scubish.com: Scuba diving Saint Martin - Netherlands Antilles

Saint Martin is an island split between French Guadeloupe and the Dutch Netherlands Antilles. It is one of the smallest land masses divided between two countries. The northern, French side of the island is known as Saint-Martin, and is 20 square miles. The southern, Dutch side of the island is known as Sint Maarten, and is 13 square miles. To avoid confusion between the three variations on the name, the two regions are commonly referred to as "the French side" and "the Dutch side".

Cities

Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side. This is where most cruise ships dock.

Marigot is the capital of the French side.

Grand Case is on the French side and has excellent restaurants.

Understand

The Dutch side is much more heavily developed. Many large resorts have been built and on many days a half-dozen or so cruise ships flood Phillipsburg with their passengers. Phillipsburg is one of the Caribbean's best shopping towns. If shopping's not your thing, you can sit out back on Phillipsburg's harbor beach and have a drink. Or play at one of the casinos just down the street. There are nine on this side. When it all gets too mellow, go rip it up with a 4x4 excursion around the island.

The French side is popularly known for Orient Beach and the adjacent nudist resort. However the towns of Marigot and Grand Case provide some of the best gourmet meals anywhere and plenty of interesting shops.

Beauty abounds on the island, with bluffs overlooking pretty harbors, sandy-cliffed beaches or just tranquil rocky coves where fish provide the beauty.

Talk

Dutch and French are the official languages on their respected sides of the island. English is widely spoken, especially in tourist areas.

Get in

By plane

Princess Juliana International Airport () (), Tel: 599-545-2060, . This airport on the Dutch side is the larger airport on the island and one of the Caribbean's busiest. It was very short but the runway has been extended and the terminal rebuilt, opening in December 2006. Planes land and take off unusually close overhead to sunbathers. You don't want your hotel too near.

By boat

After extending its wharf in a 3-year project ending in 2005, Phillipsburg has become the most popular port for cruise ships of all lines. Marigot port is limited to one cruise ship berth.

Getting Around

Rental cars are available at Princess Juliana International Airport. There is a dedicated area for rental companies. Cars can be picked-up just outside the airport. It is common to negotiate daily rental rates. The roads are narrow and quite bad on the Dutch side but much better on the French side.

Taxi cabs are usually vans, which are geared towards servicing the cruise ship traffic. To go completely around the island will cost about $25 USD with a taxi.

Saint Martin has a bus system using small minivans. If you are not in a hurry you can get most anywhere on the island for just a few dollars.

See

Butterfly Farm, Rte. de Le Galion, Quartier d'Orléans, Phone: 590/87-31-21, ....