Samuelson Sisters, Beverly and Janet On Island 92 SXM
*Photo Courtesy of Beverly Samuelson
By Beverly Samuelson
ST. MAARTEN – In the summer of 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of St Maarten: trees toppled over, buildings collapsed, and entire marinas were swept away. I have returned to this island on a recent vacation and can attest that it is on the way to a full recovery. My sister and I visited the Island 92 SXM studio and spoke with radio host, Dr. Soc and his assistant, Charese. The duo informed us about the rebound St. Maarten has been undergoing since the hurricane. The island is coming back strong: many hotels are partially or fully open, while others are undergoing repairs with plans to reopen in the near future, cruise ships are stopping and the marinas are full.
On this trip we stayed at the Divi Little Bay, the resort is fully operational and as beautiful as ever. The Divi’s neighbor, the Belair Beach Hotel, is also running at full capacity. Many shops and restaurants on the Dutch side of the island have re-opened; favorites such as Chesterfields at Bobby’s Marina, Toppers, St. Maarten Yacht Club, Pineapple Pete’s, Wasabi Charlie, LaRosa, and many others. If you’re a jewelry lover, don’t miss Royal Caribbean Jewelers; when there ask for Monty, who has been in the business for 23 years at Divi Little Bay, Phillipsburg and other locations. On the French side, Margot is back up and running, but the sounds of hammers and drills signify that a significant amount of rebuilding remains. One popular attraction, the French Market, has also returned with its many vendors and their beautiful offerings.
For all your St Maarten news, condo rentals and sales, upcoming events, etc. go online to everythingsxm.com, Jeff Berger will let you know the latest in everything going on in SXM, join his website and sign up for the weekly newsletter. Become a member for fantastic discounts at shops, restaurants, car rentals, etc. Another must-have when traveling to SXM or anywhere is Sky Med; I never leave home without it. You never know when something will happen, and with Sky Med, you can put your mind at ease. Sky Med will fly you home to your doctor and hospital, for a few dollars a day no matter where in the world you are. For more details, you can log on to Everythingsxm.com or skymed.com.
Finally, don’t forget to go online to Island 92 SXM (island92.com) from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST for the morning show with Dr. Soc, join in the conversations and kibitz with the morning group, listen to great music and hear about all events taking place on the island. So pack your bags, head to the airport, and visit beautiful St. Maarten, it’s back and shaping up to be better than ever.
