Customer Reviews

Day Trips St. Martin

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I was bitterly disapointed in this book. I can't believe someone was paid to produce this booklet of what is essentially cut+dry walking directions. I could have written this book before I had ever even visited the place after just reading another guide book and given exact mileage from point a to point b.

Day Trips on St. Martin is a wonderful book. I have been toSt. Martin three times now and would have been bummed not to have italong each time. The island is loaded with different fantastic beaches. This book describes each one and gives clear, easy driving directions which otherwise can turn into a driving hassle. There are a few hiking trips included and they all turned out to be great trips. Before leaving on my first vacation to St. Martin, I read the negative review about the book here on Amazon. Because it was the only book I found specifically about St. Martin, I took a chance and bought a copy anyway. I am very glad I did. In fact, after using the book I even purchased another copy for a friend... The book is basic but it is precise and informative. If you don't know the island, it is a godsend. If you do, it is a helpful beach and trail guide.

I bought three books when planning my trip to St.Martin."Ulysses due south","St.Martin/St.Barts Alive" and this one.The first two are excellent sources of information."Day trips"offers only brief descriptions and directions,which is ok I guess,but you'll still need one of the other books(I preferred Ulysses)for a broader overview.I'll be going back,but"Day trips on St.Martin"won't be going with me.

This is an un-ambitious guide book, but I found it useful on a return trip to this delightful island. Note to the editors: Why not print the driving directions accompanying Robert Stone's descriptions in a small font. Driving directions often take-up more space than the place descriptions. After all, St.Martin/St.Maarten is just thirty-seven square miles. Getting from one place to another is almost intuitive. One main road circles the island and the destination points are almost all on the perimeter. The map of the island on pages 8 and 9 is excellent and easy to refer to while caught in traffic slowdowns in the French city of Marigot or while waiting for the bridge to lower at Simpson Bay. PS: You didn't tell us about the traffic, the narrow roads, the goats, the quick turns on steep hills, and the uneven road quality. Note to the author: Your descriptions are skimpy. Why not give us a little more information, for example, about the flora and fauna. At Orient Beach I was surprised to find some beautiful cactus in bloom. And how about those different birds poking about the salt ponds and the frigate birds lazily circling high above. Your photographs are fine and relevant. You give us a list of taxi fares, but this information dates quickly. Most visitors using your book will rent cars. Maybe a list of annual celebrations such as the Heineken Regatta at Simpson Bay or Carnival in Marigot would be of greater value.

It took me about 20 minutes to read this book. It provides only the most basic information, of little value to the first-time visitor who would also like background and/or history of the area. It's no-nonsense-to-the-extreme style is boring, and paints a very dull picture of St. Martin. The only reason it deserves even one star is for the colorful photographs.

Just to clarify - if you are cruise ship type or a resort compound type, this book is for you! For the rest of us that can find our way around a phone booth, forget this book.

Well, no wonder this book was panned by others. Have been to St Martin before, by the way. A mere 48 pages, canned information that probably is in every version of this series. Yes, it directs one to some places, but no suprises, information probably available at any hotel or by asking a local. Like so many travel guides, it glamorises everything. Phillipsburg is a large tourist trap/cruise ship town - tee shirt/jewelry sort of place. Yet this book calls it quaint - give me a break! Run from this book or resell it as soon as possible.

I very much enjoyed this book. I bought it and read it and then used it the entire trip. I'm one of those people that like to know what is available all over where I'm traveling and I found the book simple and easy to use with the main high-lights. What I'd like to have seen were more recommendations on places and markets, dance etc. but that's really not the intent of the book. Besides the local paper has all that info in it in the Thursday edition. Very much worth the cost of the book.