St. Martin/Sint Maarten

Half-French, half-Dutch, all beautiful and fun!

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5 highlights of Dutch Sint Maarten

Dave Senior Taking up 40 percent of the island of St. Martin and with a population of around 58,000, this territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands packs a whole lot of fun, flavor, and personality into a petite package. Whereas French St. Martin leans elegant and relaxed, the multicultural, largely English-speaking Dutch side offers its share of quiet corners, but also a livelier menu of casinos, nightlife, beach bars, waterfront dining – along some of the most photographed aircraft…

Started by Helen Brown

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6 highlights of French St. Martin

Paul Sableman The northern part of the island shared with Dutch Sint Maarten was colonized by the French in the early 17th century, and today Saint-Martin (population just over 39,000) is a “collectivity” of France, an overseas territory with considerable autonomy. This side of the island is known for its French influence, gastronomic delights, and beautiful beaches.read post

Started by Helen Brown

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Savoring cheese, rum & perfume on St. Martin/St. Maarten

Tijon.com There I was in my white lab coat, examining 40 vials and trying to determine which combinations to mix to get the best outcome. Admittedly, I wasn’t performing some important scientific discovery or creating a medical breakthrough, but it felt almost that significant. What if I screwed up, made ridiculous choices as to the most effective ingredients and came away with an awful smelling product. Yup, I was making perfume at the Tijon Parfumerie & Boutique on the French side of the…

Started by Tripatini

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Maho Beach cited as a beach-holiday destination with the 'X factor'

That mid-winter beach holiday is important for many people. In the midst of grey clouds, cold temperatures and the daily grind, an escape to warm sun and fun sounds very appealing. So, book yourself in for a mid-winter break at one of these amazing destinations that offer more than just a beach. read post

Started by Tripatini

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Helen Brown November 29, 2025 at 5:01pm

West Indian brothers Steve and Patrick Bennet have a great site called Uncommon Caribbean, and here they take a look at SXM´s home-island beer, callled - what else - SXM https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/st-martin-st-maarten/sxm-beer/
José Balido November 26, 2025 at 1:57pm

Lonely Planet sums up the Dutch side pretty well: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/first-time-guide-to-sint-maarten

A first-time guide to Sint Maarten

From when to go and what to do, to how much it will cost.
Ed Wetschler November 23, 2025 at 4:17pm

CNN recently wrote up the most notorious aspect of Maho Beach: the fact that it´s right at the end of the airport runway, so you get planes taking off an landing seemingly mere feet over the sands. Yep, it´s certainly an experience, both on the ground and for passengers inside the planes. I just wonder what all that exhaust is doing to the sand and beachgoers´ lungs? https://edition.cnn.com/travel/maho-beach-st-martin-princess-julian...

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/maho-beach-st-martin-princess-juliana-airport-sint-maarten
Max Pesling December 20, 2024 at 1:20pm

Here´s a good look at the island from the cruiser´s point of view: https://www.cruisehive.com/st-maarten-cruise-port/139875

St. Maarten Cruise Port: Piers, Getting Around and What’s Nearby
John Kipper October 2, 2023 at 11:14am

Travel+Leisure pretty much nails it here: https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-things-to-do-in-st-martin-785...
Jordan Simon August 27, 2023 at 2:58pm

A ¨quick ´n´ dirty overview of the French and Dutch sides from U.S. News and World Report: https://travel.usnews.com/St_Martin/
Helen Brown October 24, 2022 at 11:39am

St Martin/Maarten is known for its beaches, shopping, and nightlife (especially casinos), But just recently, Forbes shone a light on its eco side, in the form of the French side's St. Martin Nature Reserve: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sandramacgregor/2022/10/10/discover-th...

Discover The Amazing Biodiversity Of St. Martin’s Nature Reserve

Discover why St. Martin is a fantastic vacation destination for animal lovers.
David Paul Appell February 13, 2022 at 11:02pm

The Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is included on a list of 9 romantic resorts for Valentine's Day put together by a freelancer for USA Today. I find her list skews too much toward bigger resorts and largely ignores charming smaller inns, but I can attest to one, Palm Island (above) in the Grenadines - but it still makes for an interesting read: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/10best/2022/01/07/9-of-the-mos...
Vern Niebel April 25, 2017 at 9:44pm

Season is over
Now, after Easter, most weekly visitors are gone and it became quiet on the beaches and in the restaurants. Some cruise ship tourists are still arriving at Philipsburg and you see the tour buses, the ATV's, and rental cars cruising the island between 10:00am and 5:00pm. Afterwards, it is quiet again.
Now, it's time for carnival on the Dutch side of the island.
Vern Niebel May 28, 2011 at 4:51am

St. Maarten and St. Martin are still one of the most attractive island in the Caribbean. Prices are kept on a moderate level due to the very competitive situation. Despite the unfavorable exchange rate of USD>EUR, even the French side offers many attractive places for accommodation, and excellent restaurants at fair prices. Lowest rates are from mid April until mid December. September is a month to avoid due to hurricane risk and usually torrent rainfalls.