ABOUT THE FRIENDLY ISLAND ST MAARTEN.
Right in the heart of the Caribbean you’ll find the sunny St Maarten. St Maarten (or Saint Martin) is the only place in the world where Holland and France are neighbors. As the locals say: ‘Twice the vacation, twice the fun!’
The island has 37 beautiful white beaches, a crystal clear sea, and bounty islands near the coast, palm trees and a tropical relaxed atmosphere.
St Maarten is immersed by gentle trade winds and the climate is sunny and warm year-round. Survive the cold and sourly winter by coming to the sunny St Maarten. Experience the ultimate holiday feeling by relaxing on the beach with a tropical cocktail, the sun that caress your skin and a view over the crystal clear ocean.
Average temperature during the winter season is 80ºF (27ºC) and a few degrees warmer and more humid in the summer. Average water temperature is 78ºF (25ºC). Rainfall can be expected anytime of the year but rainstorms pass quickly.
For the active people; St Maarten is also suitable for nice water sports like surfing, skim boarding, sailing, snorkeling, diving, jet skiing and deep sea fishing. At Mullet Bay golf fans will find what they need and also for children St Maarten is a perfect destination.
Since St Maarten is a very central island, St Maarten is the perfect destination for island hopping. It is easy to plan a day trip to the neighbor islands Anguilla, Saba, St Barths and St Eustatius.
St Maarten CarnivalThe island's biggest celebration is Carnival, which is held in April on the Dutch side where the island comes to a standstill for over 17 days and nights. For months locals put their souls into sewing Carnival costumes and writing songs ready for the big celebrations. Some of the most beautiful creations of previous carnival seasons are at display inside the Jump Up Casino in Philipsburg. Go there to get a true taste of St. Maarten Carnival, even if you missed the original celebration.
Each Carnival inspires a fresh and marvelous batch of calypso, often satirical and politically charged. The Calypsonians will compete for the title of Calypso King or Queen, a contest that draws hundreds of musicians and dancers from all the neighbouring islands. If the partygoers are not hitting the street they are most likely to be jamming' in the Festival Village, which sits on the edge of Philipsburg and was constructed specifically for the carnival.
More than a hundred booths are there to serve you food, from traditional 'Johnny cakes' and 'fungi' to Indian curry and 'roti', enough to make your taste buds go wild.
Destination WeddingAs far as destination weddings go,
getting married in St Maarten is a great option. A wedding in St Maarten is a dream for most; however there are many different deals, specials, and all-inclusive packages that can make this dream come true for any couple. For more information see
http://stmaartenmarry-me.com/
Direct Flights
Direct air service from the neighboring Islands to the Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten are: LIAT, Winair/Winward Islands Airways, Dutch Antilles Express. Other flight services to St Maarten are: American Airlines, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air France, Alitalia, Caribbean Airlines, Continental Airlines, Copa, Corsair, Delta, JetBlue, KLM, Spirit Airlines, United, US Airways and WestJet.
Restaurants and Night LifeSt. Maarten is the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean. The island expresses its culinary soul by giving voice to cuisines from the far-flung corners of the globe. Some restaurants are located on the beach. Whether the food is Italian, French, Indian, American, Argentinean, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Creole or Caribbean. St. Maarten restaurants represent the cultures, pride, hearts and dishes of 93 nationalities on our island, sure to suit every taste and wallet size to perfection.
St. Maarten is a Casino Mecca with many casino offering evening shows, live music and entertainment. You will find a vast amount of bars/cafes and nightclubs. Many restaurants and bars have live music, such as jazz, reggae, soca, zouk, salsa and disco.
ShoppingSt. Maarten is the only duty free destination in the Caribbean. Philipsburg the capital of St. Maarten is the main shopping district and can be considered an international shopping area. The Maho area is a great option for boutique shopping and the stores stay open later until 10 - 11 p.m. Simpson Bay and Marigot offer designer shops and boutiques.
Service Charge
Most hotels and restaurants add between 10 percent and 15 percent to the bill as a service charge; this is almost always posted in writing at the entrance or on the menu. Travelers can tip more for special service. Taxi drivers expect 50 cents or $1 for short runs and more for an extended narrated tour. Airport porters should receive $2 per bag.
Taxis
Taxis in St. Maarten and St. Martin can easily and quickly cross over to the opposite side of the island, and this makes taking a taxi from and to anywhere on the island a simple matter of deciding where you want go. Extra passengers will pay a fee of $4(USD). Luggage fees will differ on each side of the island, but passengers should be prepared to pay $1(USD) for each piece of luggage that they have.
Between 10:00 p.m. and midnight, there is a 25 percent surcharge, and between midnight and 6:00 a.m., there is a 50 percent surcharge. Taxi rates are fixed and your taxi driver should have a copy of the rates that are also often posted at major pick up centers. Taxi drivers should be tipped about 15 percent. Taxi trips are between $10 and $30 depending on the distance of the trip.
Meetings & Incentives
When planning your next meeting or incentive trip, consider the beautiful island of St. Maarten. Boasting 37stunning beaches, impeccable accommodations, and +/- 300 restaurants with mouth-watering cuisine. St. Maarten plays host to various conferences, tradeshows, retreats and top-tier incentive groups annually and is the ideal tropical destination for delegates and attendees.
The multifaceted atmosphere of the island, friendly hospitality and service will “wow” your group every step of the way. We have a plethora of choices that will entertain, relax and invigorate any attendee.
Not only do we boast top meeting locations but also duty free shopping, horseback riding, spa and wellness and evening entertainment that will have your attendees on their feet; rocking to the rhythms.
Sailing and our under sea world of snorkeling and a semi-submarine tour are enticing, tour of The Gauvaberry Emporium, historic sites and art galleries will appeal to your senses.
Despite the travel purpose, St. Maarten is hallmarked by its warmth, brilliance, friendliness and uniqueness that allow each traveler to return to their homes relaxed and refreshed.
Courtesy & DressDress throughout the island is generally informal. Casual sports clothes in cotton and other light fabrics are typical. One can choose to wear the latest fashions but jeans, shorts, polos, tees, sandals, sneakers and boat shoes are the norm.
While swimwear is perfect for the beach, it is not considered proper in town. In the evenings, women tend to "dress up" a bit but, for the men, ties and jackets are rarely seen. Some upscale resort hotels may require jackets for men and dresses for women at dinner, particularly during the high season. Check when making reservations.
A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended for solar protection during the day. On the French side, topless swimming and sunning are common at pools and beaches. The only designated clothing-optional area, however, is a section of the beach at Orient Bay.
Banks in St Maarten
Banks are normally open from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday. On Saturday, some banks open from 8:30 am until noon.
ElectricityThe Dutch side of St. Maarten has 110V (at 60 cycles) electricity system. The electrical outlets are the same as the USA.
PopulationThe official estimate of population as of 1 Jan 2009 was 40,917, for a population density of 1,942 inhabitants per km².
Churches
St Maarten has several churches and denominations such as: Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Jehovah Witness, Chabad- Lubavitch of St. Maarten / St. Martin – Jewish Community, Methodist, Mormons, Protestant, Pentecostal, and Seventh - day Adventist. Sunday services begin from 8:00 a.m. and go on throughout the day until 2:00 p.m.
SchoolsOn St. Maarten the various types of schools, languages of instruction used and the levels within these schools are designed to facilitate the optimum development of all students in an effort to produce highly skilled and responsible individuals. The school system can be divided into: public schools, private schools funded by government and private schools that are not funded by government.
The school system on St. Maarten has for decades been patterned after the education system in the Netherlands. Education was primarily offered in Dutch but in the 1970’s education in the English language became possible with the emergence of two school boards. Today, education is available where the language of instruction is either Dutch or English. The system of education on St. Maarten is so diverse that it encompasses Dutch, Caribbean and American systems of education. There is a large amount of playschools, kindergartens and elementary schools on St. Maarten.
Secondary Schools:Caribbean International Academy
Learning Unlimited Preparatory School
Milton Peters College
St. Dominic High School
St. Maarten Academy
Sundial Secondary School
College/ University:American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), founded in 1978, was previously located on Montserrat. Because of the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in 1995, AUC moved its campus to St. Maarten later that year. A permanent campus was completed in 1998 in Cupecoy.
University of St. Martin (USM) in Philipsburg. USM is an affiliate of Johnson & Wales University.
Time ZoneSt. Maarten is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, which is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-4). During the summer months this is the same as Eastern standard Daylight Savings time. In the winter months St. Maarten is 1 hour ahead of the U.S. East Coast. In relation to Western Europe, St. Maarten during the winter months is 5 hours behind. During European day light savings time, that changes to 6
PrecipitationSt. Maarten/St. Martin Average Temperatures & Precipitation
Month
Degrees in Fahrenheit
Degrees in Celsius in Inches Precipitation in mm
January
73-83F
23-28C
2.5"
63 |
February
72-82F
22-28C
1.3"
33 |
March
73-84F
23-29C
1.6"
41 |
April
75-85F
24-30C
2.3"
58 |
May
76-85F
24-30C
2.3"
58 |
June
78-86F
26-30C
3.8"
97 |
July
78-86F
26-30C
3.8"
97 |
August
78-87F
26-31C
3.5"
89 |
September
77-87F
25-31C
3.7"
94 |
October
76-86F
24-30C
4.4"
110 |
November
74-84F
23-29C
3.8"
97 |
December
74-83F
23-28C
3.7"
94 |
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