Philipsburg Island Hops: Anguilla Luxury Beaches, Saint Barthelemy Fashion, Saba and Statia Quiet Islands, Oyster Pond Yachting, Accommodation Spectrum, and the Hurricane Irma Recovery Story
The Sint Maarten island hop circuit encompasses the luxury British enclave of Anguilla in 20 ferry minutes, the Paris fashion island of Saint Barthelemy, the quiet volcanic hiking of Saba and historic Statia, the Oyster Pond cruising sailor base, the full accommodation spectrum from all-inclusive to French boutique, and the remarkable 3-year recovery from Hurricane Irma.
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Anguilla: The Luxury Island Next Door
Anguilla, the British overseas territory 5 kilometers north of Sint Maarten accessible by a 20-minute ferry from Marigot Harbor, is the most exclusive small island in the eastern Caribbean, with the Cap Juluca, the Four Seasons, and the Malliouhana luxury hotels anchoring a resort economy that markets the finest white sand beaches in the Lesser Antilles in a setting of complete luxury and complete calm. The Shoal Bay East and Meads Bay beaches of Anguilla are consistently rated among the ten finest in the world.
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Saint Barthelemy: The French Luxury Island
Saint Barthelemy, the French overseas collectivity 30 kilometers southeast of Sint Maarten accessible by a 40-minute high-speed ferry from Philipsburg or a 10-minute flight from Princess Juliana Airport, is the most fashionable small island in the Caribbean, with the Gustavia harbor boutiques, the Shell Beach, the Saline beach naturist zone, and the Eden Rock hotel creating the Caribbean luxury experience most associated with the Paris fashion and arts world. New Year in Saint Barthelemy is the most expensive single destination week in the Caribbean.
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Sint Eustatius and Saba: The Quiet Dutch Islands
Sint Eustatius (Statia) and Saba, the two smallest Dutch Caribbean special municipalities accessible from Sint Maarten by Winair turboprop in 20 minutes, provide the complete contrast to the developed resort tourism of Sint Maarten: Saba with its mountain hiking and world-class pinnacle diving, and Sint Eustatius with its 18th century free port heritage and underwater archaeological artifacts, are the two most authentically Caribbean destinations in the Dutch kingdom for the visitor who seeks the undeveloped island.
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Oyster Pond and Dawn Beach: The Eastern Frontier
Oyster Pond on the border between the Dutch and French halves, the sheltered anchorage on the windward coast that serves as the departure point for the Anguilla ferry, and the adjacent Captain Oliver's Marina, provide the yachting community gathering point on the eastern Sint Maarten coast where the cruising sailors prepare for the passages north to Puerto Rico or south to Dominica on the classic Caribbean island chain route.
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Sint Maarten Accommodation: The Spectrum
The Sint Maarten accommodation spectrum ranges from the Sonesta Maho and the Westin Dawn Beach on the Dutch side to the French side boutique hotels of the Grand Case and the Baie Longue, with the all-inclusive resorts of the Sonesta providing the budget-predictable option and the French side boutiques providing the intimate experience for the visitor who prefers the European service style over the American resort format.
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Hurricane Irma Recovery: The Most Complete in the Caribbean
Sint Maarten's recovery from Hurricane Irma, the most devastating single disaster in modern Caribbean history affecting a tourism destination, required the complete rebuilding of the Princess Juliana Airport, the restoration of 90 percent of the hotel inventory, and the reconstruction of the Great Bay marina and the Philipsburg commercial district. The Sint Maarten recovery, funded primarily by the Netherlands and the Dutch recovery fund, took approximately 3 years and resulted in a hotel plant that is newer and in many cases higher-quality than the pre-Irma inventory.