re: Day trips from St. Maarten

We did that trip last summer & loved it. To add what's been mentioned, on St. Maarten check out Cupecoy Beach on the Dutch side. Lots of little caves which are pretty cool to see. Mullet Bay (also Dutch side) has a great sandy beach & cool little beach bar. Most of Orient beach is not nude & is worth seeing. It's pretty busy with jet skis, parasailing & other activities. We hung out near La Playa & they have waiters that will bring you food & drinks.

As for Anguilla, Shoal Bay East has the clearest water I've ever seen. There's a small reef right off the beach that has pretty good snorkeling. Our favorite place on Anguilla was Rendezvous Bay. Right next to Cuisinart is Bankie Banx's Dune Preserve & the Moonsplash Bar. Great food & strong drinks, although a bit pricey. The view from the bar is incredible. Bankie is usually there & hangs out on a couch right next to the bar.