We can see more birds with our ears than we can with our eyes. We can hear birds behind us, or hidden in a tree. We can even hear birds in the dark. (Think owls.)

From the dawn of time men was charmed from the idea of freedom that just flying can give. Its beauty and sense of power has always been object of studies and emulations, by all age human beings. Naturally just birds can fly and this basic instinct is so strong for them, that in some species the urge of migrating is stronger than the maternal instinct.

Birding and bird watching have today the same meaning, which is the activity of studying, observing and recognize birds. The funny thing (or not so!) is that, once birding meant a totally different thing, as in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602) “She laments sir... her husband goes this morning a-birding.”, here birding is another story, and take the meaning of hunting or “fowling”.

Luckily today who does bird watching, doesn't bring any rifles or scalpels but just binoculars, field guide, maybe a notebook and a hat. Modern science still studies the birds and use them as a kind of oracle, because changes in bird populations can reflect the health of the our planet.

To you, birding can bring fun, satisfaction, health, companionship or, to your liking solitude. This activity that can be done in any natural habitat, you own backyard, your local park or while traveling: it's quite interesting discover different environments and how some of them attract more bird's species than others.

St. Maarten/St. Martin is a bird-watcher-paradise. With more than 200 different species, plus the one migrating from North America, the friendly island is a wonderful place to start such an activity. Here, eating outdoors you will see them landing on your table, especially Bananaquits which love sugar. Among flowers, feeding themselves the green-throated Carib and the Antillean-crested hummingbirds are very popular.

Environmental Protection In the Caribbean (EPIC), with the Nature Foundation of St. Martin and Royal Caribbean International launched different programs to protects birds on the island, involving both tourists and residents. The partners have set up bird-watching facilities at Fresh Pond and Little Bay Pond: here you can see beautiful birds flying, feeding themselves, or if you are lucky even while bathing.

Bird watching is about observe, recognize, understand birds movement, their rules or even their language. It has a lot in common with hunting or, even better, we can say that birding satisfying our natural hunting instinct. When bird watchers see a bird on a branch, they feel lucky because having a look at it (or shoot it!) is not too easy, while it's flying. Birding needs strong knowledge and patience and silence just like hunting, but luckily birding it doesn't have any harmful effects.

The title says it all!

i-sxm has choose 51 experiences you can, at least do for sure, while in St. Maarten and St. Martin.

Some of them are typical of the island and some less, some are just for fun and some are serious advise on where to find a good beach. We know it, Guarantee!

 

Enjoy the reading!

1. Drink Guavaberry

2. A morning of French shopping in Marigot

3. Taking sailing lessons - at least for a couple of days trip

4. Have dinner and then a walk across Gran Case

5. Buy a jewel - even a small one!

6. Spend a day in Anguilla

7. Birdwatching

8. Visit to St. Maarten Museum

9. Have a trendy Sunday afternoon in Mullet Bay beach

10. Sing (drunk) in a piano bar

11. Fishing

12. Rent a bike and follow a biking trail – or not...

13. Visit St. Maarten's zoo

14. A night just around parties and clubs - forbidden come to the hotel/condo Sober, but PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE...

15. …Take a taxi the same night

16. Excursion in Prickly Pear

17. Visit to the Marigot Market, available every morning

18. Rent a Jet Sky

19. Shopping in Front Street, Philipsburg

20. Spend a day in Pinel Island

21. Visit the Butterfly farm

22. Scuba Diving

23. Search on our website what to do every night ;)

24. Have a Loterie Farm adventure – Fly zone

25. Look at the beautiful Caribbean dawn – could follow an early wake or a very late night...

26. Have a drink during the sunset, at the Sunset Bar & Grill

27. Savage escape in Guana Bay – slow your stress down! Guarantee.

28. Bayside Horse Riding, at Le Galion beach

29. Visit Fort St. Louis

30. Have a couple massage in one of the beautiful spas – can choose you best friend, daddy, sister, cousin, mother in law, boss...

31. Swimming with dolphin

32. Crash a wedding on the beach ^_^

33. An afternoon in one of the nude beach around the island

34. Try your luck's at a casinos

35. Swimming through the hole in Bay Rouge *it's a must*

36. Being behind an aircraft during take-off (you choose the size), in Maho Beach NOT TO DO IF YOU HAVE HEALTH PROBLEM

37. Snorkeling

38. Visit Fort Amsterdam

39. Duty free shopping

40. Spend an evening at Loterie Farm, chilling and lying on the garden

41. 12 Mts Challenge – America's Cup Yacht Racing, in Philipsburg

42. Scuba Diving in “Proselyte Reef”

43. Afternoon in Baie Rouge beach

44. Go to a strip club (18 & older only)

45. Kart Racing

46. Have a chic and exclusive morning + lunch in Orient Bay beach

47. Buy a lot of souvenir that no one at home will like

48. Made the higher number of pictures you can ALWAYS ASK FIRST

49. Spend an afternoon in Happy Bay beach - 10/15 minutes walking

50. Spend a day in St. Barths

51. Eating French pastries for breakfast, Italian pasta for lunch and Japanese sushi for dinner, while in the Caribbean

*If you have any other suggestion, please send them to us*

The rating made by National Geographic Traveler about St. Maarten/St. Martin could have seems too severe to some of us but we, as St. Maartener, have to face the truth. Traffic is bad, environment is not well-respected and both side of the island are overbuilt.

In a society where being eco-friendly is becoming more and more important for our planet and for the further generations, we, as inhabitants of a touristic place has to consider that a growing number of people will prefer an environmentally friend destination, for their holiday.

Twenty years ago St. Maarten/St. Martin has seen its economical boom thanks to hotels, casinos, restaurants and others infrastructures built all around, but the typical-today-tourist is seeking for something more. And if we want to keep seeing the financial and cultural progress that we experienced in the past forty years, we have to change our behavior and realize what to do soon.

The island does not have large areas of natural preserves, and there are no campgrounds. Still, travelers looking for ecotourism can find some adventure while on vacation. Water sport and water adventures are widely available on the island, as well as kayaking, hiking, mountain biking and even horse riding.

Both St. Maarten and St. Martin have recently established nature or eco-tourist associations that are working to preserve the remaining environment and spread the popularity of eco-adventure on St. Martin and St. Maarten, like the Ecotourism Day organized by the Saint Martin Tourism Office in May, but there still is a lot to do.

On the website ecotourism.org there is a nice and smart “decalogue” about how to be a responsible traveler. i-sxm.com would like to invite everybody to follow this rules while on vacation on the Friendly Island, or anywhere else, and also who's living here everyday.

Do's and Don'ts While Traveling

By exploring alternative travel choices, you can have a unique trip and avoid leaving negative marks on cultures, economies, and the environment.

1. At the hotel: Ask about environmental policies and practices. Talk with staff about working conditions. Does the hotel support community projects?

2. Language: Learn a few words of the local language and use them.

3. Dress: Read up on local conventions and dress appropriately. In many countries, modest dress is important.

4. Behavior: Be respectful of local citizens’ privacy. Ask permission before entering sacred places, homes, or private land.

5. Photos: Be sensitive to when and where you take photos/video of people. Always ask first.

6. Environment: Respect the natural environment. Never touch or harass animals. Always follow designated trails. Support conservation by paying entrance fees to parks and protected sites.

7. Animal products: Never buy crafts or products made from protected or endangered animals.

8. Pay the fair price: Don’t engage in overly aggressive bargaining for souvenirs. Don’t short-change on tips for services.

9. Buy local: Choose locally-owned lodges, hotels, and B&Bs. Use local buses, car rental agencies, and airlines. Eat in local restaurants, shop in local markets, and attend local festivals/events.

10. Hire local guides: Enrich your experience and support the local economy. Ask guides if they are licensed and live locally. Are they recommended by tour operators?

If you were looking for another reason to come in St. Maarten/St. Martin this winter, here it is!

Every Tuesday night Grand-Case Village comes alive, through January till April beginning at 6 pm, with events, street entertainment, music and fun. Guests can walk through the closed-off streets and marvel at the shows, dancing and art galleries on display.

Grand Case is a beautiful street goes along the French side of the island. Stroke by Luis, a very intense hurricane that in '95 destroyed a 95% of the building, today Grand Case is completely reconstructed and more alive than ever.

Famous to be the most culinary attraction of the island, Grand Case is even mentioned by Snooth, that says “I am lucky to have been going down to St Martin for more than a decade now, and more specifically to the village of Grand Case, the self proclaimed Culinary Capital of the Caribbean!” and then follows “Whether that is truly the case may best be left to others to decide, but the 3 dozen or so restaurants lining the main drag through town sure do present a compelling argument.”

The meaning of “Grand Case”comes from Creole for “big house”, as originally this area was a home for large wooden house, cotton plantation, salt ponds and fisherman.

The architecture of Grand Case is one of the best offerings on the island, and perhaps even one of the most charming in the Caribbean. Houses here are done in "gingerbread style" with a lot of ornamentation. The colors come from a calming palette of pastels that blends in with the backdrop of the island, yet is bright enough to call humble attention upon them as individuals.

Creole style, reminiscent to the famous architectural design in New Orleans, plus French flair coming from cafes and bistros and West Indian influences. This is Grand Case, ready to come?