St. Maarten/St. Martin 101: Basic Information

Visitors to St. Maarten/St. Martin are bound to have some miscellaneous questions. From dressing for dinner to departure tax, or from public holidays to parking, the following are some useful bits of information about the island.

Island Banking
You won't have any trouble finding banks and other sites with automated teller machines on the island. Windward Islands Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia, RBTT St. Maarten and First Caribbean Bank have credit card-friendly machines across the island, including Philipsburg, Prime Plaza, the Princess Juliana International Airport and the Maho District. Island banks are open Monday through Friday from 8.30 a.m. until 3.30 p.m.

Business Hours
You'll need to consider local island business schedules when making your plans. Hours of operation do vary between stores and parts of the island. Stores in Philipsburg are usually open Monday to Saturday from 9 or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but only some are open on Sunday. Mediterranean style is more evident in Marigot, where stores are generally open from 9 or 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., but tend to close between 1 and 3 p.m. Store hours vary on Sundays depending on cruise ship arrivals and most restaurants are also open.

Credit Cards
Major credit cards — American Express, Visa and MasterCard — are accepted in most places. You'll need to check with individual merchants, as some stores and restaurants may not accept them. U.S. dollar traveler's checks are accepted everywhere with identification.

Currency
One Island. Two Governments. Three currencies. However, the St. Maarten/St. Martin currency sector isn't difficult to understand. The official currency of Dutch St. Maarten is the Netherlands Antilles guilder; the official currency of French St. Martin is the euro. Island-wide you'll find most prices listed in several currencies, with the U.S. dollar prevalent and readily accepted virtually everywhere. Make sure to let merchants know which currency you intend to pay with and keep an eye on the rate of exchange, which is posted in most hotels and banks. The Eastern Caribbean dollar and the U.S. dollar are the currencies of Anguilla. St. Barths accepts both euros and U.S. dollars, and Saba and St. Eustatius accept guilders and U.S. dollars.

Departure Tax
As you prepare to depart St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport, you'll notice a window for payment of a departure tax. Those leaving on an international flight must pay US$30, unless the arrival and departure are on the same day. Those traveling to another island within the Netherlands Antilles pay US$10. Payment is required before boarding, and you'll need cash or a traveler's check. Many airlines include the departure tax in the price of the ticket, but if you are unsure, check with your individual carrier.

Dress
You can vary your dress code as much as you desire on St. Maarten/St. Martin. It's mostly a casual island in which cotton and linen will be your mainstays. However, it is also a modest island, so swimwear is appropriate only at the beach. In the island's fine restaurants and casinos, you'll feel more comfortable upgrading from shorts and T-shirts.

Drinking Water
Tap water on the island comes from desalinated seawater and is drinkable. Bottled water is also readily available.

Electricity
You'll need to consider which side of the island you're on when it comes to using small appliances during your stay. On the Dutch side, the current is 110 volts AC, like the United States. The current on the French side is most often the European standard or 220 volts. Converters are available at several electronic stores in Marigot and Philipsburg.

Language
Dutch is the official language of St. Maarten and French of St. Martin, but you'll hear English spoken everywhere. During your stay, you'll also hear Papiamento — spoken mainly in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao — and other languages such as Spanish, Creole patois, Italian and German.

Newspapers
St. Maarten/St. Martin has its own edition of The Miami Herald International that's printed on the island and distributed to hotels and newsstands. It has up-to-date major news, sports, people and stock market information. You can also find The New York Times, USA Today and some local newspapers like The Daily Herald, on the Dutch side, and Le Pélican and the St. Martin Week on the French side.

Medical
The medical needs of visitors can be attended to by island pharmacies and hospitals should the need arise. Pharmacies carry prescription drugs and the over-the-counter varieties and can be identified by a mint-green cross out front. Both the Friendly Island Pharmacy in Cole Bay (599-544-4290) and the Simpson Bay Pharmacy (599-544-3653) in the Yacht Club carry one of the largest selections of European and U.S. merchandise on the island, all at a substantial savings over U.S. prices. The pharmacists are multilingual and familiar with both U.S. and European pharmaceutical products. They also accept prescriptions from U.S. doctors and medicine bottles with a refill label. The hospital on the Dutch side is located in Cay Hill, next to Raoul Illidge Sports Complex. The French-side hospital is located near Marigot in Concordia.

Post Offices
St. Maarten has very colorful postage stamps that make excellent souvenirs. The main post office is on Walter Nisbeth Road, and there's a branch at Simpson Bay on Airport Road. The main post office on the French side is in Marigot, on Rue de la Liberté.

Shipping
John Cassidy and Sons and UPS can ship your purchases home with minimum expense and no hassle. Large items are not a problem and they handle all the U.S. Customs documents.

Staying in Touch
It's easy to remain in contact with loved ones or business associates back home while on the island, thanks to the excellent infrastructure of Internet and cellular telephone networks. One of the easiest ways to stay in touch is to bring your own GSM cell phone and have it activated for credit card roaming by East Caribbean Cellular (simply dial 0 upon arrival and the customer service reps will take care of the rest). If you didn't bring your own phone, don't worry — several establishments here offer cellular phone rentals as well. If you'd like to use your Blackberry for both calls and emails on the island, T-Mobile offers service through a roaming agreement with TelCell N.V. Several companies in St. Maarten/St. Martin offer Internet access: International Data Limited (599-544-1388); United Tele-communications Services (599-542-0101); Caribserve.net (599-542-4233), which offers wireless services for both home and businesses; and TelNet (599-543-7952).

Religious Services
Island venues provide worship services as well as other activities. In general the Catholic Church services in Philipsburg start at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. The Methodist Church service, however, begins at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday and the New Testament Baptist Church holds Sunday services at 11 a.m. Jewish services are held on major Jewish holidays. Contact Esther Robles Rios on the Dutch Side at 599-546-7728. For information on these and other services, ask at your hotel's front desk.

Tipping
In most restaurants around the island, a 15 percent service charge intended to serve as a tip is added to your bill. Additional tipping for fine service is appreciated.

Transportation
On this island of two distinct cultures and an incredible diversity, it's remarkably easy to get around.

Car Rentals
This is by far the most convenient way to move around St. Maarten/St. Martin. Rates are reasonable and most agencies offer unlimited mileage, pick-up, delivery, emergency services and additional insurance. You'll need a driver's license and a major credit card or cash deposit. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road throughout the island. Once you've had a chance to evaluate local etiquette, you'll find driving here is easy to pick up. Be sure and check with your rental agency to see if there are any minimum age restrictions. U Save Car Rental (800-272-8728) offers competitive rates and Dollar Rent a Car, with locations in Simpson Bay and Philipsburg, offers excellent service and a full line of cars and Jeeps. E-mail courtesy@caribserve.net or for reservations call 599-544-2197.

Parking
Here is a useful tip to those of you that have rented or will be renting cars: Be careful where you park, especially in town. Make sure that you are not parked in a tow-away zone. Make sure to watch the traffic signs properly. There are no parking spaces in town — the toughest place to park. There is one paid parking lot but there are rarely spaces available.

Gas
St. Maarten/St. Martin has several gas stations — Shell, Star Mart Quality Station, Tackling Shell Service Station, Texaco Star Mart and Yuppie Service Station. Some of them are open 24 hours and offer well-stocked convenience stores with cold drinks, telephone cards and much, much more.

Taxis
You'll never have to wait long for a taxi on the island. They are generally available at hotels, major streets and venues throughout both countries. It's a great, personalized way to see the island and learn your way around. Taxi drivers often have a host of useful information and are more than willing to share their knowledge.

Taxis are not metered here; the government sets rates, which are based on carrying two passengers. A fee may be added for additional passengers. Your hotel's front desk can arrange for a taxi 24 hours a day. From Philipsburg, taxi rates are as follows: $8 to the zoo; $12 to Marigot; $ 18 to Orient Beach; $22 to Paradise Peak; and $25 to Pinel Island. From Princess Juliana International Airport, rates are $6 to Maho; $12 to Marigot; $12 to Philipsburg; $20 to Grand Case; and $30 to Pinel Island. Deepbleu Water Taxi offers water taxis around the lagoon with stops in Simpson Bay, Summit Hotel and Marigot as well as others, and is a great way to beat the traffic. Visit them online at www.deepbleusxm.com for more information.

Buses
To really see St. Maarten/St. Martin, hop aboard one of the island's buses. They regularly run between Philipsburg and Marigot (via Cole Bay), Dutch Quarter, French Quarter, St. Peters and Mullet Bay. Prices range from $1 to $2, and routes often include breathtaking scenery without the responsibility of driving yourself, thus affording a full view.

U.S. Shopping Regulations
How much can citizens or residents bring back home? Visitors from the United States that travel to St. Maarten/St. Martin can bring back up to $800 worth of items without paying duty when going through U.S. Customs.

Now, if you come to the island as part of a cruise, and the ship docks at another island that's a U.S. protectorate, like the U.S. Virgin Islands, you can bring back up to $1,600 worth of goods and not have to pay duty. However, the rules say only $800 worth of those goods can be from the island; the other $800 worth has to come from the U.S.-controlled locale.

If you are 21 or older, you may bring home up to two liters of alcohol, duty-free, from St. Maarten, as long as one of the liters was produced locally. You are allowed to bring home up to 200 cigarettes and 100 non-Cuban cigars. These regulations are subject to change. For more information visit www.cbp.gov.

Public Holidays
A plethora of holidays bring fun and festivities to St. Maarten/St. Martin. But they also bring many closed businesses on public holidays and during Carnival. Check with your hotel's front desk if you have any questions.

Easter Monday is observed on both sides of the island the day after Easter Sunday. The Queen's Birthday (Dutch) is celebrated on April 30, while the French side celebrates Bastille Day on July 14. On November 11, both sides celebrate St. Maarten Day; however, on the 23rd of March the French side observes Concordia Day. Christmas and Boxing Day is also shared between the two sides.

Don't leave home without your credit card, or our shopping maps. Click here for quick guides to St. Maarten/St. Martin shopping and shopping maps.

On your tour around the island, sample the island's cuisine. Use our restaurant guide to help plan as well as a handy guide to activities and sights here.