St Martin / St Maarten

Why St Martin and St Maarten are special
You experience two different cultures on a single island. The northern half is French, the southern half, Dutch.

St Martin and St Maarten differ in 8 ways
Dining & nightlife
St Martin has the better dining, St Maarten has the better nightlife.

Shopping
St Maarten wins this crown by a big margin.

Language
St Martin speaks French, St Maarten speaks Dutch (though English is widely understood on both sides).

Sovereignty
St Martin is a French Territory, St Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Size
St Maarten is slightly larger.

Population
St Maarten has far more tourists.

Tourism
St Maarten has far more tourists.

Hospitality
St Maarten wins by an edge.

Beaches
Both sides have good beaches
Orient is the most popular beach in St Martin while Maho Bay is the most active in St Maarten. The problem with the latter is you are noisily buzzed by low flying jet airlines landing and taking off over you.

More St Martin and St Maarten tips & insights
Geography
The island is the smallest landmass shared by two countries.

Border crossings
There are no manned or gated borders. Simply drive through.

Island's name
The entire island is properly called St Martin when you are on the French and Sint Maarten when you set your foot on the Dutch side. Either way, both names are more-or-less pronounced the same (saynt mahr'-tihn).

Name origin
The name was bestowed by Christopher Columbus when he discovered the island in 1493 on Saint Martin's day.

Curarency
The official currencies are the Euro in St Martin and the Antillian Florin in St Maarten. The US Dollar is widely accepted.

Cruise ships
Only small cruise ships are small enough to visit St Martin's main port, Marigot. Large cruise ships must go to the mammoth wharf at Philipsburg, St Maarten.

Location Maps