Destination:
St Maarten and St Martin

Overview

Visiting St Maarten/St Martin is a unique experience: an eastern Caribbean island divided between two sovereign states (France and the Netherlands) with an unpoliced border cutting through its southern portion, visitors can sunbathe in French St Martin in the afternoon, and stroll over to dine in Dutch St Maarten in the evening.

The French and the Dutch have peacefully shared this Caribbean gem for more than 350 years, ever since (as legend has it) a gin-drinking Dutchman and wine-imbibing Frenchman walked around the island to see how much territory they could claim for their country in a day. The Frenchman gained two-thirds of the island, but the Dutch maintain that their representative claimed the prize part of the property.

The Dutch portion is in the south, with the capital Philipsburg being a duty-free shopping paradise that draws thousands of tourists every day of the year. Dutch St Maarten arguably has the best (certainly the most developed and crowded) beach resorts, clustered along the southwest coast near the island's international airport. French St Martin is less developed, but more scenic and just as popular as a holiday destination.

The island is renowned as being the gourmet capital of the Caribbean and for providing the liveliest nightlife, mostly centred on the island's 35 enticing white sand beaches. The small island's main attractions are shopping, relaxing on the crowded beach or dipping in the clear turquoise waters; there is little of historic, cultural or architectural interest or natural attractions beyond the sand and sea.

Basics

Time
GMT -4.

Electricity
110/220 volts, 60Hz. Standard, flat, two and three pronged plugs, as found in the United States, are used.

Language
Dutch and French are the official languages, but English is widely spoken. Locals commonly use a language known as Papiamento, a mixture of Portuguese, African, Spanish, Dutch and English.

Health
No vaccination certificates are required for entry into either St Maarten or St Martin, however a yellow fever certificate is required for travellers arriving within six days from infected areas. The Manchionneel tree that grows all over the island, mainly along the beaches, is extremely poisonous: the sap and fruit, which look like small green apples are caustic and burn the skin. The water in the Netherlands Antilles is safe to drink. Medical care on the island is good, but patients are likely to be transferred to the US for anything serious. Medical insurance is strongly advised.

Tipping
On the Dutch side of the island hotel bills include a tax of five percent, and often a service charge of 15 percent. Waiters and bar staff should be tipped 10-15 percent if a gratuity is not included in the bill. On French St Martin hotels usually add five percent occupancy tax per person, but a small gratuity is appreciated for good service. Restaurants and hotels usually add a service charge of 10-15 percent to the bill, and it is always best to check for this before adding a tip. Taxi drivers and porters expect to be tipped, particularly if they have handled luggage.

Safety
Most visits to the island are trouble-free, however crime has been increasing in recent years and visitors should refrain from leaving valuables unattended on beaches, in cars and hotel lobbies. Care should be taken to keep rooms and cars locked, and visitors should refrain from carrying large amounts of cash on them. Burglaries and break-ins occur sometimes at resorts, beach houses and hotels and there have been incidents of armed robbery. Precautions should also be taken against car theft and insurance cover is advisable.

Customs
Island culture on St Maarten and St Martin is very relaxed, and there are few dress codes aside from high-end restaurants and clubs. Dressing provocatively will attract unwanted attention, however, and wearing beachwear off the beach is considered disrespectful. Though many residents speak English, visitors should not assume this and a little effort to speak French is greatly appreciated.

Business
On St. Maarten/St. Martin things are fairly informal, but jackets and ties should be worn by men for meetings. English is spoken widely throughout both the French and Dutch parts of the island and is often the language used in meetings. Business hours are generally 9am-6pm Monday to Friday, with a break from 12pm-1:30pm.

Communications
The country code for St Maarten, as part of the Netherlands Antilles, is +599. The code for French St Martin is +590. To dial Dutch St Maarten dial 599-54 plus a five-digit number, and to dial French St Martin dial 590-590 plus a six-digit number. Phoning from one side of the island to the other is considered to be an international call. The outgoing code for both sectors is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are not in use. GSM 900 and 1800 mobile network coverage extends across both parts of the island. Internet access is available at Internet cafes, and in most resorts.

Duty Free
Arrivals in St Maarten/St Martin will not have to pay customs duty on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco, 2 litres of alcohol and gifts to the value of ANG100. .

Currency

On the Dutch side the currency is the Netherlands Antilles Guilder or Florin (ANG), where one guilder is divided into 100 cents, but US Dollars are also widely accepted and prices are usually quoted in Dollars as well as Guilders. On the French side of the island the Euro (EUR) is the local currency, although establishments will also accept US Dollars. There are numerous bureaux de change and banks throughout the island and ATMs in the main towns in both national sectors; travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted.

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Health

Health Overview
No vaccination certificates are required for entry into either St Maarten or St Martin, however a yellow fever certificate is required for travellers arriving within six days from infected areas. The Manchionneel tree that grows all over the island, mainly along the beaches, is extremely poisonous: the sap and fruit, which look like small green apples are caustic and burn the skin. The water in the Netherlands Antilles is safe to drink. Medical care on the island is good, but patients are likely to be transferred to the US for anything serious. Medical insurance is strongly advised.

Visa

Americans


UK nationals


Canadians


Australians


South Africans


Irish nationals


New Zealanders

Passport/Visa Note
On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, however St. Maarten will continue to function as an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. All tourists must have return or onward tickets, all documents needed for next destination and sufficient funds. Passports must be valid for the length of stay. As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers travelling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. If departing from the USA a valid passport will be required by immigration authorities. It is highly recommended that passports have at least six months validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.

Contacts

St Maarten and St Martin Tourism
St Maarten Tourist Office, Philipsburg: +599 (0)5 22337 or www.st-maarten.com

Foreign Embassies in St Maarten and St Martin

St Maarten and St Martin Embassies

Regions and Cities

Philipsburg

Philipsburg is the capital of Dutch St. Maarten and the only town of consequence on the island. It has two main streets, Front Street ( Voorstraat) and Back Street ( Achterstraat), connected by several bustling thoroughfares, and filled mainly with duty-free shops, cafes, hotels and courtyards overflowing with flowers.

The town has an unusual setting, sitting on a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay, on the south coast of the island, and the Great Salt Pond (a huge marsh). It is the port of call of hundreds of cruise ships, filling the primary need of the day-tripping passengers who come ashore mainly to shop for everything from Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. The town's nightlife is regarded as among the liveliest to be found in the Caribbean.

Architecturally the town, founded in 1763 by John Philips (a Scots captain in the Dutch navy), is quaint, with characteristic pastel-coloured West Indian houses lining the streets, and a few Dutch colonial landmarks, including Fort Willem, built in 1801, and Fort Amsterdam, constructed nearly 200 years earlier.

Marigot

French at heart, but cosmopolitan Caribbean in style, St Martin's capital city of Marigot is cluttered with traffic, shops and people in a small area that is only four streets wide. The town stretches along Marigot Bay, its main focus the harbour at the bottom of Rue de la Republique from where ferries depart to surrounding islands and fishing boats come and go.

Originally a fishing village, Marigot became the capital of St Maarten in the sugar period and became a bustling town. Marigot's buildings are largely colonial, sprinkled with several smart cafes, bistros, pastry shops and luxury boutiques reminiscent of real French market towns. There are several colonial landmarks, including Fort St Louis.

The main shopping centre in Marigot is at the southern end of the town near the harbour, and is a paradise for shopaholics with elegant stores carrying the latest designer fashions and jewellery, all tax-free. More adventurous shoppers will enjoy browsing the Wednesday and Saturday markets, located in a kiosk area near the port.