St. Martin » travel guide

• LOCATION – Saint Martin or Sint Maarten belongs to the Leeward Islands and is located in the heart of the Caribbean Arc, or more precisely, at the northern tip of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. It is the smallest island which is peacefully shared by two sovereign nations – the French and the Dutch. The French part covers almost 2/3 of the island.
• GOVERNMENT – The Dutch part is an autonomous region within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The French part is an autonomous French overseas collectivity.
• CAPITALS – Marigot on the French side and Philipsburg on the Dutch side.
• HEAD OF STATE – French President Nicolas Sarkozy represented by Prefect Dominique Lacroix and on the Dutch side the Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, represented by governor Eugene Holiday.
• SIZE – 87 km² (French 53 km², Dutch 34 km²)
• POPULATION – French Side 36,000 and Dutch Side 41,000
• RELIGION – Roman Catholic and Protestant
• CURRENCY – EURO on the French side and the Netherlands Antilles Guilder on the Dutch side until 31.12.2011. From 01.01.2012 it will be replaced by the Caribbean Guilder. On both sides the US-Dollar is commonly used.
• ENTRY REQUIREMENTS – Passport and valid onward or return ticket required for all entries. E.U. citizens can no longer enter the island with a regular ID card. Please check the entry/visa requirements for your country at the appropriate consulate or embassy well in advance of your travel date. If your itinerary is via the US (with American Airlines or Continental) make yourself familiar with the US entry requirements.
• LANGUAGE – The official languages are French and Dutch. English is widely used.
• TIME DIFFERENCE – CET -6 hrs (summer) CET -5 hrs (winter)
• ELECTRICITY – 220 volts French side. 110 volts Dutch side
• TELEPHONE – The dialing code for St. Martin is +590, for the Dutch side it is +599
• INTERNET – Internet cafés in all towns. Most hotels offer free WiFi in the lobby.
• CLIMATE/CLOTHING – Tropical climate. Light clothing. Prepare for rain as well.
• HEALTH REGULATIONS – No immunization required. Please consult your physician for individual health requirements or precautions.
• TRANSFER/CAR RENTAL – Not provided. A rental car is required. Driving time from Princess Juliana International Airport (Dutch side) to FBC St. Martin in Orient Bay is about 45 minutes.

How to get to St. Martin: From Europe you fly with Air France via Paris or KLM via Amsterdam. Connecting flights exist from various European countries. Charter flights with Corsair or Air Caraïbes are available from Paris Orly. From the US you can travel with US Airways, Continental or American Airlines.

How to get to FBC St. Martin: ROUTE DESCRIPTION