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Why St. Maarten and Saint Martin

May 11, 2008

Mullet Bay Beach St. Maarten

Whether you are a first time traveler to the Caribbean Islands or a seasoned pro, you may want to consider a number of approaches to a successful stay. Your first question is what type of a vacation am I dreaming of. If it needs to include lots of sun, pristine beaches, deep blue waters and a generally laid back atmosphere, any choice of the Caribbean Islands is pretty much on the mark. Beware however that some of the volcanic islands, such as Saba, Montserrat and Dominica, have only few and mostly black sand beaches. Next question is traveling to and from your choice island.

Are you traveling alone or just with your spouse and have all the time in the world to get there, or do you bring the entire family with luggage and toys? Well, going to one of the smaller islands will most of the time involve one or two stop-overs, depending where you’re coming from. St. Maarten-Saint Martin has many direct flight gateways. Think about security checkpoint hassles and then decide how much you can handle. Next thing is language.

Now here the entire Caribbean has become quite accessible since even the French and Hispanic islands master English pretty well. Next thing is currency. Well since the dollar in recent times has dropped considerably in value against the Euro, this aspect can become quite tricky and therefore expensive. Most islands accept dollars but beware of the rate exchange. St. Maarten’s fixed exchange of 1.8 Antillean Guilder to 1 US Dollar makes it a safe option. You see a price in guilders, divide it by 2 and add 10% and you have the dollar price.

Okay back to some decision making issues:

Are you looking to just stay at a resort on a nice beach, with beautiful pool and great bars and restaurants, friendly service, preferably all inclusive, well most islands have at least one or more of those resorts.

Are you interested however in tasting some European/Caribbean flavors, enjoying exciting nightlife, the greatest food this side of Europe, real duty-free shopping with a special emphasis on jewelry, designer clothing and electronics, magnificent beaches, friendly “natives”.

Saint Martin-St. Maarten has become a major tourist destination in recent decades with lots of vacation offerings. In that process it has lost a little of its Caribbean flavor, yet added a lot of international flavors. It has become cosmopolitan in the sense that supermarkets look and display the familiar range you have at home, fast food franchises with your well-known brandnames are plentiful and most if not all of your comforts and amenities at home, are available. Sounds like South Beach Miami! Some areas on the island definitely match that description, yet you can still find the secluded palm-lined beach, with a hand-built wooden bar to dream the day away.

Our dual island nation of Saint Martin-St. Maarten offers perfect choices for any vacationing family, couple or individual, exploring foreign cultures in a secure environment loaded with “homegrown” familiarities. Maybe this doesn’t sound very adventurous, but it pretty much guarantees a great vacation experience.

Written by admin · Filed Under Why St. Martin? 

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One Response to “Why St. Maarten and Saint Martin”

  1. Saint-Martin » Which Caribbean Island? St. Maarten Or St. Martin? on May 18th, 2008 1:43 am

    [...] Why St. Maarten and Saint MartinWhether you are a first time traveler to the Caribbean Islands or a seasoned pro, you may want to consider a number of approaches to a successful stay. Your first question is what type of a vacation am I dreaming of. … [...]

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