St Martin – Traveling in the Country
Although the island is divided into two parts of the country, there are no official borders or border crossings. Traffic moves freely between the French and Dutch part of the island.
Car: Car rentals are available all over the island. Cars should be used rather than scootersrent because these scooters are stolen faster (and also not that much cheaper than renting a car). In the off-season there is no need to reserve rental cars in advance. In the high season the prices increase by at least 50%. If you rent the vehicle for a week or more, the cost per day is lower.
Bus: The buses on the island are very cheap, but not particularly fast. Allow enough time if you want to explore the island by bus. If you’re in a hurry, take a taxi or rent an automobile. The buses don’t have a fixed schedule, they usually run until around 10.30 p.m. The routes between Marigot, Philipsburg, Grand Case, Simpson Bay and Mullet Bay are the most popular.
There are bus stops in Marigot, outside the capital you can simply stop the buses along the route. The respective destination of the buses is usually indicated on a sign behind the windshield, usually it is Marigot or Philipsburg.
Taxi: The taxi tariffs on St Martin are regulated by the state and should be available in every taxi. If there are more than three passengers and in the evening, the taxi prices are higher. Taxis can also be chartered for tours around the island (duration 1.5-3 hours, € 15-30 per person).
Bicycle:In Marigot there is a bike rental (Frog Legs Cyclery) that rents out mountain bikes and also organizes bike tours on St Martin.
St Martin arrival
Airplane: Propeller planes fly between St Martin and St Barthélemy, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Airport: L´Esperance Airport (SFG) is too small for long-haul aircraft, so only propeller-driven aircraft take off and land here. The long-haul flights land at Juliana Airport in the Dutch part of the island of Sint Maarten.
Ship: Marigot is one of the destinations for cruise ships. From Marigot Bay there is a daily ferry to Blowing Point in Anguilla every half hour, the journey time is about 25 minutes.
Bus / Car: there are no official borders or border crossings between the French part of the island of Saint Martin and the Dutch part of Sint Maarten. Numerous buses and minibuses as well as taxis run freely between the two parts of the island. Car hire can be found at many locations in St Martin.
Entry requirements for St Martin (Caribbean)
As a French overseas department, the entry regulations for St Martin are similar to those for France.
Passport
is generally required for entry into St Martin. However, it is forGermanalso possible to enter with an identity card. The passport or identity card must be valid upon entry.
Visa
Citizens of EU countries (with the exception of Romania and Bulgaria) and Switzerland do not need a visa for a stay of max. 3 months on St Martin. This applies to both tourists and business travelers.
Entry with children
For accompanying children, the same visa requirements apply as for their parents.
Germany: Own passport for children or child ID. Child ID cards are no longer issued in Germany, existing child ID cards remain valid until the expiry date.
Austria: Children need their own passport.
Switzerland: Children need their own passport.
St Martin climate
St Martin is located on the 18th parallel in the north of the archipelago Lesser Antilles and belongs to the “Leeward Island”. The climate on St Martin is tropical and is significantly affected by trade winds. the temperature shardly change in the course of the year, and the temperature differences between day and night are also not great. The maximum temperatures average between 27 and 29 ° C, with in summer 32 ° C can also be reached. At night, temperatures drop to around 23 to 25 ° C, rarely below 20 ° C.
The rainy and dry seasons are not very different on St Martin. It is driest between February and April, most rain falls between July / August and November. There are brief tropical showers especially in October and November, although the relatively low mountains on St Martin make it quite dry overall. The east coast receives more rainfall than the leeward west coast of St Martin.
The northeast trade winds lower the humidity, especially from January to April.
Hurricanes can occur from June to November.
Best time to visit St Martin
As on all Caribbean islands, St Martin’s holiday high season is between mid-December and mid-April. This is the time when the temperatures on St Martin are most pleasant and the evening temperatures are mild. The trade winds lower the humidity and make the maximum daily temperatures bearable. However, it is also very busy and prices for accommodation are rising.
The rainy season brings heat and humidity with it, and from time to time a hurricane or two from June to November. However, the prices drop dramatically during this time, in some resorts by up to 50%.
The mid-season on St Martin is a good compromise, either in November / early December or late April and May.
The St Martin Carnival takes place in February.