Travel in St. Martin – Hotels, St. Martin Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide

Saint Martin: Vacation In An Island Paradise

Aerial shot of St. Maarten on a beautiful day in January.

Saint Martin is located in the Caribbean Sea and is 186 miles east of Puerto Rico. The island is divided between the French and Netherlands Antilles and is the smallest island to be divided between two nations. After landing on the island in 1493, Christopher Columbus on the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours, he named the island Saint Martin.

Sint Maarten as it is known on the Dutch side, it well known for many things. On the Dutch side of the island, there is a festive nightlife, beaches, jewelry and exotic rum based drinks made with guavaberry liquors and many casinos. On Saint-Martin the French side, there is nude beaches, clothing, indoor and outdoor shopping and a culture rich in French and Indian Caribbean cuisine.

The Dutch side of the island Sin Maarten has a lovely zoo. The zoo has displays of local wildlife as well as many other animals from around the world. Guests are invited to walk the zoo on foot or take a tram which provides an informative tour guide who will accompany visitors on a ride around the zoo.

Just before lent on the French side, St. Martin, the island comes alive with the sights and sounds of Carnival. The unusual events take place over several days leading up to the grand finale that takes place on the carnival grounds outside of Marigot. The Dutch side of the island holds their carnival festivities in the month of April, near Philipsburg. Guests can view bands, parades, calypso music, and special tasting of the local rum. These festivals are the most popular occurrence on the island and draw in thousands of tourists from all the world.

Fort St. Louis, overlooks Marigot Bay and is the biggest historical monument in St. Martin. The monument was named after the king of France and was built in 1767 to protect Marigot from invading enemies. The plans came directly from Versailles at the order of Louis XVI. Following the events of 1789, the fort was occupied temporarily by the Dutch. Today the location has been turned into a historical area complete with plaques and is open to the public for visiting at any time.

The St. Martin Museum is on the southern end of Marigot, near Marina Point. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history and culture of St. Martin. A new building has been built at the location to house the pre-Columbian relics found by the Hope Estate Archeological Society. There is an exhibit of a 1,500 year old burial mound that was discovered in 1994, artifacts and relics dating back to 1800 BC, and beautiful ceramics from around 500 BC. There is also a slavery exhibit that showcases the history of a plantation and 20th century photographs that show the islands modern development.

Orleans, the French Quarter, is a small fishing village located on the east side of the island. It was the original site of the first French settlement and the location contains some 17th century structures that have been painstakingly preserved. Because this part of the island has not experience much modern development, the village still remains undisturbed and retains much of its old charm.

St. Martin has some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. The Catalina Residence Hotel has private villas, suites and three and four bedroom units. There is also a terrarium, an American style restaurant and a lounge with panoramic views of the Grand Case and Anguilla. In the city of Cul De Sac, is Case A Ti Case which is a secure residential type location complete with security guards on duty 24 hours. Visitors to St. Martin can expect to be treated to warm island hospitality, gourmet food, duty free shopping and an island that looks forward to welcoming its guests with open arms.