locals rent out their boats and jet skies for families to use which is a blast. You can also find hiking, a zoo, sailing, boat rides, and so much more on the island. But instead of ranting about everything there is to do I'll just give you a list of my top three favorite attractions.
1. Tiki Hut Snorkel Park - This place is one of a kind! The Tiki Hut Snorkel Park is literally a floating island! It's located on the water in the Little Bay area, and people drink, lay out and relax, go snorkeling, and do so much more on it. It's a great place to hang with friends and family. There is a boat every 15 minuets to pick you up and drop you off. You just have to remember to register and get your tickets in advance to reserve your spot. I have attached a link below so you can check it out and start planning your trip aboard the Tiki Hut! http://www.snorkelstmaarten.com/wp/
2. Dolphin Discovery - How the heck would you not want to spend an afternoon swimming with some of the most lovable creatures in the sea! At Dolphin Discovery you get to swim with multiple dolphins and learn some pretty interesting facts and ticks about them. This was by far my overall favorite experience when I visited Sint Marrten. However, to get to Dolphin Discovery you will have to take a half hour ferry ride to the island Anguilla (don't forget your passport!) Anguilla is a post-card picture perfect island. It has the softest sand and some of the most magnificent beaches. A few miles down the shore from the ferry dock lies the stunning Dolphin Discovery. Now, don't get to stressed about the price of this fun activity. This was actually very reasonably priced for swimming with dolphins. I paid around $200 dollars for my boyfriend and I to swim with dolphins for 45 minuets, and let me tell you, that was SUCH a great deal! I did a lot of research before booking passes for Dolphin Discovery. Compared to places like Discovery Cove and Dolphin Quest who charge around $200 per person for their basic package, Dolphin Discovery by far seemed like the right choice! It was truly a blast and I would love to go back again! It was a dream come true. Check out their website! http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/st-maarten-anguilla/
3. Maho Beach - For any one who is looking for a nice peaceful relaxing beach to sit back, watch the sunset, and drink a margarita, this beach is not the beach for you. However, if you have a bit of a dare devil living inside you and want a fun and exciting beach to explore, this beach is the perfect fit! Maho Beach is located right in front of Princess Juliana International Airport. Literally, the airport is pretty much on the beach. Planes fly right over your head. People have even gotten hurt from standing to close to the runway. It is a crazy experience but worth while to check out. Planes fly directly over the beach. They are so close it almost feels like you could reach up a hand to touch the bottom of them. Sand is blown everywhere when planes take off. Sometimes the sand blows so hard you have to run out of the way or else it feels like pebbles are being thrown at you. When a large plane is taking off it creates such a powerful blast of air that people are blown backwards on the beach. I tried to stay out of the way when large planes took off and found it hilarious to watch people scatter away from the beach and fall over backwards while trying to chase after hats and towels. AKA, don't leave your items unattended because you'll probably find them drifting off with the current. It might sound like a crazy and dangerous beach, but it is so much fun and definitely a rare gem in the world. I can't wait to go back and spend even more time at Maho Beach in the future!
Oh, I almost forgot! The best part of this trip was playing with all the adorable local dogs on the island. Don't worry, the dogs are safe to pet. They wander around the beach every day, lie in the sand, swim and chase fish in the water, and play with tourist. The locals on the island call them the local dogs. Everyday they leave out food from restaurants along with water for the dogs to enjoy. The dogs literally just live on the beach, get fed free food, and are loved by thousands of people daily. Sounds like the perfect life for me!
If you don't believe how great Sint Maarten is just check out some of these awesome pictures I took on my visit:
