MSC CRUISE – LESSER ANTILLES
Saint Martin is one island split between the French Saint-Martin and the Dutch Sint Maarten. Beauty abounds with bluffs overlooking pretty harbors, sandy-cliffed beaches and tranquil rocky coves where fish provide the beauty.
There is no real border, only monuments and signs. Phoning between sides is an international call.
Sint Maarten has many developments, time-shares, shopping, cruise ships, casinos and speaks English. Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side. The Maho and Cupecoy area has the best nightlife and best beaches.
Saint-Martin is more European, speaks French, has no casinos and is less developed, but has better natural wonders, including Orient Beach. Marigot is the capital and Grand Case has excellent restaurants.
Get Around: Rent a car or scooter and explore the island. The roads are narrow, sometimes bad on both sides and often very crowded between Philipsburg and Marigot. Scooters and motorcycles speed around you on both sides of the road.
The bus system consists of minivans and go most anywhere especially between Philipsburg and Marigot. By Foot in towns.
By Boat. Most inter-island ferry service arrives/departs at Marigot. Visit other islands as only 30 minutes to St Barts or Anguilla.
SEE & DO
Beaches and Snorkelling are a main attraction. Saint Martin has 37 beaches fine for swimming (hotels often hold the property). Orient Bay has an underwater marine reserve with snorkelling.
Clothing optional beaches at Orient Bay. Cupecoy Beach tolerates it on the Dutch side.
Casinos are popular but only on the Dutch side.
Visit other islands. Only 30 minutes to St Barts or Anguilla.
SAINT MARTIN
National Nature Reserve. Protects the five main ecosystems: coral reefs, mangroves, seed plant herbariums, swamps, and dry coastal forests in 3,000 hectares of marine territory and 150 hectares of land. Includes the east coast islets: Pinel, Petite Clef, Caye Verte, Tintamarre, and the islets of the Baie de l’Embouchure. Famous Creole Rock, facing Grand Case Bay and the marshlands of Orient Bay’s Fish and Salt Ponds are part.
Dive from Creole Rock, or meander about with your snorkel. Kayaking is a great way to enter the mangroves, where you can observe birds and insects
Baie Longue. Beach.
SINT MAARTEN
PHILIPSBURG
Sint Maarten Museum
Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit
St Maarten Zoo. permanently closed
Maho Bay beach (Dutch) is at the end of the airport’s runway with large aircraft flying just feet over the beach. Holding on to the fence is not recommended due to flying gravel and people have been injured, a very few killed doing.
Cupecoy Beach* in the far western tip
Pic du Paradis*. Route de Pic du Paradis from Friars Bay Beach. Pic du Paradis is the highest point on the island (1400ft/427m) with two viewing areas that provide great views. The road is steep and isolated and four wheel drive is required. This is also an isolated area and is safest seen as part of an excursion or tour.
Get In
By Plane. Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). Dutch, larger and busy. Planes land and take off unusually close overhead to sunbathers at Maho Beach.
Grand Case-Espérance Airport (SFG). Serves inter-island flights, commercial and private. Exit tax on international flights US$30. Money. Euros and US dollars are commonly accepted on both sides of the island, as are credit cards (but many places do not accept cards).
Food. Tuesday evenings in Grand Case are not to be missed as the main street dons carnival atmosphere and opens up to street vendors with French cuisine and local creole fare.
To save cash, eat where the locals eat at Chinese restaurants or roadside food trucks. Enjoy lunch, swim on a beautiful Beach and watch the Airplanes land at Tortuga at Maho.
Save money: 15% may be added to your bill as Tax or SC (Service charge) but the island has no dining tax so the restaurant may be taking advantage of North American tourists and is your tip. Water is assumed to be bottled water – US$4-5 per bottle, more expensive than beer or wine. Specify clearly for tap water.
Accommodation. US$100 per night and often much more with generous taxes and service charges. Ask for the “local rate”.
STAY SAFE
Sun sunscreen frequently, brimmed hats, umbrellas and light clothing.
Crime Generally safe, parked rental cars are commonly rifled. Organized teams can break in effortlessly. Leave nothing of value in them at any time.
Drinking is a national pastime in St. Maarten and inexpensive – US$1.25 ice cold Heinekens are available almost everywhere.
Drugs Readily available but marijuana is not legal and not regulated as in Netherlands.
Parking Philipsburg has very little parking and the tow zone areas are very poorly marked. If the spot is free and you think it shouldn’t be, then it is probably a tow area.
LGBT travelers If you are LGBT be careful, the local culture doesn’t have the same level of acceptance found in other countries.
Tap water comes from desalinization and is drinkable.
Go Next. Short-hop flights and ferry boats access Saint-Barthélemy, Anguilla, and Saba only 30 minutes or so to St Barts and Anguilla (StMartinbookings.com).
Voyager (to Saint Barths from Marigot and Oyster Pond), The Edge ferry (to St Barths from Simpson bay and to Saba from Philipsburg), Dawn II (to Saba from Philipsburg), Calypso and Funtime charters (to Anguilla from SXM Airport).
============================================================NOMAD MANIA France – Saint Martin
Islands: St. Martin/St. Maarten
Borders
Saint Martin (sea border/port)
St. Martin-St.Maarten (land border)
Airports: Grand Case (SFG)
World of Nature: National Nature Reserve
Beaches: Baie Longue
NOMAD MANIA Netherlands – Sint Maarten
Borders
Sint Maarten (sea border/port)
St. Martin-St.Maarten (land border)
Airports: Sint Maarten (SXM)
Museums:
Philipsburg: Sint Maarten Museum
Philipsburg: Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit
Zoos: Philipsburg: St Maarten Zoo
Experiencs: King’s Day/ former Queen’s Day
Beaches: Maho Beach
