ST MARTIN ISLAND
Welcome to Saint Martin
Welcome to the unique island of St Martin / St Maarten – two nations, one island, shared by the French and the Dutch and offering a unique blend of many cultures. St Martin / St Maarten is a tropical destination fringed by pristine beaches, dotted with scenic rolling hills and boasting an average tropical temperature ranging from 75°F to 83°F year round. The official currencies are the Euro on the French side and the Florin on the Dutch with the dollar universally accepted on the island. With over 87 nationalities represented on this 37 square mile paradise.
English is widely spoken on both sides of St Martin / St Maarten. The French capital of Marigot is essentially French and cosmopolitan, and the Dutch side capital of Phillipsburg has rapidly gained a reputation for being the shopping capital of the Eastern Caribbean with its famed “golden mile” of Frontstreet. Located in the leeward islands of the Eastern Caribbean, St Martin/ St Maarten is a short 4 hours hop away from New York and just 2 hours from Miami, Dutch side Sint Maarten is the busy hub for all the surrounding islands – including chic St Barths, exclusive Anguilla and the Emerald Isle of Saba – providing numerous daily flights from and to the United States. Saint Martin is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands, making it the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations. This multinational ownership results in the island being referred to by different names: Sint Maarten/St Maarten (Dutch) and Saint-Martin/St Martin (French).