A complete holiday at St-Martin/Sintt Maarteen

Are you looking for a holiday at a place which has white sandy beaches, gourmet food, warm climate throughout the year, loads of nightlife and off course duty free shopping?  Then you should head to the Caribbean Ocean’s Sint Maarteen or St Martin islands.

The island of St Martin is the jewel in the crown of the Caribbean islands.  The place has something for everyone.  This tropical island is situated in the northeast area of the Carribbean.  This magnificent island is spelt in two different ways; the French take it as St-Martin, whereas it is Sint Maarten for the Dutch.

Let’s have a look at the top attractions of this Caribbean beauty.

Adventure activities:

The island has everything one needs to enjoy the crystal clear waters.  The island boasts of all water sports you can think of.  There’s sailing, body-boarding, surfing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, diving, snorkeling, and many other activities to enjoy.  Those inexperienced in the water, need not worry either, there are lessons available for all the activities.

There’s a parachute jump over the island, besides there’s horseback riding on ground as well as in the sea, sounds amazing!

Some other fun activities are mountain biking and hiking.   History lovers will also be busy here as there are historical museums and art galleries.  There is so much to explore in this island that at the end of the day you will only be tired.

Nightlife and general entertainment:

Once the sun sets, the other side of the island comes to life at night.  The Jump Up Casino is the place to be.  Located in Philipsburg, this place has a wide variety of entertainment choices.  Another popular place to hang out is Pelican Key/Simpson Bay’s Hollywood Casino.

Besides, there are numerous nightclubs, discos and pubs in the island enough to keep you rocking throughout the night.  The island also has many cinema theaters.  So, if you though you would miss the latest releases on holiday, you are wrong, you’re missing nothing.

As regards to dining, the island boasts of more than 300 restaurants.  The restaurants serve everything one can imagine, from the locally prepared BBQ ribs to Italian, Indian, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisines, to name a few.  Besides, there are big brand names such as Burger King, McDonalds, Subway and KFC, who have set up shop in the island.

Shopping:

The island enjoys a Duty Free status and hence shopping is a major attraction to St Martin.  The Front Street, Philipsburg, is the place one needs to make a visit to take advantage of competitive prices. Another talking point in town is the Marigot market, off Port road, where one can purchase locally produced gifts and souvenirs.

Beaches:

The island boasts of some 37 beaches.  Some of the popular ones are Dawn beach and Friars beach.  As discussed earlier, these beaches offer a wide variety of water sports, besides there are Beach bars and cafés, which specialize in delicacies like Burgers and Pizza.  Beach umbrellas and chairs are also provided by the authorities.

Besides, there are also some beaches which do not provide any facilities and are completely secluded.  Such beaches allow one to enjoy the beach nude and don’t be surprised if you find someone topless here.

Annual events:

The Heineken Regatta is an annual event held in the month of March.  This awesome sailing event brings in the best from Europe and North America to challenge the locals.  The event sees the best of competition on the seas of the island.

Marine services:

The island ranks amongst the leading super yacht destinations, and is on par with places like Monaco and Ft. Lauderdale.  Some hot spots here are The new Yacht Club Isle de Sol, Simpson Bay Marina, The new Portofino Marina and Port de Plaisance.

The island is an ideal destination for someone who wishes to live aboard with the facilities as available on land.  There are a number of marinas to choose from, who offer the best in facilities. You do not need to own a boat to sail here; you can charter a yacht for a few days.  You can choose from fishing boats to power yachts to Swans and catamarans.

How to reach the islands

The Princess Juliana International Airport operates direct flights to the US and Europe.  One needs to align here and proceed further. Visitors from the European Union and North America can travel to the islands without a visa.

When is the best time to visit the islands?

The remarkable fact about this island is it has a stable temperature throughout the year, thanks to the trade winds.  The only issue in summer is there is a likelihood of showers; otherwise the temperature is adequate for some one to enjoy the place throughout the year.  Hence, it is recommended that a visit in the period from Mid-December till mid-April is ideal.

In conclusion, the place has it all for the complete enjoyment package.  So why waste any more time? Just go ahead and plan your trip to St Martin/Sint Marteen.