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Situated about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, Dutch St. Maarten (the French spell it St. Martin) covers 16 square miles of the southern part of the island, an area marked by verdant, rolling hills that languidly rest above mile after mile of beach, salt pond, and lagoon. Although the region falls under the government of Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, its diversity and the strong influence of West-Indian traditions make its culture anything but exclusively Dutch. St. Maarten's atmosphere is a winning blend of Caribbean hospitality and European sophistication.
St. Maarten is also known throughout the Caribbean for its eclectic nightlife. The evening ritually begins at sunset, when cafes and night clubs open their doors and the music of steel drum bands floats along the beaches. The island's festive spirit peaks during carnival, a vibrant, two-week festival of feasting, street dancing, parties, and parades.
The island's sugary-white beaches are spiritually restive and abundant, and walkers who
encounter them are often struck by their splendid seclusion. Off-shore, St. Maarten's
life-rich waters provide superb boating and fishing, as well
as excellent diving areas. The inland region, with its gentle
valleys and hills, is ideal for biking, horseback riding, and exploration.
All these offerings have made St. Maarten a famous tropical destination, and the island is
dotted with world-class resorts. Private guest houses are also
an increasingly popular form of lodging, catering to visitors seeking traditional
Caribbean hospitality.
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With an area of only 37 square miles, the island of St. Maarten/St.
Martin is the smallest land mass in the world to be divided between two governments. Its
dual owners are the Dutch and the French, who have shared the tiny and paradisical island
more or less peacefully for almost 350 years. This understated absence of conflict
testifies to one of the island's most precious and attractive characteristics--its unusual
serenity.
St.
Maarten's dependable trade winds free the island from oppressive heat or prolonged leaden
skies, and its temperate climate is consistently graced by the sun. 