St. Martin is the French half of the northern Caribbean island, shared with St. Maarten. With about a million tourists a year, St. Martin is definitely not the place to go if you’re looking to find a pristine beach all to yourself. But if you’re in to good food, good shopping, and nude beaches, then this is your place. St. Martin is an “overseas collectivity” of France, making it part of the European Union. There are no border crossing between St. Martin and St. Maarten, so you’ll have easy access to both on your visit. The French side, however, is known as the more luxurious.
Language
French is the official language of St. Martin, but with people of over 70 countires represented on the island, English is the most widely spoken.
Money
The Euro is the official currency of St. Martin, but U.S. Dollars are widely accepted. To find out about the conversion rates, visit our currency converter.
Accommodations
Rock bottom prices start at about 42 Euros a night. If you’re in the U.S., you do the math. They are generally smaller, independent hotels and resorts and follow the French star system. Various amenities are available at different properties, shop around to find the best place for you.
Food and Drinks
There are so many restaurants with so many different types of cuisine on St. Martin that you need not eat at the same place twice.
Holidays/Events
There’s always some sort of event going on in St. Martin. For an updated list check the St. Martin Calendar of Events.
Getting There & Around
Air France, American Airlines, BWIA, Continental, Corsair, Delta, Dutch Caribbean Airlines (DCA), KLM and US Airways offer international flights. Inter-island flights are provided by Air Caraibes, American Eagle, St. Barths Commuter, Caribbean Star, LIAT and Winair.
Ferries are available to Anguilla, St. Barths and Saba.
To get around the island, you can rent a car, hire a taxi or take the minibuses that roam the streets.
Electronics
On this side of the island, electricity is 220 volts (50 Hz) as in Europe. If you’re traveling with U.S. appliances, you will need a converter.
Things to Do
You can visit Fort Saint Louis and get a little history between your beach time and dinner time. The Marigot Market is a fantastic destination for shoppers in the capitol city. A drive out of Marigot will take you to wonderful places like Grand Case, Colombier Paradise Peak, Orleans and Mount Concordia. The beaches are fabulous and the dining is world class. On the water, you can enjoy all of the popular water sports like Deep Sea Fishing, Diving, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Sailing and Kayaking. Away from the sea, you can Bike, Hike or Horseback ride.
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