Travel to St. Maarten/ St. Martin...
St. Maarten/ St. Martin is an exotic island that brings a myriad of people together from around the globe. Spend a day in France strolling down the promenade, browsing through boutiques, then enjoying a glass of rose with the sound of the ocean washing on the shore.Experience the Netherland Antilles with it’s duty free shopping and vivid nightlife. Don’t forget the sailing! Ships from all over the world arrive daily adding an ever changing population of seafarers toting tales of adventure from the high seas. If you’re up for giving it a try, excursions embark daily from many areas of the island.
Wrap this up in a Caribbean setting and paradise is no longer lost!
Lifestyle Caribbean - Online Island Information
For more information about St. Maarten/St. Martin, click on
www.lifestyle-caribbean.com
Marigot a french village with tropical charm
Originally a fishermen village, Marigot acquired its name from the swamplands which extended out to the bay.
Later on, during the sugar period, Marigot became the capital. This was under the reign of King Louis XVI, who, end of the 18th century, decided to build Fort St. Louis atop the hill overlooking Marigot Bay. The historic monument is the largest of its kind on the island, and a witness of the history of this charming town that started to develop after the abolition of slavery in 1848. Marigot is still very colonial in appearance with gingerbread and colorful Créole houses and a casual, laid-back Creole ambiance.
It is also elegant, Mediterranean, and lively with a tropical touch, with sidewalk cafés and bistros, open air restaurants, and chic boutiques.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings are market days on Marigot´s new market place, located around the kiosk by the port. Those days are particularly busy. Vendors sell almost everything from coconuts, avocados, sweet potatoes and plenty of other tropical fruits & vegetables, all kinds of spices and fresh fish, to fine batik wraps, local arts, crafts and paintings.
Other sites to see include the Marina Royale, where fine shops and restaurants abound. This is also a great place to sit and relax on the terrace of one of the many French bistros. New quarters were also created just recently, such as Spring and Concordia. Over the centuries, Marigot had turned from a tiny village into a commercial and administrative town that counts today more than 10,000 residents.
Philipsburg - a seaside shopper’s paradise
Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side of St. Maarten named after a Scotsman who governed the place a long time ago.
The town is situated on a spit of land that separates Great Bay from the Great Salt Pond. The streets of Philipsburg are filled with wonderful duty free, tax free shops and boutiques, restaurants, several casinos, and government buildings.
The town is full of life, especially on days when cruise ships are in.
Wathey Square, the place where the cruise ship people arrive, sets the tone of this busy and bustling small town.
The two main roads are Front Street and Back Street, which are connected by small alleys with Dutch names. Old renovated buildings, and typical Antillean architecture border these two streets where you can find just about anything.
At the end of Front Street, you will find the Simart Museum, which traces the island´s history from prehistoric times to the present. To the center of town is the old Court House, constructed in 1793, which is now the City Hall. In the heart of town, in front of the Government Building, is a new public parking lot.
A free parking is on Pondfill Rd along the Southern bank of the Salt Pond.
At the extremities of Little Bay are the ruins of Fort Amsterdam.
Over 350 years ago, this fort was constructed by the Dutch as their first, and most important military outpost in the Caribbean. It was built in 1631 atop an old Spanish military building. From there you can see the mines of Fort Willem, which is another piece of St. Maarten´s history. The Dutch took over this site in 1816 and changed the name from Fort Trigge to Fort Willem. From the hilltop, the panoramic view of neighboring islands is spectacular!
Further down the road, Southeast of Great Bay, lies Pointe Blanche. On your way, you will pass two marinas with the restaurants Chesterfields and the Greenhouse, which may serve as stopping off points. You will also see a beautifully restored, colorful Antillean House to your left, which is now home to the Philipsburg Liquor Store. Otherwise, the area of Pointe Blanche is mostly influenced by commercial activities, and the road is lined with shipping buildings, containers and gas tanks. But nevertheless, Pointe Blanche is worth a visit for its splendid views.
Sunsets to remember
A great place to watch the sunset, and home to St. Maarten's largest and most successful hotel complex, The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino and its neighbors, The Royal Islander Club and La Terrasse Suite Hotel .This "little stretch of sand" is also just a few short yards from the runway of The Princess Juliana International Airport. So, get out your camera! Nowhere else in the world will you get this close to a landing jumbo jet. You can lie on the beach, catch some rays, and photograph the underbelly of a 747 just a few yards above your head. What a rush!
If you're not quite that daring, you can watch the planes take off and land at The Sunset Beach Bar; they're located at the other end of horseshoe shaped Maho Beach. The Sunset Beach Bar is a great place to hang out, listen to some tunes, amd slurp down a few frozen mudslides. Happy landing!
Rent a
Hummer H3
and explore the island.
Only $115/day
