St. Martin/St. Maarten is the smallest island in the world ever to have been shared by two nations. It has been divided between the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighbourly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years, the French, northern half and the Dutch, southern side only separated by an imaginary line. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, visitors will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun.
Located at the north end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, St. Martin is sunny and warm year-round, averaging 82 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and just 2 degrees cooler in winter. The island is buffeted by cooling trade winds that keep things temperate all year long. It is bordered in the east by the Atlantic Ocean and in the west by the Caribbean Sea and has excellent beaches on both sides of the island. Those nearest the hotels are usually active and lively, but there are a few more secluded ones too. There is very definitely a strong French vibe in the northern part of the island, with waterfront bistros, gourmet restaurants with the customary French flair, French cars and you will even see people play games of petanque. There are still pockets of real French West Indian life to be found though, with French Caribbean markets and manners.