For a Caribbean island that has just about everything, why not visit St Martin/St Maarten, one of the chain of Leeward Islands in the North Eastern Caribbean.

French Saint Martin lies on the northern side of the island, which, uniquely, is shared between two nations, yet has no official border. Sint Maarten, the southern side of the island is part of the Netherland Antilles. St Martin is an overseas territory of the French Republic, with its own constitution, similar to the neighbouring island of St Barts. The French side of the island is part of the European Union.

The atmosphere on the French side is a magnetic combination of Caribbean Creole and cosmopolitan France. The food is typically of high quality, yet you can dine in casual clothing. Some of the beach restaurants, particularly at Orient Bay, deliver menus that would grace the finest restaurant, without the price! Marigot, the capital is an eclectic mixture of open-air market, fresh fish stalls and high quality boutiques and restaurants. It has two marinas, the smaller and more sheltered of which, Marina Royale, allows you to lunch or dine within touching distance of the water's edge.

The Dutch side can be livelier, with its discotheques and casinos. The shops in Front Street in the Dutch capital of Philipsburg provide an unrivalled opportunity to buy high quality jewellery at duty free prices. Simpson Bay Lagoon, close to the airport, houses some of the most sumptuous private cruise yachts in the world.

The beaches are clean and safe on both sides of the island and as the total area is only 37 square miles it is easy to tour, although care needs to be taken on the roads and there are many potholes and, typical of most Caribbean islands, road signs act as a guide rather than a rule! If you would rather not drive you can take a tour by taxi or you can get around the island on the local buses for only a few dollars. If you would like to go further afield you can take a ferry ride to the neighbouring islands of St Bart's and Anguilla, both of which are popular with the movie and music profession. A shorter trip is to the small island of Pinel, which is reached via regular ferry from Cul de Sac.

There are over 80 different languages spoken on the island but virtually everyone speaks English.

The Euro is the official currency in French St Martin whilst, on the Dutch side, it is the Netherlands Antilles Florin. The universal currency is the United States Dollar, which is accepted on both sides of the island.

The temperature is tropical and fairly constant, rarely falling below 75 degrees. It averages 82 degrees in summer and 80 degrees in winter. Rainfall is relatively low compared to many tropical islands, averaging around 45 inches a year. This tends to fall in the summer but invariably quickly clears. The island is cooled by the trade winds.

The island is five hours ahead of France in the winter and six hours ahead in the summer. The time corresponds with Eastern Daylight Time in the summer. In the winter the clocks are one hour ahead.

St Martin/St Maarten can be accessed by air to the Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side. For a chilled beach vacation, with the added attraction of a lively nightlife the combination of the two sides of this distinctive island makes it an ideal destination.

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