Philipsberg, St Maarten

Unsure what we'd find in each stop, and with the advice for each destination including only a couple of points from Lonely Planet, we ventured early into Philipsberg to see what we could see. The after effects of the hurricane were evident on the walk in - twisted shopping containers which has clearly been tossed around as if they were nothing more than cardboard, roofs missing from buildings and windows from cars, as well as uprooted palms trees along the way. Nonetheless, the capital of the Dutch side of this island has clearly been working to reopen in anticipation of the tourist trade and was busy with locals even at 9.30am.

We walked along the seafront boardwalk in a humid, salty heat which suggested the midday sun would be almost unbearable. The sea was a brilliant blue, but not clear; we found out later the locals were dubious about snorkelling due to concerns about remaining debris in the water. On our return along the main shopping street, a brief but heavy rain shower offered respite from the heat. Sadly the museum appeared to not be open, damaged from the hurricane.

Our jaunt in was brief but pleasant. We resolved to book on a few excursions as a result so we could snorkel, kayak and paddleboard in recommended areas. I also resolved to better strap up by toe which, whilst seeming to be healing, is still swollen and yet to form to proper scab.Läs mer