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Time Zone
St Martin/St Maarten is in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, which is four hours behind GMT (Britain in winter) and five behind Europe. During the winter it is an hour ahead of the eastern seaboard of the USA.
St Martin/St Maarten has no daylight saving time, so when the clocks go forward in summer in the northern hemisphere the island is five hours behind Britain, six behind Europe and on the same time as Eastern Standard Time in the USA. |
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Tour Operators
Just a few tour operators (UK and Europe) and wholesalers (US) offer Saba in their programmes and they tend to be scuba diving companies. On DefinitiveCaribbean we will select the best for you - operators that are Caribbean or dive specialists that give the best levels of service, in all price ranges. These travel organisers put the holidays together that may subsequently be sold to the public direct or via travel agents.
In the UK and Europe, all tour operators should be bonded for your financial protection. They sell flight inclusive holidays under licence from government bodies such as the Civil Aviation Authority (UK). Some travel agents also have the required bonding and licences to put together flight inclusive holidays, and there are a few Caribbean specialists among them.
Message to Tour Operators, Wholesalers and specialist travel agents:
We invite any travel organiser working as a Caribbean specialist with a programme to Saba to contact us if we are not already in communication with you. Initially please email us for further details.
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Tourist Information
ST MARTIN
Saint Martin Tourist Office, Route de Sandy Ground, Marigot, 97150 St Martin, t 87 57 21, sxmto@aol.com, www.st-martin.org
Outside St Martin, information can be obtained in advance of travel from the Tourist Boards abroad:
Canada: Maison de la France, 1981 Ave MacGill College, Suite 490, Montreal Quebec H3A 2WP, t 514 876 9881.
France: 30 rue Saint-Marc, 75002 Paris, t 01 53 29 99 99, otsxmparis@aol.com
US: St Martin Tourist Board, 765 3rd Ave, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017, t 1877 956 1234, sxmtony@msn.com
SINT MAARTEN
Sint Maarten Tourist Office, The Vineyard Office Park, 33 WG Buncamper Rd, Philipsburg, t 542 2337, info@st-marteen.com
Outside Sint Maarten, information can be obtained in advance of travel from the Tourist Boards abroad:
Canada: 703 Evans Ave, Suite 106, Toronto, Ontario, M9C 5E9, t 416 622 4300.
Netherlands: Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands Antilles, Badhuisweg 175, NL 2597, JP’s Gravenhage, The Hague, t 070 306 6111
US: 675 3rd Ave, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017, t 212 953 2084. |
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Weather
The island is sunny and warm all year round and average monthly temperatures vary little throughout the year. Cooling winds blow over the island and showers can be expected at any time throughout the year but they generally pass quickly.
St Martin/St Maarten is in the hurricane belt and these storms do pass by from time to time in the late summer when the Atlantic Ocean becomes warm enough. The most likely week for a hurricane to hit is in the middle of September. |
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What to Pack
Consider taking the following when heading out to the Caribbean:
Sun protection including high factor sun cream, sunglasses, hat/cap and a lightweight shirt/blouse/t-shirt for the beach; suitable beach and walking shoes; mosquito repellent containing DEET suitable for use all day; cream for insect bites; beach mat/towel.
Lightweight cotton is generally the best clothing, casual for the daytime, though you may want something a little more elegant for the evenings. Note that most good restaurants and top hotels require men to wear long trousers and shirts with a collar in the evenings. Women may wish to pack a lightweight wrap or jacket during the winter months, as the evenings sometimes feel cool after the heat of the day.
St Martin/St Maarten is well stocked with batteries, but do not depend on there being camera film or camera batteries in more remote places. Bring an electrical adapter if needed. Any prescription medication that needs to be taken on a regular basis should be carried in your hand luggage, and should remain in its original packaging for clear identification by Customs should they need to check contents.
Don’t forget your passport, driving licence and insurance (medical and travel) documents.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Definitive Caribbean is very grateful for the photographic contributions we received for the St Martin/St Maarten guide. Contributions came from the Sint Maarten Information Portal and the official tourism website of the island of Saint Martin.
Picture Editors, Alexander Gray & Will Orr |
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