Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km² island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations.

• The southern Dutch half comprises the Eilandgebied Sint Maarten (Island area of St. Martin) and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.
• The northern French half comprises the Collectivité de Saint-Martin (Collectivity of St. Martin) and is an overseas collectivity of France in the French West Indies.

Collectively, the two territories are known as "St.-Martin/St. Maarten". Sometimes SXM, the IATA identifier for Princess Juliana International Airport (the island's main airport), is used to refer to the island.

St.Martin / St.Maarten Blog

U.S. Department of State St.Maarten / St.Martin Information:

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Sint Maarten, the Dutch side, is known for its festive nightlife, beaches, jewelry, exotic drinks made with native rum-based guavaberry liquors, and plentiful casinos, while Saint-Martin, the French side, is known more for its nude beaches, clothes, shopping, and rich French and Indian Caribbean cuisine.

LIAT Air from Dominica to St Martin - Bring a good book - or 4.

St. Martin/ Sint Maarten, what it’s like, getting to Marigot from the Airport

Currency in St Martin - US Dollars or Euros?

Delicious dinner at La Main a La Pate, Marina Royale, Marigot

Driving Tour of St Martin / St Maarten by taxi

Phillipsburg Beach, Sint Maarten - Crowded but beautiful

Orient Bay, St Martin - Overcrowded beach chaos

Saint Maarten / St.Martin Weekly News Reports

Sint Maarten/Saint Martin ~ The Friendly Island - France and the Netherlands have shared this haven of sand, sea and sun peacefully for more than three centuries. The Dutch call it Sint Maarten and on the French side the signs say Saint Martin. Not that there is a particularly obvious separation. You can drive, or walk, over a border untended and unmarked except for a sign of welcome to one country or the other. St. Maarten/St. Martin is the smallest island in the world to be shared by two sovereign powers and it has been that way since 1648 when France and the Netherlands signed a partition treaty. However, over the years people of many different nationalities have made their home on the island and have influenced its development.
 

Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is home to several world-class accommodations, including hotels, villas, and timeshares, many of which are privately available for rent or sale. Some properties have over 200 rooms, while others have fewer than twenty. Many are located directly on beaches and in upscale shopping districts. Villas pepper the coast, boasting private beaches. Some are private residences, while others are available to affluent renters.

Dawn Beach Westin
Dawn Beach's claim to fame -- not surprisingly, once you think about it -- is its prime east-facing location. For early risers (and very late to-bedders), a walk along the shore as the sun emerges from the sea is a magical experience. The only thing that can match that for natural beauty is the reef that spreads out along the shore and hosts a bounty of tropical fish. The only downside here is the east wind, which can kick up a chop above the reef, making it best, at those times, for confident snorkelers only. Summertime, when the water is calmest (and warmest), is the most reliable for comfortable snorkeling at Dawn Beach. The 314-room Westin on the hillside above the sand boasts St. Maarten's largest infinity-edge pool, which along with the swim-up bar and hot tub makes a nice topper to a long day of fish-finding. Rates start at $361 in low season ($465 high).