Saint Martin/Sint Maarten was one of the last stops on our 7 night cruise but I had to write about it first because it was one of my favorite islands (St. Thomas being the other).
Technical details on this island in a nutshell: The island is 37 square miles long so it’s not very difficult to figure your way around it. It is divided into two sides. The Dutch side which is 16 square miles and the French side which makes up the remaining 21 square miles. They were divided in an agreement reached by the French and the Dutch on March 23, 1648 with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia.
The capital of the Dutch side is Philipsburg. This is the more commercial, touristy side of the island. It is where the cruise ships dock (sometimes 9 at one time). There is a great public beach which is just a water taxi ride or a 10-15 minute walk over so you don’t have to pay the cruise line for a beach excursion to enjoy a day relaxing on the beach.
Just steps from the beach is blocks and blocks of great shopping. The retailers include: Diamonds International (a Caribbean staple), Tiffany & Co., Yves Rocher, Longchamp, Inglot, Duty Free shopping with great discounts and much more. There is also lots of great bars and restaurants.
If you are a Star Wars fan, the creator of the original Yoda, Nick Maley sold his Lamborghini and moved out here to create a museum and store in November 2011. Mr. Maley is actually in the store daily and will autograph any storyboards or drawings that you purchase from him and even dedicate them without a charge. He was friendly and even offered to take a photo with us.
The French side feels like a yachting town especially in the capital city of Marigot. It feels like a place where the rich and famous sail their yachts to and relax. If I had the money I would totally sail my yacht there and dock it there for a week. I would spend my days either in the local cafes and bars or onboard my yacht basking in the ambiance, reading and being a total foodie cooking with the local seafood and ingredients that can be found just steps away along the marina with a glass of champagne in my hand at all times… A girl can only dream!
We elected to take an island tour so that we could get an overview of both sides of the island. We purchased it through Carnival. I elected not to go to Maho Beach which I previously wanted to go to because of the crowds of tourists wanting to see the low-flying planes mainly because of the loud noise and the crowds.
There is so much more that I could say about the beauty and splendor of this island but that would become a book. But I do highly recommend if you are looking into a cruise you select one that visits St. Martin or if you are planning a vacation in the Caribbean that you consider St. Martin. It also seems like a wonderful place to retire as well.
Happy Travels Wanderlusters!
Krissy St. Germain 