A trend that's increasingly popular is women, usually married, who are vacationing without their husbands... and having a ball.
And why not?
There's lots to do here, and I'm not talking about the museums (though SXM is rich in history).
Here are a few of my personal suggestions:
- Stay in a villa. Check out our "where to stay" page (link at left) for lots of suggestions.
- Rent a car. It's the only way to be where you want to be.
- Shop. Whether it's fine jewelry on Front Street, Philipsburg; knock-off bags on Back Street, Philipsburg; or real bags in Marigot (you'll find them), great buys abound.
- Bake. Lounge in the sun to your heart's content, bronzing as much of you as you dare. Click Beaches in our site links (above) for profiles on all our beaches.
- Dine. We have about 400 restaurants, many of them beyond amazing. Pick some through the Restaurants link, above; then go and love every bite.
- Party. Take Da Party Bus and that Friday Fun Sail to Tintamarre that Jeff recommends (and use your JMB Website Supporters discounts on both.)
- Relax. You don't have to do anything at all... nobody is making lists.
Girls Night Out:
Here are several articles written for St. Maarten Weekly News about Girls Nights Out:
"Girls Night Out" Starts Early -- With Massages
With women increasingly traveling in small groups to SXM, we thought a "Girls Night Out" (GNO) feature was timely... so here it is. This will also be a feature on our new St. Maarten / St. Martin website when it finally is completed this summer. (No, guys, we aren't doing a similar feature for you, sorry.)
This is actually the first of several GNO features. We'll publish other, very different potential "Girls Night Out" itineraries over the next several months.
The best place to start: massages, and the best massage therapist is Tricia Altenau of "All in All"
Massage therapies. Tricia has long been training her daughter in massage therapy ... so you can easily do two simultaneous massages through Tricia with her customary fabulous results. If you're a JMB Website Supporters member, you get a discount on your massage, too; for membership info, click the page curl, at the top corner of this page.
Pick a Designated Driver...
If a few of you are heading out and the group plans some drinking, pick a designated driver. Drunk driving laws on the island (and seat belt laws) are very strict, especially on the French Side. Do use a Designated Driver.
GNO: Hair, Manicure, Pedicure, Waxing, & More with Sun Nails in Simpson Bay (in the back of the Blue Point building).
GNO: IZI, Pressoir, Or...
Where to for dinner? If you want to continue the upscale beat of this GNO (since you've had hair and nails done), pick one of the top places and one of the trendiest. On this particular GNO, we've picked three: IZI, Le Pressoir, and Fusion.
IZI (pronounced Easy) Ristorante Italiano is the trendiest place on the island. Make reservations -- it's usually packed. This is Davide Foini's restaurant. Hundreds of dinner choices. Lots of music. Exciting place to dine. See their site: www.iziristoranteitaliano.com . In Paradise Plaza on Welfare Road. Incidentally, Welfare Road and Airport Road are the same main drag through Simpson Bay; the name changes at the drawbridge.
Le Pressoir in Grand Case is the best French Restaurant on the island, in our opinion. Set in an authentic Creole home built in the 1870s, it is named for the large salt press across the street, which once extracted salt from the salt water pond nearby. This place is exquisite in every way. Just go . . . you will not be disappointed. We suggest you go early in your trip because you will want to return. Their site is gorgeous and in both French and English; the address is
www.lepressoir-sxm.com . Phone: 011-590-590-87-76-62. We'll add info on Fusion soon: but see
www.fusionrestaurant-sxm.com GNO: Breakfast The Day After at Busby's, The Westin, Tropical Heaven, or Skipjack's
The following morning (or the morning before your GNO) is a perfect time for breakfast.
You might first check with the Westin to be sure their famous Sunday Champagne Brunch is going on . . . if so (high season it's a sure bet), it is sumptuous. Go hungry and you will certainly leave stuffed. The Westin is at the southern end of Dawn Beach, on the Dutch Side.
At the other end of Dawn Beach you'll find Mr. Busby's Beach Bar, which has an amazing picture postcard view of Dawn Beach. Breakfast choices are many and reasonable. We love the poached eggs....
Tropical Heaven is the new, breakfast - lunch - dinner restaurant on the pool deck at Summit Resort in Cupecoy. Great food and a view that is beyond amazing. Take your camera and do a panorama; most new digital cameras have that capability built in.
Skipjack's in Simpson Bay is where Celine is moored. It's also a very fine seafood restaurant on the lagoon, a beautiful location with service to match. We put them here even though they don't serve breakfast: if you get up really late, it's a great place for lunch.... SkipJack's offers discounts to JMB Website Supporters members; see the secret site for details.
Not a JMB member yet? Look into it by clicking the page curl at the top of this page.
"Girls Day Out," All Day At Tintamarre
Our final GNO suggestion: take yourselves to Tintamarre all day. Do the Celine Friday Fun Sail or take your group and reserve the whole boat just for yourselves. Light breakfast . . . explore Tintamarre . . . enjoy a mud bath . . . have a really fantastic gourmet lunch (no burgers/dogs on this trip) . . . open bar . . . snacks all day. Tintamarre will be an unforgettable part of your trip. See
www.sailstmaarten.com. Here again there are discounts for JMB Website Supporters members; see our Secret Site. The Tintamarre trips are clothing optional, too.
February 22, 2012
Tags:
Activities for Women in St. Maarten / St. Martin,
St. Maarten and St. Martin Girls Night Out
