About Robinson Crusoe, Restaurants and “Reis Roots”
An Interview with Mireille Jaspers
St. Maarten / St. Martin has a highly diverse visitor audience – from yachties to resort guests, from business travellers to villa visitors. Every guest has a special story to tell.
Today, we highlight the special story of Mireille Jaspers. Apart from being an island visitor and mother of three, she also looks at the destination through a different lens as a travel blogger. “I am a passionate traveller. When our children were born, my husband and I didn’t stop travelling; we simply continued exploring the world together as a family. The kids are now 13, 20 and 21, and over the years we have been incredibly fortunate to discover so many wonderful places together.”
The expert lens looks deeper than superficial observations. “What I love most is really experiencing a destination: connecting with local people, spending time in nature, discovering different cultures and occasionally venturing off the beaten track. At the same time, I certainly don’t skip the famous highlights, because they are usually famous for a reason! I share our travel experiences on my Instagram account @reis_roots and through travel blogs, hoping to inspire others to explore the world too and to show that adventurous travel with children is absolutely possible. Discovering new places, having special encounters and creating memories together gives me energy.”
As much as travel blogging is a fun and time-consuming passion, it is not her work. “The funny thing is that ReisRoots isn’t actually work for me at all. It is purely a hobby, although it is definitely a hobby I happily invest a lot of my time in! I absolutely love sharing our travel experiences and helping others with practical tips, itineraries and advice. Whenever someone tells me they discovered a destination because of one of my stories, or that my tips helped them plan their own trip, that gives me a real sense of satisfaction. There is also a very personal bonus: choosing photos and writing about our travels allows me to experience those moments all over again. Suddenly, I am back on that beach, hiking that trail or reliving a special encounter. Perhaps that is one of the best things about travel blogging: a wonderful journey doesn’t have to end when you come home.”
Her work is something totally different, but has a language component. “Travel is a huge part of my free time, but in everyday life you will actually find me in a classroom! I teach Dutch at a secondary school in the Netherlands. At first glance, teaching may seem completely different from travel blogging, but there is actually a lovely connection between the two: I enjoy sharing stories and getting other people excited about something. I am also quite sporty, so when I’m not travelling, teaching or writing, there is a good chance I’m doing some kind of sport. Apparently, sitting still just isn’t really my thing!”
Tintamarre as Key Trip Advice
What, through her expert eyes, was memorable about this “umpteenth” destination she visited? Tintamarre was an absolute highlight during her St. Maarten / St. Martin travels. “If I could relive one day, I would definitely choose another boat trip to discover Tintamarre, or Pinel. Seeing the islands from the water gives you a completely different perspective and takes you to places that feel worlds away from some of the busier beaches and towns on the main island. Swimming and snorkelling in that incredibly clear Caribbean water, stopping at little islands and simply relaxing on the boat in between was our idea of a perfect holiday. This island near St. Martin may not be a complete secret, but to us it really felt as though we had discovered our own little piece of paradise. The moment you arrive, you get that ultimate deserted-island feeling: crystal-clear turquoise water, a gorgeous beach, no buildings and nature all around you. We called it our “Robinson Crusoe beach”. The fact that there is so little there is exactly what makes it so special. No boulevard, no crowds, no endless rows of sun loungers, just that wonderfully pure Caribbean island feeling. If someone asks me for a place that shows just how unspoilt this part of the Caribbean can still feel, Tintamarre immediately comes to mind.”
Having said that, Baie Rouge (Red Bay) comes in close. “What I loved most about it was actually everything that wasn’t there. No huge hotels, no busy boulevard and no rows of restaurants, just a beautiful beach, clear water and plenty of space to simply enjoy being there. That is what makes Baie Rouge so idyllic to me. You don’t need to do anything: put down your towel, go for a swim, read a book and enjoy the view. On an island with so many beautiful beaches, choosing just one is almost impossible, but if I could fly back tomorrow and visit only one beach, I would choose Baie Rouge.”
Pinel
Robinson Crusoe and being away from crowds seems to be a theme for Mireille, also adding uninhabited Pinel Island to the mix of favourites. “Baie Rouge, Pinel and Tintamarre are spots I like to relax. Baie Rouge for its peace and simplicity, Pinel for that wonderful tropical holiday feeling where you can sit with your feet in the sand while enjoying something to eat or drink, and Tintamarre because it feels so pure and unspoilt. All three are very different, but they have one thing in common: the moment I arrived, I automatically slowed down. The sea in front of me, sunshine overhead and absolutely nothing else I needed to do. That is pretty much all I need to relax.”
Pinel left a reason to come back. “If it were possible, I would love to spend a night on Pinel itself! I already thought it was paradise during the day, so imagine being able to stay after the last visitors have returned to the main island. Waking up on such a tiny island with the Caribbean Sea all around you sounds absolutely wonderful to me. As far as I know, there is no accommodation on Pinel itself, so my alternative would be to stay across the water in Cul-de-Sac, preferably somewhere overlooking Pinel and allowing me to hop on a boat and be back there in no time. My perfect holiday would definitely revolve around that little piece of paradise.” As Pinel is a protected nature reserve, staying overnight is not possible, but her enthusiasm is duly noted!
A Night Out With Mireille (and Family)
Picking a favourite St. Maarten / St. Martin restaurant is more challenging, as three come to mind, competing for the number-one spot. “I absolutely loved Calmos Café in Grand Case. Delicious food, a wonderfully tropical setting and a location right by the sea: exactly the kind of place where the meal itself becomes part of your holiday memories. For something completely different, we really enjoyed 3 Amigos in Maho, especially on Taco Tuesday, with tasty, inexpensive tacos and a fun, laid-back atmosphere. Bikini Beach Restaurant at Orient Bay also deserves a place on my list, with its lovely beachfront location and exactly the relaxed atmosphere you hope to find on a Caribbean island.”
She adds: “That variety is actually something I loved about St. Maarten and Saint Martin in general: one day you can enjoy a wonderful meal surrounded by French influences and the next you can eat somewhere completely casual with your feet almost in the sand. That combination suits the island perfectly.”
Variety in cocktails was also explored. “I love a good cocktail when I’m on holiday, and somehow cocktails seem to taste even better on St. Maarten! My favourite place to have one was Yellow Beach on Pinel. Sitting there with a cocktail, looking out over that unbelievably blue water with my feet in the sand is about as Caribbean as it gets for me. I also really enjoyed Sunset Bar & Grill at Maho Beach, where your cocktail comes with the added spectacle of planes flying incredibly low overhead. But honestly, there are so many lovely bars and beach bars around the island that you never have to look very far for a good cocktail.”
Variety in Diversity – A St. Maarten Strength
Variety goes a level deeper than just food and drinks, according to Mireille. To a certain extent, it shapes the entire experience on the island. “For such a relatively small island, there is an incredible amount of variety. You have the Dutch side and the French side, each with its own distinct atmosphere. There are lively towns as well as almost deserted beaches. You can enjoy fantastic food, snorkel, sail, hike, shop or simply spend an entire day doing absolutely nothing. And somehow, despite all those differences, it still feels like one island. I think that combination is exactly what makes St. Maarten and Saint Martin so special. It feels Caribbean, Dutch, French and international all at the same time, which means you can keep discovering a completely different side of the island during the same holiday.”
Variety also adds to the volume of things to do, in a good way. “I love destinations where there is plenty to experience without ever feeling as though you have to rush from one highlight to the next. On St. Maarten, you can do something active in the morning, spend the afternoon on a gorgeous beach and finish the day with a delicious dinner or a cocktail somewhere. There are two very different sides of the island, dozens of beaches and little islands just offshore, and there is always something new to discover. At the same time, it is incredibly easy to slow down and do absolutely nothing for a while. I love that combination.”
The variety and diversity also surface at the island’s most important annual event, Carnival. As she visited in April, it was well underway. “We were lucky enough to visit during Carnival and it added something truly special to our trip. It was colorful, joyful and incredibly vibrant. What I loved most was that we weren’t simply watching a beautiful spectacle; at the same time, we were getting a glimpse of local life and culture. The music, the costumes, the dancing and, most of all, the energy of the people made a huge impression on us. Those are always my favourite moments when travelling: when you are not simply looking at a destination from the outside, but for a moment you feel as though you are right in the middle of it. Carnival gave us exactly that feeling.”
A feeling that, to her surprise, was extended to the Dutch-side capital, Philipsburg. “Philipsburg really surprised me. Of course, I knew the name before travelling to St. Maarten, but I hadn’t expected to find the town quite so atmospheric. I loved the combination of colourful buildings, the beach, the boardwalk and the lively atmosphere. There is always something going on, yet you never lose that Caribbean holiday feeling. Wandering around, stopping somewhere for a drink, watching people go by and catching glimpses of the sea in between made Philipsburg a wonderful place for me to simply spend a few hours without any particular plan.”
Not that the French-side capital, Marigot, disappointed. “I enjoyed simply wandering through the shopping streets of Marigot. The French atmosphere makes it lovely to stroll around, browse the shops and see what catches your eye. For me, shopping while travelling doesn’t necessarily have to be about buying something specific. Looking around, popping into a shop here and there and soaking up the atmosphere of a place can be just as enjoyable.”
Expert-Designed Itinerary Suggestions
So, as a blogger regularly asked for travel advice, what will that advice to her followers be, next to all the above? “For sure, a positive one. St. Maarten and Saint Martin are about so much more than Maho Beach, cruise ships and a handful of beautiful caribbean beaches. Of course, you should see those famous planes at Maho at least once, because we thought it was fantastic too, but anyone who visits only for that misses so much of what makes the island special. Explore the French side as well. Discover Grand Case and Marigot. Seek out quieter beaches such as Baie Rouge. Get out on the water and visit Pinel and Tintamarre. Wander through Philipsburg. Try both local and French food. And if you get the chance to experience a local event such as Carnival, absolutely do it! Because we had two weeks on the island and our daughter had already been living there for several months, we were able to look beyond the best-known highlights. That is when we realised just how many different faces this relatively small island has.”
She would get the “people” message out too in such a conversation. “What has stayed with me instead is the warmth of the people as a whole: how easily conversations started and how welcome we felt. To me, it is all those people who contribute to the atmosphere of a destination, whether they work in restaurants, on boats, in shops or are simply people you happen to meet along the way, who ultimately bring a journey to life.”
She continues her advice, laughingly: “Get out on the water! To Tintamarre! And of course, a visit to Maho Beach should also be part of any first visit to St. Maarten. It may be touristy, but watching an airplane come in to land that incredibly low above your head is something you simply have to experience at least once!”
History-wise, she also adds forts to the route. “Fort Louis in Marigot is a must-see. I always enjoy places that combine a beautiful view with an opportunity to learn something about the history of a destination, and Fort Louis offers both. Its location high above Marigot alone makes it worth visiting, with wonderful views over the town, the bay and the surrounding landscape. At the same time, the remains of the fort are a reminder that Saint Martin is about so much more than beaches and palm trees. For me, places like this add another layer to a trip and help you understand a little more about the destination you are visiting.”
Why St. Maarten / St. Martin?
Saving the best for last: “My fondest memory is actually less about one particular place and more about the reason we travelled to St. Maarten in the first place. My daughter lived on St. Maarten. When we came to visit her after she had been away for a while, seeing her again was incredibly special. But perhaps even more special was having her show us her temporary home. Normally, as parents, we are the ones taking our children around the world and introducing them to new places. This time, the roles were completely reversed. My daughter knew the island, had discovered her own favourite places and had built a life there, and now she was inviting us into her world. Discovering St. Maarten together therefore became much more than simply a beautiful family holiday. We were able to get a glimpse of the life she had created there independently, and that is something I will always look back on with enormous warmth.”
That was further reinforced by the fact that her daughter is a source of inspiration for Mireille. “I genuinely admire the way she approaches life. She is only in her early twenties and has already twice chosen to spend half a year on her own in a completely new environment: first on an exchange in Granada, Spain, and later she chose St. Maarten. I think it is incredibly impressive how she manages to build a new life for herself in places like these, surrounded by a new environment, new people and a different culture, and not only finds her place but makes the absolute most of the experience, both academically and personally. Perhaps it touches me even more because travelling has always been such an important part of our family life. For years, we took our children around the world and introduced them to new places. And then suddenly there was this wonderful moment when our daughter, on the other side of the Atlantic, was showing us her world. I find that incredibly special. And yes, as her mother, I am of course immensely proud of her.”
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