Island Hopping and Birthday Celebrations: A St. Martin Adventure
Some trips you plan. Others you just feel—and our trip to St. Martin for #AriesSeason was definitely the latter. A little bit of beach, a little bit of nightlife, a whole lot of adventure. Here’s the full scoop on one of the most fun, memory-filled trips we’ve ever had.
Where We Stayed
We kicked off the trip at Baker’s Suites, a cute and quaint spot right in Simpson Bay. It had all the small touches that made it feel personal, like actual keys (not key cards) and super sweet staff. Shout out to Toya, who checked us in and made sure we had the local inside scoop on where to eat, chill, and explore.
Baker’s Suites was very affordable and the room size, PERFECT—a full kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and sink, plus a spacious bedroom and bathroom. While it doesn’t have direct beach access or a pool, it’s only about a block and a half walk to the beach—and that walk is full of great restaurants and hangout spots.
Pro Tip: They do require a $100 security deposit, payable by card or cash.
Location-wise? The BEST. We were close to everything.
The Morgan Resort — Maho Beach
After a little island hopping, we returned to St. Martin and this time, checked into The Morgan Resort near Maho Beach. The Morgan had a much more upscale, resort-style vibe but still felt warm and welcoming. They even decorated our room for the birthday celebration, which was such a thoughtful touch.
The Morgan doesn’t sit directly on the beach, but it’s less than a five-minute walk to Maho Beach, famous for the low-flying planes overhead. The pool was a whole vibe itself—designed like a beach, complete with white sand accents and loungers placed right in the water. The resort offers a volleyball court, spa, pool bar, beautiful pool, great food, a free shuttle and fantastic service, especially from Nyell at the front desk!
A Quick Trip to Anguilla
St. Martin is just a quick boat ride to several other islands. We decided to hop over to Anguilla for a night. The ferry from St. Martin to Anguilla took about 25 minutes and cost around $77 USD round trip. Make sure you have cash!. The website says that you need euros, but they definitely accepted USD. the There are ferries leaving just about every hour with the last one leaving Anguilla at about 5:15 PM. Just a reminder—you do need your passport, and if you're carrying luggage, it will be checked before boarding. Plan accordingly! The last ferry leaves Anguilla at 5:15. If you miss the last ferry, you WILL have to spend the night in Anguilla. Our Anguilla stay was planned, but we heard the stories.
We stayed at Zemi Beach House on Shoal Bay Beach, which is ranked one of the top 10 beaches in the world. It was every bit as stunning as you’d expect—calm, clear waters and a peaceful vibe that felt worlds away from the bustle.
We’ll save the full Anguilla experience for a separate blog post (coming soon), but just know: it was every bit worth it.
**INTERRUPTION IN OUR PLANS: We planned to do a day trip to St. Barth's as well but ended up missing the ferry the day before we were headed home. FYI, there are only 3 ferries daily to and from St. Martin and St. Barth's: 7:15 AM, 9:45 AM, and 5:30 PM. We made the mistake of assuming the St. Martin --> St. Bart's ferry schedule was similar to St. Martin --> Anguilla. IT IS NOT!
Food Highlights in St. Martin
We had some amazing food stops throughout our trip in St. Martin. One highlight was Astra’s in Simpson Bay, where we grabbed late-night food and hookah after long days out. We loved it so much that we went back a few days later during dinner hours to catch our own lobster, which was an unforgettable experience.
We also made a stop at Captain’s Rib Shack, home of the so-called "Orgasmic Ribs." While we gave the ribs a 7/10 (no orgasm for us), the people and the vibe made the experience a must-visit. It’s the kind of spot where locals and visitors kick back and enjoy the night.
Nightlife in St. Martin
Our nightlife in St. Martin was one for the books. Where'd we go? Ehhhhh, Nowhere Special, a lively bar which had a great live band, strong drinks, and the perfect island vibes. It was the kind of night where the music was good, the company was even better, and we even left our mark by signing our names to the roof.
We enjoyed a late night at Red Diamond, a local strip club that turned out to be a whole experience of its own. Beyond the ladies and the atmosphere, we discovered that their oxtail soup was absolutely incredible—one of the best food surprises of the trip. LOL!
We mixed in a little casino time at the nearby spots, adding a bit of gambling fun to the night, and ended the evening at Lotus, a club with a sleek vibe that kept the party going into the early hours. Between the bars, clubs, and late-night eats, the nightlife in St. Martin delivered everything we were looking for and more.
Adventure Day at Rainforest Adventures SXM
One of the biggest highlights of the trip was our adventure day at Rainforest Adventures SXM where we enjoyed the Big Three - Full Experience.
We started by taking the Sky Explorer lift up the mountain, making stops along the way to soak in the incredible panoramic views. Once at the mid-point, we rode the tube slide—a fast, twisty downhill adventure that had us laughing...maybe screaming the whole way.
From there, we hopped back on the Sky Explorer up to the small zipline canopy tour, where we zipped through treetops and caught more views of the beautiful Island. There are two short canopy courses. During our visit, one was closed due to an issue with the brake, so they said we could go twice, on the one open course if we wanted to. We decided not to, only going once, as we wanted to make our way to the Flying Dutchman! After another ride up the Sky Explorer, we finally reached the entrance to the main event: the Flying Dutchman, the STEEPEST zipline IN THE WORLD!!!
At the top, we found Benji, the bartender at the mountaintop bar, who served up strong cocktails and gave us a much-needed confidence boost before the big ride. There were plenty of great places to take photos on the Flying Dutchman platform to capture both the excitement and the incredible views.
AND! Flying DOWN the Dutchman was the perfect adrenaline-pumping way to end the day! Flying down the steepest zipline IN THE WORLD was a total adrenaline rush and an experience we’ll never forget. After that, we spent some time enjoying the park's other attractions, including the tubing slide—a fast and fun ride down the hillside. There were plenty of places to snap photos and videos throughout the park, and the staff made the whole experience easy and enjoyable. If you’re even a little adventurous, Rainforest Adventures SXM needs to be on your list.
Final Thoughts
St. Martin gave us everything we could have asked for and more: beautiful beaches, amazing food, friendly people, vibrant nightlife, and once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, planning a couples getaway, or just looking for a perfect island escape, St. Martin has a little bit of everything to offer.
We’ll definitely be back—and next time, we’re bringing the kids to experience it too.