SAINT MARTIN AND SAINT MAARTEN

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ST. MARTIN BASICS   EXPLORING ST. MARTIN   SINT MAARTEN BASICS   EXPLORING ST. MAARTEN

You see it spelled St. Martin and St. Maarten with good reason: this small island is actually two countries.  At 37 square miles, it's the smallest land mass in the world to be divided between two governments.  The French in the north and the Dutch in the south have shared it in mutual friendship for hundreds of years.  That's because it's pretty much paradise and serenity is so much more heavenly than petty land grabs.  Most people frequently cross the fairly ephemeral border without knowing they've done so.

Aside from this serenity and the island's exceptional beauty, however, the uniqueness of each country's national culture is obvious. French St. Martin emphasizes comfort and elegance.  The clothing-optional beaches are secluded, the resorts are lavish and the latest French fashions are in many of the shops.  And then there's the food.  St. Martin offers some of the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean.  Charming cafés and bistros vie with sophisticated restaurants to produce a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair. Despite its sophistication, the atmosphere on St. Martin is laid back and relaxed.

On the other hand, St. Maarten remains true to its historic Dutch entrepreneurial spirit.  There's a busy port and bustling commercial district, and it's here that you'll find the island's nine casinos.  It's home to the island's main airport and international trade thrives thanks to its status as a leading duty-free port.  All of this is reflected in St. Maarten's capital of Philipsburg.  The town's main street has lovely pastel-colored houses that have looked out over scenes of lively commerce since 1768. This part of the island is more developed but more informal than its neighbor to the north.

It wasn't always peaceful here. Named by Christopher Columbus, who spotted and claimed it for Spain on the feast day of St. Martin in 1493, it was fought over by the Spanish and Dutch in the 17th century.  Peter Stuyvesant, later Governor of New York, lost a leg to a Spanish cannonball during one of the battles.  When the Spanish left, the island was claimed by both the French, sailing in from St. Kitts, and the Dutch from St. Eustatius.  After some skirmishes, they signed a treaty in 1648 that divided the island between them.

Legend has it that they devised a contest to partition the island. Starting at Oyster Pond on the east coast, they would walk westwards -- the French along the northern edge, the Dutch along the southern -- and where they met they would draw the dividing line.  Both groups set off, the French having fortified themselves with wine, the Dutch with gin.  Either the gin was stronger or the French had a better head for liquor, because the Dutch stopped along the way to sleep off it off.  Consequently, the French were able to cover a greater distance: their part of the island is 21 miles while the Dutch got 16.

Not nearly as colorful as the legend is the fact that the French had a large navy just off shore at the time the treaty was being negotiated. They won concessions by threat of force.  Between 1648 and 1815, the border changed 16 times. Then everyone signed the Treaty of Paris and things calmed down.  Today, the border is almost imperceptible. Its four boundaries -- Belle Vue/Cole Bay, French Quarter/Dutch Quarter, Low Lands/Copecoy and Oyster Pond - are testimony to centuries of peaceful cohabitation and the treaty that made it all possible.

Located in the middle of the chain of islands in the Caribbean, just as the Antilles begin to curve to the south, the island is about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico.  Buffeted by cooling trade winds, it's sunny and warm year-round, with temperatures averaging 82 degrees in summer and 80 in the so-called winter.  Average annual rainfall is about 45 inches, mostly in late summer and early fall, but those trade winds keep even the rainy period free of prolonged cloud cover.

The island has 37 beaches - one for each of its square miles. Sugary-white and lapped by azure waters, the beaches vary from being popular gathering centers to tranquil havens of solitude. Off-shore, rich waters provide superb boating and fishing, as well as excellent snorkeling and diving areas. The interior, with its gentle valleys and hills, is ideal for biking, horseback riding, and hiking. The island is also home to one of the most challenging golf courses in the Caribbean.

Culturally, both St. Martin and St. Maarten have much to offer.  In St. Maarten, shopping can become a full-time activity (in St. Martin, it's eating).  Luxury items cost up to 50 percent less than in other countries, and prices are quoted in US dollars, so you don't have to sort out exchange rates.  You'll find museums and historic forts to explore island-wide.  At night, live-music clubs attract both local and international crowds, while the glittering casinos in the south vie with the elegant dining establishments in the north for your attention.  But we're only talking 37 miles, here.  You can have it all.

Saint Martin - Sint Maarten Map