When winter sets in, it's time to follow the example of all those migratory birds and head south to warmer climes. The perfect place to escape the cold is the Caribbean with its idyllic islands destinations. One of these is the Dutch constituent country of St Maarten, where you can enjoy the perfect Caribbean break.
The Netherlands has several constituent countries in the Caribbean, one of which is Sint Maarten. It's not an entire island, like most other Dutch constituent countries, but covers part of an island known as Saint Martin. Anguilla lies to the north and the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to the west. The part of Saint Martin that isn't Dutch is French and is called Saint-Martin.
Sint Maarten's capital is Philipsburg, which is also the largest settlement on the island in its entirety. Philipsburg is renowned as a shopper's paradise and is a popular port for cruise ships. It lies along Great Bay and is backed by the Great Salt Pond, so the town itself has a long, narrow lay-out. Apart from the shops, restaurants and beaches here, you'll also find museums and historic sights such as Fort Willem.
The capital of the French side, which is called Saint-Martin, is the town of Marigot. It lies in the west. For the best food on the island, however, head north to Grand Case, which is renowned for its excellent restaurants.
Of course the main attraction of any Caribbean destination is the many idyllic beaches and on Saint Martin Island you're spoiled for choice, with plenty of water-based activities to choose from too. One beach that is very famous for a rather unusual reason is Maho Beach. To get there, it's only about twenty minutes' drive from Philipsburg. What makes this beach famous is that it's directly on the flight path of landing aircraft and they fly over at a very low altitude. Plane spotters from around the world come here to get as close as possible to airplanes in flight.
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 northern winter means that in Sint Maarten, nights are a little cooler. However, this is the perfect time to visit since it's dry season and days are sunny and warm. Low season, which generally lasts from around May to December, is a good time too because even though this is the rainy season, the rain comes mainly in the form of quick, refreshing showers that are over in minutes.
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.
The Netherlands has several constituent countries in the Caribbean, one of which is Sint Maarten. It's not an entire island, like most other Dutch constituent countries, but covers part of an island known as Saint Martin. Anguilla lies to the north and the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to the west. The part of Saint Martin that isn't Dutch is French and is called Saint-Martin.
Sint Maarten's capital is Philipsburg, which is also the largest settlement on the island in its entirety. Philipsburg is renowned as a shopper's paradise and is a popular port for cruise ships. It lies along Great Bay and is backed by the Great Salt Pond, so the town itself has a long, narrow lay-out. Apart from the shops, restaurants and beaches here, you'll also find museums and historic sights such as Fort Willem.
The capital of the French side, which is called Saint-Martin, is the town of Marigot. It lies in the west. For the best food on the island, however, head north to Grand Case, which is renowned for its excellent restaurants.
Of course the main attraction of any Caribbean destination is the many idyllic beaches and on Saint Martin Island you're spoiled for choice, with plenty of water-based activities to choose from too. One beach that is very famous for a rather unusual reason is Maho Beach. To get there, it's only about twenty minutes' drive from Philipsburg. What makes this beach famous is that it's directly on the flight path of landing aircraft and they fly over at a very low altitude. Plane spotters from around the world come here to get as close as possible to airplanes in flight.
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 northern winter means that in Sint Maarten, nights are a little cooler. However, this is the perfect time to visit since it's dry season and days are sunny and warm. Low season, which generally lasts from around May to December, is a good time too because even though this is the rainy season, the rain comes mainly in the form of quick, refreshing showers that are over in minutes.
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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