Saint Martin Island - Isla de San Martín

A plane approaches Princess Juliana International Airport, in Sint-Maarten.

The island of saint martin (in French, Saint-Martin; in Dutch, Sint Maarten) is a Caribbean island, approximately 240 km east of the island of Puerto Rico.

This small island with an area of ​​88 km² is administratively divided into two: the northern part is the overseas communityfrench of Saint-Martin, whose capital is Marigot, while the southern part corresponds to Sint Maarten, an autonomous country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and whose capital is Philipsburg.

The island is a major tourist destination in the Caribbean, with resorts on both sides of the border. While Sint Maarten is famous for its nightlife, its beautiful beaches, its bars and casinos, Saint-Martin stands out for its shops and markets, its French-Caribbean gastronomy and its nude beaches. Although there is an airport on the French side, the main way to enter the island is through the Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side. This airport is famous for its proximity to Maho beach, which allows you to see the ships landing a few meters from the tourists.

Regions

Topographic map of the island of San Martín.
Saint-Martin
The French side of the island, located in the north. Its main city is Marigot, which extends on the western coast of San Martín, on a spit of land that forms two bays full of yachts and luxurious boats. Marigot maintains a distinctly French spirit, with many colonial-style houses. To the east of the island, there is a large maritime natural park that includes the Tintamarre island.
Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten Court, Philipsburg.Until 2010 part of the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten is a popular destination for Caribbean cruises calling at the port of Philipsburg. The capital, located on the southeast coast of the country, presents a much more properly Caribbean spirit than the French side. To the east of the island is the Princess Juliana International Airport, famous for the planes that fly over Maho beach tourists.