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Golf
Mullet Bay Resort, t 545 2801, an 18-hole course backing onto the lagoon. Located on the Dutch side Sint Maarten it is the only course on the island. All equipment can be rented and there are pros to help you with your game. Green fees around US$110 in season for the 18 holes. |
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Medical
Like the rest of the Caribbean, St Martin/St Maarten has a hot but fairly benign climate. If you are unlucky enough in your holiday to need them, there are medical facilities in the main towns on the island, however your first port of call should probably be your hotel front desk as most hotels have a doctor on call. Pharmacies are located island wide and visitors’ prescriptions can be fulfilled following consultation with a local physician.
Be wary of the manchioneel tree that grows all over the island. The sap and fruit, which looks like a small green apple, are extremely poisonous and can burn the skin.
Hospitals
There is a hospital in Marigot on the French side of the island, t 87 87 67, and on the Dutch side the Sint Maarten Medical Centre is on Cay Hill, t 543 1127. Medical care on the island is good, but patients are likely to be transferred to the US for serious problems. Medical insurance is strongly advised.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required for entry into either St Maarten or St Martin, however a yellow fever certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas. |
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Nudity
Topless bathing is perfectly acceptable in St Martin, the French side. Baie de L’Orient is the only official nude beach, but it has been known to happen at Baie Rouge and Baie Lounge. On the Dutch side it is less common but there is the clothing optional Cupecoy Beach. |
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Passports & Visas
The best document for entry into St Martin/St Maarten is a passport. All tourists must have a return or onward ticket and a passport valid for the length of the stay. US, Canadian and British Citizens do not require a visa for short stays, but some nationalities do, so check before travelling. |
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Service Charge & Tipping
French side
Hotels on the French side typically add 5% occupancy tax per person, but a small gratuity is greatly appreciated for good service. In restaurants it should be ‘service inclus’, so check before giving a tip as well (with so many American visitors, staff do become accustomed to a tip for good service on top). For taxi drivers it is customary to tip between 50 cents and a dollar.
Dutch side
On the Dutch side of the island hotel bills include a tax of 5%, and often a service charge of 10 to 15%. This can make quite a difference to the eventual total of your bill if you are travelling independently, so make sure to factor it in when planning your trip. Waiters and bar staff should be tipped between 10 and 15% if a service charge has not already been included in the bill. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip. Porters at the airport usually get $1 per bag |
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Telephone
To telephone the French side St Martin from abroad, the IDD code is t +590 followed by the six digit local number. Within St Martin, just dial the six digit local number.
To telephone the Dutch side Sint Maarten from abroad, dial IDD code t +599 followed by a seven digit local land line number, which begins with 54 or 55.
Phoning from one side of the island to the other is an ‘international’ call. From the French to the Dutch side, dial t 00599 and then the seven digit number, and from the Dutch to the French side dial t 00590 followed by the six digits.
All public phones accept only pre paid phone cards, which are available at a post office and some newsagents. GSM 900 and 1800 mobile network coverage extends across both parts of the island and internet access is available at internet cafes and in many hotels and resorts. |
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