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Although the cultural flow transcends any borders, each side manages to retain its own distinct flavor. This 37-square-mile island promises beautiful vistas, first-rate water sports and stunning beaches. Most ships dock in Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten. Its two main streets, Frontstreet and Backstreet, are bustling thoroughfares lined with shops and restaurants. In Marigot, the capital of French St. Martin, you’ll find haute cuisine, chic bistros, fashionable boutiques and perfume shops.

The Pelican Resort Club is one of the largest resorts on St. Maarten, the "Caribbean’s Friendly Island" in the Netherlands Antilles. The 30-acre, 342 all suite resort is situated on its own beautiful beach midway between the island’s Dutch and French duty-free shopping areas, night life and over 200 restaurants make this 37 square mile island a gourmet’s paradise. Philipsburg sits on a narrow isthmus between the sea and the Great Salt Pond.

This charming town is only four streets wide. Two main thoroughfares, Frontstreet and Backstreet (called Vorstraat and Achterstraat in Dutch) are connected by narrow alleys, or steegjes, with Dutch names recalling the street signs in Amsterdam. The third street, C.A. Cannegieter Street, houses many of the city’s businesses. The fourth street, Pondfill Road, was constructed on the edge of the Great Salt Pond. Lining Frontstreet and Backstreet are colorful shops, quaint hotels and domestic dwellings, as well as renovated older buildings ornamented with distinctive West Indian gingerbread, or fretwork, trim. The town can easily be explored on foot.

Philipsburg’s main plaza, Wathey Square, is bustling with activity. Vendors, tourists, islanders and taxi drivers are all part of the scene. At the square’s southern end sits the newly renovated Captain Hodge Wharf, a point of departure and arrival for excursion boats and cruise passengers. If you stroll out on the pier, you’ll have a splendid view of Great Bay and the beach that stretches alongside it. On the north side of the town square is the old courthouse, a neatly preserved clapboard building with green trim. Originally built in 1793, the structure has been renovated several times, most recently in 1994. The building is still used as a court house.

Visitors eager to learn more about the history of St. Maarten will want to tour the SIMARTN Museum. Located off Frontstreet, the cozy museum offers fascinating exhibits of artifacts from the pre-Columbian and colonial periods, including pottery and Delft tableware. In its gift shop, you’ll find a good selection of books about St. Maarten. Fort Amsterdam is just a short drive from the heart of Philipsburg. The fort, dating from the 17th century, was the first fortification built in the Caribbean by the Dutch. Its foundation is that of an earlier Spanish fortress. From Fort Amsterdam, you’ll be able to view what was the site of Fort Willem, directly north atop Fort Hill on the left of Philipsburg. The fortification changed hands 16 times between 1801 and 1848 amid the colonial struggles between England, France and Holland. Little remains of the fort itself; the vista is the real highlight here.

Another vantage point, just outside Philipsburg, is Cole Bay Hill. The observation platform offers spectacular views of Simpson Bay and, if the sky is clear, the neighboring islands of Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius. Cole Bay Hill separates Philipsburg from the west end of the island, where many resorts and beaches are located. Simpson Bay is a recently developed area with many condominiums, shopping plazas and restaurants. Maho Bay boasts modern resorts, hotels, restaurants, a casino complex, a shopping center and a lively vacation atmosphere worth checking out.

The French side of the island maintains its own distinct personality. Residents show obvious pride in their French heritage; their ancestors have been here since the 17th century. Welcoming you to French St. Martin is the Border Monument, situated alongside the road not far from Marigot. The current boundary is a result of numerous wars between the great European powers in the 17th century. Ownership of the island is split between the Dutch and French, yet no rift exists between the peoples of these two cultures.

In fact, this is the one of the smallest islands in the world to be divided between two sovereign powers. Erected in 1948, the Border Monument commemorates nearly 350 years of friendly relations between the two nations. This is the only acknowledgment you will find that you have just traversed an international border. Marigot lies on the Baie de Marigot. The waterfront area, with its famous bars and alfresco cafés, is the best place to watch the action. Couples walking hand-in-hand, children on skateboards, mothers pushing baby strollers, musicians playing instruments and businessmen on their way to work are all part of this lively ambience.

You’ll want to stop at one of the cafés, where you’ll find the same mixture of gossip and daily news that you’d expect to find in any French market town on the Continent. Naturally, there is also an abundance of the breads and pastries for which the French are so well known. As you tour Marigot, you’ll be captivated by the wonderfully French atmosphere that prevails here. Another popular spot in Marigot is the horseshoe-shaped Marina Port la Royale, which touches on the Simpson Bay Lagoon. Open-air cafés overflowing with people create a vibrant social scene here, and sailboats dock just steps from café-goers’ feet. Behind the friendly bars and restaurants are trendy boutiques offering the latest in European designer fashions, as well as a good selection of tropical clothing and fine jewelry at tax-free prices.

More shopping areas may be found across the street from Port la Royale and along the Rue du Général de Gaulle. In the direction of the waterfront on Sandy Ground Road is the Saint-Martin Museum, On the Trail of the Arawaks. A visit to this museum will tell you a lot about St. Martin’s culture and history. Housed in a new building are various pre-Columbian treasures discovered by the Hope Estate Archaeological Society. One of the most impressive displays is the reproduction of a 1,500-year-old Indian burial site discovered in 1994.

Among the other finds are various remains of indigenous inhabitants dating back to 1800 B.C.; beautifully adorned ceramics from 550 B.C.; and a selection of carved beads, pendants and amulets of stone and shell. An exhibit on St. Martin’s colonial history highlights the plantation and slavery periods. Early-20th-century photographs of the island, along with historical maps and photographs depicting St. Martin’s natural environment, are also on display. Perched strategically on a hill overlooking Marigot is Fort St. Louis, built in 1789. A short hike up to the fort, where stone walls, loopholes and a few cannons still remain, offers visitors panoramic views of green hills and valleys and the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

East of town is Paradise Peak, the highest point on the island, which stands 1,500 feet above sea level. At the top, you will marvel at the verdant green countryside; the powdery-white beaches; the turquoise shallows and reefs, which drop into the deep blue Caribbean; and the offshore rocks and islets. In the distance, you’ll see St. Martin’s neighboring islands, St. Barts and Anguilla.

One of the island’s more unusual attractions is The Butterfly Farm. Located on the east coast of French St. Martin near Orient Bay, it includes 900 square meters of landscaped gardens, fish pools and fountains, all covered by shady netting. Some 600 specimens from 25 species flutter freely around you. A delightful tour introduces visitors to the lepidopteran life cycle, including courtship displays, egg laying, caterpillar rearing and emergence from the pupa. There is some remarkably different scenery west of Marigot. En route, the road will pass through an area of heavy brush growing out of the sand. This is the isthmus that separates Simpson Bay from the Atlantic. The Terres Basses, or “Lowlands,” an area of exclusive villas, lends a special atmosphere to the wonderful beaches found along this portion of the island; Baie Rouge and Plum Bay are both local favorites. Beyond these you’ll find Long Bay, one of the island’s most secluded beaches.

Beaches:
You can find any kind of beach you desire on Dutch St. Maarten, from remote, rugged coves to luxurious oceanfront resorts with every amenity.

Cupecoy Beach: This picture-postcard beach is lined with rugged sandstone cliffs and caves. The surf is sometimes strong, but the wind is blocked by the rocks. The far end is clothing optional.

Dawn Beach: The somewhat challenging trek to this beach is well worth the effort. It’s favored among snorkelers and windsurfers.

Great Bay: If you’re looking for convenience, you can’t ask for a better beach. It is less than 200 feet from Frontstreet and stretches for over a mile. The water is clear and calm, and the beach is clean.

Guana Bay: Here you’ll find a sheltered beach in a rugged, secluded setting. Generally, the surf is heavy in this area, so swimmers are urged to exercise caution.

Little Bay: Another of the picture-postcard beaches, this stretch of sand is never more than 85 feet wide, but it is truly choice. Although several hotels are located on the beach, all St. Maarten beaches have guaranteed access.

Maho Bay: This small, friendly beach of sparkling white sand, flanked by rugged rocks on both sides, is located at the end of the airport’s runway. A local bar and plenty of airplane action make it a popular spot.

Simpson Bay: This long half-moon of sugar-white sand is one of the island’s primary spots for enjoying a vast array of water sports.

Activities:
When you have enjoyed all the coastal treasures that Dutch St. Maarten has to offer, take some time and find out for yourself why the French are so proud of St. Martin’s lovely beaches and clear waters. The French side is also where most of the island’s clothing-optional beaches are located.

Grand Case Beach: The waters on the northwest side of the island are usually calm, and the beach, though narrow, is quiet and pristine. Some of the island’s best snorkeling is at Crede Rock, off the north end of the beach.

Long Bay: This is another of the island’s great beaches; long stretches of pale sand are perfect for leisurely strolls along the shore.

Orient Beach: This is one of the most distinctive beaches on the island, known for its abundance of beachfront cafés, bars and stands selling anything from bikinis and pareos to ankle bracelets and sand pails. A huge crescent of sand swings around a turquoise cove, with low vegetation on one side and a great view of the sea on the other. Orient Beach is also one of the most popular clothing-optional beaches and offers an array of water sports.

Plum Bay: This small strip of sand is bordered on one side by a cliff and on the other by an outstretched piece of land. There are no facilities, and the beach is quite secluded.

Baie Rouge: Generally considered the most beautiful beach on the French side: the cove is expansive, the sand is clean and shimmering, and the water is a breathtaking shade of turquoise.

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