on an island in the sun. — Vanessa in Boston.

As you may already know from several teases on social, I am currently on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Well actually, today I'm docked in St. Maarten but since I can't update you with a new post, my blogging bestie Liv of Style By Liv is guest posting to tell you about some of the experiences I'm likely having on this pretty little island...

Saint Maarten is an island on the southern part of the Caribbean and a place that was never on my 'must travel list' until a few months ago when my boyfriend suggested it. I said 'why not' because who doesn't love a Caribbean vacation? (Although, babe, if you're reading this Europe is next). My boyfriend and I just returned and OMG it was fabulous. It was by far my favorite vacation we've had together. We stayed at the Sonesta Great Bay Resort in Philipsburg; the capital of Saint Maarten. It was an "all inclusive resort" which means all-you-can-eat and drink which is a huge plus. There is no need to carry around your credit card because all you need is some singles to tip your waitress and/ or bartender.

I'll be honest, I let my boyfriend handle everything with this trip which means I didn't research anything about the island. I literally just showed up at the airport. I had no idea what to expect but man, was it fabulous! The island is made up of many hills and the most colorful houses located along the hillside. We ventured into Philipsburg and saw the most beautiful cobblestone streets, colonial style buildings and many jewelry stores. The beaches were my favorite part of the trip because they were covered in palm trees and clear blue water. What was really interesting to me was that the beach is not sandy but instead a layer of finely ground shells. The beaches were HOT, HOT, HOT but thankfully, the water was beautiful and a refreshing temperature.

One of my favorite parts of the vacation was the food. The island diet consists of lots of veggies and meat. Brandon and I are not huge fish-eaters but every single day we ate fish because it was just so fresh. They cook it daily and use the best ingredients when seasoning and cooking them. Unfortunately, one bummer for me was the fruit -- on Saint Maarten they do not have any fruit farmers so all of their fruit is imported and thus not as fresh as other Caribbean islands. Otherwise, in my opinion, 10/10 for food. I came back home feeling like a million bucks after the healthy and nourishing food I had on this trip which totally cancelled out the endless margaritas. Overall, I had so much fun at Saint Maarten and enjoyed the laid back "island lifestyle". It is a more elegant and quiet island and is truly a place you can go to recharge and relax.

Tomorrow I'll be in port in Puerto Rico. Stay tuned for my island adventures all over Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!