At only 37 square miles big....you wouldn't have thought there would be any commuting issues and that wherever you wanted to go wouldn't take long ? However St Maarten's narrow roads are crammed with traffic in long crawling queues every rush hour, with the occasional raising of Simpson's Bay Bridge to allow yachts to enter or leave the lagoon, only making things worse.
However unusual a traffic jam might be in the Caribbean, there are some unusual facts about St Maarten too. This interesting island is split into two, with each part belonging to a different nation. St Maarten (17 sq miles) on the South belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and forms part of the Netherlands Antilles, a group of islands including Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. Whist St Martin on the North is a department of France and so is a part of Europe and the European Community. It is the smallest land mass in the world that is shared by two nations.
You can drive around the whole island in approximately one hour, so long as it's not during rush hour and enjoy plenty of sights along the way; including watching jumbo jets land at the island's large and newly refurbished international airport. The perimeter fence of the airport is right next to one of the 37 public beaches, and sunbathers can get blown over in the sandblast created by the delivery of more tourists from colder climes.
St Maarten/St Martin is the Caribbean's yachting centre. Mega yachts stop off here to provision for their charters and for their long journeys when the season is over. The annual Heineken Regatta is also held here and can bring in over 250 sailing yachts to the island, to compete during the four day carnival of sailing and partying.
Talking of carnival . . . each year both the Dutch side and the French side celebrate their carnivals at different times. The Dutch side carnival brings international music artists to entertain the revelers. Dressed in carnival ‘mas’ costumes, the troops dance through the streets entertaining the crowds, as they move to music created by huge sound systems on trucks.
The island is home to over 90 different nationalities as it has become a busy economic centre for the Northeastern Caribbean. This has the downside of helping to cause the traffic jams, but the upside of providing a diverse and interesting culture. St. Martin is an easy introduction to the Caribbean, as it has all the familiarity of home, an international community, many of your favorite foodstuffs from Europe, America, and Asia and even the newspapers! If you want to experience a fun exciting part of the Caribbean, where you’ll find quality shopping, dining and entertainment, visit the joint island of St Maarten/St Martin.
By Joanne Daubney
