Dutch St. Maarten "The Dutch side is officially called Sint
Maarten. Some people like the Dutch side best because of the Dutch
culture. There's great cuisine on the Dutch side as well. And the
shopping is great, especially since there's no tax. There's
everything from designer shops to Little Switzerland, the jeweler,
to The Dutch Delft Blue Gallery, which sells plates and vases from
Dutch artisans. The hotels are more what one would expect on an
island: smaller, more intimate, more casual. Philipsburg, the main
town, was founded in the 1700s. It has boutiques, an old
courthouse, and the St. Maarten Museum, which tells the story of
the island. If you want to go on a hike, you can go up to Pic
Paradise, the highest point on the island, or Cole Bay Hill. Both
have observation decks from which you can see almost the entire
island."
SHOPPING
"The shopping on St. Maarten is unbelievable. It's not just going
down the street and there's a Gucci and the names of boutiques that
someone from the mainland would know. You can also go into a
boutique on the French side of the island, where French is being
spoken, and purchase beautiful clothing and go somewhere you
couldn't go to in
New York City. The main shopping street on the
French side is Rue du General de Gaulle. There are several good
jewelry stores on the street, including Helena and Passions, with
more affordable pieces. At the Marigot Market, open Wednesdays and
Saturdays, you can get everything, including these beautiful
hand-dyed, hand-woven sarongs and amazing hats."
LUNCH
"Everything's within walking distance in Marigot, which is on the
French side of the island, and little sidewalk cafes dot the
streets, like a seaside village in
France. You can go to places
like Le Tropicana, which specializes in fish. Then go to the
Marigot Market. I not only enjoy St. Maarten's finer dining, but I
also love going into the French grocery stores, like Supermarche
Match, which has all of the famous French cheeses, cookies, and
other products that are flown in from France on a regular
basis."