The beach is always better!  I fell in love with St. Martin in 1999 and it has since become my favorite place in the Caribbean. St. Martin infuses the multiple cultures of the French, the Dutch, and Island life the best! St. Martin is an island small in size, spanning 33 miles all the way around and is the baby Manhattan of the Caribbean however, offers a variety of pristine beaches! Let’s start with the French side which has the beautiful five star Hotel La Samanna on Baie Longue, picturesque and stunning!  Then you have Baie Rouge, a residential quiet beach with big waves and is the first beach I ever stayed on in St Martin. Friars Bay is not to be missed and is very family friendly.  If you are traveling with small children plan to head over and spend most of your days at Le Galion Beach which feels like an island in itself,  with lake like water and sandbars that take you to the middle of the sea just knee deep. Even though people associate the french side with the most picturesque beaches don’t be fooled, the Dutch side has a few hidden gems as well. While it is much more of a local beach, with no restaurants, chair and umbrella rentals, Mullet Bay Beach is a wonderful place to spend the day with just the surf, sand and a towel. If you are looking for some activity, Great bay beach is fun, especially if you are staying on or near front street which is in the main city of Phillipsburg. This is where you can view the cruise ships sailing in and out, hop on water taxis and indulge in water sports! By the airport you have Sunset Beach, one of the islands busiest beaches, buzzing with windsurfers and is close to the Sonesta Maho Beach Hotel and Casino. This beach and it’s bar is a classic Caribbean crescent, where the tourists and locals meet inviting you to impromptu beach barbecues for a lifetime of memories! So, when you spot a 747 coming into view, and it buzzes above the palm trees, just wave, hang on to your hat and toast to an endless summer with your Guavaberry Kir in hand, Cheers!