"The Friendly Island-Sint Maarten/Martin" Sint Maarten by BROOKS

Sint Maarten Travel Guide: 303 reviews and 796 photos

The Friendly Island-Sint Maarten/Martin - Sint Maarten

St. Maarten and St. Martin are on the same 37 square mile (96 sq. km) Caribbean island in the Leeward Isles. Sint Maarten, a third of the island, is Dutch and its capital is Philipsburg. Saint Martin is French, its capital is Marigot. The two have coexisted for 300 years and there are no customs formalities. The island is mostly low, rolling hills. The tropical average temperature varies only 5 degrees F (3 C) in a year.

By official count there are 36 beaches on the island and they bring most tourists. All sorts of water sports are available but the diving and snorkelling are exceptional. Duty-free shopping is another important draw. Sightseeing in Marigot, Philipsburg and the quaint villages is worthwhile and there are several casinos on the Dutch side. There are many restaurants and there is considerable nightlife. Carnival is an important celebration.

The main business is tourism. Columbus named the island in 1493 but the first Europeans settled there in the 1630s when it was a pirate haven. Legend says a walking contest between a Frenchman and a Dutchman established today's boundary. The culture is typically West Indian, African and East Indian influences are as strong as European ones. Dutch, French, English, Spanish and Papiamento are all spoken there.

  • Last visit to Sint Maarten: Apr 2000
  • Intro Written Sep 11, 2002
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Reviews (15)

MARIJUANA AND DRUGS - Sint Maarten MARIJUANA AND DRUGS Warnings and Dangers (1)

Be weary and reluctant, as some men on bikes, etc. may offer to sell you drugs (ganga). I don't do it, so I'm not sure... more travel advice

Pasanggrahan, 15 Front Street... - Sint Maarten Pasanggrahan, 15 Front Street... Hotels (1)

Pasanggrahan, 15 Front Street P.O. Box 151, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles Telephone: 011-5595-23588,... more travel advice

St. Maarten is a popular... - Sint Maarten St. Maarten is a popular... Transportation (1)

St. Maarten is a popular destination mostly by cruise lines but also by aircraft. American Airlines is the main airline... more travel advice

Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is... - Sint Maarten Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is... Local Customs (1)

Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is very multicultural for an island of over 75,000 people. English is the unofficial language... more travel advice

Comments (8)

  • Reply
    ATLC's Profile Photo
    Feb 26, 2011 at 12:34 AM

    Have a happy birthday next week. Colourful page, very nice!

  • Reply
    Stephen-KarenConn's Profile Photo
    Nov 12, 2007 at 5:24 AM

    I enjoyed my virtual visit to Sint Maarten/St. Martin with you. I've been privileged to be their twice. I hope I've helped boost your ratings a bit. Nice job.

  • Reply
    ahimsa.david's Profile Photo
    Nov 7, 2007 at 5:08 AM

    if this was updated in September, 2007, what is all this about Francs and Guilders??? SXM has had Euros for a long time now!!

  • Reply
    SLLiew's Profile Photo
    Nov 6, 2007 at 9:14 PM

    Enjoying reading both the French and Dutch side of the island. Interesting Caribbean island to have dual national influence.

  • Reply
    HispanicYob's Profile Photo
    Sep 22, 2007 at 11:05 AM

    Wow, hard hearing about St. Maarten after having been away for so long. Our harbor was quite a bit away from the main street in Phillipsburg (whcih is I believe the town where we docked in). Nice! I miss it and the Caribbean in general.

  • Reply
    La_Holandesa's Profile Photo
    Sep 14, 2007 at 1:57 PM

    Hiyaaaaa Brooks!!! Long time!... Hope to visit the island soon, have some friends living there. And you? going somewhere? Have a great weekend!!!!!

  • Reply
    Geisha_Girl's Profile Photo
    Aug 13, 2007 at 12:57 PM

    Whazzzzup Brooks? Thanks for stopping by with the b'day wishes. I just spent some time on this island and was quite blown away with the nightlife and the diversity! Great time. Great memories. Great page you have here!

  • Reply
    nicolaitan's Profile Photo
    Aug 10, 2007 at 8:15 AM

    fond memories. Yes, can get very expensive. And the service was soooooooo slow.

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