Help to choos an island?

You gave us a long list. Here's one back at you:

When is your planned visit?
What duration? (you mentioned a week in a resort but more info would be good)
What is your budget per person per day or per week...both with and without lodging
Why not the Dutch part of the island?

We usually go for one week, sometime in the winter.
We have been paying about $800 for the week for an apartment. Going rate for car (maybe more or less days). Mostly eat in.
When in St. Martin, we have always visited the Dutch side. As I mentioned, partly just looking for a change (and would enjoy a ferry).

Here are our priorities:
Not too expensive (especially 1 bedroom vacation rentals with ocean view and pool)
Not interested in just staying within a resort all week
...but not in the midst of people so poor it's depressing
Driving around is possible (or decent public transportation)
A town to stroll around in
A ferry (not express/speed boat & not a tour) to a nearby island(s), with one day round trip service
Snorkeling from shore (without booking a tour)
Rental chairs/umbrellas available on the beach
+s:
Street markets/celebrations, especially with live music
Live music during the day (restaurant purchase fine)
cultural/historical sights/art
clothing optional beach (not difficult to get to, or a deserted corner where nudists hide out)

(It seems this last is only St. Martin, which is one big reason we've been going there a lot. Also has offered many of our other priorities, but we're concerned about increasing reports of theft in Marigot; and would also just like to try something new.)

Thanks in advance to anybody who has enough overview to take a stab at this!

I just came back from Dominica and it meets quite a few of your requirements.

Stayed in an eco-bnb that was reasonably priced and in a small village. A short bus ride takes you to a bigger town (Rousseau).
The water was amazingly blue and fun for snorkeling. While I was there, they celebrated a feast day with mass, a street parade and a party.
There's also a ferry from Rousseau to the French Caribbean islands.
There are fun and easy rainforest hikes to waterfalls and hot springs too.

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