St. Maarten/St. Martin 101: Tips & Tidbits

Visitors to St. Maarten/St. Martin are bound to have some miscellaneous questions. From dressing for dinner to departure taxes, from public holidays to parking, the following are some useful bits of information about the island.

How to call St. Maarten and St. Martin
To call Dutch St. Maarten from outside the island, dial area code 72 1 (599 area code can still be used until September 30, 2012), then the sevendigit number. To call the Dutch side from the French side, dial 00-721, followed by the seven-digit number. To reach the French side from the Dutch side, dial 00-590-590, then the number. Area codes for neighboring islands, if you are calling from Dutch St. Maarten: Anguilla 00-1-264; Saba 0; St. Barths 00-590-590; and St. Eustatius 0.

Island Banking
You won’t have any trouble finding banks or ATMs. Windward Islands Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia, RBTT St. Maarten and First Caribbean Bank have credit card-friendly machines across the island, including in Philipsburg, Prime Plaza, the Princess Juliana International Airport and the Maho District. Island banks are open Monday–Friday, from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Business Hours
Hours of operation vary between stores and parts of the island. Stores in Philipsburg are usually open Monday–Saturday from 9 or 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., but only some are open on Sunday. Mediterranean style is more evident in Marigot, where stores are generally open from 9 or 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., but tend to close between 1–3 p.m. Store hours vary on Sundays, depending on cruise ship arrivals, and most restaurants are also open.

Credit Cards
Major credit cards — Visa and MasterCard — are accepted in most places. U.S. dollar traveler’s checks are accepted everywhere with identification.

Currency
One island. Two governments. Three currencies. However, the island’s currency sector isn’t hard to understand. The official currency of Dutch St. Maarten is the Dutch Caribbean guilder; the official currency of French St. Martin is the euro. Islandwide you’ll find most prices listed in several currencies, with the U.S. dollar prevalent and accepted virtually everywhere. Let merchants know which currency you intend to pay with and keep an eye on the exchange rate, which is posted in most hotels and banks. The Eastern Caribbean dollar and the U.S. dollar are the currencies of Anguilla. St. Barths accepts both euros and U.S. dollars, and Saba and St. Eustatius accept guilders and U.S. dollars.

Departure Tax
St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport has a window for payment of a departure tax. Those leaving on an international flight must pay US$30, unless the arrival and departure are on the same day. Those traveling to another island within the Netherlands Antilles pay US$10. Payment is required before boarding, and you’ll need cash or a traveler’s check. Many airlines include the departure tax in the price of the ticket, but if you’re unsure, check with your individual carrier.

Dress
You can vary your dress code on St. Maarten/St. Martin. It’s mostly a casual island, but it’s also a modest island, so swimwear is appropriate only at the beach. In the island’s fine restaurants and casinos, you’ll feel more comfortable upgrading from shorts and T-shirts.

Drinking Water
Tap water on the island comes from desalinated seawater and is drinkable. Bottled water is also readily available.

Electricity
When it comes to using small appliances during your stay, the Dutch side utilizes a current of 110 volts AC, like in the United States. The French side mostly uses the European standard, or 220 volts. Converters are available at several electronics stores in Marigot and Philipsburg.

Language
Dutch is the official language of St. Maarten and French of St. Martin, but English is spoken everywhere. You’ll also hear Papiamento and other languages such as Spanish, Creole patois, Italian and German.

Newspapers
St. Maarten/St. Martin has its own version of The Miami Herald International Edition that’s printed locally and distributed to hotels and newsstands. It has major news, sports, people and stock market information. You can also find The New York Times, USA Today and some local newspapers, like The Daily Herald and Today on the Dutch side and Le Pélican and the St. Martin Week on the French side.

Medical
Island pharmacies and hospitals can attend to the medical needs of visitors. Pharmacies carry both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and can be identified by a mint-green cross out front. The Friendly Island Pharmacy in Cole Bay (721-544-4290) and the Simpson Bay Pharmacy (721-544-3653) in the Yacht Club carry some of the largest selections of European and U.S. merchandise on the island, at a substantial savings over U.S. prices. The pharmacists are multilingual and familiar with both U.S. and European pharmaceutical products. They also accept prescriptions from U.S. doctors and medicine bottles with a refill label. The hospital on the Dutch side is located in Cay Hill, next to Raoul Illidge Sports Complex. The French-side hospital is located near Marigot in Concordia.

Post Offices
St. Maarten has very colorful postage stamps that make excellent souvenirs. The main post office is on Walter Nisbeth Road, and there’s a branch at Simpson Bay on Airport Road. The main post office on the French side is in Marigot, on Rue de la Liberté.

Shipping
John Cassidy & Sons and UPS can ship your purchases home with minimum expense and no hassle. Large items are not a problem, and they handle all the U.S. Customs documents.

Staying in Touch
It’s easy to remain in contact with loved ones or business associates back home while on the island, thanks to the excellent infrastructure of Internet and cellular telephone networks. One of the easiest ways to stay in touch is to bring your own GSM cell phone and have it activated for credit card roaming by a local cellular provider. If you didn’t bring your own phone, don’t worry — several establishments here offer cellular phone rentals as well. If you’d like to use your BlackBerry for both calls and e-mails on the island, T-Mobile offers service through a roaming agreement with TELCell N.V. Several companies in St. Maarten/St. Martin offer Internet access, including Caribserve.net (721-542-4233), which offers wireless services for both home and business and TelNet (721-543-7952). United Telecommunications Services (UTS) is the leading mobile and international telecommunication provider in St. Maarten. It offers Internet services, advanced data networks as well as transaction-based services such as collect-calling, lease lines, pre-paid cards and pre-paid mobile telephony (721-542-0101, e-mail: infosxm@uts.an).

Religious Services
Island venues provide worship services, as well as other activities. In general, Roman Catholicism is the most popular religion on the French side. On the Dutch side, Catholic church services in Philipsburg start at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. The Methodist Church service, however, begins at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, and the New Testament Baptist Church holds Sunday services at 11 a.m. There is a full-time rabbi on the island: Rabbi Moshe Chanowitz and his wife, Rebbetzin Sara. They can be reached at 721-520-1717 and can help with kosher meals and services. There are services on the Dutch and French side for the major holidays. You can reach them through jewishsxm.com. For information on these and other services, ask at your hotel’s front desk.

Tipping
In most restaurants around the island, a 15 percent service charge is added to your bill. Additional tipping for fine service is appreciated.

Transportation
On this island of two distinct cultures and an incredible diversity, it’s remarkably easy to get around.

Car Rentals
This is by far the most convenient way to move around St. Maarten/St. Martin. Rates are reasonable, and most agencies offer unlimited mileage, pickup, delivery, emergency services and additional insurance. You’ll need a driver’s license and a major credit card or cash deposit. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road throughout the island. Once you’ve had a chance to evaluate local etiquette, you’ll find driving here is easy to pick up. Be sure to check with your rental agency to see if there are any minimum age restrictions. U-Save Car & Truck Rental (U.S.: 800-272-8728; Tel: 721-544-2197) offers competitive rates.

Parking
Here’s a useful tip for those of you who have rented or will be renting cars: Be careful where you park, especially in town. Make sure that you’re not parked in a tow-away zone. Make sure to watch the traffic signs properly. There are no parking spaces in town, which is the toughest place to park. There’s one paid parking lot, but there are rarely spaces available.

Gas
St. Maarten/St. Martin has several gas stations—SOL, Star Mart Quality Station, Tackling SOL Service Station and Texaco Star Mart. Some of them are open 24 hours and offer well-stocked convenience stores with cold drinks, telephone cards and more.

Taxis
You’ll never have to wait long for a taxi on the island. They’re generally available at hotels, major streets and venues throughout both sides of the island. It’s a great way to see the island and learn your way around. Taxi drivers often have a host of useful information and are more than willing to share their knowledge.

Taxis are not metered here; the government sets rates, which are based on carrying two passengers. A fee may be added for additional passengers. Your hotel’s front desk can arrange for a taxi 24 hours a day (call 9221). From Philipsburg, taxi rates are as follows: $8 to the zoo; $12 to Marigot; $18 to Orient Beach; $22 to Paradise Peak; and $25 to Pinel Island. From Princess Juliana International Airport, rates are $6 to Maho; $12 to Marigot; $12 to Philipsburg; $20 to Grand Case; and $30 to Pinel Island. Deepbleu Water Taxi offers water taxis around the lagoon with stops in Simpson Bay, Summit Hotel and Marigot, as well as others, and is a great way to beat the traffic. Visit them online at deepbleusxm.com for additional information.

Buses
For newcomers who really want to see St. Maarten/St. Martin, we recommend hopping aboard one of the island’s buses. They regularly run between Philipsburg and Marigot (via Cole Bay), Dutch Quarter, French Quarter, St. Peters and Mullet Bay. Prices range from $1.50 to $3, and routes often include breathtaking scenery without the responsibility of driving yourself, thus affording a full view.

U.S. Shopping Regulations
Visitors from the United States who travel to St. Maarten/St. Martin can bring back up to $800 worth of items without paying duty when going through U.S. Customs.

If you come to the island on a cruise and the ship docks at another island that’s a U.S. territory, like the U.S. Virgin Islands, you can bring back up to $1,600 worth of goods duty-free. However, only $800 worth of those goods can be from the island; the other $800 worth has to come from the U.S.-controlled locale.

If you’re 21 or older, you may take out of the country up to two liters of alcohol, which is also duty-free, from St. Maarten. This is contingent upon one of the liters of alcohol having been produced locally.

You’re also allowed to bring home up to 200 cigarettes and 100 non-Cuban cigars. These regulations are always subject to change. For more information, visit cbp.gov.

Public Holidays
A plethora of holidays bring fun and festivities to St. Maarten/St. Martin. But they also bring many closed businesses on public holidays and during Carnival. Check with your hotel’s front desk if you have any questions.

Easter Monday is observed on both sides of the island the day after Easter Sunday. The Queen’s Birthday (Dutch) is celebrated on April 30, while the French side celebrates Bastille Day on July 14. On November 11, both sides celebrate St. Martin’s Day; however, on the March 23, the French side observes Concordia Day. Christmas and Boxing Day are also shared between the two sides.

Carnival
There's no denying it — if you haven't experienced a Carnival, you haven't lived the Caribbean. On the Dutch side, the Carnival kicks off in April with 17 days of parades, jump-ups, concerts, pageants and a Carnival Village, where a sampling of spicy food can be savored. Thousands line the four-mile-long parade route jumping and jamming on the streets of Philipsburg as flamboyantly costumed revelers, magicians and musicians entertain in true Carnival spirit.

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On your tour around the island, sample the island's cuisine. Use our restaurant guide to help plan as well as a handy guide to activities and sights here.