Off-Season Specials

Visit www.Villalady.com for some exceptional rates on villas during the off-season. They have villas on both the French side and the Dutch side of the island. The web site has detailed descriptions and photos of the properties. An example of their offerings is one-bedroom Grand Case Cottage, which sits directly on the beach of Grand Case on the French side for $125/day or $795/week. Note that the price is in dollars and not euros!

7th Annual Caribbean Keelboat Championships Coming

North Sails, a world leader in sailmaking, is sponsoring the 7th Annual Caribbean Keelboat Championship in St Maarten. Thirteen teams of the Caribbean’s most competitive sailors have already registered, coming from St. Lucia, USVI, Grenada, St Maarten, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Registration takes place on June 20 at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club at 6:00 pm and the race kicks off on Saturday, June 21. An awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 22 at the end of the race.

Heads Up About Parking in the Maho Beach Area

Still on the Dutch side, but at the opposite end of the island from Philipsburg is a very nice little area called Maho. The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino is here, along with Casino Royale and many shops and restaurants. This is a relatively safe area with security guards on the streets at night. However, be careful where you park, even in the daytime. Do NOT park at the far end of this one-street area just inside the gates of the old Mullet Bay Beach Resort to the left. Unfortunately, rental cars are a prime target for theft. It only takes a minute to “open” a locked door or pry open a trunk. Also, at night, this area is dimly lit. Instead, drive under the portico at Casino Royale and use their free valet parking. Of course, you’ll probably want to tip them $5, but it’s well worth the convenience and ease of mind.