Busy Bananaquit
July 29, 2008
The Bananaquit is a very small bird attaining an average length of 11 cm. It has a slender, curved bill, adapted to taking nectar from flowers. It sometimes pierces flowers Read more
SLAC urges owners to register boats
July 1, 2008
Vessels anchored, moored, docked, stored or in repair in the Simpson Bay Lagoon, the bay or the surrounding lands will have to be registered according to a new law being drafted by the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC). Read more
Market, Marina and Mullet; new photos for ZebraBOT’s photo gallery
June 10, 2008
After a week of scouting for various projects, ZebraBOT posts a number of new island pictures. Visits to the colorful Marigot Market, Oyster Pond Marina with a quick stop for Happy Hour at Read more
700 pictures and rising
June 2, 2008
ZebraBOT’s photo gallery gets another 20 some uploads. Weekly, this gallery is injected with new island and other Caribbean island shots. The Gallery is designed to take you from the obvious Fun in the Sun pictures, to anything that happens Read more
Simpson Bay Bridge to remain closed for a week
May 30, 2008
Can we breathe a sigh of relief? Well, maybe just for one week. Read more
30 pictures uploaded to ZebraBOT’s Photo Gallery
May 26, 2008
Thirty new island pictures have been uploaded to ZebraBOT’s photo gallery.
The ZebraBot Gallery will take you from the obvious Fun in the Sun pictures, to anything that happens Read more
New pictures uploaded to ZebraBOT’s photo gallery
May 21, 2008
A dozen of new island pictures have been uploaded to ZebraBOT’s photo gallery.
The ZebraBot Gallery will take you from the obvious Fun in the Sun pictures, to anything that happens Read more
Nautical and Marinas
May 11, 2008
The Marine industry is the fastest growing industry on Saint Martin-St. Maarten, due to the protected coves of Oyster Pond, Anse Marcel and the Simpson Bay Lagoon, as well as the island’s strategic location in the Northeastern Caribbean with excellent direct airline connections to the United States and Europe.
The pristine, blue waters that surround the island provide a colorful home for thousands of fascinating underwater “creatures”. Many day trip cruises and dive excursions begin and end at the Simpson Bay Lagoon, while many Mega yacht charters originate in the territorial waters of the island. In for a dinner cruise or a day charter? Just check the many options available.
There are 5 main areas on the island that service the marine industry, each with their specific expertise. All types of watercraft are expertly serviced on the island, from Mega yachts to Cargo vessels and from sailing yachts to dinghies. Island Waterworld, Budget Marine and Bobby’s Marina are the major servicing points with dry-docks, lift capacity and boatyards.
Other yachting areas of more limited technical service are Oyster Pond with its charter yacht outfits and East Great Bay in Philipsburg. Marinas with full service dockside facilities from water, power and cable hook-ups to internet services, are also located in Simpson Bay, Oyster Pond, Anse Marcel and the French side capital of Marigot.
Chandleries, purveying services, sail lofts, engine repair shops and other services that cater to the marine industry are located mainly on both French and Dutch sides of Simpson Bay Lagoon. Every imaginable service can be found here. The lagoon can be accessed during certain times of the day through drawbridge service on both Dutch and French side. Upscale Marinas are Port de Plaisance, Isle de Sol, La Palapa, Simpson Bay Yacht Club at Plaza del Lago, Anse Marcel, Captain Oliver’s and Marina Royale, with Sandy Ground Marina and Dock Maarten serving the less demanding cruisers. Fuel docks and water supplies are available at Bobby’s Marina in Great Bay, in Sandy Ground, Anse Marcel, Simpson Bay Lagoon and Captain Oliver’s.
Shopping
May 11, 2008
A Caribbean vacation, to most people is more than just laying out on a white sand beach next to the beautiful Caribbean Sea or water-skiing and wave-riding and eating and dancing the night away. Yes, St. Maarten and Saint Martin offers duty-free shopping!
The lovely little dual-nation island is a shopper’s paradise, with several thousand stores and boutiques and no sales tax nor import duties. Dutch St. Maarten’s shopping district in Philipsburg has often been called the Mecca of Caribbean shopping. Visitors from the Caribbean region and around the world travel to the island to shop at world famous stores like Boolchand’s, Klass Electronics, Om Jewelers, Diamond International, Angelo’s Boutique, and dozens of world reknown franchise sell their merchandise at prices that easily outmatch their other Caribbean outlets simply because French Saint Martin and Dutch St. Maarten enjoy a duty-free port without the hassle of high import tariffs that drive prices up elsewhere.
Jewelry, electronics, cameras, gold and silver, watches, designer couture, leather handbags and accessories, linens and liquor and tobacco are a handful of the real deal offerings on the Friendly Island. Saint Martin’s West Indian Mall and the Marina in Marigot, the French side capital, are popular areas for shoppers on the northern part of the island. With daily discounts and a rich selection of products, both attract shoppers that enjoy diversity and great prices.
Why St. Maarten and Saint Martin
May 11, 2008
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.
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