Michael Defreitas
PUBLISHED IN: Altitudes; Americas; Canadian
Traveller; Caribbean travel & Life; Coast to Coast; Diver;
Expressions; First; Globe & Mail; Interval World; Islands;
LA Times; Latitudes; National Geographic
Traveler; New York Post; Outside; Scuba Diving; Sport
Diver; Voyageur; Women’s World; Etihad Inflight (UAE);
Forbes (GDR); Geographical (UK)
SPECIALTIES: Active/Adventure/Outdoor travel;
kayaking; hiking; mountain biking; rafting; scuba diving;
adventure cruising; RVing in the Caribbean, North America
and Latin America.
BOOKS: Author of Caribbean Adventures In Nature;
Caribbean Travel Bug; and the AAA Vancouver.
Contributing editor for Alaska By Cruise Ship; Caribbean
By Cruise Ship; Hawaii By Cruise Ship; Mediterranean
By Cruise Ship; and Panama By Cruise Ship.
AWARDS: 2008 SATW Bill Muster Silver Photography
Portfolio; 2007 Caribbean tourism Organization Photographer
of the Year; 2007 TMAC Journalistic Excellence in Responsible
Tourism Reporting; 2007 SATW Bill Muster Gold Photography -Cultural Scenic;
2006 Caribbean Tourism Organization Canadian Travel
Writer of the Year; 2006 NATJA First Place Best Cover
Photography
(604) 946-5505
Fax (604) 946-5528
4579 - 64th St.
Delta, BC, Canada V4K 3M2
» michaeld@iwritetravel.com
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Sail Away To St. Martin
by Michael DeFreitas
Hoist your sail and head to St. Martin for its unique
fusion of European and Caribbean cultures. Part French, part
Dutch, the island combines a rich cultural mélange
with beautiful beaches and postcard-perfect waters. You’ll
soon discover the exquisite joys of island living at its finest.
You’re standing on the deck of Stars & Stripes,
the vessel that sailing legend Dennis O’Connor captained
to victory in the 1987 America’s Cup. The skipper gives
the signal, winches whirl in a blur of pumping arms and the
bullet-shaped hull slices through the Caribbean Sea. Your
boat heads for open water alongside your competition, Canada
II and her sister boat, True North IV.
You jockey for position at the starting buoy, and minutes
later you’re rounding the first upwind marker ahead
of the other boats. Over the next three hours the lead changes
hands three times, but Stars & Stripes crosses
the finish line first.
Sailing is the most popular activity in St. Martin, and the
12-Metre Challenge races are great fun for anyone 12 years
of age or older. Races are held twice daily, year-round, and
it’s best to make reservations (ANG140/US$78).
Cultural Fusion
However, sailing is only one of the exciting distractions
you’ll find on St. Martin, the world’s smallest
landmass (8 by 10 miles) shared by two sovereign nations,
France and Holland. With its fabulous beaches, one of the
Caribbean’s largest duty-free ports and such a diverse
cuisine that the island enjoys the nickname “Culinary
Capital of the Caribbean,” you’ll have a lot to
see and do.
The island’s split personality and racing spirit hark
back to the 1600s, when both the Dutch and French settled
the island. In 1648, after years of squabbling, they decided
to fix the border with a race.
Legend says two representatives, one from each side, started
near Oyster Pond on the east coast and raced around the island
in opposite directions––the Dutchman south, the
Frenchman north. They met later that day on the southwest
side of the island near Cupecoy Beach, and the border was
drawn between the two points.
Today, you can drive around the island in about two hours,
and except for two markers, you’ll hardly notice the
division. All residents are free to live on either side, and
both countries govern the island in an atmosphere of congeniality
and cooperation. No other Caribbean destination offers such
a fusion of Dutch, French and Caribbean cultures.
Although the north side is distinctively French, its laid-back
capital Marigot, with its soft pastel colored buildings and
open-air markets, has a typical Caribbean ambience. During
the town’s Fête de la Cuisine each autumn, residents
sample fare from Michelin-starred chefs and join in a calypso
contest. The 18th-century Fort Louis, on the hill above town,
and the St. Martin Museum (EUR5/US$7) offer insightful French
versions of the island’s history.
The decorative pink façades and curved rooflines in
the Dutch capital, Philipsburg, give it a European feel, but
the calypso rhythms and aromas drifting through town are a
reminder of its Caribbean roots. The compact St. Maarten Museum
(ANG1.80/US$1) has displays of the island’s Dutch history
and a wonderful collection of Arawak (original indigenous
people) artifacts dating back to the sixth century. At historic
17th-century Fort Amsterdam on the southwestern tip of Great
Bay, you can find old cannons and panoramic views of Philipsburg
and the bay.
Sea And Sand
With 37 beautiful, tranquil, palm-fringed, strands of white
sand to choose from, you can visit a different beach everyday
for a month and still not see them all. The sensuous two-mile
arc of Orient Beach sweeps around a beautiful azure bay, and
is one of the Caribbean’s top 10. The French residents
refer to their world-famous beach as the "Riviera of
the Caribbean." The northern part of the beach is best
for families.
The bay’s water and reefs are part of the protected
St. Martin Marine Park and offer spectacular snorkeling and
swimming. Thrill-seekers will find excellent kite boarding
and windsurfing along the windswept southern section of the
beach. Wind Adventures both offer rentals and lessons (starting
at EUR5/US$6.50 per hour).
Other spectacular beaches include mile-ling Great Bay Beach,
which fringes the colorful shops and restaurants of Philipsburg,
and secluded Long Bay Beach (the island’s longest) on
the south side of the island. In between are more intimate
beaches, like Petites Cayes and Baie Rouge on the French side,
and Dawn and Cupecoy on the Dutch side. Nestled in a calm
bay on the northernmost part of the island is secluded, palm-lined
Anse Marcel beach.
Shop Stops
Philipsburg is a duty-free mecca for shoppers. Lining Front
Street are an abundance of shops selling everything from electronics
to designer fragrances and fashions.
The Dutch Delft Blue Gallery has a wide selection of authentic
hand-painted traditional Delft blue pottery. Other popular
Front Street stops are the Shipwreck Shop, with its handmade
jewelry and island crafts, and the Cigar Emporium, with its
wide selection of the world’s top cigars including Cubans
(a box of 25 Bolivar Lonsdale, ANG399/US$225).
No trip to the island would be complete without a stop at
the Guavaberry Emporium, in an historic cedar gingerbread
house near the east end of Front Street. Guavaberry is a refreshing
island folk liqueur made from fine oak-aged rum, cane sugar
& wild St. Maarten guavaberries and sold in one-of-a-kind
hand-painted bottles (ANG30/US$16.95 a bottle).
Marigot has dozens of boutiques carrying the latest in chic
European haute couture designs. Along the Marina Royale and
the Rue Générale Charles de Gaulle, you’ll
find shops selling international prêt-a-porter fashions
with names like Hermès, Jean Paul Gaultier, Celine
and Versace.
Browse the Italian sportswear at the Max Mara boutique, or
La Romana’s fine lingerie and eveningwear by Italian
designer La Perla. Or haggle for some of the island’s
beautiful handmade batik wraps and shawls, or the hand carved
wooden figurines and bowls at the waterfront craft market,
held every Wednesday and Saturday morning.
Hot Eats, Cool Treats.
St. Martin’s lively melting pot of Caribbean, Dutch
and French cultures are prime ingredients for a smorgasbord
of fusion cuisine. Just stroll down the narrow cobblestone
streets of either capital and sample the eclectic aromas emanating
from every café, boulangerie, cucina and patisserie,
and you’ll understand why the island got its nickname.
The Island’s more than 300 restaurants offer meals to
suit every palate and budget. Some are gastronomic temples,
like Temptation, where charismatic owner/chef Dino Jagtiani
creates such nouveau Caribbean cuisine as Quack Quack L’Orange––glazed
crispy skinless duck breast (ANG60/US$35)––and
his cheesecake with mango berry granita and hazelnut oil dessert
(ANG21/US$12).
Others, like breezy La Belle Epoque and Le St. Germain brasseries,
and small cafés like Mario’s Bistro and Don Camillo,
serve scrumptious French and Italian cuisine. Then there are
the popular roadside or beachside lolos (barbeque stands)
like Kali’s and Johnny B Under the Tree. Sample a huge
portion of ribs (ANG9/US$5) or a whole grilled lobster (ANG35/US$20).
In Grand Case, the island’s premier dining district,
almost every doorway lining Boulevard de Grand Case opens
into a unique dining experience. Intimate L’Auberge
Gourmande offers appetizing French delicacies like Burgundian
snails with garlic butter (EUR13/US$18), while the livier
less formal Blue Martini Bistro dishes out Caribbean chicken
kebabs (EUR17/US$25) and apple tart flambé (EUR9/US$13).
For a more Caribbean vibe, head to the beachside lolo Talk
Of The Town for some tasty grilled lobster or chicken (average
price EUR7/$US9), served with a heaping helping of calypso
music.
You may find the list of St. Martin’s attractions and
fine eateries less daunting if you take a lesson from history
and do what locals do...just head north or south.
Top 10 Must-Do’s
- Try your luck at the tables, catch a great show and dance
till the wee hours at one of the island’s 13 casinos such as the Atlantis Casino.
- Howl at the moon around a huge beach bonfire at Kali’s
famous Full Moon Party.
- Park yourself on a driftwood stool at Guy’s Driftwood
Boat Bar and watch a
magnificent Caribbean sunset and the jets land while sipping
a mango cloud dacari.
- Play Tarzan or Jane as you zip-line through the treetops
at Loterie Farm.
- Stroll the enclosed tropical gardens of the Butterfly Farm
with a Brazilian Blue Morpho
butterfly perched on your shoulder.
- Hop the local ferry over to the nearby island of Anguilla
(the favorite island hangout of celebrities) for a round of
golf.
- Sail on a party catamaran to deserted Prickly Pear Island
for some unforgettable snorkeling and local rum punch.
- Have a picnic atop 1,400-foot Pic Paradise with its panoramic
views of St. Martin and the nearby islands of Anguilla, Saba and St. Barts.
- Leave the car behind and hop on Da Party Bus for an unforgettable
bar-hopping spree with two-for-one drinks at all your stops.
- Spend a half or full-day fishing for some of the region’s
trophy tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo and blue marlin.
Weather
St. Martin is bathed by the warm Caribbean Sea and cooled
by the trade winds, so it’s never too hot. It can, however,
be rainy May to November during the hurricane season. Water
temperatures vary from 78F to 82F (25-28C). Average daytime
temperatures May to November are 81F to 84F (28/29C), while
December to April is drier with temperatures between 78F to
80F (25/27C). Best time to visit is January to April.
Practical Tips
- Entry requirements - valid passport and return/onward ticket.
Although French is spoken on the north side and Dutch on
the south, English also is widely spoken.
The currency on the French side is the Euro (1 EUR = $1.30
US), and the currency on the Dutch side is the Netherlands Antilles Guilder or
Florin (1 ANG = $0.56US).
US dollars and major credit cards accepted throughout the
island.
The best way to see the island is by Rental car/jeep. Daily
rentals vary from US$25 to US$40 (less for weekly rentals).
Driving is on the right side.
Most shops are closed on Sundays unless there is a cruise
ship in port.
Restaurants tend to be smaller, so it’s best to make
reservations.
Fun Fact
The island’s airport was built in 1942 by the United
States as a military airstrip during World War II. Converted
to a civilian airport in 1943, the Princess Juliana International
Airport is now one of the region’s busiest commercial
airports.
Web Sites
www.st-martin.org
www.st-maarten.com
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