St. Maarten is a stunning Caribbean island that brings together not two, but thousands of cultures onto a vibrant congregation of pristine beaches, friendly locals and incredible cuisine.
Like most Caribbean destinations, St. Maarten has something unique to itself. Partly due to its culture and partly because it shares a very near border with the French side of the island, but St. Maarten is a perfect example of what a beautiful combination is.
But what else does St. Maarten have to offer? What is this island known for? Join this trip and find out everything you need to know about St. Maarten, from the comfort of your own space.
Shopping everywhere
St. Maarten is one of the few islands that are completely duty-free. This means you will get the best prices for great bargains, whether they are made by designers or not, St. Maarten will definitely offer you a great deal for your purchases.
In fact, St. Maarten is a world-renowned shopping island, as it has incredible shopping centers. Also, if you are looking for luxury good at duty-free prices, then this Caribbean island will be ideal for you. And whenever someone asks you where you go that item from you can always say: ‘’St. Maarten’’. And how awesome is that?
You will be able to find cosmetics, fashion, food, and spirits, paintings or any other art-related objects and even electronics, cheaper than anywhere else.
St. Maarten at night
In St. Maarten the nights are made to enjoy. This is why the entertainment doesn’t stop whenever the sun goes down, quite the contrary! It is widely accepted that this island offers a thriving nightlife.
Even tourists who have been to other Caribbean islands are surprised once they reach to St. Maarten, as they get to experience the casinos, pubs, lounge bars, clubs and even after-dark bars all throughout the night.
St. Maarten is known for its beaches
And I’m sure this is why you decided to go to St. Maarten in the first place, right? This Caribbean island hosts several of the most beautiful and pristine beaches on earth, not just on the Caribbean.
And even though it is quite a small island in comparison to the rest of the Caribbean islands, St. Maarten has nothing to worry nor envy any other. In fact, St. Maarten has 37 beaches for you to choose from.
But if you are asking me what my favorites are, then I will recommend you Grand-Case Beach, because you will be able to be relaxed and calm and if you like swimming then you can definitely do it here, as this island doesn’t have many waves.
I will also recommend Anse Marcel Beach, as it has a protected bay that is very good especially if you are travelling with little ones.
Even though Orient Bay is one of the most popular -if not the most – popular beach on St. Maarten, I will still go there over and over again. It has a couple of good beachside restaurants, hotels and even shops!
I can guarantee you that St. Maarten will take your breath away and become one of your favorite trips ever! It is normal to see tourists who come every single year, for the last decade or so, as this place is truly fascinating.
Dive away
If you would like to try something new, then you should come to St. Maarten. If you like to try something old, then you should definitely come to St. Maarten as well.
If you decide to go diving then you will be able to explore the reefs of the island, you will submerge yourself into the turquoise waters (yes, you read it right, not blue, but turquoise), and you will learn about the beautiful and healthy reef systems that the island has protected.
Going under the water is something most tourists do in St. Maarten, and they always come back to the surface with a huge smile on their faces.
You can also do some snorkelling and you will still come up to the surface with a massive smile on your face.
Sports while you are away
But, what happens when you don’t want to go under the water but you still want to do something cool? Why not do some watersports? This is why St. Maarten will be your perfect destination.
You can either rent a jet ski, do some windsurfing or even do paddleboarding, and you will still get to experience the beauty of the sea of St. Maarten.
It also helps that St. Maarten has exceptional weather all year round. But keep in mind that if you decide to travel to the island from January to March then you will be in high tourist season. So if you are looking into renting your equipment, be aware of checking the availability with plenty of time ahead.
From May to October are the island’s wet season, but if you happen to visit during these times you will still see plenty of tourists and enjoy lots of sun, sand and sea. Even though it rains a lot you will still have days where everything is completely dried.
Two for one
What is truly impressive about St. Maarten is that you get to have to cultures next to each other. This means that you will be able to find beauty everywhere you go, as you are visiting two European nations (the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France) but in the Caribbean.
This also means that you can find very interesting cuisine, cultures, museums, and of course, locals. And even though both sides of the island have their own pace and rhythm, sort of speak, you will still hear the music and dance to it!
Moreover, even though St. Maarten only has 44.59 square miles, this island is one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean. But size doesn’t matter, right? Right. Here you will be able to find different cultures, different charms, and different people, all doing the same thing, loving St. Maarten.
And lastly…
This leads me to the last point. In St. Maarten you will find the friendliest people on earth. I’m not sure why, but people who live in St. Maarten always seem so happy and enthusiastic. Well, I’m lying, I do know why and it has to do with the fact that they live in paradise.
But did you know that there are more than 100 nationalities living on St. Maarten? This is definitely a place where people come to visit someone they already know, or they come for the first time and they completely fall in love.
And what happens next? They continue coming year after year, until one day they realize they want to call St. Maarten home. This is why you see people walking around and minding their own businesses, with a huge smile on their face.
Because those who get to live in St. Maarten know how lucky they are to call a piece of heaven their home. People on the island are so eager to help others and to show the true side of human beings, and this is definitely one of the reasons, and the most important reason behind what st. Maarten is known for.
