Last week was my first time out of the country since the start of the pandemic. Boy, did I need a vacation and a week in St. Martin cured my Zoom Blues! While meditating on the serene, turquoise water beaches of Grand Case, I had an opportunity to reflect upon what I take from travel and most importantly, what I can give back.
A One-Two Punch
St. Martin (or Sint Maarten if you visit the Dutch side) has received a double blow to its economy in the past few years. The first one was in 2017 when Category 5 Hurricane Irma ravaged the island for eight hours. Ninety percent (90%) of buildings were impacted and one-third were completely destroyed. The “battle scars” are still there. Quite a few homes, hotels, and shops in Grand Case (where we stayed) have yet to be repaired. I imagine the pandemic and a shortage of construction supplies have exacerbated a full recovery.
Love and Resilience
However, the word love, as part of a colorful mural painted by Liliane Ortega (@lilitotas) on an abandoned structure, says it all.
From the taxi drivers (who are the best tour guides, by the way) to restaurant staff and residents who greet everyone with “bonjour,” their “love” for this tiny island home is evident. It’s the first time that I’ve been told while vacationing, “thank you for supporting our economy.” The St. Martin locals welcome visitors as much as we welcome a vacation. After all, tourism is or should be, a fair-trade partnership. (I’ll discuss that more at the end.)
A sense of pride and positivity filters through the warm, ocean breezes. Furthermore, the people’s resilience is exemplified in their smiles and energetic gait.
A Few of My Favorite Things
Staying at Bleu Emeraude is at the top of my list of favorite things about my stay in Grand Case. It’s a boutique hotel with 11 oceanfront residences. Kelly, the manager, is very friendly and helpful. It is immaculately maintained and quiet. Unless you’re on your room’s large terrace, you won’t hear sounds from the other guests. The waves’ gentle purr hypnotizes you.
The electric roll-down hurricane shutter keeps the room dark until you are ready to wake up. However, the smell of freshly baked croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguettes will quickly get you out of bed! All apartments have fully equipped kitchens and a washing machine. There’s even a small wine cellar in the breakfast/reading area on the second floor.
Second on the list is the scenery. Each morning I watched the sun rise over a small mountain at the end of Grand Case (to my right) and set over another mountain to the left. The water is calm, clear, and a brilliant turquoise. The cool sand felt like powdery, Tipo 00 flour between my toes!
Grand Case (which translates to Big House) is a quaint town with one main road. There’s quite a bit of traffic and the narrow street does not have sidewalks, so be careful. It’s best to walk part of the way from Bleu Emeraude to town via the beach and then cross over to the street.
You’ll find a few shops, a couple of grocery stores, and some of the best restaurants on the island. In fact, Grand Case is famous for its French and Creole cuisine. Some travel guides have named it the culinary capital of the Caribbean. What I liked best was that the area is still predominantly residential. Thus, a Michelin star restaurant that has an elite wine cellar filled with wines like Château Pétrus and Haut-Brion sits across the street from a small diner that serves bull foot soup for 5 Euros.
Must Dine Restaurants
Ocean 82 is a 3 Michelin Star French restaurant. It is highly popular, so make a reservation and secure a seaside table at sunset for a very romantic culinary experience. From start to finish, the food and service are exceptional. Wine lovers will be stunned by their collection.
House music drew me into the Rainbow Café! I did not know what to expect on the menu, but it was so good that we returned the next day! I call it my “Party Palate in Paradise.” See my Instagram Reel @allegorypr for a mini-vlog review. Once again, my thirst for French wine was satiated. Also, if you are looking for a “tropical techno escape,” check out the lineup for the SXM Festival 2023.
Both Kelly and a couple of taxi drivers told us that we should not leave St. Martin until eating at a Lolo. What is a Lolo? It’s a small, unassuming, outdoor restaurant with a name that dates to colonization in the 17th century. You’ll find BBQ ribs, chicken, and seafood, including grilled lobster. Guests eat at picnic tables, and some are located on the beach overlooking a fishing pier, and sailboats.
Strickly Lokal in Marigot (the capital of St. Martin) is a Creole Restaurant. The platters are large! You can have either seafood or grilled meat served with rice and beans, salad, and steamed root vegetables like cassava. They even have pizza.
Side Trips
While I feel there is no reason to leave peaceful Grand Case, there are many options for side trips. For example, from Marigot, you can take a ferry to a neighboring island for the day, such as St. Barts. However, we enjoyed exploring Marigot twice—once on July 14th for the Bastille Day celebrations, and a second time to wander around the shops.
If you love to shop and take advantage of the duty-free benefit, take the scenic drive to Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. En route, you go up and down hills and wind around with glimpses of other pristine beaches. St. Marti, the French side of the island, has 37 beaches; all have public access. Sint Maarten, which (pre-COVID) averages 1 million cruise ship visitors each year, feels more American than Dutch. However, if you like nightlife, fruity rum cocktails, and casinos, it may be the place for you.
You can rent a car, but we chose to take taxis. As mentioned, the taxi drivers know everyone and everything! On average, each trip into town or back was $25 USD. Now is a good time to visit since the Euro (the official currency of St. Martin) is on par with the US dollar.
Lessons Learned
While lying on a beach lounger sipping on Crémant de Loire, I thought long and hard about what I saw and heard. I wondered, how does Grand Case remain so quaint and why hasn’t it fallen victim to overdevelopment? Abandoned properties show no signs of restoration. I asked around and, generally, locals say that things are moving slowly. More so, owners of the vacant beachfront land have no intentions to sell.
Maybe that’s a good thing. In other beach destinations (like where I am in South Florida), ocean views are limited to those who own or rent a high rise condo, while “regular people” are restricted to the public beaches. Most often in Miami, you can’t even see the ocean from the street.
St. Martin’s perfect beaches belong first to the marine life and then to the people who permanently live there. Eighty-five percent of the island’s economy, including both St. Martin and Sint Maarten, centers around tourism. To rebuild, they need us as much as we need a vacation.
Tourism is a take and give partnership. Take your pleasure with conscience, but do your part and give back to small and family run businesses.
I start the year 2020 full of hope and excitement. All I wish for this island that I carry in my heart (Saint Martin) and here is my small contribution (even if not finished) in colors waiting for construction.” ~ Written by artist Liliane Ortega (mentioned above) from a translated Instagram post dated Jan. 1, 2020.
All © photos by Lisa Morales @AllegoryPR
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