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Enjoy The Perfect Caribbean Break On St Maarten

By Karina Frost


Cold winter weather is enough to make anybody wish they were a bird that could just fly south. These days, of course, you can do just that. If you want to shed the coat and the thermal underwear for a bit, a great option is to hop on a plane and fly to St Maarten for a Caribbean getaway.

Sint Maarten, as the country is more officially called, makes up the southern part of the island of Saint Martin. It's located due east from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and just to the south of Anguilla. The northern part of the island belongs to the French and is known as Saint-Martin and it's incredibly easy to hop between the two sides.

The largest town on the entire island is Philipsburg, which is also the capital of Sint Maarten. Philipsburg lies in the south, along the shores of Great Bay. Backing it is a large body of water known as the Great Salt Pond. Attractions in Philipsburg include Fort Willem and museums but the town is also one of the best shopping destinations in the Caribbean. Moreover, it's a bustling port for cruise ships.

It's very easy to get to the French side of the island as well. The capital of Saint-Martin is Marigot on the west coast. In the north, at Grand Case, you'll find the best places to eat, with a huge array of gourmet restaurants.

The main reason to visit any Caribbean destination is for the chance to laze on the beach and Saint Martin Island is no exception. The beaches won't disappoint either, with their warm waters and white sands. You can take part in a variety of water sports, from surfing to scuba diving, or simply shoot the breeze. One beach not to miss is Maho Beach, less than half an hour's drive to the west of Philipsburg. Here, landing aircraft fly over so low that you can almost touch them and this makes for a very unusual photo opportunity.

For those days when you want to do something other than beach activities, visit attractions such as Sint Maarten Zoo or, in French Saint-Martin, the butterfly farm. If you prefer something more active, head for the golf course or tennis court, go horse-riding or hike in the interior. Adventure sports that are perfect for the kids too include paintball and canopy tours.

The best time to visit is, well, any time you want. Humidity and night-time temperatures are a little lower in the first third of the year, when it's dry season. However, this is high tourist season too. Low season coincides with the rainy season, which here only means short showers before the sun comes out to play again.

You can visit during a shore excursion while on a Caribbean cruise. However, to really enjoy Sint Maarten, you'll need to spend some more time here. Fly in from Amsterdam, Paris or several destinations in the USA, Canada, the Caribbean or Panama and be ready to swap your winter clothes for swimwear and that cup of hot cocoa for tropical punch.




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