Sint Maarten

Saint Martin/Sint Maarten is one of the smallest land masses in the world to be shared by two countries. Saint Martin belongs to France, while Sint Maarten to the Netherlands Antilles. Just 96 sq km in total land area, this tiny Caribbean nation is known as the Friendly Island with its beautiful white sandy beaches, gourmet restaurants, excellent hiking and first-rate nightlight. The perfect destination for those looking to have a good time, here you will find casinos and gorgeous beaches side by side making it a great place to have fun both inside and out of your hotel.

Here Dutch is the official language; however English and Spanish are widely spoken and understood. The national currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder, with the US dollar commonly used as well. The capital of Sint Maarten is Philipsburg which is located in the south of the island and where is a majority of the population live today. A mix of old and new buildings, Philipsburg offers travelers plenty of accommodations, with most of the commercial activity taking place along Frontstreet, where you can find boutiques, jewelry shops, casinos and restaurants.

If you are looking to head to the casinos then Maho and Mullet Bay are the places to be. Here Las Vegas comes to the Caribbean with glitzy casinos dominating the landscape alongside expensive shops, resorts and theme-based restaurants. The Caravanserai Beach Resort offers excellent accommodations here, while if you are on the look out for some place hip and happening visit Bliss, a gourmet restaurant which serves superb meals thrice a day. After 11 pm everyday this restaurant turns into a night club where you can dance the night away to music from some of the best DJ’s in the world.

The beach at Maho Bay is gorgeous and also very unusual. Located near the end of the Juliana Airport runway, watch out for sand storms that hit every time an air plane blasts past by here. For some place more quiet head to Cupecoy Beach or Dawn Beach near the French-Dutch border. A pretty white sand beach, Dawn Beach offers some amazing swimming and snorkeling with plenty of tropical fish and beautiful coral to be found here.