With an area of only 37 square miles, the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is the smallest land mass in the world to be divided between two governments. Its dual owners are the Dutch and the French, who have shared the tiny and paradisical island more or less peacefully for almost 350 years. This understated absence of conflict testifies to one of the island's most precious and attractive characteristics--its unusual serenity. Situated about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, Dutch St. Maarten (the French spell it St. Martin) covers 16 square miles of the southern part of the island, an area marked by verdant, rolling hills that languidly rest above mile after mile of beach, salt pond, and lagoon. Although the region falls under the government of Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, its diversity and the strong influence of West-Indian traditions make its culture anything but exclusively Dutch. St. Maarten's atmosphere is a winning blend of Caribbean hospitality and European sophistication.
Philipsburg, the Dutch capital since 1768, is widely known for its colonial architecture. The town began as a Dutch trading center, and the forts around Philipsburg are haunting reminders of its one-time strategic importance. Traders from throughout the empire once sailed through the protective arms of its Great Bay, establishing the town as a lively center of international commerce. Although most of the vessels that arrive in the harbor today are cruise ships, international trade still thrives in St. Maarten thanks to its status as a leading duty-free port. To put it simply, St. Maarten is a shopper's dream.
St. Maarten is also known throughout the Caribbean for its eclectic nightlife. The evening ritually begins at sunset, when cafes and night clubs open their doors and the music of steel drum bands floats along the beaches. The island's festive spirit peaks during carnival, a vibrant, two-week festival of feasting, street dancing, parties, and parades.
St. Maarten's dependable trade winds free the island from oppressive heat or prolonged leaden skies, and its temperate climate is consistently graced by the sun. (Click here for today's weather forecast)
The island's sugary-white beaches are spiritually restive and abundant, and walkers who encounter them are often struck by their splendid seclusion. Off-shore, St. Maarten's life-rich waters provide superb boating and fishing, as well as excellent diving areas. The inland region, with its gentle valleys and hills, is ideal for biking, horseback riding, and exploration. All these offerings have made St. Maarten a famous tropical destination, and the island is dotted with world-class resorts. Private guest houses are also an increasingly popular form of lodging, catering to visitors seeking traditional Caribbean hospitality.
Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, fills a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. Founded in 1763 by John Philips, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy, it soon became a bustling center of international trade. Today it is as bustling as ever, with lively shopping streets, cafes, and hotels. Two main roads cut across the length of Philipsburg--Front Street and, yes, Back Street. Front Street, the main thoroughfare, is lined with duty-free shops offering everything from Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. Narrow alleyways lead in either direction to arcades and courtyards filled with flowers. Visitors will also find examples of traditional West Indian architecture, including characteristic pastel-colored houses with second-story verandas looking out over the street.
Front Street's most prominent landmark is the Courthouse, built in 1793. A grand white wooden structure topped with a cupola, it now serves as St. Maarten's courthouse. Also on Front Street is the Simartin Museum, which gives visitors an excellent introduction to local history. Among the artifacts on display are pottery from the island's original inhabitants, the Arawaks, and cargo salvaged from a British ship which sank off the coast in 1801.
Two historic forts bear witness to Philipsburg's strategic importance in St. Maarten's history. Fort Amsterdam, built in 1631 on a peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay, was the first Dutch military outpost in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, it was soon captured by the Spanish, who made it their most important bastion east of Puerto Rico. The Spanish abandoned the fort in 1648, and since then it has remained in Dutch hands. All military operations ceased in the 19th century, although the fort was used as a signaling and communications station into the 1950s. A few walls of the original bastion remain, and the site provides an outstanding view of modern Philipsburg. Fort Willem, easily recognizable by its television transmission tower, lies just to the west of downtown. Built in 1801 by the British, it was taken over by the Dutch in 1816. It's an easy hike up to the fort, with a lovely panorama of Philipsburg and neighboring islands at the top.
Today, Philipsburg combines its historical legacy with 20th century excitement. Its waterfront has become a popular stop for cruise ships, and the town's many restaurants, cafes and night clubs offer entertainment well into the night. The town offers accommodations to suit every need, from modern resorts to intimate guest houses.
The story of St. Maarten begins far to the south, in a region of the Amazon jungle known as the Orinoco river basin. It was from here that the island's first inhabitants--the Arawaks--migrated about a thousand years ago. They island-hopped north through the Caribbean, living peacefully off the bounty of the surrounding sea. The Arawaks who came to St. Maarten called their new home "Sualouiga," or "Land of Salt," naming it after the island's abundant salt pans. The tranquility of the Arawaks would not last for long. They were followed by another Amazonian group, the Caribs. A warrior people, the Caribs steadily pushed the Arawaks off St. Maarten and took the island for themselves--only to lose it in turn to the Europeans. Christopher Columbus sighted the island on November 11, 1493, the holy day of St. Martin of Tours. He claimed it for Spain the same day, and it is from this day that the island bears its name.
Obsessed with the greater conquests of Mexico and South America, the Spanish ignored St. Maarten. It was virtually forgotten by Europeans until the 1620s, when Dutch settlers began extracting salt from St. Maarten's ponds and exporting it back to the Netherlands. The island's commercial possibilities soon caught the attention of the Spanish, who drove off the Dutch in 1633 and erected a fort to assert their authority. Known as the Old Spanish Fort, this bastion still stands at Point Blanche. In 1644, a Dutch fleet under the command of Peter Stuyvesant attempted unsuccessfully to retake the island. Stuyvesant, who later became governor of New Amsterdam (present-day New York), lost a leg to a Spanish cannonball during the fighting. Although Stuyvesant was buried in New York, his leg rests in a cemetery in Curaçao.
Events in Europe soon affected the island's destiny. With the end of the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands, the Spanish no longer needed a base in the Caribbean. They left St. Maarten, and the island was soon claimed by both the French (who sailed over from St. Kitts) and the Dutch (from St. Eustatius). After some skirmishes, the two powers signed a treaty in 1648 which divided the island between them. Although its historical truth is somewhat less than ironclad, local legend claims that a Dutchman and Frenchman stood back to back and walked in opposite directions around the shoreline, drawing the boundary from the spot where they met. As for why the French ended up with more land, the story notes the Dutchman's progress was slowed by the large quantity of Geneve that he required for the walk.
The neighbours did not coexist peacefully at first, and the territory changed hands sixteen times between 1648 and 1816. Nonetheless, the Dutch side of the island soon became an important trading center for salt, cotton, and tobacco. Wealth also arrived with the establishment of sugar plantations, worked by slave labor. When slavery was abolished in the mid-19th century, the plantations closed down and St. Maarten's prosperity ended. For the next one hundred years, the island sank into an economic depression.
The situation began to change in 1939, when all import and export taxes were rescinded and the island became a free port. Princess Juliana International Airport opened in 1943, and four years later the island's first hotel, the Sea View, welcomed its first guests. In the next few decades, St. Maarten boomed as an international trading and tourism center. Today, Dutch St. Maarten has nearly 3,000 hotel rooms and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.
The deceptively small Dutch St. Maarten presents some interesting contrasts for the explorer. Wide beaches along the coast, full of sunbathers and watersurfers, seem a far cry from the quiet country roads and small towns of the hillsides. In the evening the hills of the interior become even more peaceful, while the glittering casinos and pulsing clubs of the coast just begin to come alive. Heading north by car on Pondfill Road from Philipsburg, visitors soon arrive at the Madam Estate area, site of the island's zoo. Governed by the St. Maarten Zoological and Botanical Garden, it features animals, birds and plants native to the Caribbean Basin and South America, including St. Kitts monkeys.
Northeast of the zoo are Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond, the first best known as a favored snorkeling and windsurfing beach. According to legend, Oyster Pond is the point where a Frenchman and Dutchman stood back to back and starting walking around the island in either direction, determining the present-day boundaries between Dutch and French St. Maarten. Oyster Bay remains divided between two governments, but the border is extremely informal--swimmers can cross back and forth between French and Dutch territory without even noticing!
For a view and a taste of history, visitors can climb Mount Concordia, which rises along the border in the center of the island. In 1648, the treaty that divided the island was signed here, and Mount Concordia continues to serve as a proud symbol of St. Maarten's 350-year history of peaceful co-existance between the two cultures.
Cole Bay Hill, just west of Philipsburg, has an observation platform at the top. A stop here is highly recommended for views of surrounding islands, including Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and Nevis. Down along the coast, a popular walking trail leads from Cole Bay to Cay Bay. The walk takes about an hour.
Further west is Simpson Bay Lagoon, a large, enclosed stretch of water perfect for waterskiing. The road leading along the south side of the lagoon goes past the island's largest resort, Maho Bay.
Cupecoy Beach is the last beach in Dutch territory on the western side of the island. Visitors who want the full St. Maarten experience can follow the road through the French side.
St. Maarten is blessed with 37 beaches--one for each of the island's 37 square miles. Busy bays are venues for watersports, swimming, and snorkeling, while secluded coves offer private retreats. The dress code ranges from modest (on the Dutch side of the island) to nudist (on the French side). Half-day or full-day sailing excursions to undeveloped beaches nearby are also available. Some of the more famous beaches include mile-long Mullet Bay Beach, perfect for swimming; Dawn Beach, known for its incredible sunrises; and Little Bay Beach, a favorite of snorkelers, with calm, clear waters that offer excellent visibility.
Maho Beach is one of the island's most dramatic swimming spots. Swimmers splashing in the water can experience the unusual thrill of airplanes passing right over their heads as they head for the nearby runway. The craggy rocks lining the white sand beach add another dramatic touch. There are also wet bikes available for rent.
One of St. Maarten's more private beaches is Simpson Bay Beach, a long half-moon of white sand set between a picturesque fishing village and the murmuring sea. There are no watersports, no resorts, just the sound of water gently lapping at your feet. You can stroll, swim, or simply relax, all the while seeing barely another soul.
Cupecoy Beach is another unspoiled landscape with pure white sand, sandstone cliffs, and shoreline caves as a setting. The surf can be strong, but the wind is blocked by the rocks. Lying near the border with St. Martin, its dress code is influenced by that of the French beaches: clothing is optional.
Banking Hours:
Banks on Dutch St. Maarten are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Some banks are also open on Saturday mornings. Casinos:
All of the island's nine casinos are on the Dutch side. Most are open from noon until 2am, every day of the week.
Climate:
St. Maarten's temperatures remain constant year-round, averaging about 80 degrees F (27 C); water temperature averages 78 (F). Trade winds provide some cooling on the coasts. There are occasional rain showers in the late summer and early fall, with an average annual rainfall of 45 inches (114 cm).
Currency:
The official currency of Dutch St. Maarten is the Netherlands Antilles florin or guilder (NAF). U.S. dollars however, are widely accepted. Nearly all prices are listed in both dollars and the local currency.
Customs:
St. Maarten is completely duty free.
Drinking Water:
Tap water is purified; local and imported bottled water is also widely available.
Driving License:
Both international and foreign licenses are accepted.
Electricity:
Hotels in Dutch St. Maarten are wired as in the U.S. (110 volts, 60 cycles). The French side of the island uses European current (220 volts).
Entry Requirements:
U.S. citizens entering St. Maarten for three months or less need: a current passport or an original birth certificate accompanied by a picture ID.
Canadian citizens entering for 14 days or less must bring a valid passport, or birth certificate, or naturalization certificate. For a stay of more than 14 days, but less than 30 days, a certificate of admission for a temporary stay will be issued upon arrival. Return travel tickets, documents for next destination, and sufficient funds are also required.
United Kingdom citizens or British protected persons entering for three months or less must bring a valid passport, return tickets, documents for next destination, and sufficient funds.
Citizens of other countries should check with a travel agent for the appropriate documents necessary to enter St. Maarten.
No vaccinations are required unless travelers are arriving from an area experiencing an epidemic.
Departure Tax:
Departure tax is $20.
Language:
Dutch is the official language of St. Maarten, but almost everyone speaks English. Other common languages are Spanish and Papiamento (the dialect of the Netherlands Antilles).
Population:
According to the most recent census, 32,000 people live on the Dutch side of the island.
Shopping:
As the only completely duty-free island in the Caribbean, St. Maarten has become an international shopping mecca. Stores are open Monday through Saturday (with the exception of Christmas and Good Friday) from 9am until 6pm. Some shops in resort areas stay open until 10pm or later.
Time Zone:
St. Maarten follows Atlantic Standard Time year round. During the fall and winter, noon on the East Coast of the United States is 1pm on the island. During U.S. daylight savings time, the hour is the same on the Eastern Seaboard as it is on the island.
Tipping:
Most hotels and restaurants add 10-15 percent to the bill as a service charge. Travelers may tip more for special service. It is customary to tip taxi drivers 10-15 percent. Airport porters usually receive one dollar per bag.
We just went to St. Maarten on our cruise last week. We ended up going to Dawn beach. Very nice, very private, maybe 50 people on the beach. Down side was the number of hucksters selling souvenires there on the beach, they were pretty agressive but still polite.
In Phillipsburg, we ate at Fiesta Tropical Cafe of Frontstreet. It has a roof top deck, very nicely done, good food and service and a geat roof top view! See our photo gallery. Also the Guavaberry Emporimum is on the same street.
This is a beautiful port of call. We loved it!
Beth
I could not have said it better myself St. Maarten is very unique just an updat the departure tax is now US$ 30.00 in our new Princess Julian Airport that was Inaugurated in Nov 11th, 2006
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St Maarten (Dutch) overview
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St. Maarten's dependable trade winds free the island from oppressive heat or prolonged leaden skies, and its temperate climate is consistently graced by the sun. 
Front Street's most prominent landmark is the Courthouse, built in 1793. A grand white wooden structure topped with a cupola, it now serves as St. Maarten's courthouse. Also on Front Street is the Simartin Museum, which gives visitors an excellent introduction to local history. Among the artifacts on display are pottery from the island's original inhabitants, the Arawaks, and cargo salvaged from a British ship which sank off the coast in 1801.
All military operations ceased in the 19th century, although the fort was used as a signaling and communications station into the 1950s. A few walls of the original bastion remain, and the site provides an outstanding view of modern Philipsburg. Fort Willem, easily recognizable by its television transmission tower, lies just to the west of downtown. Built in 1801 by the British, it was taken over by the Dutch in 1816. It's an easy hike up to the fort, with a lovely panorama of Philipsburg and neighboring islands at the top.
Obsessed with the greater conquests of Mexico and South America, the Spanish ignored St. Maarten. It was virtually forgotten by Europeans until the 1620s, when Dutch settlers began extracting salt from St. Maarten's ponds and exporting it back to the Netherlands. The island's commercial possibilities soon caught the attention of the Spanish, who drove off the Dutch in 1633 and erected a fort to assert their authority. Known as the Old Spanish Fort, this bastion still stands at Point Blanche. In 1644, a Dutch fleet under the command of Peter Stuyvesant attempted unsuccessfully to retake the island. Stuyvesant, who later became governor of New Amsterdam (present-day New York), lost a leg to a Spanish cannonball during the fighting. Although Stuyvesant was buried in New York, his leg rests in a cemetery in Curaçao.
The situation began to change in 1939, when all import and export taxes were rescinded and the island became a free port. Princess Juliana International Airport opened in 1943, and four years later the island's first hotel, the Sea View, welcomed its first guests. In the next few decades, St. Maarten boomed as an international trading and tourism center. Today, Dutch St. Maarten has nearly 3,000 hotel rooms and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.
Cole Bay Hill, just west of Philipsburg, has an observation platform at the top. A stop here is highly recommended for views of surrounding islands, including Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and Nevis. Down along the coast, a popular walking trail leads from Cole Bay to Cay Bay. The walk takes about an hour.
Maho Beach is one of the island's most dramatic swimming spots. Swimmers splashing in the water can experience the unusual thrill of airplanes passing right over their heads as they head for the nearby runway. The craggy rocks lining the white sand beach add another dramatic touch. There are also wet bikes available for rent.
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