Tour the island . .

The quarters or neighborhoods of St Martin and St Maarten date back to the old division of the island in the mid 1600, and many carry the names of old sugar plantations. Some names of places mix French and English language together, you will however notice a difference in atmosphere in the two parts of the island.

The French side is filled with an intimate, Latin ambiance and "Laissez-faire" policy (primarily

. . by neighborhoods

concerned of gastronomy), whereas the Dutch side has more an American touch with casinos, shopping boutiques, and golf courses. Now, follow us on a map guided tour by clicking on the names on the map. We start in Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St Maarten, and continuing in a more or less type of circle, against the clock. You can tour the entire island by car in approximately 2-3 hours.

Scene from video clip Front Street Philipsburg

The two main roads are Front Street and Back Street, which are connected by small alleys with Dutch names. Old renovated buildings, and typical Antillean architecture border these two streets where you can find just about anything.

Wathey Square, the place where the cruise ship people arrive, sets the tone of this busy and bustling small town.

Philipsburg is a very popular destination for cruise ships.

At the end of Front Street, you will find the Simart Museum, which traces the island´s history from prehistoric times to the present. To the North of town is the old Court House, constructed in 1793, which is now the City Hall, and the Post Office. In the heart of town, in front of the Government Building, is a new public parking lot that ensures easy access to Front Street Shopping.

Start your video clip! See left for format!

If you take the other road heading Northeast "along the coast" (which is still more or less a mile away!), shortly after the Salt Pond you will see the sign for Guana Bay to your right.

Boutiques and restaurants are lined up in Grand Case

There is only one road there, but dotted with bars, restaurants, pretty Creole houses, boutiques and shoppes, art galleries, and charming hotels.

As you continue on "Nationale 7", you will come upon the sign for the small Airport of Grand Case. It is especially busy on Sunday. In addition to the regular interisland flights, many private, small planes traveling between the neighboring islands use the Grand Case airport. Turn right, and the Airport road will take you straight into Grand Case. This quaint village features the highest concentration of fine restaurants.

See our restaurant directory for more info. Click.

The first view of Marigot is very dramatic. As you come over the hill of "Nationale 7", the view opens up to the town and Marigot Bay, Fort St. Louis, Simpson Bay, Sandy Ground & Nettle Bay, Terres Basses/The Lowlands, the Airport, and off in the distance Anguilla. Originally a fishermen village, Marigot acquired its name from the swamplands which extended out to the bay. Later on, during the sugar period, Marigot became the capital. This was under the reign of King Louis XVI, who, end of the 18th century, decided to build Fort St. Louis atop the hill overlooking Marigot Bay.

The historic monument is the largest of its kind on the island, and a witness of the history of this charming town that started to develop after the abolition of slavery in 1848.

New quarters were also created just recently, such as Spring and Concordia. Over the centuries, Marigot had turned from a tiny village into a commercial and administrative town that counts today more than 10,000 residents.

Marigot is still very colonial in appearance with an abundance of gingerbread and colorful Créole houses. It is elegant, Mediterranean, and lively with a tropical touch, with sidewalk cafés and bistros, open air restaurants, and chic boutiques. Wednesday and Saturday mornings are market days on Marigot´s new market place, located around the kiosk by the port.

Those days are particularly busy. Vendors sell almost everything from coconuts, avocados, sweet potatoes and plenty of other tropical fruits & vegetables, all kinds of spices and fresh fish, to fine batik wraps, local arts, crafts and paintings. Other sites to see include the Marina Royale, or in French "Port La Royale", where fine shops and restaurants abound. This is also a great place to sit and relax on the terrace of one of the many French bistros.

Don't miss the video clip about Marigot, see left side for your format.

Next you will come upon the Maho Resort& Casino, with its mini shopping district and "Cheri´s Cafe", probably the leading nightspot on the island for dining, dancing and making new friends.

Maho Hotel Pool

Then comes Maho Reef, a charming small shopping and open-air commercial centre, including the island´s largest Casino, restaurants and night clubs. And behind all, facing the Caribbean sea, lies little Maho Beach - the place to take a sunbath.

As you pass by Maho, you have actually come to the end of the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport, also known under its airport code SXM.
Indeed a great place to take pictures of jets landing over the beach! The airport is built right behind Simpson Bay, between the sea, the lagoon and the hills. Simpson Bay, to your right, features a nice sandy beach, fine restaurants and resorts.

Peg Leg Pub & Steakhouse for the best steaks!

Watch video about jet and beach, see left side for your format.

The Simpson Bay bridge lifts three times a day (9:00am, 11:00am, 5.30pm), so try to avoid those hours on the road, otherwise you can get stuck in traffic jams for half an hour! To complete your trip, heading back to Philipsburg, stop at the observation deck atop Cole Bay Hill. It offers a spectacular view of the neighboring islands Saba, Anguilla, St. Eustatius, St. Barth and St. Kitts. The road will then bring you back to Philipsburg, and the roundtrip is complete.

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