Orient Bay (French side), St. Martin Guide

For travelers who’d like to mix a Caribbean-style beach vacation with European food and flair, the Dutch/French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is an ideal choice.

Tucked at the top of the Guadeloupe Archipelago, just 144 miles from Puerto Rico, this island’s two sides share beautiful beaches, hilly terrain, a host of coves and bays and hotels in every price range, but the pace and personality of each side differs tremendously.

The French side offers a more sophisticated, laid-back milieu and some of the best dining in the Caribbean. It’s cafe society is in the capital Marigot. People-watching is a thriving sport at cafes like La Vie en Rose. Also downtown is a flourishing open-air market that offers a mix of traditional Caribbean souvenirs and lovely locally made art, along with the requisite upscale tourist traps found elsewhere in the islands.

Best of all, visitors can sample the sights and sounds of both sides without much trouble. At 37 square miles, it’s relatively easy to get around, but make sure to bring along a good map, as many roads are less than well marked. Many travelers opt to rent a car for a day or so to soak up the island’s full flavor; others opt for public bus service, or take a taxi after negotiating a rate.

Visitors often spend a day frolicking on the beach, head to the restaurant-rich village of Grand Case on the French side for a sumptuous meal and repair to the casinos of the Dutch side before calling it a night.

In addition, St. Martin is an ideal jumping-off point for visits to tiny Saba and neighboring Anguilla, both of which can be reached by ferry. English is spoken in most of the big hotels on St. Martin, but be aware that it is very French, right down to the baguettes, the wine and the language.

St. Martin is a small island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and rich history. The island was originally inhabited by the Arawak and Carib indigenous peoples before being discovered by European explorers in the late 15th century.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain during his second voyage to the New World. However, it wasn’t until 1631 that the Dutch West India Company established a permanent settlement on the island, making it the first European colony on St. Martin. The Dutch named their settlement Fort Amsterdam, while the French established a colony on the northern side of the island and named it Quartier d’Orleans.

For the next century, the island was divided between the Dutch and French, with each side establishing their own settlements and trading with indigenous peoples and African slaves. However, in 1648, the two sides signed a treaty that divided the island equally between them, creating the unique dual-nation status that still exists today.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, St. Martin was a hub for the transatlantic slave trade, with the Dutch and French bringing thousands of enslaved Africans to the island to work on plantations producing sugar, tobacco, and cotton. However, in 1848, slavery was abolished in both Dutch and French St. Martin, leading to a decline in the plantation economy.

In the early 20th century, St. Martin experienced a period of economic stagnation until the 1930s when the island became a popular stop for American tourists traveling to and from Europe. This influx of visitors brought a new era of prosperity and development to the island, with the construction of hotels and resorts to accommodate the growing number of tourists.

In 1957, St. Martin officially became an overseas territory of France, while the Dutch side remained within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This division allowed for each side to maintain its own unique cultural identity while also benefiting from the shared tourism industry.

Today, St. Martin is a popular tourist destination, known for its picturesque beaches, delicious cuisine, and vibrant blend of French, Dutch, and Caribbean cultures. The island continues to thrive economically, with tourism being a major contributor to its economy.

St. Martin’s history is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of its people, who have been able to overcome challenges and conflicts to create a thriving and unique island nation.