Capital:
Philipsburg (Dutch part) - Marigot (French part)
Currency
Florin of the Netherlands Antilles
Best time to visit:
Year-round
In a word:
Bon bini (welcome)
Vaccines
None
Essential experiences:
Swimming while a Boeing flies over a few meters from your head at Maho Beach; Cycling along the Simpson Bay Lagoon; A relaxing bath in Orient Beach
Saint Martin is part of the Northern Windward Islands of the Small Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea. It is located about 240 km away from Puerto Rico and the smallest inhabited island divided between two different states.
The southern part, known as Saint Maarten, is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the northern part is an autonomous overseas collectivity of the French Republic.
For hundreds of years, the Caribbean has been an exotic battleground for the colonial powers, committed to enriching themselves by transporting rum, slaves and gold since New to Old World.
Some cannon shots were enough to transform the political geography of the area from day to day and, after centuries of this Risk played between sand, sea and coconut palms, one of the 7,000 islands of Caribbean Sea remained divided between two nations that preferred to divide it rather than lose it altogether.
It is easy to understand why this place: Saint Martin for the French and Sint Maarten for the Dutch, it was so coveted.
The political division has given this island two distinct personalities, almost things if they were two Siamese twins with very different characters.
The "French" cling to the European roots, as evidenced by the attention to the kitchen, the attachment to the traditions of the Alps, the French car number plates and to hear you say, to Marigot, which the capital is in Europe, to Paris, and that Marigot it is only the largest city on the island!
The "Dutch" prefer to emphasize their sociality, especially through music, relaxed life on the beach and so on
According to legend, the division of the island originated from a kind of foot race. The French headed north, the Dutch to the south. While the former, along the way, quenched their thirst with good wine, the latter resorted to poor gin and were forced to a long pause to dispose of the effects. This would explain why the French bought up a larger part of the territory.
We dock at Philipsburg, capital-capital of the Dutch part. We meet Eddy Miller, who will be our nice driver today!
After a tour of the narrow streets of the city and after the usual visit to the post office we go to Maho Beach, the famous beach where the sign stands out: "Aircraft landing and flying at low altitude can cause serious physical damage"; with next to it the image of a human body rolling away under the immense silhouette of an aircraft.
After a tour of the narrow streets of the city and after the usual visit to the post office we go to Maho Beach, the famous beach where the sign stands out: "Aircraft landing and flying at low altitude can cause serious physical damage"; with next to it the image of a human body rolling away under the immense silhouette of an aircraft.
Maho Beach, it's located right next to the airport. For this, it is the strangest and perhaps dangerous beach, but it will be particularly intriguing to see and photograph the planes that land near the beach and fly over your head ... just a few meters high!
And when I say close, I mean just behind!
Arrived on the beach, on one side there is a bar with a surfboard stuck in the ground where every day the arrival and departure times of the airport are marked with chalk!
I did not expect a beach so pretty but above all a sea so clear and transparent.
Between landing and the other we take the opportunity for a refreshing and well-deserved dip in the pool ... pardon: sea!
It is very impressive to see these planes in the final, just seconds from the touch down point.
A big boeing lands just as we are about to leave, flying all the hats of the many visitors to the beach!
We enter Marigot, capital of the Saint Martin French, a lively port town dominated by a fort that stands on top of a hill.
Here the feeling of old Europe is very strong thanks to boulangerie, wrought iron balconies, style street lamps belle epoque, tricolor flags everywhere ...
Marigot, capital of the French area, is a typical sparkling and dynamic Caribbean city. In addition to a colorful weekly market full of gastronomic delicacies and handicrafts, you can visit the museum where there are creations made of shells, a small marina and several beaches, such as the Simpson Bay Lagoon.
Baie rouge, is located in the French part and is an enchanting and peaceful beach in which soft white sand and smooth rocks alternate. All this makes the landscape really beautiful!
We soon decide to return to Philipsburg, precisely to Front Street, the road that runs along the bay along which there is an uninterrupted sequence of boutiques, jewelers, restaurants, casinos and duty free shops.
This is a place where I could live!
Ready to sail to Antigua & Barbuda!
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Grazie mille caro Davide, sei sempre gentilissimo!!