The couples trip made it out the group chat ya’ll! If you’re new here, we decided to plan a getaway with one of our favorite couples and closest friends. Over brunch one Sunday, Herschel and Jessica had the idea to turn choosing the destination into a game. I’ve linked the video of our hilarious presentations here. We voted and St Martin/Sint Maarten was the winner! We stayed in this Airbnb on the French side (St Martin) and visited the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) a few times for activities like Kalos Beach Lounge Restaurant and Cupecoy Beach.
We booked a rental car (a must!) through Banana Location, who was recommended by our Airbnb host. The guys made jokes about our little Kia Seltos the entire trip. Listen, it was affordable (a third of the price of the more popular rental car companies) and it got us around the island safely! Oh and the owner was waiting for us with the car at the airport. After settling into our villa and enjoying the view, we headed to a local grocery store for essentials. We then had dinner at Lolo’s in Grand Case where we sat near the water. It was a relaxing first night that ended with drinks by the pool.
Our first full day on the island began with a trip to Le BALAOU, a floating bar. Call ahead to arrange pickup from the dock at Grand Case. Someone from their team will meet you there in a little boat to drive you over. We stayed at Le BALAOU for 2-3 hours. If it weren’t for us getting a late start to the day (we arrived around 1:00 PM) and a pre-booked sunset cruise, we would’ve stayed longer. The private sunset cruise, booked through St Maarten Boat Charters, ended up being worth our early departure. Our captain kept the rosé coming and we enjoyed each other and the views.
We ended the night at Rainbow Cafe, which is a beach club during the day. We were seated near the DJ booth overlooking the ocean. The drinks were good here and so was the ambiance. If you’re looking for a meal and a party, this is for you. There’s also a cute little boutique upstairs, so we did a little shopping.
The next day, which happened to be my birthday, we headed to Cupecoy Beach. To get to the cave, you have to climb over some rocks. Nothing too crazy, because I did it dressed like this:
I just hiked my crochet skirt up to climb and held my hat! This cave is stunning – a must see during your trip to Sint Maarten. Afterwards, we drove to Kalos Beach Lounge Restaurant (just a mile or two up the road). It’s a beautiful place with Mediterranean food, daybeds overlooking the ocean, and easy beach access. We had a great lunch, then relaxed on the daybeds, ordered more drinks, and got in the water. Before heading out, Jessica and I got the cutest coverup dresses from their boutique.
It was time to head back to the villa and get dressed for dinner at Palapas Hidden Oasis. Our waitress was a gem. My husband didn’t like his drink because there was too much simple syrup. He asked for a shot of whiskey to balance it out and, instead, she took it away and came back with one she made herself. That one got his seal of approval.
Everyone insisted we go out so we changed again and headed to Lotus. I am not the biggest partier – never was, not even in my 20s. Lotus is a party for the 20-somethings. Not my vibe. Not my crowd.
The next day (our last full day on the island) we visited Babacool – a picturesque beach club that should also be on your list of places to go in St Martin. If you want a daybed, book it in advance. If you don’t secure a reservation, there’s plenty of seating available free of charge. There was also a DJ here. A few hours well spent and a good spot to view planes from the beach as they take off.
Cupecoy Beach was so stunning that we decided to go again to watch the sunset. This was the perfect end to a great trip. I’ll admit that I was the one pushing for this that day, but everyone expressed how happy they were that we went back. We picked up fruit and wine at a nearby grocery store and found a perfect spot on the opposite side of the cave. We all felt a deep sense of gratitude in that moment.
It was a wonderful trip and I’m glad that we got to experience it together!
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