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Discover St. Martin
Located 150 miles southeast of Puerto Rico, this 37-square-mile island is occupied by Dutch Sint Maarten (pronounced the same as the French side, Saint Martin) and French St. Martin. Since 1648, the Dutch have occupied the southern reaches of the island while the French have claimed the northern side. The demarcation is marked by a simple obelisk between Union Road and Bellevue. Travel is effortless between the two nations, like crossing a county line back in the States.
No passports. No Customs. No Immigration. Although the border is almost superficial, there are distinctions between the two countries. Mention “St. Martin” and many visitors will immediately think of topless bathing that's de rigueur on the Gallic beaches. And on one 1?-mile stretch, au naturel is the order of the day. On this portion of the island, the atmosphere is definitely French, with plenty of bakeries to enjoy a baguette or crepes. French is heard in themarkets and there's no mistaking that this is la partie francaise.
The urbanized side of the island is found on its Dutch acres.Most visitors arrive in Simpson Bay's Princess Juliana International Airport. Don't let the modest size of the terminal fool you – this is one of the Caribbean's busiest airports, with direct service fromNew York,Newark, Miami, Baltimore and San Juan, not to mention Paris and Amsterdam. Regional air service to many small islands also travels through this hub. All those visitors mean plenty of hotel rooms and many are found along Simpson Bay.
