Beach-lover’s guide to St. Martin

Where to Stay: Amble out of your room and right onto the sand at Le Petit Hotel ($240 to $280; 011-590-590-29-09-65; www.lepetithotel.com), where large suites make you feel right at home. Grand Case Beach Club ($115 to $160; 800-344-3016; www.grandcasebeachclub.com) offers packages complete with water sports on Petit Plage at the north end of Grand Case.

Where to Play: If you get fidgety, head to Petite Plage where the Grand Case Beach Club offers kayaks, Sunfish, motorized water sports and two-hour excursions to nearby Creole Rock for some of the island’s best snorkeling. The trip costs $30 and includes a guide and skin-diving gear.

Where to Eat: With a fantastic location at the south end of restaurant row, and overlooking Grand Case Beach’s blue-green waters, Rainbow Café ($$$; 011-590-590-87-55-80; www.rainbow-cafe.com) serves up grilled lamb chops, braised Chilean sea bass and an entertaining dose of owners David and Fleur. Also along the ocean side of the main street and worth the delicious calories are four restaurants offering French fare and open-air views of the bay. Try Le Tastevin ($$$; 011-590-590-87-55-45); L’Escapade ($$$; 011-590-590-87-75-04; www.escapaderestaurant.com); Le Pressoir ($$$; 011-590-590-87-76-62); and La California ($$$; 011-590-590-87-55-57; www.california-restaurant.com).

The Northern Tip

The winding road up and over Pigeon Pea Hill opens onto a spectacular view of Anse Marcel. Embraced by mountains, this golden beach with a smattering of smooth black stones invites a romantic stroll or a dip in the sea.

A strenuous but worthwhile hour-and-a-half hike north from Anse Marcel leads over a hill and down to the most pristine beach on the island. Baie de Petites Cayes is the quintessential Caribbean setting, with water several shades of turquoise, a silky white ribbon of sand and quietude free from cars, crowds and development. Part of the charm is the hike, with spectacular views of the bay, Anguilla and passing sailboats.

To get to Petites Cayes, park at the service road for the water treatment plant, cross the chain and hike the road to the nursery. A metal culvert to the right is the beginning of the overgrown path. You can take the 25-minute, less scenic route by parking at Grandes Cayes (take a right in Cul de Sac before the hill to Anse Marcel) and hiking along the coast. If you bring a picnic lunch, throw it in a knapsack, because you’ll need both hands free for the trail.

Where to Stay: While you can’t quite step out of your room directly onto the sand at Le Meridien St. Martin ($203 to $420; 800-543-4300; www.stmartin.lemeridien.com), this 230-room resort with three bars and four restaurants is the closest you’ll get to Anse Marcel’s golden shore.

Where to Play: Drop by Anse Marcel’s Caraibes Watersports (011-590-590-29-67-64) for parasailing, kayaks, snorkel gear and water-bike rentals and excursions, then top up on drinks at Zozo Bar (no phone).

Hot Stuff: Around the point from Petites Cayes, and more accessible from Cul de Sac, is Grandes Cayes. The beach is thin and strewn with rocks, but locals gather here on the weekends. It’s also popular with surfers and paragliders, who take flight from the hills just above the beach.

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