Sint Maarten Recovery
 

Anyone been to SXM recently? Or otherwise have some updates on how the island's recovery is coming along?

Was just there. Some places are recovering, but stores/restaurants are closed with no sign of reopening. Still lots of damage being cleaned up, plenty of boats in the harbor that are sunk or flipped over. In talking to several people, the Dutch and French are ignoring the island and relief is at a trickle. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow.

How did you find operations at the airport?

Thanks, RacingJunkie. Look forward to your photos.

Were you there on holiday?

I feel out of sorts not having gone to SXM this winter and would like to plan a Spring trip. On the one hand, I'd guess that they want the tourist dollars to start flowing in again. On the other hand, I certainly don't want to be insensitive to the fact that their priorities may still be on other things....

Airport has a lot of work still needed. They have set up huge tents as make shift arrival and departure halls. The departure hall has several little kiosks to buy food and drink. But with them stressing to make sure you arrive 3 hours before the flight, it gets quite crowded. Customs was a breeze in and out. The process went quickly and with minimal. Check in could have been a bit better. There were 4 checks of passports. 1 to just get into the building, 2nd to have you bag weighed, 3rd for initial questions about your bag and 4th at check in desk. Then you had the normal security and finally customs.

A few pics of the departure hall.

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I went in for holiday, but only spent one night in the north side up at Grand Case. Hotel and housing is still extremely limited. Everybody is still trying to make ends meet. I talked to one guy (who actually gave us a ride to the port), he is still without a roof, currently using a tarp. After the Hurricane he slept in his Ford SUV for two weeks until he got the tarp. From his explanation, there has been very little government support on either the Dutch or French side of the island. So any dollars that come in mean a huge deal for these people.

So, the damage is to everything. Most blocks there are spots where a small building used to reside, they are now turned into staging areas for scrap to be hold off from people rebuilding or construction going on. You walk the streets and places there used to be restaurants, there is no signs of life. All the glass in blown out, you look inside and it looks like a tornado whipped through the inside. There are still several boats sunk or abandoned on the beaches or harbor rocks. I id not make it over to Maho Beach, but I understand it is almost back to normal. I would say 80-90% of people that were on my flight were connecting to other smaller south Islands like St Barts and or a boat trip.

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Wow, this is so sad. I was recently looking at a booking for Jan 2019 but this thread has me rethinking. Prior to seeing this thread I googled and found this: Updated: Mapping what's open and closed in the Caribbean: Travel Weekly and they made it sound like the restaurants and life was open for business again. It looks like it isn't however.

I was thinking May 2018 for my trip. Surely Jan 2019 enough will be open for you to enjoy your visit.

WE WERE JUST there, wife said dutch side was up and running. not so the other side (French ?)

wife had absolutely no trouble finding places to spend money. they loved US dollars.

That's good to hear. So you're saying that restaurants are all open? Shops? Hotels? How was infrastructure... roads e.g.,?

I will be traveling to SXM in August. I would like some recommendation on any good hotels/ places to live near Maho beach. If I don't drive, is the ride expensive and developed there for now? Finally, a bit worry about security: heard there's some looting going on, is things better now? Thanks for you guys' help!

Has anyone been here recently? Have any updates on the rebuilding? Looking at going in early 2019. Probably lodge in the Simpson Bay area but would like to be out and about too.
Thanks

Am interested in an update, too!
Although I already booked my early 2019 trip as I assume most everything is OK.

We are leaving in a few weeks. Anyone have an update on the island?
Thanks

Hi, everyone. Just had a quick visit to the island. Still some construction here and there. Some restaurants have not reopened, but most places seem fully up and running. Plenty of food options. No issues with infrastructure (roads, water), although the airport building is still under construction. I stayed on the Dutch side and visited Grand Case and P'burg. Happy to share more specific details if anyone has questions.