Each half of
St. Martin/
Sint Maarten has a personality of its own. Dutch Sint Maarten is lively from dawn to dawn, its bustling casinos and nightclubs packed with tourists. Sophisticated French St. Martin, on the other hand, closes its doors at 9:00 with the exception of a few bistros in
Grand Case.
SHOPPING
Shopping, too, differs from side to side. On Front Street in Dutch Philipsburg, island-made crafts, T-shirts, loads of duty-free goods and the ubiquitous Guavaberry liqueur fill the shops that stand cheek by jowl. The French prefer their goods tucked away in lovingly arranged boutiques filled with stylish fashions and gifts.
BEACHES
The French have perfected seclusion, and their beaches are exquisite. Try Prune Bay, Long Bay and Rouge Bay on the isthmus around the lagoon. At Orient Bay in the northeast, the sand is so white it glitters at night. Cupecoy Bay and Cole Bay have the nicest strands on the Dutch side.
ECO-ADVENTURE
The Dutch side is home to the ruins of two forts that are ideal for hiking and exploring, while the French side has an 18th-century fort that's largely intact. But if you are looking to retreat from the civilization that has touched the Dutch side, and you're finished with the beach thing on the French side, climb the 1,278 feet to the top of Paradise Peak. It'll just be you and the silhouette of half a dozen faraway places.
Three tiny islands lie off the island's east coast: Ilet Pinel, Caye Verte and, farther out, Ile Tintamarre, and all three are good for day trips.
DINING
When it comes time to dine, Grand Case is unquestionably the place to be. The town is, perhaps, second only to Paris in the quantity and variety of snails served, but second to none for lobster.
HISTORY
In 1493, Columbus sighted the island; the Spanish, however, were too busy at the time colonizing other islands to bother with this one. In the early 1600s, the Dutch West India Company heard of the uninhabited island and decided that it would be the perfect place to stop on its journeys to and from Brazil. At almost the same time, the French settled the island. In 1648, The two sovereignties banded together to prevent Spain from staking a claim to the island. Some say that the great divide was based on a bet. Supposedly, a Frenchman and a Dutchman first stood back to back, then walked in opposite directions following the coastline until they met again on the other side of the island. France was awarded the larger portion of the island (21 square miles) because the Dutchman either drank too much on his journey, was seduced by a French woman along the way, or was too overweight to travel as quickly. The Dutch were given a 16-square-mile parcel. For more than three centuries, the two nations have peacefully shared a tiny island that is part Dutch, part French, and all West Indian.
DON'T MISS
– Scaling Paradise Peak for gorgeous views of harbor and towns below
– Sunning on Cupecoy Beach, the stretch preferred by locals and those in the know
– Eating anything in Grand Case
