Of all the beaches on the island of St Maarten, this hidden cove poses the greatest challenge to get to. It is located just around the corner from the popular Friars Bay which is known for its full moon parties.

The easiest way to get there is via the trails, which are always kept clear by the frequent visitors to its almost unknown terrain. These trails lead from the end of the Friars bay beach and meander through the hill side for about fifteen minutes walk.

Any local will be more than willing to direct you. The last time I visited Happy Bay was on the occasion that I gathered this information for this web page. In fact I was able to secure all the content dedicated to this topic.

As I wandered through the hill side I felt as though I'd been doing an activity other than just writing and that surely brought some diversity to the day at the beach. The view of the Caribbean Sea soon came into focus.

The horizon was clear as day and the idea of being on a tropical paradise was now even more evident.

You'll need to sort out your needs and wants and just travel with your needs. The truth is, all one really needs on the day trip is water and a couple of sandwiches or snacks.

If you're a big picnic person like me then you'll need to have some extra hands to lighten the load as you wander through the hill and down to the beach.

Just across the water to the north is the Island of Anguilla which can be clearly seen from this point. Anguilla is still a British dependency.

The minute I landed on the beach I just wanted to spread out and lay down to enjoy the pounding of the waves on the shore. It's refreshing to know that at no time during the day will there be crowds of people coming in and no loud noises.

Even though like most beaches, the charter boats will pop in from time to time. I think it is safe to call this one a deserted beach.

Measuring in at about two hundred and fifty meters long you've got sand and rocks to choose from. There is a shaded area under the palms and mangroves and even a fresh water pond in the area.

The beach sits at the end of an old abandon resort which once could have been entered from the vicinity of La Savanne (A French SideVillage).

On occasions I've seen some folks without clothes to the far ends of the beach. Those of you who are not interested in this, no need to worry, it is done quite discretely.

There are no amenities at happy bay so please travel accordingly.

All in all I find this beach very family friendly and for those who won’t mind the fifteen minute journey, it's well worth the trouble. This spot definitely falls in the category of Quiet Deserted beaches.

Please let us know if you do go there.