Sint Maarten and Saint Martin share an island in the Caribbean (West Indies) the difference between the two are that one side is Dutch and the other is French. It's not a place I ever thought I'd visit but I came across the island on google as I typed "places Americans can travel during the pandemic."

St. Maarten was one of the countries listed for places Americans were able to travel but St. Martin wasn't for some reason. Luckily, I was able to cross the boarder and visit both parts of the island with no issues. Unlike Mexico, there was a COVID test required 72 hours prior to traveling to St. Maarten. I've gotten several COVID test during the pandemic at Walgreens (for free) that was checked prior to getting on the plane to St. Maarten. Once I arrived to the island, it was brought to my attention that the Walgreens test was not the correct test and they required a PCR test (whatever that means). I was asked to move to the side to speak to an onsite physician who complained about how the rapid COVID test from Walgreens isn't sufficient. Myself and others who were uninformed of this information had to pay $125 to get the "correct" covid testing.

As I proceed to take the test, I was told I will receive my results the following day. That day never came and I was convinced that the whole "PCR" testing was a way for them to make money. No one followed up with me after taking the test and there were not requirements for me to check-in and get my temperature taken.

Different Types of COVID Testing:

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/coronavirus-testing-basics

My Stay in St. Maarten:

I stayed at the Oyster Bay Resort on the Northwest side of the island. It is on the Dutch side but walking distance to boarder for you to explore the French side. The resort had a bar that offered pool-side service including drinks, snacks and lunch, a restaurant that opened for dinner, a bodega to grab something quick on your way out or to buy food to cook for breakfast in your room, spa service, gift shop and laundry services, and concierge that help plan and book excursions and rental cars. The room overall was a decent size, clean, with comfy bedding, a full kitchen and a nice ocean view.

The island itself has 37 beaches and 3 days is not enough to explore all of them. The first day there, I spent at the pool laying out and drinking mojitos. The following day was well spent at Grand-Case Beach at Friars Bay. Friars Bay is a quiet an a more exclusive beach on the French side of the island. There was a cute restaurant and bar along the beach and not over crowded with people.

Grand-Case Beach

Grand-Case is also a good place for night life, shopping and restaurants. I dined at Blue Martini and Barranco. Blue Martini is a vibrant and outgoing place to grab drinks and a quick bite to eat. Barranco is a beach front restaurant that was very intimate and the service and food was outstanding (highly recommend).

My third and last full-day in St. Maarten I started by grabbing a chocolate croissant from a French bakery in Simpson Bay. Afterward, I spent a raining afternoon in a cave at Cupe Coy Beach and watched a storm pass. This beach was similar to Friars Bay, there were not many people there and it was absolutely beautiful. Out of the three beaches I visited, I would definitely go back to this one!

On the way back from Cupe Coy Beach, I stopped by Sunset beach. If you ever google St. Maarten, you'll often see pictures of people on the beach with airplanes in the background: Sunset beach is the beach to go to for you to capture that shot. Sunset beach was livelier than the other two beaches because it is more touristy and near the airport. It is so close to the airport that I watched a few grown men get blown away from a plane taking off (YES, it's that close). If you are wanting to have a great time and meet new people, this is the beach to go to.

Tips:

Check COVID testing requirements and make sure you have the right test before traveling (PCR Test). Avoid spending unnecessary money.
Taxis are pricey and you will be better off renting a car and exploring the island. I used El Thrifty Care Rental services that is near the airport.
Stay in Philipsburg if you want to be around more action rather than relaxation.
Spend more than a week there and explore the different islands that are close by: for example Anguilla, St. Barth, Saba and other islands are a boat ride away (Due to COVID and the amount of time I had on the island I was unable to visit other islands).
Even though the island has its on currency, they do accept USD and Euros.
Mullet Bay Beach was another beach that was recommended to me!