This charming island is only 34 square miles and is divided into two sides…one Dutch and the other French. You do not go through any customs or tolls, etc. between sides, in fact the only way you know you’ve crossed into the other side is by the language on the road signs. This Eastern Caribbean island is hilly, tropical and surrounded by beatuiful turquoise waters on all sides.
There are so many positive reasons to pack your bags for St. Martin: The airport is state of the art and very easy to travel in and out of, there are many direct flights here, the weather is almost always perfect and consistently warm (both air and sea average at 81 degrees Fahrenheit). FYI -the Fall is the rainy season. The main industry on the island is tourism (85%) and the islanders are extremely welcoming, the food is gourmet, there is great shopping (discounted and duty free), the US dollar is accepted everywhere, and of course the beaches are gorgeous.
Another great thing about St. Martin is it’s many neighboring islands most of which are easy to visit for a day trip….Neighboring islands include Saint Barthélemy (French), Anguilla (British), Saba (Dutch), Saint Kitts and Nevis (independent, formerly British). With the exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Martin.
I was lucky enough to have just visited St. Martin for the first time and we loved it! We stayed on the French side at the RIU Palace which was lovely. I would highly recommend it.
We visited several beaches including Pinel island right off the coast near Orient Bay and accessible only by boat (a quick 5 min jaunt). See photos above…
A totally relaxing getaway!