The island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is quite unique. Where else can you find a 37-square-mi (96-square-km) island that is governed by two nations -- the Netherlands and France -- with residents from 70 different countries who speak who knows how many languages? Happily for Americans, who make up the majority of visitors, English works in both nations. Dutch St. Maarten will feel particularly comfortable for Americans, and you're as likely to run into an American expat there as anyone else, on the beach or not. But once you pass the meandering, unmarked border into the French side, you can find more pronounced differences. You'll be hard-pressed to find a washcloth unless your lodgings are very upscale, and it's almost necessary to be an engineer to bypass the safety mechanisms in the electrical outlets. And another thing: though U.S. dollars are happily accepted, be ready for wallet shock, because everything is priced in euros.
Almost 4,000 years ago, it was salt and not tourism that drove the little island's economy. Arawak Indians, the island's first known inhabitants, prospered until the warring Caribs invaded, adding the peaceful Arawaks to their list of conquests. Columbus spotted the isle in 1493, but it wasn't populated by Europeans until the 17th century, when it was claimed by the Dutch, French, and Spanish. The Dutch and French finally joined forces to claim the island in 1644, and the Treaty of Concordia partitioned the territory in 1648.
Both sides of the island offer a little European culture along with a lot of laid-back Caribbean ambience. Water sports abound -- diving, snorkeling, scuba, sailing, windsurfing, and in late February the Heineken Regatta, with as many as 300 sailboats competing from around the world. (For the experience of a lifetime, some visitors purchase a working berth aboard a regatta vessel.)
With soft trade winds cooling the subtropical climate, it's easy to while away the day on one of the 37 beaches, or shop Philipsburg's newly remodeled Front Street or the rues (streets) of the very French town of Marigot. While luck is an important commodity at St. Maarten's 13 casinos, chance plays no part in finding a good meal at the excellent eateries or after-dark fun in the subtle to sizzling nightlife. Still, the isle's biggest assets are its friendly residents.
Although the island has been heavily developed -- especially on the Dutch side -- roads could still use work. When cruise ships are in port (and there can be as many as seven at once), shopping areas get crowded and traffic moves at a snail's pace. Still, these are minor inconveniences compared to the feel of the sand between your toes or the breeze through your hair, gourmet food sating your appetite, or the ability to crisscross between two nations on one island.
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