Air service from the U.S. to Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is provided by: Jet Blue direct from New York and Boston. American Airlines also flies direct from the following cities: New York, Miami and San Juan with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout the U.S. Spirit Airlines also flies direct from Continental Airways flies from Newark, N.J., with connecting flights throughout the U.S.; Northwest from Detroit and Minneapolis, with connections to other U.S. cities; and by US Airways from Charlotte and Philadelphia with connections to other U.S. cities. In addition, numerous charter flights are available from throughout the continental U.S. Other airlines serving the island include: Insel Air from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire; Caribbean Airlines/ LIAT from Antigua, Anguilla, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Tortola; and Windward Islands Airways (WINAIR) from St. Thomas, St. Kitts/Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, St. Barths, Dominica and Tortola. Air service from Europe include: KLM, Air France and Corsair. For more information on airlines flying to and from St. Maarten, click here

Entry Requirements :

Citizens require a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket. Naturalized citizens must show an original naturalization certificate with photo identification. Green Card holders must have a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.



Citizens need a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.



Valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.



St. Maarten is the only completely duty-free port in the Caribbean. No vaccination certificates are required unless arriving from an area experiencing an epidemic..



For International destinations, there is a tax of US$30.00 for those ages 2 and up. For islands within the Netherlands Antilles, the departure tax is US$10.00.



Island accommodations range from large, comprehensive resort facilities and condominiums to small, intimate guesthouses, timeshares and apartments. With over 2,000 rooms on the island, there is a property to suit every taste.



St.Maarten expresses its culinary soul not by creating a single cuisine, but by giving voice to cooking styles from the far-flung corners of the globe. Diners can select from more than 300 restaurants offering French, Dutch, Caribbean, Italian, Chinese, Indonesian, Creole and more.


The Island's 12 casinos are all on the Dutch side and offer gaming in the European mode.



Location / Size:

The Island is in the Caribbean Sea, 18.02 latitude and 63.07 longitude, 150 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. It covers 37 square miles, with Dutch St. Maarten on the South spanning 16 square miles and French Saint Martin on the North covering 21. The island is the smallest landmass to be shared by two separate governments. Capitals - Philipsburg on Great Bay is the capital of St. Maarten. Marigot is the capital of Saint Martin.

Nationalities:
St. Maarten boasts 140 nationalities.

Languages:
English is spoken everywhere, but Dutch is the official language of St.Maarten, and French the official language of Saint Martin. On the Dutch side, you can also hear Spanish, Papiamentu, Italian, Hindi, Chinese, and other languages. On the French side, Creole Patois is also spoken.

Population:
Approximately 41,000 people live on St.Maarten and 36,000 on Saint Martin.

Climate:
The climate on St. Maarten is sunny and warm year-round, with some cooling from trade winds. Average temperature during the winter season is 80F (27C) and a few degrees warmer in the summer. Occasional showers in late summer and early fall, with average annual rainfall of 45 inches.

Currency and Banks :
The US dollar and US travel's checks are accepted and welcomed on both sides of the island as well as most major credit cards. On the Dutch side, the official currency is the Netherlands Antilles Florin (N.A.F.). One U.S. dollar equals approximately $1.80 N.A.F. On the French side, the official currency is the Euro. The exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Euro fluctuates.

Banks are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm on both the Dutch and French sides. You will find Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) at most of the banks and around the island that accept Visa, MasterCard, and Cirrus. Time Zone:
The Time Zone on St. Maarten is -4 hours from Universal Time, +1 hour from Eastern Time in the winter and same time in the summer, or -5 hours form Paris Time in the winter and -6 hours in the summer.

Electricity:
The Dutch side runs on 110 voltage (60 cycles) and the French side runs on 220 volts (50 cycles). Most Hotels have converters available if needed.

Drinking Water and Health:
the Island's water desalination plants provide you with safe purified tap water. The island has a broad range of medical services available to you. Including emergency clinics, hospitals and pharmacies.

Pets:
It is simple to travel with your pet to the island. All you need is a 'clean bill of health' certificate from your veterinarian stating good health and current vaccinations. You should first find out if pets are allowed at the hotel you have booked.

Couples from anywhere in the world can get married right here on St. Maarten. To qualify, couples must be 21 years of age, make a written request to the Lieutenant Governor for a temporary tourist permit (the permit may not exceed three months). The couple must also submit birth certificates, valid return tickets to their country of origin or other destination outside the Netherlands Antilles. Divorced persons must provide appropriate papers indicating a valid divorce certificate (divorced women may remarry after 306 days have passed). An official sworn translator or notary to the public must translate all documentation into Dutch, then sign, stamp, and seal must be included. Although, legal matters must be handled on the Dutch side, the religious ceremony may take place on either side. The Island has a variety of churches: Catholic, Baptist, Anglican, Methodist, Adventist and Pentecostal. The local hotels and wedding planners can also assist with the legal matters and finding the perfect venue for your unforgettable Caribbean wedding. Fax your letter of request to the Lt. Governor, Government Administration Building, at 5995-24 884. Registration with the office of Civil Registry is to take place at least 10 days prior to the planned wedding date. For more information please call, 5995-22 457 or fax 5995-24 267.

Foreign and International driving licenses are accepted when renting a vehicle on Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin. Traffic is on the right with International signs. Be aware of frequent stopping, as locals stop to greet friends.

The Island has a network of mini-buses. There are marked stops along the roadside, but you can be picked up and dropped off virtually anywhere on their main route. Taxis are not metered; the rates are set by the government. Charges are based on carrying two passengers per trip and on the destination. A fee will be added for each additional passenger. Beware of certain taxis that will transport a group of passengers to a common destination and charge full rate per person instead of the group rate, so ask the driver for the fare in advance! The Dutch side Taxi association has Taxis on call 24 hours a day; a dispatcher can be reached at 147 (local Dutch phone). The French side Taxi service can be reached at 590 590 87 56 54. Although both sides have their own Taxi service, they both pick up and delivery anywhere you want to travel on the island.

Stores in Philipsburg are mostly open 7 days a week from 9am to 6 pm, except on Sundays when stores close around noon. In Marigot, the shops are generally open from 9am to 7pm and tend to close between 1pm and 3pm. Most are closed on Sundays.

There are Post offices on both sides on the island with other branch offices throughout the island. The postal service on the Dutch side of the island is very slow; it can take up to six weeks for a piece of mail to be delivered, so try using one of the other mail systems. There are many services on the island that send the mail out by air to the US twice a week. It is a bit more expensive, a little over US$2 for each piece or if you have many pieces, US$7 per pound, but this will get your mail into the US mail systems within days. Ask your Hotel front desk for assistance.
Princess Juliana International Airport is located on the Dutch side. It one of the largest airport in the Caribbean and serves as a hub to the surrounding islands. It is linked to 3 continents and most Caribbean islands. L'Esperance Grand Case regional Airport is located on the French side. It is used for inter-island transfers.