This is the first of the St. Maarten/St. Martin travel series. We’re looking forward to a visit there in March 2010. Stay tuned for more about this Caribbean gem.
[2026 Note: Suite 101 is defunct, but here’s the article:]
The island, which is referred to as both St. Maarten and St. Martin sits in the northeastern Caribbean Sea and is one of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. The Leeward Islands are so named because they sit downwind from the Windward Islands, which are the first greeters of the trade winds.
The elevation of the island ranges from the lowest-lying southern portion to the highest point at 1,400 feet, Pic Paradis. Flora includes flowering shrubs and trees, cacti, palm trees, and a bit of forest left in the hills. Fauna consists mainly of small rodents and birds.
The principal town in Dutch St. Maarten is Philipsburg, and the principal town in French St. Martin is Marigot.
A Word About the West Indies People of St. Maarten/St. Martin
A South American tribe from the Amazon Basin, called the Arawaks, first inhabited St. Maarten/St. Martin around 200 to 300 B.C. They were overcome by another South American tribe, known as the Carabs, in the 14th century. The Carabs named the island, Soualiga, or “land of salt,” because of its salt pans, which form when sea water pools and then evaporates.
The Spaniards mapped the territory as San Martin, after Saint Martin of Tours, but never colonized the island. Then, in 1631, the Dutch founded a trading post there. They harvested salt from the salt pans while the French settled on the north side of the island. During this time, the Spaniards took over, but they soon abandoned the island. This left the Dutch and French to fight among themselves.
A Moment for St. Maarten/St. Martin Political History
Although most sources marvel that the two countries have lived peacefully since the 1648 Treaty of Concordia, the island has actually changed hands 16 times since between the Dutch, French, and the English. In 1817, the Treaty of Paris decided the current border between the Dutch and the French sides of St. Maarten/St. Martin.
The French took the northern two-thirds of the island, because they were concerned about invasion from the British on the 35-square-mile island of Anguilla. The Dutch retained the low-lying southern section of the island with its commercially valuable salt pans.
A Nod to the Caribbean Island St. Maarten/St Martin Tourist Economy
The first economy on St. Maarten/St. Martin was formed by plantations, which were worked by slaves until 1863. The plantations produced sugar, salt, cotton, and indigo, a legume from which dye is made. Without slaves to work the land, the island’s economy declined until 1939, when it was declared a duty-free port. The allies occupied the island during World War II, building an airport, from which the present tourism economy evolved.
While the Dutch side of the island is smaller than the north, it attracts more American buyers than the French side because it is closer to the airport. It is also flashier than the French side, with large resorts and casinos.
Finally, a Peek at the Climate Found on the Leeward Isle, St. Maarten/St. Martin
There is no specified rainy season on St. Maarten/St. Martin, but hurricanes are a factor from July through November. For instance, the area was blasted by Hurricane Luis in September 1995 and Hurricane Omar in October 2008. Mostly, however, St. Maarten/St. Martin offers a stable weather pattern year-round because of the trade winds, averaging 82 degrees in summer and 80 degrees in winter.
For information on getting to St. Maarten/St. Martin read Preview St. Maarten/St. Martin – Airline Options. Get ideas for places to stay on the island at Preview St. Maarten/St. Martin – Where to Stay. For some suggestions on how to spend less on this type of vacation go to Preview St. Maarten/St. Martin – Ways to Save $$.
