Saint Martin (French: Saint-Martin; Dutch: Sint Maarten) is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between two nations, a division dating to 1648.
The northern French territory covers about two thirds of the island and is technically a part of Europe and the European Community. The southern Dutch side is a member island of the Netherlands Antilles and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but not considered European territory. There is no real border, just modest monuments and signs. The island is known as an almost perfect holiday environment; beaches and nightlife are spectacular, shopping and dining the best in the Caribbean.
St. Martin is the ultimate micro cosmos, home to residents from over 90 different nations. The island broke out of the Antillean group of third-world economies and societies and became the exiting, active, bustling economic center of the Northeastern Caribbean.
"Back in 2011 my wife & I visited St. Maarten/Martin as part of a Royal Caribbean Cruise. We were blown away by the beauty of the island. Here's an excerpt of a blog post about our day on the island:
The beach was absolutely beautiful, with the white sand and the teal tinged water, not to mention the great view of the mountains off to the right of where we were resting. The weather couldn't have been better either, with a few clouds to break up the hot sun. We went from laying on the beach chairs to soaking in the Caribbean Sea back to the beach chairs and beers. I could get used to this! The best part was that the beach wasn't overly busy, so it was nice & quiet and you could swim around in the water without bumping into people.
What a great day on St. Maarten. We had such a great time during those few hours while our cruise ship was docked, that we went back to St. Maarten for a full week later on in the year. "
Rental cars are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on island. If any driving is expected off the major roads (such as to some of the more secluded beaches), a four-wheel drive is recommended. Traffic on the island, however, has become a major problem; long traffic jams between Marigot, Philipsburg and the airport are common. Taxis and jitney vans link both sides, seamlessly crossing the imperceptible border.
Weather: The average yearly air temperature is 27 degrees C (min 17 degrees C, max 35 degrees C) and sea surface temperature 26.4 degrees C. The total average yearly rainfall is 995 mm, with 99 days of thunder.
Customs/VISA: St. Martin's Dutch side is known for its festive nightlife, beaches, jewelry, exotic drinks made with native rum-based guavaberry liquors, and plentiful casinos. The island's French side is known for its nude beaches, clothes, shopping (including outdoor markets), and rich French and Indian Caribbean cuisine.
Lifestyle sets St Maarten/St Martin apart from other Caribbean islands. It is not only the luxury of grocery stores overflowing with gourmet products from around the world, the more than four hundred restaurants, the vibrant nightlife and the fabulous, frequently clothing optional beaches. More importantly, the island is home to a truly multicultural community, with little ethnic boundries and a wonderful level of tolerance and respect amongst its members. Eighty different nationalities living peacefully together on 37 square miles - the most cosmopolitan little island on earth. St Maarten/St Martin is an active place - not a dreamy backwater. It is a destination with attractions to suit almost everyone's taste and desires
"Back in 2011 my wife & I visited St. Maarten/Martin as part of a Royal Caribbean Cruise. We were blown away by the beauty of the island. Here's an excerpt of a blog post about our day on the island:
The beach was absolutely beautiful, with the white sand and the teal tinged water, not to mention the great view of the mountains off to the right of where we were resting. The weather couldn't have been better either, with a few clouds to break up the hot sun. We went from laying on the beach chairs to soaking in the Caribbean Sea back to the beach chairs and beers. I could get used to this! The best part was that the beach wasn't overly busy, so it was nice & quiet and you could swim around in the water without bumping into people.
What a great day on St. Maarten. We had such a great time during those few hours while our cruise ship was docked, that we went back to St. Maarten for a full week later on in the year. "
![find flights to St. Maarten/Martin [SXM]](images/airplane.jpg "find flights to St. Maarten/Martin [SXM]"){kind=small}
