We will arrive in Philipsburg, St. Maarten on Saturday, March 13th at 8 am. Once again, it appears that Mercury will be the only ship in port! Thank you Celebrity Cruises!!! This is unbelievably good news. I have to say that St. Maarten is my favorite island destination. I just love to experience both the Dutch & French sides of the island. Beaches are beautiful and abundant, but my favorite is Orient Beach. Coco Beach is at one end of Orient Beach, with Club Orient (the nudist resort) being at the other end. Head to Coco Beach (generally cruise ship tours do not use this restaurant), rent 2 chairs and an umbrella & camp out for half a day. Take a nice long stroll along this beautiful beach and ensconce yourself into island life. Another popular beach restaurant on Orient is Baywatch. It is owned by former New Jersey residents Andy & Cheryl. Other good options include Bikini Beach, Kontiki, and Waikiki.
If shopping is your thing, Philipsburg won't disappoint! Jewelry? Stop in and see Harry Diamond (yes, that's his name!) at Joe's Jewelry. (note that there are 3 Joe's in Philipsburg... you want to head to the one near the Court House). Browse to your heart's content while sipping beer, vino, or sodas and Harry will attend to your every need. We have shopped with Harry for over five years and are looking forward to seeing him again in March... well at least I am! A nice place for lunch in Philipsburg is Chesterfield's... waterfront and great food. If you want more of a bar scene, Taloula Mango's is fun too.
Tours we recommend on the island include ziplining at Pic Paradis, Rhino Safari in Maho (great snorkel tours on a personal watercraft for two), and the America's Cup Challenge.
I almost forgot... if you have the chance, get some Gouda Cheese... LARGE rounds of Dutch Gouda can be found for reasonable prices and it's oh so yummy... with a French baguette of course!
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