Twenty-four years. That number hits differently when you’re standing at the base of a 1,300-foot mountain in the Caribbean, wondering what exactly you signed up for. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Escaping the Cold (and Celebrating 24 Years)

It was mid-February, the thermometer back home was hovering in the teens, and we needed a reset. When Google Flights surfaced a genuinely great deal to St. Maarten, it felt less like a decision and more like a sign. Four nights in the Caribbean to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary? We booked it before we could talk ourselves out of it.

St. Maarten has a way of grabbing you the moment the plane descends—vivid turquoise water, lush hillsides, and that unmistakable warmth that hits you as you step off the jet bridge. After weeks of bundling up in layers, low-80s tropical weather felt like a full-body exhale.

Trading winter coats for Caribbean sunshine.

Where We Stayed: Les Galets

We stayed at Les Galets, a small, intimate property featuring just five studio units. Our room was the “Aqua” studio—perfectly situated, beautifully appointed, and everything you’d want from a Caribbean getaway. It was quiet, comfortable, and felt more like staying at a friend’s private villa than a hotel. For a trip built around relaxation and reconnecting, it was exactly right.

The Aqua studio at Les Galets—our home for four nights.

Day 3: Pinel Island

Our third day was dedicated to Pinel Island, and it delivered everything we hoped for. A quick three-minute taxi boat ride from the shore is all it takes to reach what feels like another world entirely.

The water around Pinel Island is the kind you see in travel magazines and assume is Photoshopped—impossibly clear, impossibly blue, and shallow enough that you can see straight to the sandy bottom the entire ride over. We waded into waist-deep water and just… stood there. Fish darted between our legs. The sun was warm. Nobody was in a hurry.

The water clarity at Pinel Island is something else entirely.

We sipped drinks, watched other visitors kayak out toward the horizon, and let the hours dissolve. No agenda, no schedule—just the two of us soaking in the Caribbean and appreciating exactly where we were.

Pure relaxation on Pinel Island.

It was the perfect gentle opener to the trip. Which made what came next feel all the more surprising.

The Challenge: Loterie Farm Hike

Here’s the thing about Loterie Farm: the brochure makes it sound serene. A nature reserve, lush canopy, zip lines for the adventurous. What it does not adequately emphasize is that the Peak Hike involves 1,300 feet of elevation gain over roughly 2.5 hours—and we had never been hiking before.

Not casually hiking. Not “we haven’t hiked in a while” hiking. Never. As in, this was our first hike. Ever.

We underestimated it magnificently.

Looking confident at the trailhead. That would change.

The switchbacks started immediately and did not relent. The trail winds steeply through dense tropical forest, and the humidity ensures you feel every step. About twenty minutes in, we established our survival strategy: walk for two minutes, rest for two minutes. Walk for two minutes, rest for two minutes. It was less a hiking strategy and more a coping mechanism—but it worked.

What made it worth the suffering? The people around us, who were kind and encouraging. The forest itself, which was genuinely beautiful. And the knowledge that turning back wasn’t an option, because finishing together was the whole point.

The views started revealing themselves as we gained elevation.

Somewhere around the two-hour mark—tired, sweaty, and almost there.

When we finally reached the summit lookout, the payoff was everything. The entire island spread out below us—both the French and Dutch sides, the airport, the coastline curving in both directions, the ocean impossibly bright in the afternoon sun. Twenty-four years of partnership felt very present in that moment. We had genuinely accomplished something together that neither of us had done before.

1,300 feet up. Worth every switchback.

The whole island laid out before us.

We spent a few quiet minutes at the top, caught our breath, and made our way back down. The descent was kinder to the lungs but harder on the knees—a fact we would feel acutely the next morning.

The Reward: Dinner at Ocean 82

We descended from Loterie Farm absolutely spent. Two people who had never hiked before had just tackled 1,300 feet of Caribbean mountain—and our bodies were letting us know exactly how they felt about that decision.

All we wanted was an early dinner. Six o’clock. Casual. Something close. What we found instead was that most casual restaurants in the area didn’t open until 7:00 PM or later, which is entirely reasonable in the Caribbean and completely inconvenient for two exhausted, freshly-showered hikers in desperate need of calories.

The views that made the soreness worth it.

So we ended up at Ocean 82—a fine French dining establishment—still wearing the same clothes we had worn to hike a mountain. Cargo shorts. Trail shoes. The works.

The staff at Ocean 82, to their immense credit, received us graciously and without so much as a raised eyebrow. We were seated, treated with genuine warmth, and served a meal that was, frankly, spectacular. French cuisine in St. Maarten after a two-and-a-half-hour hike may be one of the most incongruous and deeply satisfying dining experiences of our lives.

Post-hike fine dining. We were not dressed for the occasion, and it was perfect.

The food was exceptional. The wine was excellent. And sitting across from each other at a candlelit table in St. Maarten—exhausted, a little sunburned, wearing hiking clothes in a French restaurant—we laughed about all of it.

More of the Island

The remaining days were a mix of beach time, exploring local spots, and the kind of slow, unhurried wandering that only happens when you truly have nowhere to be.

A Perfect Anniversary

Four nights in St. Maarten gave us exactly what we needed: warmth, adventure, genuine rest, and a shared experience we’ll talk about for years. Pinel Island reminded us how to slow down. Loterie Farm reminded us that we’re capable of more than we think. Ocean 82 reminded us that the best meals aren’t always the ones you planned.

Twenty-four years in, and we’re still surprising ourselves. Here’s to many more.

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Destination: St. Maarten, Caribbean Duration: 4 nights Accommodation: Les Galets – Aqua Studio Highlights: Pinel Island, Loterie Farm Peak Hike (1,300 ft), Dinner at Ocean 82 Best for: Couples, anniversary travel, beach + adventure mix