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Sint Maarten / St. Martin by Dale Nolan

The unique and beautiful island of Sint Maarten or St. Martin sits within warm, crystal blue waters and is surrounded by handsome bays, beaches and coves. This tiny isle nestles between Puerto Rico and Martinique and is an exotic mix of Dutch, French and Creole flavours. Sint Maarten enjoys an excellent year-round climate and has now become a popular stopping-off point for cruises and sailing excursions wanting to take advantage of its excellent attractions and activities.

For a thousand years, the island was home to a small population of Arawak tribes who lived a relatively peaceful and cultured existence. These tribes were eventually overrun with the arrival of the more aggressive Carib peoples from North America. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493 and claimed it for the throne of Spain and the local Indians were rounded up and put to work. In the 1600s, the island fell under occupation of the French who establisher sugar plantations across the small island. The Dutch arrived shortly after and established a fort and despite some resistance by the French and Spanish obtained the island as part of its Caribbean colony. In the following century, the island was taken and retaken on several occasions by various European nations until in 1648 it fell under the joint rule of the French and Dutch. The pre-occupation over ownership of the island meant that area became rife for smugglers and pirates. Today, the island is divided into French St. Martin to the north and Dutch Sint Maarten to the south.

The unique political background of the islands and the influx of African slaves that were brought here means that it has a curious blend of cultures. The island is well developed today and is characterised by excellent sands, lush bays and duty-free shopping. St. Martin boasts nearly forty sandy beaches including the excellent Cupecoy Bay Beach, the palm tree oasis of Mullet Bay, busy Maho Bay and the beautiful stretches at Baie Longue and Baie Rouge. The majority of these beaches offer easy access to superb coral reefs just off the coast and are extremely popular for swimming and snorkelling. St. Martin is also perfect for wreck diving, drift diving and cave diving and the most ideal sights are found at Ilet Pinet, Tintamarre and Green Key. The biggest attraction in the waters is the wreck of the British warship HMS Proselyte, which straddles part of the coral reef close to the island.

Overall, this island is a fantastic location for water sports and there are ample opportunities across its coastline to enjoy surfing, parasailing, water skiing, sailing and fishing.

There are also many land-based activities to enjoy and the island is simple to traverse. St. Martin enjoys the privileged position of having to capitals which are both well worth a visit including Philipsburg to the south and Marigot to the north. Dutch Philipsburg is a thriving town with a lovely square and a busy collection of duty-free shops, cafes and bars to explore. French Marigot is a bustling harbour packed with boutiques and French restaurants selling deliciously fresh seafood including tuna, dolphin fish, oysters and marlin. These culinary experts have also learned to blend the local fish with Creole spices and this is best tasted north of Marigot in the resort of Grand Case; the gourmet capital of the island.
Another wonderful settlement on the French side of the island is the picturesque village of Orleans set within blossoming meadows. This charming village is the oldest French settlement on St. Martin and includes a wonderful Butterfly Farm. For those who want to experience some of the island’s fascinating colonial history then it is also worthwhile to visit the French outpost of Fort Louis, offering stunning vistas of Marigot Bay and the Caribbean Sea, and the remains of the Dutch counterpart at Fort Amsterdam.

Even without the presence of a physical border between the two sides, the island of Sint Maarten or St. Martin enjoys a charming dual personality, which is truly unique amongst Caribbean islands. Boosted by fine, sandy beaches, fantastic water sports and a warm climate, the island is an exciting and intriguing destination to explore.