st. maarten splurge
DECEMBER 18TH, 2008
st. maarten splurge
In a country where street signs point you to the nearest jewellery store (all of which serve complimentary 
cocktails), it’s no wonder lovers of the ultra-luxe head to St.
Maartens. Divided into Dutch and French areas, the 39 beaches have
white sand, crystal blue water, and very few tan lines.
Stay
While sunburned tourists bunk down in hotels, we tried a slice of local life in a secluded villa on the French residential side of the island. Private pool, daily maid service, ocean view…just like home. From USD$500/night, www.islandhideaways.com
Do
When you’re this close to decadence, it would be a crime not to hop on a ferry
for a day trip to St. Barths. A chair rental on the beach is US$30, but
it’s the $13 Diet Cokes and $26 Bikinitini cocktails (coconut rum and
pineapple juice) that gave us sticker-shock giggles. Packed with the
finest Euro trash in the world and enough designer boutiques to make
you dizzy (Hermes, Dior et al.), it’s a true slice of how the other,
overly-tanned half lives.
Eat
With an
abundance of fresh ingredients and gourmet restos, you can have Lai Lai
barbeque chicken on the beach by day and a five-course dinner every
night. Temptation certainly lived up to its name—the French onion soup ($18) topped with Gruyère is simply the best we’ve ever tasted. www.nouveaucaribbean.com
Relax
Getting
to the beach may not always be easy (you’ll need a car—and an excellent
sense of direction—to make it down the twisty, dirt roads) but the
journey is worth it. Most beaches are clothing optional, including the
busy and very popular Orient Beach and the quiet and secluded Cupecoy
Beach. Pinel Island (a 5–minute boat ride from the coast) is must-see
for its natural, untouched beauty. No electricity, no cars, no roads—so
leave the BlackBerry at home.