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Ports of Call
St. Maarten
- Shopping & Beach info below:
St. Maarten
is blessed with 37 beaches--one for each of the island's 37 square miles.
Busy bays are venues for watersports, swimming, and snorkeling, while
secluded coves offer private retreats. The dress code ranges from modest (on
the Dutch side of the island) to nudist (on the French side). Half-day or
full-day sailing excursions to undeveloped beaches nearby are also
available. Both sides speak English and accept
US dollars, they still retain a lot of their European origins with great
Dutch and French cheeses, fine French restaurants, Indonesian rijstafels
brought by the Dutch.
Shopping:
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St. Maarten
enjoys an unusual status as a commercial center: it is among the
world's few duty-free ports. This means that no duty is paid on any
item coming in or going out. Luxury items cost up to 50 percent less
than in other countries, and it is a small wonder that shoppers and
cruise ships from around the world head here to buy jewelry,
electronics, perfume, crystal, and other expensive goods.
Most of
Dutch St. Maarten's shopping is concentrated along Front Street in
Philipsburg. Boutiques stretch along the entire length of the
street, and stylish arcades lead off in either direction. A truly
international center, Front Street offers top-of-the-line products
from around the world. Prices are quoted in US dollars, saving
shoppers the confusion of sorting out exchange rates.
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Jewelry is a perennial favorite for St. Maarten
shoppers. The Front Street jewelers offer everything from
loose diamonds and emeralds to original creations in gold
and silver. Many jewelers also sell exclusive Swiss watches.
Other great buys are international fashions, from Gucci to
Ralph Lauren, fine leather goods, and top-of-the-line French
cosmetics. Front Street also offers the best of 20th-century
electronics, including televisions, CD players, cameras, and
fax machines.
Native
arts and crafts are not lost among all the Euro-ware. The
more popular offerings are West Indian hammocks, wood
carvings, handmade jewelry, and bottles of local Guavaberry
liquor. Private galleries showcase the work of artists from
all over the Netherlands Antilles. Shops on Front Street are
open from 8 or 9 am until noon, and then again from 2 until
6 p.m. Some stores remain open during lunch as a convenience
to visiting cruise ship passengers. Most shops are open
every day except Christmas and Good Friday.
Many stores on St. Maarten remain open until the wee
hours, alert to the sudden desire for acquisition triggered
by casino winnings. Among the late-night shopping areas,
Maho Bay has gained a particularly high reputation. Chic
boutiques selling high fashion clothing, perfumes, and
cosmetics now stay open almost as late as the surrounding
nightclubs.
A
note about duties: Every country has its own customs
requirements on goods brought back from duty-free vacations.
Front Street merchants can give details on most countries'
requirements. |
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| We have put together a few
comments on St Martin's many beaches. Remember that beaches change
gradually via erosion and replenishment and drastically via storms.
The information is accurate having been updated in the 2003 season,
but things change. The beaches on the east provide lots of morning
sun while facing the shore and the beaches on the west will provide
you with a glorious sunset into the water. Most beaches have some,
if limited, amenities. |
Some of the
more famous beaches include mile-long Mullet Bay Beach, perfect for
swimming; Dawn Beach, known for its incredible sunrises; and Little Bay
Beach, a favorite of snorkelers, with calm, clear waters that offer
excellent visibility.
Great Bay Philipsburg is known for shopping, casinos, and
restaurants.
The beach and beach bars offer plenty of facilities. A boardwalk is being
added and is considered one of the longest beaches on the island.
Maho Beach is one of the island's most dramatic swimming
spots. Swimmers splashing in the water can experience the unusual thrill of
airplanes passing right over their heads as they head for the nearby runway.
The craggy rocks lining the white sand beach add another dramatic touch.
There are also wet bikes available for rent
Simpson Bay Beach -
One of St. Maarten's more
private beaches is Simpson Bay Beach, a long half-moon of white sand set
between a picturesque fishing village and the murmuring sea. There are no
watersports, no resorts, just the sound of water gently lapping at your
feet. You can stroll, swim, or simply relax, all the while seeing barely
another soul. Orient
Beach is on the windward Eastern Coast but tends to be on e of
the gentlest of beaches because of the protection afforded by the reef
running from Green Cay to Pinel. The southern end of this beach is clothing
optional.
Cupecoy Beach is another unspoiled landscape with pure white
sand, sandstone cliffs, and shoreline caves as a setting. The surf can be
strong, but the wind is blocked by the rocks. Lying near the border with St.
Martin, its dress code is influenced by that of the French beaches: clothing
is optional.
Dawn Beach - A pretty beach that is fairly well protected. There is
good snorkeling or if the surf is up, good boogie boarding.
Looking for:
Lots of activities:
Orient and Great Bay Beach have the most.
No activities: Cupecoy (Nude beach at the end) and Mullet have nothing.
There is little on Bay Long, Plum Bay, and Bay Rouge.
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