America > Saint Martin: Weather, Map, Costs and Travel Guide

The main activities of the island obviously revolve around water and beaches: you can admire the seabed with a simple mask and a snorkel, you try to windsurf, surfing, water skiing, kayaking, Jet skiing and fishing, all in a warm, transparent sea.

But other possibilities are being put in place little by little, such as hiking, on foot or on horseback, or cycling. In addition, several places of interest deserve your visit if you are a little curious about this nice place to discover: Marigot, the capital, with its shops and restaurants, its old stalls, its market, the promenade on the seafront , The museum, Fort Louis, the old prison; The Saint John plantation, or rather its ruins, where one can see an old animal mill and a sugar factory; The Pic Paradis, the highest point of the island, 424 meters high, from which radiate several hiking trails; The Loterie Farm, an old sugar factory that has become a place of recreation where animal and plant species are protected; The perfumery Tijon, which produces cosmetics based on local crops (jasmine, frangipani, gardenia, etc.) and where you can also make your own perfume; The archaeological site of Hope Estate, on a plateau, where are the remains of an Arawak village that sheltered these Amerindians between 550 BC and 450 AD.

To see also, Dutch side, Philipsburg, the zoological and botanical park, the salt factory, the forts.

For the French side, an ID card is enough but you need a passport if you arrive on the Dutch side.

The euro is the current currency but the US dollar is widely used.

You will arrive to Saint-Martin by plane, either French side at Saint-Martin Grand-Case airport, or Dutch side at Princess Juliana International Airport. For your travels on the island, there are buses during the day, taxis, and you can also rent a car if you do not fear traffic jams.

Budget issues, prices are often quite high, but you manage to find affordable accommodation and local food by spending fairly little.

Health: Provide good protection against mosquitoes and against the sun.

Safety: there are no special security problems on the island, take normal precautions.

Shopping: except the guavaberry, the local drink, there are few typical items to report, but you can buy tax free goods.