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Come experience the
tropical island of St.Maarten
/ St.Martin, located in the heart of the
Caribbean.
Ringed by 36 beautiful beaches, the Island offers visitors
a little Dutch and a little French blended in two lively
cultures sharing one Island.
From Sun drenched powder white beaches, modern resorts,
gourmet dining, dazzling casinos and the finest duty free
shopping, St.Maarten/St.Martin will leave you breathless
for more.
Experience the beauty, sophistication and charm of island
life with Daily flights and charters from the various
continents such as North America, South America, Europe
and the Caribbean.
The Island is bathed by gentle trade winds year round
and the climate is a temperature 80 degrees in the winter
and 86 in the summer. Nearly everyone speaks English,
along with Spanish, Dutch French and local dialects.
Telecommunications is good, the shopping fabulous, the
people are friendly and the US Dollar is accepted everywhere.
More than a dozen cruise lines regularly call on St. Maarten
making it one of the Caribbean's most popular destination.
Yacht charters from bare boats to mega yachts are readily
available with or without crew from modern marine basins.
History
St.Maarten/St Martin's unique position as the smallest
island in the world to be divided between two sovereign
powers is a testament to the island's fascinating culture
and history. St.Maarten earned its name from its abundance
of salt ponds.
According to legend, Christopher Columbus discovered the
Island on Nov 11, 1493 and St. Maarteners still celebrate
Nov 11, as St. Maarten/St. Martin Day.
For nearly four hundred years, the two sides with 16 miles
for the Dutch side and 21 miles for the French side have
never had a war or a formal border.
Occupied by the Spanish, British, French and the Dutch,
the blending of cultures is evident on beautiful faces,
heard in lilting accents and evidenced in the beat of
music which pours out around you.
Beaches
The Island has a beach for every taste-each one different
in character. Crystal clear turquoise warm water will
bathe you at beaches like Great Bay with its wide expanse
of beach and Orient Beach where bars are lined up to serve
cold drinks and where clothing is optional.
The surf rolls in at Guana Bay and Dawn Beach has excellent
snorkelling.
There is Grand Case, with its half moon beach dotted with
magnificent restaurants which have earned the village
worldwide fame as a gastronomic enclave, and long bay
which is probably the Caribbean's most perfect.
There are private beaches where white sand stretches and
tiny cove accessible only by boats where the water truly
does change into six shades of blue.
Sports
For land lovers, the island has tennis, golf, mountain
biking or horseback riding.
There are health spas that help you feel pampered with
state of the art equipment.
If you like the water, then try the myriad if offerings
on the sea from deep sea fishing, The 12 Meter sailing
challenge, kayaking and parasailing, water-skiing and
windsurfing.
For those under the Sea lovers, there is diving on shipwrecks
that are moored off the coast, and Snorkelling at Creole
Rock.
Calendar
of Events
There are lots of events during the year on the island.
In February the French side lights up with their annual
Carnival, and every March the Island becomes a yachtsman's
paradise when boats from all over the world converge for
the Annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, which
is held every year on the first weekend of March.
April is dominated by 17 days and night of Carnival
Festival and consider yourself invited!
The
Billfish Tournament is in June; St Maarten's Day
in Nov., helps the Islanders gear up for a memorable Holiday
Season in December.
Click for more information about the
Events in Saint Martin.
Dining
Dining has been elevated to an art on the island which boasts
over three hundred restaurants.
There are more boulangeries, patisseries, and bistro per
square mile than anywhere else in the world.
Come and see for yourself why.
From the seaside lolo's and roadside grills to the famed
restaurants dotting the beaches and coves and intimate trattorias,
St. Maarten/St. Martin dining is dynamic and original,
blending dishes from fresh ingredients from the Caribbean
with traditional recipes from the Europe and Asia.
Bread is baked twice daily, lunch is a sacred hour, happy
hour is to be lingered over and dinner is to be savoured.
Gambling
and Nightlife
If St. Maarten by day is exciting and evocative, then
the Island by night can keep up until dawn.
With more than a dozen casinos on the Dutch side to try
your luck, many have evening shows, live music and entertainment.
There are dance clubs set under the stars, discos by the
sea, Cuban cigar bars and live music with anything from
jazz, reggae, soca, souk, salsa disco and of course the
islands special blend of music.
Maho, Simpson bay, and Marigot are hopping at night set
under a tropical sky.
Come and experience our St. Maarten /.St. Martin.
Shopping
St. Maarten is the only true duty free destination
in the Caribbean, Best buys are available on jewellery ,
watches, linens, sunglasses, fragrances, and cigars, Genuine
cigars are sold at more than 20 authorized outlets Leather
bags and accessories are also a fabulous bargain and found
at substantially lower prices than the U.S. and Europe.
Philipsburg is the Heart of the Dutch side.
And Front Street; an international shopping strip set by
the Caribbean Sea.
There is Maho which stays open late, Simpson Bay and Marigot
with its designer shops and unique boutiques by the Marina
and Harbour. |