Le Sand, Baie Nettle, St. Martin

We set out to write about a pretty stretch of sand we spotted while exploring St. Martin between Baie Rouge and Marigot, but ended up focusing on a new (at the time of our visit) beach bar/restaurant on Baie Nettle, or Nettle Bay, called Le Sand.

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Le Sand Beach, Bar and Restaurant, St. Martin

We parked in the parking lot behind Le Sand and walked between Le Sand and Dreams Beach to get a look at Baie Nettle. The beach was nearly empty and gorgeous! Once we feasted our eyes on the white sand, blue water, view of Marigot and very inviting seating, we ended up staying a while…

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A variety of beach lounges are available for patrons of Le Sand

Turns out, Le Sand had just recently opened and apparently the word had not gotten out yet. We didn’t mind –  we had the beach almost completely to ourselves and enjoyed a few beverages while lounging in the sun and chatting with the friendly staff.

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Beautiful Baie Nettle as seen from Le Sand
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Marigot in the distance

We decided not to stay for dinner as we were heading back to Dawn Beach that evening and were still engorged satisfied from yet another visit earlier that morning to Sarafina’s in Marigot.

That, apparently was our loss because since our visit, both Le Sand and and it’s next door neighbor,  Dreams Beach, have become highly recommended for their gourmet French cuisine – some say even rivaling some of their competition in Grand Case. Wow – that’s some stiff competition!

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Dining area at Le Sand overlooking beautiful Baie Nettle

Have you been to Le Sand yet? If so, let us know what you thought!


Find Le Sand and Baie Nettle on our St. Maarten/St. Martin Map

 

To see more posts on St. Maarten/St. Martin and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2014
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

What to See and Do in Marigot, St. Martin

The capital of the French side of St. Martin is the beautiful little town of Marigot. Lying between Simpson Bay and Grand Case, Marigot offers a multitude of things to explore, to see and to do.

(see our St. Maarten/St. Martin Map to find Marigot)

Marigot fringes Baie de Marigot, a popular harbor offering a calm anchorage to the many boaters that stay here. We’ve visited Marigot a couple of times now; once by boat and once while staying on island. The following are a few of the things we enjoyed during our visits.

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Marigot Market
In a square in the middle of Marigot, local vendors set up in an open air shop every day except Sunday. The best mornings to visit are Wednesday’s and Saturday’s when you’ll find the widest variety of items and shops. Find local art, many infused rhums, spices, fresh fruits, vegetables and fish and souvenirs.

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Infused rhums

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Spices at Kalina

Go early if you need to find parking and to walk through the booths before busloads of cruise ship passengers arrive.

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Restaurants, Bakeries and Drinks
After working up a thirst or hunger shopping at the Market, be sure to stop by one of the lovely outdoor cafe’s or restaurants some fresh local fare and to people watch
.

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Just off of Boulevard de France, behind the market, we found two places that we must mention. The Coconut Juice House is a great place to get fresh juice in a coconut, pina coladas or daiquiris and to talk to the owner “Coconut Man”. There you can watch him open the coconut with a machete and squeeze the sugar cane used in the drinks he makes.

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We enjoyed a very cold pina colada which was so refreshing in the warm afternoon sun.

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Down the road from The Coconut House is a delectable French Bakery called Sarafina’s. If you like French pastries and cappuccino, you should plan to make a stop (or two) here. Read more about Sarafina’s in a previous post: Sarafina’s Bakery, Marigot, St. Martin

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Fort Louis
Once you’ve quenched your hunger and thirst, take a walk to Fort Louis, the largest historical monument in St. Martin. Fort Louis was built in 1767 to protect Marigot from invaders and now offers phenomenal views of Marigot and the surrounding areas as well as some very interesting local history.

Access a walking path in Marigot from Rue de la Republique (see map above) or drive to a parking lot just below the monument.

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A Few Other Things
The shopping is excellent in Marigot and you can find everything from souvenirs at the market to fine clothing, shoes and jewelry at the tony West Indies Mall. There are individual shops and art galleries scattered throughout the mid-town area as well.

A Ferry Terminal is located in Marigot with frequent departures to Anguilla and St. Barts. Parking is limited, so give yourself a little extra time if you need to leave your car in Marigot.

What are your favorite things to see and do in Marigot?

 

Find Marigot on our St. Maarten/St Martin Map

To see more posts on St. Maarten/St. Martin and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2014
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Rum Therapy Travel Highlights of 2013

2103 was a good Caribbean travel year for us here at Rum Therapy and we thought we’d share some of the adventures we enjoyed the most this year!

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Islands visited in 2013:
Anguilla
St. Maarten/St. Martin
Dominican Republic
Jamaica

We had an excellent time exploring each of the islands and here are just a few of the highlights of our visits. We’ve already written posts on some of these adventures, but stay tuned for future posts on the rest!

Anguilla

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Gwen’s Reggae Bar and Shoal Bay

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Blanchard’s Beach Shack – Mead’s Bay

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Dune Preserve and Rendezvous Bay


St. Maarten/St. Martin

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Karakter Beach Bar – Simpson Bay

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Sunset Bar & Grill – Maho Bay

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Sarafina’s Bakery – Marigot, St. Martin

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Le Galion, St. Martin


Dominican Republic

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Golf Rounds at Corales and Punta Espada

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Sampled Dominican Republic Mamajuana


Jamaica

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Enjoyed the Appleton Rum Factory Tour

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Walked, swam and SUP’ed the gorgeous Seven Mile Beach in Negril

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Spent some time enjoying Carib and conversation at the Pelican Bar

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Marveled at several absolutely spectacular Jamaican sunsets…

Where will 2014 take us? We’ve got some exciting adventures in the works – stay tuned!
Do you have any tropical adventures planned for 2014?

Check our Blog Directory by Island for more posts on island destinations!

Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean Before You Get Too Old To Travel

WOW!  We thought it would be fun to put together a list entitled “Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean (and Bahamas) Before You Get Too Old To Travel” based on our wonderful readers suggestions and you once again came through! Just as you did with the Ultimate Rum Therapy Beach Playlist, you sent in a LOT of excellent submissions and we’ve compiled these in a list by island. If we have already written a blog post on this adventure or location, we included a link for more info and pictures. I’m sure there are many more things worthy of a mention here, so if you see something you think should absolutely be on the list, comment below and we’ll update the list from time to time.

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So, sit back, prepare yourself for a little Tropication and see how many of these things you’ve already experienced or which ones you want to put on your own tropical “to do” list!


Anegada

Walk, swim and snorkel Loblolly Bay
Enjoy a rum beverage at Cow Wreck Beach Bar
Linger over a lobster dinner while barefoot on the beach

Anguilla
Walk Shoal Bay from one end to the other
Treat yourself to a stay at beautiful Cap Juluca on Maunday’s Bay
Enjoy the food at the restaurants of Sandy Ground, Anguilla – especially the Lobster Creole
Take a catamaran ride out to Prickly Pear Cay for the day

Antigua
Enjoy an amazing sunset from Shirley Heights
Take the Xtreme Circumnav Tour
Check out the parties and fun during Antigua Sailing Week
Spend the winter in Antigua, lying in hammock at Curtain Bluff or the beach at Pigeon Point

Bahamas
Experience the party at the Independence Day Celebration in Freeport, Grand Bahamas
Climb the Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town, Abaco to check out the view
Check out the amazing beauty of Treasure Cay Beach on Abaco
Enjoy an original Goombay Smash (or two!) at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle Cay
Swim with the pigs on Big Major Cay, Exuma Cays
Swim with the nurse sharks on Compass Cay

Barbados
Take the Mount Gay Rum Factory Tour

Bequia
Visit the Moonhole – or at least sail by it and take lots of pictures
Enjoy a Lobster Pizza at Mac’s
Visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary

Belize
Ambergris Caye – Swim with sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Spend a day line fishing, spear fishing, and snorkeling with manatee. Bring your catch to a private island where it’s cooked on the grill while you relax on hammocks or snorkel the mangroves looking at seahorses. Take a day trip to the mainland jungle to spot wildlife (including monkeys) and check out Mayan ruins.

Bonaire
Go diving – it’s beautiful!

Cayman Islands
Swim with the stingrays at Stingray City
Visit Rum Point, Grand Cayman
Watch the sunset on Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Culebra
Walk Flamenco Beach

Diving & Snorkeling
The Wall, St. Croix
Underwater snorkel trail at Buck Island, St. Croix and Trunk Bay, St. John
Dive Speyside Tobago
The Rhone, Salt Island
The Indians, BVI
Snorkel The Caves, Norman Island

Dominica
Hike to some of the spectacular waterfalls in the ultra-lush rainforest
Buy tasty fresh locally grown fruit and spices at some of the roadside stands

Guadeloupe
Snorkel or dive at the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve
Take the rum factory tour on Marie-Galante (just south of Guadeloupe)

Grand Camanoe
Snorkel Diamond Reef

Grenada
Shop at the Spice Market and bring home some fresh spices

Happy Island
Order rum punches and visit with owner Janti

Jamaica
Ziplining
Take the Appleton Rum Factory Tour
Watch the sunrise from Blue Mountain Peak in Jamaica
Order Jerk Chicken, Pork or Fish at Scotchies
Climb Dunn River Falls or visit YS Falls
Horseback ride & swim at Chukka Cove
Spend a day at Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a bar 1/2 mile from shore
Jump off the cliffs at Rick’s Cafe, Negril

Jost Van Dyke
Have a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar
Enjoy some “stress free” time at Ivan’s
Enjoy a BBC at Gertrude’s
Go to the Bubbly Pool on JVD and then hit up Foxy’s Taboo after for a drink or two
Attend a Halloween, New Year’s Eve or Full Moon Party at Foxy’s and party ’till dawn
Bring home a bottle of Foxy’s Firewater Rum
Check out EVERY beach
bar on JVD
Explore Diamond Cay

Mexico
Swim with the Whale Sharks in Cancun
Ride a golf cart and enjoy some authentic Mexican food on the island of Holbox, Mexico
Explore, snorkel or dive some of the cenotes in the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico
Explore the Tulum and Chichen Itza ruins
Zipline and snorkel (not at the same time!) in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Monserrat
View the Soufrière Hills Volcano and be awed at the forces of nature

Mustique
See the mansions of the rich and famous
Go to Basil’s Beach Bar for the Mustique Blues Festival

Nevis
Visit Old Bath House Ruins and The Nisbet Plantation
Have lunch at the Montpelier Plantation and Beach
Just GO to Nevis!

Norman Island
Experience the Shot-Ski at Willy T’s
Snorkel The Caves
Take the plunge at the Willy T’s
Snorkel or dive The Indians (close to Norman Island)

Petit Tabac
Explore the island and imagine finding Jack Sparrow’s hidden stash of rum

Puerto Rico
Explore El Yunque
Walk the cobblestone streets of Old Town Puerto Rico
Tour the 400 year old Fort El Morro

Saba
Hike Mt. Scenery

Sailing
S
ail the British Virgin Islands and The Grenadines

Salt Island
Dive the Rhone

St. Barths
Enjoy a Cheeseburger at Le Select
Find the rhum at R. St. Barths and the infused rhum’s at M’Bolo

St. Croix
Bioluminescent Tour in a Glass Bottomed Kayak
Visit St George Village Botanical Gardens
Lyming by Sandy Point and Rainbow Beach on a Sunday
Take the Cruzan Rum Factory Tour and enjoy a delicious Cruzan Rum cocktail at the end
Spend a day on beautiful Cane Bay Beach
Be the first person in the U.S. to see the sunrise at Point Udall
Watch the sunset from Coconuts on the Beach
MontPellier Domino Club to see the drinking pigs and enjoy some Mamma Wanna and the best bushwacker on island
Snorkel the underwater trail at Buck Island
Dive the Wall by Cane Bay Beach and dive the Frederiksted Pier
Find seahorses at Frederiksted Pier
Check out the grounds at Mount Washington Plantation
Sail to Buck Island and explore for the day

St. John
Take pictures at the picturesque overlook of Trunk Bay
Snorkel the underwater trail at Trunk Bay
Kayak with a friend to a secret pocket beach
Try to see every beautiful beach on St. John
Enjoy some Key Lime Pie

St. Kitts
Explore Brimstone Hill
Explore Plantation Homes
Hit the Shiggidy Shack and Reggae Beach Bar & Grill for sun, fun and rum!

St. Lucia
Eat lunch between the Pitons at Hotel Chocolate
Stay at Jade Mountain Resort and stare at the Pitons in the comfort of your own in room pool
Snorkel/Scuba between the Pitons

St. Maarten/St. Martin
Watch the planes land right over your head while enjoying a rum punch at Sunset Bar & Grill, Maho Bay
Enjoy a drink while watching the bridge go up and the yachts go through at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club
Go shopping in Marigot at the outdoor market and in Philipsburg for watches, diamonds and Guavaberry Rum
Eat fanstastic French pastries at Sarafina’s Bakery
Walk Orient Beach from one end to the other
Drive, then hike to the top of Pic Paradis

St. Thomas
Spend the day at Magens Bay
Take the skyride up and enjoy the view of Charlotte Amalie and a Bushwacker

St. Vincent
Visit Wallilabou and visit the filming site of Pirates of the Caribbean

Tobago Cays
Snorkel with the turtles at the Tobago Cay Turtle Sanctuary

Tortola

Visit with Winston at the Nature Boy Beach Bar on Long Bay Beach
Float in the Limin’ House pool while sipping Sebastian’s Rum and stare at the view
Go to a Full Moon Party at the Bomba Shack AND Trellis Bay
Visit the Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay
Watch the sunset from BananaKeet Cafe

Turks and Caicos
Have a few drinks at Jack’s Shack, Grand Turk
Boogaloo’s Conch Shack, Providenciales
Go Bone Fishing

Vieques
Kayak the Bioluminescent Bay

Virgin Gorda
Spend lots of time exploring The Baths

Check out our Blog Directory by Island for even more pictures and island adventures!

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Sarafina’s Bakery, Marigot, St. Martin

During our recent visit to St. Maarten/St. Martin, we made 2 stops at our favorite french bakery, Sarafina’s. In Marigot, not far from the open air marketplace, Sarafina’s is a great place to linger over a cappuccino and an excellent french pastry.

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Sarafina’s Bakery, Marigot

We made our first stop of the trip on the day we took the ferry to Anguilla. Not far from the ferry dock, we bought our tickets to Anguilla, then walked back to Sarafina’s for a quick pastry. After a bit of deliberation, we settled on a Tarte de Pomme (apple tart).

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Tarte de Pomme (apple tart) and cappuccino

Needless to say it was excellent, and we vowed to return again in a few days to make a different selection.

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Bakery Selections

Which we did. This time we decided to each pick two pastries, sample a little bit of each one, then take the leftovers with us. Really, that’s what we said.

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Another Tarte de Pomme, Croissant, Eclair de Chocolat, and a Tarte de Crème Anglaise de Fraise (Strawberry Custard Tart)

How many leftovers did we have? HA! Leftovers? What were we thinking?

Heading to Marigot?

Check out this post:

What to See and Do in Marigot, St. Martin

 

Find Sarafina’s on our St. Maarten/St Martin Map

To see more posts on St. Maarten/St. Martin and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2014
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC