Category Archives: Uncategorized

Coralita Beach

Caribbean, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

So, I finished visiting every beach on mainland Saint Martin today! Call me a nerd, but I am really excited about this. My final beach was Coralita Beach on the east coast of Saint Martin.


Coralita Beach is all but deserted, and it’s a bit challenging to find the entrance. It looks like there are three or four entrances, but we parked across from this restaurant:


And we walked through this charming path through the seagrape trees.


A short walk through this path led us to this beautiful beach.


La Belle Creole gets a lot of attention for being a creepy, hurricane-desroyed, abadoned resort. The remains of the Coralita Beach Hotel are a close second. 


These ruins are a little more sunlit, though they are melancholy, like something out of Planet of the Apes.


The graffiti on the pool was pretty sweet, too.


The beach itself is also a lonely, abandoned place. There were a handful of other beachgoers there and some of the beachhouses looked occupied, but the sand was unkept and the little dock crumpled up from wind and waves.


To the north of the beach is an area shades by palm trees, and to the south is a rocky area where you can walk to Babit Point and Oyster Pond. It was crawling with crabs and black iguanas, who looked for all the world like little dinosaurs. It felt a bit like we were walking through prehistoric times. 


It looked like an amazing place for snorkeling. Seriously, I have got to get into that reef sometime. 


We were lucky to go on a clear day, when the view of St. Barths was fantastic. A perfect afternoon for beachgoing!

If you like being alone on a peaceful beach, Coralita is a great place to relax. Don’t expect any facilities or landscaping, just the wild solitude of the wave-swept shore.

Petite Plage: An SXM Beach You Never Heard Of

Caribbean, International Travel, Nature, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

School’s out, and I’ve been doing a lot of exploring lately! Most of my adventures are documented on my Canon, which I haven’t been able to upload since my laptop cord died. Fortunately, I was able to replace it this week– for a whopping $45. In the States, it’s only $26. Go figure it couldn’t survive just one more month. Still, I am really happy to have my computer back! All that to say that I’ll be uploading great photos from St. Barths, Anguilla, and St. Martin soon. Today, though, I have something special: Petite Plage.


Petite Plage is one of the lesser known beaches on Saint Martin. It’s pretty tiny, and it’s hidden away. Plus, it’s right next door to Grand Case Beach, one of the best beaches on the island. Still, this quiet little beach is worth visiting.


To get to Petite Plage, walk north on the main road in Grand Case. Keep walking until you hit a gate to a private driveway, and then go through the small gate to the left. You’ll see the type of sign that marks the entrance to every beach on the French side.


When you get to the other end of the walkway, you’ll find a lovely little strip of sand with a killer view of Creole Rock.


You know, I had no idea that Petite Plage existed until Sunday. I’ve scoured the maps, planned my excursions, and even kept a list of all the beaches on Saint Martin that I hadn’t yet visited. Yet this one managed to slip past me. After my friend mentioned it last weekend, I checked the map again.  Yup, there it was– right next to Grand Case Beach. I’m so glad I found out about it in time! I’m trying to visit every beach on Saint Martin. What a bummer it would have missed this one.


Ben and I aren’t big “chill on the beach” people. If we were, we would have loved Petite Plage. If the beach bum life is your thing, rent a chair and umbrella for 20 Euro or get some food at Sunset (which I’ve heard is really fantastic).


Rather than stay at the Beach, Ben and I waded over to the rocky area to the left and went exploring. Aside from some cows and a ninja iguana, we found an awesome view  of Creole Rock and the whole bay.


All in all, this wasn’t our favorite beach. It’s definitely somewhere to visit at least once, though. If you need a place to get away from it all and relax, Petite Plage is your place!

Scuba Diving Creole Rock

Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ocean is the last unexplored frontier. I mean, we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the bottom of the ocean! Perhaps that’s why Scuba diving is such a thrilling adventure. Last week, Ben had the opportunity to Scuba dive around Creole Rock.

Ben’s cousin Craig, his wife, Bonnie, and their son, Wally, came to spend a week with us in Saint Martin. While they were here, they spoiled us. And I mean absolutely spoiled us! One of the excursions that Ben has been dying to do is Scuba diving. That hasn’t been in the med school student budget, so we’ve been doing a lot of snorkeling instead. Well, Craig and Bonnie decided that Scuba diving needed to be on the agenda, so Ben finally had the chance to go! He said it’s way more incredible than snorkeling, and it was worth taking a break from studying the weekend before his comprehensive exam.


Jet Ski Flyboard Experience in St Martin

The Experience

We went with Bubble Shop in Grand Case. Max was our guide, and he was awesome! This post isn’t sponsored by Bubble Shop; I’m writing because Bubble Shop is a great dive option and it’s worth sharing. Ben isn’t a certified diver, so he and Craig did the Discovery Dive trip to Creole Rock. Wally, Bonnie, and I did the snorkeling excursion. Since there were five of us, we got the whole trip to ourselves. It felt like a personal chartered excursion!

We started out with a tutorial on how to safely dive and snorkel. Before long, we were all zipped up in wet suits and on a boat from Grand Case to Creole Rock! Max said that it’s called Creole Rock because it looks like the outline of a Creole man sleeping in the water. As we got closer, I could make out the outline of a nose and chin, plus the belly rising out of the water.


Marine Tour Around St Martin

What We Saw 

The day was a little bit cloudy, which isn’t ideal for snorkeling, but the water was so clear that it didn’t matter. It’s definitely worth it to get out from the beaches, far away from where everyone is kicking up a bunch of sand or the waves are bringing in a bunch of crud from the Sargasso Sea.

The clarity of the water was awesome out by Creole Rock! The photos don’t do it justice. I usually fix the photos on a web program, but my laptop cord turned in its two week notice and took a vacation this week, so it will be a few weeks before I can fix these on my computer. Still, you get the idea! It was pretty remarkable down there.

At least the photos aren’t too shaky! You can tell which Go Pro photos I take and which ones Ben takes. Ben has the magical ability to take clear, steady videos under the water. When I take them, they look like they’ve been through a tsunami or a category three hurricane. Luckily, Ben had the Go Pro during this excursion. 

Here’s a photo of a gigantic hermit crab in a conch shell! Someone from another snorkel excursion told us about it, and Wally was the first one in our group to spot the shell. For size reference, conch shells are generally nine or ten inches long. Look at those pinchers! Anyone feel like losing a finger?

You can see a blue tang and a queen angelfish in the photo above. I’ve seen a lot of blue tang here, but this is one of the few queen angelfish I’ve seen.

This is a trumpet fish. They’re small, thin, silvery fish, and they are hard to see when they’re near the surface. Sometimes, I’m surprised when I slide into apparently empty water and see a few of these sneaky little guys gliding by. At Creole Rock, they’re not very skittish. Since it’s a nature preserve, they let you get pretty close without fear.


Snorkel Tour from St Martin

Why I Liked It

The water around Creole Rock is deep enough to be interesting but shallow enough to feel safe. I like free diving a little bit, and this was a good depth for getting to the bottom and not feeling like I was running out of air.

I also liked the area because it was good for all levels. Even though I’ve been in the water at least once a week since I got to the Caribbean, Creole Rock was an interesting place to see some new things and nicer coral. People who don’t snorkel often enjoy it, too, because it’s protected and shallow- perfect for getting used to open water or for seeing lots of things without having to free dive (and for readjusting an uncomfortable snorkel mask when it’s too loose).

What makes the boat ride out to Creole Rock most worth it is that it’s located in protected waters.  It’s also too far out for people to break the rules and go snag some lobsters illegally. The fish aren’t afraid that you’re going to whip out a spear gun, and the coral isn’t bleached from too much touching. This is a perfectly gorgeous place to go. We can snorkel Baie Rouge or Mullet anytime (which we do love to do), but this is special.


2-Tank Scuba Dive in St Martin

We had a great time snorkeling and diving Creole Rock! I’m so glad we had the opportunity to do it before we left. Thanks, Craig and Bonnie!

 

Riu hotels, summer, holidays, deals, travels

How to Find the Guana Bay Hike

American University of the Caribbean, AUC, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Nature, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Spouses Organization, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Guana Bay hike is a popular hike on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, but it can be pretty hard to find if you’ve never done it before. To avoid driving endlessly around or scrambling up a frightening hillside of loose rocks, follow these directions and enjoy one of the most beautiful hikes of your life! Here’s how to find the Guana Bay hike in Sint Maarten.

To Find the Guana Bay Hike: 

To get the hike, drive north (counter-clockwise) from Philipsburg. If you’re on Pondfill Road, drive toward the east coast of the island and go north (left) at the freed slave roundabout. Keep driving until you see the sign that says “Guana Bay” on your right. It’s kind of small, so keep your eye out. You’ll turn right at the next right after you spot the sign. The road will take you up a hill, then down and to the coast. You’ll see the beach on your left and the parking lot on your right.

Now, it’s probably good to know that the name “Guana Bay Hike” is a misnomer. The beach on your left is Guana Bay, and the hike does NOT start here. We thought it did the first time we went, because getting lost is apparently just part of hiking for us. It was still fun, but it’s not the trail.

If you’re here, you’re in the wrong place

When you see the beach and the parking lot (aka dirt patch), keep going. You’ll get to the end of the road at a while abandoned house. The trail starts here, going directly toward the coast.


Full-Day Jet Ski Tour in St Martin

The Trail Head: 

Like I said, the trail begins at the end of the road. It goes directly down toward the water, dipping down and passing this weird old garden thing before heading up. This is the path, and you can keep going until the end.

 

This is actually the very first Saint Martin activity that Ben and I did when we first moved here, over a year and a half ago! Our friends Austin and Stephanie took us here to give us a taste of the island life. Here’s a picture of Ben and I way back before we got our Caribbean tans. It’s hard to believe that this island adventure is almost over.

The Path

The Guana Bay path isn’t the kind of thing you want to do in flip-flops or even Chocos, really, although I have done it in Chacos. I also wouldn’t recommend taking little kids past the first couple bays, unless they’re seasoned hikers. I have taken kids to the rocky area and the first bay you reach. That part isn’t too bad.

After the first part, though, you get some narrow trails, steep drops, and straight-up hillsides. The end result, however, is worth it. It takes about an hour to get to the end.

By the way, “X” does not mark the spot when it comes to the Guana Bay Hike in Sint Maarten. Stay away from the old, disintegrated paths marked with a red “X.”

Very steep!


Fly Zone Extreme Adventure at Loterie Farm

Along the Way

Don’t forget to enjoy the treasures you find along the trail! One of my favorite stops is at the boulders. This is fairly early on in the hike. You’ll see all the big, black rocks. Climb down there and explore the tide pools and rocks. This is a great pace for viewing the cays and islands off the coast. The biggest one is St. Barth’s, and the closet cay is Guana Cay.

Another cool place is Geneve Bay, where you can often find pelicans swooping to the waves in search of fish. This is also a great place to hunt for conch shells.

There are also a whole bunch of goats on the path! When I take my dog, Kito, on this hike, she loves to chase them. There’s nothing I can do about it, so I just keep going and she eventually comes back. The first time she went racing after the goats, she was covered in cactus spikes from head to toe when she came limping back. Now she knows about the cactus and stays away.


St-Martin and St Maarten: Sightseeing Tour of the French and Dutch Sides of the Island

The End

The end of the Guana Bay Hike is the very best part! Here, you’ll find a deep natural pool that is protected from the waves. You can swim here, but beware of the urchins! My friend Jay was stung by one pretty badly. Just stay away from the walls and you’ll be fine. This is also a great place for sunbathing.

Beyond the Tide Pool

The Guana Bay Hike is already a pretty long hike if you go all the way to the pools, but if you’re up for more, the path continues. I’ve never been myself, but I believe the trail comes out at Point Blanche.

If you want to find more hikes in Saint Martin, check out my SXM Activities Page or read these posts on the Lovers Beach Hike, the Wilderness Hike, and the Pic Paradis Hike. Subscribe or like the 3rd Culture Wife Facebook Page for more posts on Saint Martin hikes!

Photo creds: Alyssa F. and Austin W

 

Baseball Birthdays

American University of the Caribbean, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , ,

Every now and then, we have birthday parties on the baseball field! Last week, it was A’s turn to have a surprise party.

His birthday was during the week, but for some reason he told me it was Saturday. So I arrived on Saturday armed with a cake (covered in sprinkles, of course), much to his delight and surprise! 

We also had fun games, since Coach Tom had recently ordered some new toys that had just arrived! Our favorite was this cool game– you have to maneuver a wire hook over a metal contraption without touching the metal at all.

Lisa brought food, too! She made spider spaghetti for the kids.

These are the kind of days I’ll never forget. What a wonderful life this is!

Lovers Beach: How to Find It

AUC, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Nature, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Spouses Organization, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you live in or have been to the island of Saint Martin, you have surely heard of the elusive Lovers Beach. The rumor is that the beach is hidden somewhere between Galisbay and Friar’s Bay, and that it’s worth searching for. I am here to put these rumors to rest: they are true. Here is how to find Lovers Beach.


UPDATE: Thanks to a commenter for providing post-Irma information on Lovers Beach. Although the beach is still there, it’s a lot smaller than it used to be. Plan to visit at low tide. 

Why visit this dinky little beach?

There are 37 beaches on Saint Martin. What’s the point of visiting one the size of your bathroom when great, big, beautiful beaches are so much easier to get to? Well, other than achieving the goal of hitting every beach on the island, You should go to Lovers Bay because it is STUNNING. Seriously, it’s a tiny slice of Heaven nestled into the lonely cliffs. You won’t understand until you see it for yourself.


St. Martin Sunset Sail – $40.00
from: Viator

There is a serious lack of info about it this beach on the web. I have yet to find a good description of how to get there, so I thought I’d write one myself to help y’all out. You’re welcome.


How to find Lovers Beach

Drive toward Friar’s Bay. Friar’s Bay is north of Marigot, about halfway to Grand Case. You’ll see this sign at the turnoff on your left:


St Martin Kayak Rental to Pinel Island – $15.00
from: Viator

When you get to the place where the paved road takes a right turn over a bridge, go left. If you go straight, you’ll end up in a rich lady’s front yard, and she’ll think you’re a crazy trespassing tourist. So go left.


Next, take a right. Don’t go up the ridiculously steep hill.


Drive to the end of this path. Here is a place on the seashore where millions of stones make the sound of rain on a tin roof as each wave laps at the shore. Cow paths wind through the forest, and vines with pink flowers wrap every tree, inviting the butterflies to play.

You’ll park here:


Walk to the left until you come to a gate.


Go through the gate and follow the path. It will go through a lot of tall, swishy grass.


If you find yourself here, you’re doing it wrong:


The path is beautiful. I saw a couple flowers that I have never noticed on Saint Martin before, and we saw some massive orange iguanas that don’t look like the usual green iguanas, which are actually an invasive species. I wonder if the orange ones are the indigenous iguanas.


The path turns off to the right a couple times. You can take either way, I think.


Snorkel Tour from St Martin – $54.99
from: Viator


The path will take you through some thick grass. Suddenly, you’ll burst out into the open, where the sky stretches on forever and Anguilla is a green jewel in the endless blue ocean.

Below you, you’ll see it: Lovers Beach! Maybe you’ll cheer ecstatically like I did.


It is as tiny as they say, but it’s also as beautiful as they say. You’ll be so glad you came!


Scramble down the rocks and enjoy the perfect sandy hideaway.


Welcome to paradise.

Remember, this beautiful beach can only stay nice if everyone cleans up after themselves. It’s easy to pick up and pack out your trash. Make sure Lovers Beach stays gorgeous for your kids and grandkids to visit someday.