When winter sets in, it's time to follow the example of all those migratory birds and head south to warmer climes. The perfect place to escape the cold is the Caribbean with its idyllic islands destinations. One of these is the Dutch constituent country of St Maarten, where you can enjoy the perfect Caribbean break.
Sint Maarten, as the country is more officially called, makes up the southern part of the island of Saint Martin. It's located due east from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and just to the south of Anguilla. The northern part of the island belongs to the French and is known as Saint-Martin and it's incredibly easy to hop between the two sides.
The largest town on the entire island is Philipsburg, which is also the capital of Sint Maarten. Philipsburg lies in the south, along the shores of Great Bay. Backing it is a large body of water known as the Great Salt Pond. Attractions in Philipsburg include Fort Willem and museums but the town is also one of the best shopping destinations in the Caribbean. Moreover, it's a bustling port for cruise ships.
On the Saint-Martin side, the capital is Marigot, which lies along the western coastline. The island's culinary capital, however, is in the north at Grand Case. Here you'll find streets lined with restaurants that serve Caribbean fare with French flair.
Of course the main attraction of any Caribbean destination is the many idyllic beaches and on Saint Martin Island you're spoiled for choice, with plenty of water-based activities to choose from too. One beach that is very famous for a rather unusual reason is Maho Beach. To get there, it's only about twenty minutes' drive from Philipsburg. What makes this beach famous is that it's directly on the flight path of landing aircraft and they fly over at a very low altitude. Plane spotters from around the world come here to get as close as possible to airplanes in flight.
For those days when you want to do something other than beach activities, visit attractions such as Sint Maarten Zoo or, in French Saint-Martin, the butterfly farm. If you prefer something more active, head for the golf course or tennis court, go horse-riding or hike in the interior. Adventure sports that are perfect for the kids too include paintball and canopy tours.
The tropical climate makes Sint Maarten the perfect year-round destination. High season is from January to April, when it's dry season too and nights are slightly cooler. However, the rainy season is a great time to visit too, since showers are short and you'll still get plenty of sunshine, especially since the days are longer at this time of year.
One way to get to Sint Maarten is by cruise ship, which will dock at Philipsburg. Even better is to fly into Princess Juliana International Airport, the main airport serving the entire island, with flight connections to the entire Caribbean, Panama, the USA and Canada as well as Amsterdam and Paris. Besides, you then get to see the airplane-watchers at Maho Beach from a different angle.
Sint Maarten, as the country is more officially called, makes up the southern part of the island of Saint Martin. It's located due east from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and just to the south of Anguilla. The northern part of the island belongs to the French and is known as Saint-Martin and it's incredibly easy to hop between the two sides.
The largest town on the entire island is Philipsburg, which is also the capital of Sint Maarten. Philipsburg lies in the south, along the shores of Great Bay. Backing it is a large body of water known as the Great Salt Pond. Attractions in Philipsburg include Fort Willem and museums but the town is also one of the best shopping destinations in the Caribbean. Moreover, it's a bustling port for cruise ships.
On the Saint-Martin side, the capital is Marigot, which lies along the western coastline. The island's culinary capital, however, is in the north at Grand Case. Here you'll find streets lined with restaurants that serve Caribbean fare with French flair.
Of course the main attraction of any Caribbean destination is the many idyllic beaches and on Saint Martin Island you're spoiled for choice, with plenty of water-based activities to choose from too. One beach that is very famous for a rather unusual reason is Maho Beach. To get there, it's only about twenty minutes' drive from Philipsburg. What makes this beach famous is that it's directly on the flight path of landing aircraft and they fly over at a very low altitude. Plane spotters from around the world come here to get as close as possible to airplanes in flight.
For those days when you want to do something other than beach activities, visit attractions such as Sint Maarten Zoo or, in French Saint-Martin, the butterfly farm. If you prefer something more active, head for the golf course or tennis court, go horse-riding or hike in the interior. Adventure sports that are perfect for the kids too include paintball and canopy tours.
The tropical climate makes Sint Maarten the perfect year-round destination. High season is from January to April, when it's dry season too and nights are slightly cooler. However, the rainy season is a great time to visit too, since showers are short and you'll still get plenty of sunshine, especially since the days are longer at this time of year.
One way to get to Sint Maarten is by cruise ship, which will dock at Philipsburg. Even better is to fly into Princess Juliana International Airport, the main airport serving the entire island, with flight connections to the entire Caribbean, Panama, the USA and Canada as well as Amsterdam and Paris. Besides, you then get to see the airplane-watchers at Maho Beach from a different angle.
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Before you take a trip to the amazing St Maarten island, you should first read the guide that's published on our website. Come and check out this page now at http://www.st-maarten-island-guide.com.
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