An island getaway is pretty much the ideal vacation for many people. But which of the thousands of islands in the world is best for you?  Whether you’re thinking about the Caribbean, the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, or someplace even more far-flung, each island destination offers something a little bit different and each has its own unique flavor.

A travel advisor can help you find the right destination, and save you time and stress in the planning process. But you’ll still need to do some thinking in advance to help your agent narrow things down. 

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Start your decision process by deciding why you want to go on a tropical island vacation. What about an island getaway MOST excites you, and what do you see yourself doing while you’re there. It might be a whole mix of things but there is sure to be one thing that rises to the top.

To Relax in the Sunshine

Does your perfect island vacation involve soft white sand for sunbathing, a massage in the resort spa, and a piña colada by the pool? Are you looking to relax and restore after too many busy days at work?  Your perfect island has a luxury resort, calm soothing waters and a sunbed ready for you each day. This vacation is all about chilling on the beach and soaking up the sun.

To Eat Amazing Food & Explore Other Cultures

Are you a foodie? Are you interested in the local culture of the islands and always looking to explore outside the resort? Then you’ll want to look at islands that offer more than just a beach – they should have established cities or towns that have their own unique flavor, with lots of interesting and delicious restaurants and a strong cultural presence that you can connect with. 

To Spend Time in the Sea

Of course you’ll want to enjoy the water on your island vacation! But is it the main reason you’re going? Do you want to spend your days swimming, snorkeling, or scuba diving? Or are you excited to try your hand at water sports like kayaking, jet skis, and kitesurfing? Perhaps even going out on a boat to see the island from a new perspective. If the water is where you plan on spending most of your time, you’ll want to look at islands that highlight it as their best feature. 

To Explore Nature & See Wildlife

Some islands have incredible mountains and colorful plants and animals that make the land almost as enticing as the sea. Do you want to take an island vacation to get out into nature, and to enjoy tropical landscapes that are completely different from your city life? Perhaps your ideal vacation is all about hiking to the top of the lush peak to see a stunningly dramatic view. Look for islands that highlight eco-tourism, hiking, wellness & nature escapes.

When to Go

Now that you’ve discovered why you’re excited to go on an island vacation, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the when and the how. 

Sometimes we get to decide when we’re going to take our vacation and sometimes it’s dictated by work, school, or other responsibilities. If you have a limited and specific timeframe, then you want to look at things like weather and sea conditions. Are you dreaming of only warm sunny days without a cloud in the sky? Do you despise humidity with every fiber of your being? Can you only travel in September during hurricane season? Consider the seasonality:

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No matter which island you choose, you are sure to find incredible water, beautiful beaches, and a variety of accommodations. While some islands will be better suited to your adventure priorities than others, you simply can’t go wrong with an island getaway! If you’re feeling inspired to find the perfect island for you — let us know!

St. Maarten/St. Martin (half Dutch and half French) is one of the smaller Caribbean islands but it offers a world of experiences in one trip. The island has world-class spas and resorts, stunning beaches, intriguing nature, fabulous shopping, and delectable food, and it’s all within a short 3.5-hour flight from New York. If you’re considering a Caribbean getaway, read on to see why St. Maarten should be on the shortlist.

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Basics

St. Maarten/St.Martin is the smallest landmass shared by two nations. The border between the two sides is open and while they share many similarities there are two distinct cultures. 

On the Dutch Side – St. Maarten – you’ll find bright colorful houses, wide boardwalks, and fabulous beach bars. with an electric night-life and a vibrant atmosphere.

The French side – St. Martin- is the perfect complement to its boisterous neighbor, offering a quieter relaxed vibe. Bright boats in the harbor, houses built into the cliffs, and plenty of incredible French cuisine. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the Mediterranean. 

St. Maarten’s capital is Philipsburg and their currency is the Dutch Florin. On the French side of St. Martin, you’ll find they use the Euro and the capital is Marigot. However, the U.S. Dollar is generally accepted island-wide so there’s no need to change out your cash when you explore the different sides.

When to Go

Like many Caribbean Islands, St. Maarten/St. Martin experiences near-perfect temperatures year-round. Generally ranging from the low 70s to high 80s. 

What to Do?

Beaches

There are 37 stunning white sand beaches you can enjoy on the island. The soft sand and calm waters are perfectly relaxing and great for families. If you need a bit more activity there’s also all kinds of water sports, from sailing and windsurfing to kayaking and SUP! 

Head out to the uninhabited Tintamarre Island just 2 miles off the French side of St. Martin. This flat island is small but with some of the most pristine beaches. Plus it’s a favorite location to see sea turtles! 

Adrenaline

If you need a bit of adrenaline in your vacation, St. Maarten has you covered! The Rainforest Adventure Park boasts the highest peaks on the island, providing stunning panoramic views, tree-top activities, and the steepest zipline in the world! The Flying Dutchman drops more than 1,000 feet in elevation along 2,800 feet of cable for a heart-pounding experience with views of the whole island. 

Outside the Rainforest Adventure Park, you can hop on an ATV off-roading tour of the island. Or head back to the beach for flyboarding and parasailing! 

Nature

The Seaside Nature Park is the best place for families. It’s a secluded spot to explore unspoiled nature with a private beach, a playground, and an interactive farm. Little ones can enjoy interacting with ducks, mini-ponies, goats, and iguanas. The park also offers horseback riding lessons, trail rides and sunset beach rides. 

Shopping

St. Maarten is famous for its duty-free shopping making it a shopaholics paradise. In both the capital cities on the island, you can find designer jewelry, high-end leather, name-brand perfumes, and hand-rolled cigars. From tobacco and wines to high fashion, there is a shop to fit the taste and style of every shopper.

In Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten, you can head to Front Street for stunning jewelry and watches. Or wander down Back Street to find electronics, clothes, and more. Enjoy the wide boardwalks and colorful streets looking for the perfect gift.

The French capital, Marigot, boasts the latest trends in European fashion with a Caribbean flair. You can find famous perfumes and local art galleries. Marigot is one of the best places to find fine liqueurs, wines, and tobacco. You’ll feel positively European as you wander the shopping streets lined with bistro bars, sidewalk cafés, and designer boutiques. 

Food

St. Maarten/St. Martin’s unique melding of cultures has made it the Gastronomic Capital of the Caribbean. This is the island to go to if you’re a foodie! With the widest variety of dining experiences out of all the islands, there are over 300 restaurants. You can find European French and Dutch flavors melding with Caribbean dishes for sophisticated and unique recipes.

In addition to trying the delicious food, you can stop for a drink at Topper’s Rhum factory on the St. Maarten side. They make around 50 different flavors of rhum including some very unique combos. Take a tour to see how the rhum is made and then enjoy a tasting of your favorite flavors. 

If you have time

St. Maarten has so much to do it’s hard to pack it all in! But if you have a longer vacation and are ready for a little change, it’s easy to take a day trip to a neighboring island. Anguilla and St. Barth are both just a short ferry ride away! Just remember to bring your passport as they still count as international travel. 

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This stunning little island has practically everything you dream of doing on your Caribbean vacation! If you’ve been inspired and would like to find out more about heading to this paradise – let us know!

Ellen and Mike normally pack a lot into their busy city-break trips. So for their November honeymoon they wanted to make sure to go somewhere relaxing. They wanted warm weather, delicious food, and the opportunity to take it easy and really enjoy each other’s company. We knew just the perfect place — Costa Rica. With a private casita at the Amor Arenal and a suite at the El Mangroove resort! And they had a perfectly relaxing time. Here are their thoughts on what it’s like to take a Costa Rican honeymoon right now.

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Amor Arenal

We arrived at the Amor Arenal hotel and checked into our casita. We really have nothing but good things to say about this hotel. It was a real gem for honeymooners like us! Since we stayed in this area for so long, it was also really nice to have a larger space to relax. Our casita had an outdoor space with seating and a jacuzzi, and it was totally private. We also loved how small the property was.

Tours

Our tours in this area were great too. Our favorite was the Coffee Tour. We found this one the most interesting and interactive. It was also pretty short, so we were able to do that in the morning and go to the wet bar in the afternoon!

The best food we had on the trip was in the La Fortuna downtown area for dinner. We ate at Don Rufino and Snapper’s House. Both were really excellent and well priced for the quality they served. We also enjoyed getting off the resort and seeing something new on our own!

El Mangroove

We left the Arenal area for Guanacaste with another great CAT driver (Manny). Again, he let us stop and do some errands since we didn’t have a lot of opportunities to do that in Arenal. We arrived at El Mangroove and checked into our room.

I am also glad we did not book any excursions here. It was nice to relax and do nothing! We had a few very leisurely days where we had drinks, ate, swam, and napped! This hotel did feel very “American” to us, which was truly fine. But I think we had a more authentic Costa Rican experience in Arenal.

Final Thoughts

We purchased the at-home proctored COVID tests, and I am so happy we did! As soon as we could test, we did so in our room and we were both negative. We were really diligent throughout the trip and wore masks anytime we were with others, even though we both have the vaccine. (Mike even got the booster prior to departure). I will also say that all the Costa Ricans we encountered wore masks, despite the low infection rate, and a high percentage of the population who had received the vaccine. Maybe this is due to the touristy areas we were in, but it was very reassuring for us.

Manny was our transfer back to the airport.

There were so many times on the trip where we said “Thank god for Ann!” or “This was a great recommendation from Ann!” You helped us book amazing hotels, tours, and transfers that I could have never done on my own. I also truly do not think I could have managed all the COVID materials, research, and documentation without you. You gave me a detailed list and breakdown of everything pre-departure, and I was still kind of overwhelmed, lol! I am so happy we had you book this trip for us and we SO look forward to doing it again!

Ellen