St. Martin/Sint Maarten is the only island in the world under the administration of two governments. About one-third of the island is a territory of the Netherlands while two-thirds of the island belongs to France.
Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side and features the hustle and bustle of growth and its duty-free shopping for cruise ship passengers and vacationers. Drive toward the airport at night and you'll see bright neon lights of nightclubs and casinos.
Marigot is the capital of the more reserved French side. This side of the island is known for the most famous beach in the world, Orient Beach, and its gastronomic delights. Some of the finest restaurants on earth can be found in Marigot and the sleepy little fishing village of Grand Case.
To say St. Martin is our favorite island is an understatement. Like most people, we discovered this wonderful little island as a port of call during a Royal Caribbean Cruise. In just a few short hours we became as immersed in the culture as we possibly could in that short amount of time.
The first weekend of March each year the island hosts the world famous Heineken Regatta, one of four major sailing competitions held each year. Both Prince Charles and Robert Redford have captained boats for the three days of racing. Beth and I have been on the island for three of the races.
Common sense finally prevailed and we began traveling to the island a couple weeks later when accomodation rates dropped, saving us about $1,000 per trip. Most hotels and resorts lower their rates between the middle of March and the first of April. Even lower rates are available July - October (hurricane season). Many businesses close during that time for upkeep and repairs.
The island is only 36 square miles and boasts about 30 beaches. It was discovered by Columbus, though records indicate he never went ashore.
Its tropical climate and almost constant trade winds attribute to a consistently mild temperature averaging 82 degrees Fahrenheit year round.
English is spoken throughout the island, but you will certainly hear French, Dutch and the native Papiamento. Actually you will probably hear a host of languages since this is one of the world's most popular destinations.
One year the neighbors on our right were from Australia and those on our left were from Switzerland. And in 2006, Beth stood in a beach bar and carried on a conversation through an interpreter.
Electricity is "it depends". Most hotels and resorts have 110V and 220V available, but some have only 220V, the European standard.
Beth and I have spent over 100 nights on St. Martin. Snorkeling, wind surfing, parasailing: watersports abound. We've climbed Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island and up to Fort Marigot, and old fort dating back to the 1500's.
US Air, American and Delta provide flights from Little Rock. American, however, has a low priority on getting your vacation started and some of their flights from Little Rock don't reach the island till the next day.
Us Air will whisk you to Charlotte for a connection with a direct flight to Julianna Airport in Philipsburg. Delta, of course, must take you first to Atlanta. Some Delta flights stop over in San Juan, Puerto Rico while others head direct to Philipsburg.
US dollars, Visa, MasterCard and American Express can be used throughout the island. Many menus, however, are priced in Euros. The current weakness of the US Dollar means that 1 Euro equals $1.31, so expect your bill to be more than it appears.
And you should know that most credit card companies also charge a foreign exchange fee when the card is used outside the United States.
Click here for the 2007 Credit Card Foreign Exchange Rate Survey |
