St Martin
St.Martin/ Sint Maarten is the world's smallest landmass to be shared by two separate governments. The Dutch side covers 16 square miles on the south of the island,
while the French side covers 21 square miles.
Some say that the great divide was based on a bet. Supposedly, a Frenchman and a Dutchman first stood back to back, then walked in opposite directions following the coastline until they met again on the other side of the island. France was awarded the larger portion of the island (21 square miles) because the Dutchman either drank too much on his journey, was seduced by a French woman along the way, or was too overweight to travel as quickly. The Dutch were given a 16-square-mile parcel. For more than three centuries, the two nations have peacefully shared a tiny island that is part Dutch, part French, and all West Indian.
Not only can visitors hop across the invisible border to get a taste of French Caribbean life – although the excellent cuisine in Sint Maarten is cosomopolitan – they can also enjoy the advantages of shopping in one of the world’s few completely tax-free ports.
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French
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Dutch
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Capital: Marigot
Currency: Euro
US Dollars widely accepted Population: 36,000 Area: 21 square miles (54 sq km) Languages: French Economy: Tourism
Religion: Mainly Catholic churches
Government: Subprefecture of Guadeloupe
Telephone Codes: - 590 –
Shoping Hours: Shops open on weekdays, 9am-1pm and 3pm-7pm. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday
Banking Hours: Three banks in Marigot keep different hours during weekdays.
Electricity: 220v, 60 cycles
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Capital: Phillipsburg
Currency: Netherlands Antilles guilder US$1=NAg1.78
US Dollars widely accepted Population: 36,000 Area: 14 square miles (44 sq km) Languages: Dutch and English Economy: Tourism
Religion: Mainly Protestant churches
Government: Member of the Netherlands Antilles
Telephone Codes: - 599 5 -
Shoping Hours: Shops open 8am-noon and 2pm-6pm, Monday to Saturday. Open on Sundays if a cruise ship is in.
Banking Hours: Banks are open 8.30am-3pm, Mondays to Thursdays, and 8.30am-5pm Fridays.
Electricity: 110v, 60 cycles
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Airport Departure Tax: US$20.00
Passport/Visa requirements: Australian Passport holders do not need visas.
Health Certificates: None required. Contact health authorities for latest information.
Time Zone: 14 hours behind Sydney (EST).No Daylight Saving Time is observed.
Weather: The island is usually sunny and warm year-round, with temperatures averaging 80F in the winter and 86F in the summer. The average annual rainfall is 45 inches, most falling on the southern half of the island during late summer and early fall.
Transport: Public buses run daily from Philipsburg to Marigot between 6 a.m. and midnight, and exact change is preferred. There are no official bus stops, so just stand by the road and flag down a bus. Private buses (vans) run constantly between other towns on the island. Most visitors, however, rely on taxis and rental cars. Taxis are available at Princess Juliana International Airport and at all major hotels. Cabs have official rates instead of meters and rates jump 25 percent after 10 p.m., 50 percent after midnight. Rental cars are available through most hotels and at the airport.
History: In 1493, Columbus sighted the island; the Spanish, however, were too busy at the time colonizing other islands to bother with this one. In the early 1600s, the Dutch West India Company heard of the uninhabited island and decided that it would be the perfect place to stop on its journeys to and from Brazil. At almost the same time, the French settled the island. In 1648, The two sovereignties banded together to prevent Spain from staking a claim to the island.
Each half of St. Martin/Sint Maarten has a personality of its own. Sint Maarten is lively from dawn to dawn. Casinos and nightclubs are packed with tourists. St. Martin, on the other hand, closes its doors at nine with the exception of a few bistros in Grand Case.
Shopping, too, differs from side to side. On Front Street in Philipsburg, island-made crafts, T-shirts and loads of duty-free goods fill the shops that stand cheek by jowl. The French prefer their goods tucked away in lovingly arranged boutiques filled with stylish French fashions and gifts.
Three tiny islands lie off the island's east coast: Ilet Pinel, Caye Verte and, farther out, Ile Tintamarre. On-island, the ruins of two forts on the Dutch side are ideal for hiking and exploring; and 18th-century fort still stands on the French.
Grand Case is the place to be for fine French entrees. In Philipsburg, stop by the Guavaberry Shop for a sip of liqueur made from island berries and rum.
The French have perfected seclusion, and their beaches are exquisite. TryPruneBay, LongBay and RougeBay on the isthmus around the lagoon. At OrientBay in the northeast, the sand is so white it glitters at night. CupecoyBay and ColeBay have the nicest strands on the Dutch side.
If you are looking to retreat from the civilization that has touched the Dutch side, and you've done the beach thing on the French, climb the 1,278 feet to the top of ParadisePeak. It'll be you and the outline of half a dozen faraway places.
