Best Travel Guide St Martin | ArrivalGuides.com

St MartinGuide was updated: 2024-09-17

Sun-drenched and palm-fringed, the island of Saint Martin is one of the most beautiful in the eastern Caribbean. It also has a dual personality: the northern Saint-Martin is a little outpost of France, and the southern Sint Maarten oozes the warmth of the Dutch. The border between them is basically non-existent, and visitors are free to enjoy everything from water sports and cultural festivals to shopping.

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Facts

Population:	Collectivity of Saint Martin (French: Collectivité de Saint-Martin): 32,489 Sint Maarten: 42,938
Currency:	The official currency of the French side of the island, Saint-Martin, is the Euro, while the Dutch side, Sint Maarten, uses the Netherlands Antillean guilder, pegged at 1.79 per US dollar. The Netherlands Antillean guilder will be replaced by the Caribbean guilder. The switch was initially scheduled for 2021, but has been delayed several times. The US Dollar is also accepted everywhere on the island. However, make sure you are getting a fair exchange rate.
Emergency Numbers:	Ambulance: 912 Sint Maarten Medical Center: 910 Police: 911 Fire: 919 Coast Guard: 913
Newspapers:	The Daily Herald (English) — www.thedailyherald.sx Le Pelican (French) — www.lepelican-journal.com St Martin Week magazine (French) — www.stmartinweek.fr San Martin News Network (English) — smn-news.com Soualiga News (English & French) — www.soualigapost.com St Maarten News (English) — stmaartennews.com
Website:	www.st-martin.org www.visitstmaarten.com www.vacationstmaarten.com
Opening Hours:	Shops are generally open 8:30am–5pm with a lunch break of around two hours. Banks are generally open on the French side from Monday to Friday 8:30am–1:30pm and on the Dutch side from Monday to Friday 8:30am–3:30pm. Some banks are open on Saturday 8:30am–noon.
Tourist Information:	Office du Tourisme Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten 12 rue du Général de Gaulle, Marigot, Saint-Martin +590 590 87 57 21 Sint Maarten Tourism Board 6 Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard, Sint Maarten +1 721 549 0200

Do & See

St Martin has a rich and interesting history, which can be seen today in its unique cultural heritage. Visit the Sint Maarten Museum and some of the many historical sites to learn more about the island's history and its impact on modern life. However, do not forget to take some time to relax while you enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the island's many beaches.

Fort St Louis

Fort St Louis is the largest historical monument in Saint-Martin. It is named after King Louis XVI of France, who built a settlement to protect Marigot during his reign. Take a pleasant hike up the hill and catch the view of the town at sunset or sunrise.

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Saint Martin Carnival

Saint Martin Carnival is one of the island's cultural highlights, where locals and tourists get together in the streets to sing, dance, make music, throw confetti and have a good time watching the lively parade. Both Marigot and Philipsburg are decorated in colourful feathers and glitter for the whole carnival month. On the French side, the carnival takes place in February and until early March. On the Dutch side, the carnival is celebrated from mid-April until early May.

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Diving & Snorkeling

Swim with turtles, lionfish, lizardfish and other colourful sea creatures. You will be provided with top notch diving equipment; professional underwater cameras can be rented in order to capture this unique experience.

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Philipsburg

The capital of Sint Maarten is the central point for shopping and the local cultural scene. Tucked in the southeastern part of the island between Great Bay and Great Salt Pond, the city has been a major commercial hub for the island since the 17th century.

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Marigot

The capital of Saint-Martin has rows of patisseries and smart bistros that sit side by side with luxury fashion houses and colonial architecture. Take a stroll on Rue de la République with its 19th-century traditional facades and visit one of the many historical buildings like Marigot Church, the Old Prison or Durat Bridge.

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Quartier-d'Orleans

Quartier-d'Orleans is a little piece of 17th-century France. Also known as the French Quarter, this fishing village is located on the east coast and is believed to be the first French settlement on the island.

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