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Updated on 8-October-2009 |
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| Day Trips To Nearby Islands |
Blowing Point ferryport
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Getting There
St.Martin/St.Maarten is just 5 minutes by plane or 15 minutes by ferryboat from Blowing Point ferryport in Anguilla.
Between 7:30AM and 6:15PM, ferries run at approximately 30 minute intervals between Blowing Point, Anguilla and Marigot Bay, St. Martin. Last ferries of the day are the 6:15PM from Anguilla and the 7:00PM from Marigot Bay, St. Martin.
Ferry crossings are US$10 each way, plus US$3 departure tax. Ferries are also available for charter.
Ferries also run between Juliana in Dutch Sint Maarten and Anguilla. Anguilla to Juliana is US$15 and Juliana to Anguilla is US$20. |
St. Martin from Blowing Point
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Background To St.Martin/St.Maarten
St.Martin/St.Maarten is the smallest island in the world to be divided between two sovereign powers: One half is Dutch and the other half is French. The island is quite different from Anguilla and the Dutch and French sides are culturally distinct from each other. Each side has its own charm, and taking each side in turn you can see what they have to offer.
An often repeated story is that the island was divided into two sections through a race; the French-dominated community chose one person for the race and the Dutch-dominated community chose another, a man named Menno Versteeg. The two representatives were put back to back in one extreme of the island, and made to walk along the coast in opposite directions. They were not allowed to run. At the point where they eventually met, a line was drawn across the island, connecting their starting point with their meeting point. This became the frontier which divides Saint-Martin from Sint Maarten, according to the legend. The reason for the difference in size between the two sides was said to be that the French representative moved faster than the Dutch.
In one version, the explanation for the French walker's quicker pace is that he drank wine beforehand, while the Dutch walker drank beer. This is used to support the claim that wine has restorative effects and that it was the French drink of choice that enabled the French walker to move faster. |
Marigot...
Approaching Marigot
Approaching dockside at
Marigot |
The French Side
Above all, it is decidedly french. The ferryboat arrives at Marigot and the Gallic atmosphere is instantly noticeable; the atmosphere of the cafés and pastry shops is similar to a French market town on the Mediterranean. Marigot has plenty of good restaurants preparing cuisine in the classic french tradition but also offering american, caribbean and international cuisines. The shops in Marigot, located around the Marina Port La Royale in the southwestern portion of the town, offer tropical and designer fashions and accessories at duty-free prices. Nearby, the 'St. Martin Museum, On the Trail of The Arawaks' documents the Arawak Indian settlement of St. Martin dating back to 1800 BC. As in Anguilla it displays artifacts such as jewellery, beautiful ceramics, rock carvings and even a recreation of a 1500 year old local burial site. It also has more recent historical displays. Tour guides speak both english and french. There is also a gift shop and art gallery upstairs.
Pic Paradis (Paradise Peak) & Loterie Farm lies between Marigot and Grand Case and at around 1400 feet (427 metres) offers the best views in St. Martin. You don't even have to go to the very top for the best views, just go as far as the road lets you. Near the start of the road up to Pic Paradis you will find the entrance to the Loterie farm on your right. It's a 154-acre private nature preserve at Pic Paradis, designed to preserve the island's habitat, and is an eco haven with pristine tropical rainforest and mountainous terrain. There's also a canopy tour on the 'Flyzone Extreme' using cables, ropes and suspension bridges. There's also a good café to unwind at. |
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The Butterfly Farm,
St. Martin
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The Butterfly Farm
On the East of the French side near Galion Beach lies The Butterfly Farm and for nature lovers this is an unexpected treat. A micro-ecosystem has been created with beautiful landscaped gardens, a waterfall, ponds, japanese fish and peaceful music. Butterflies from all over the world populate this environment and go about their life-cycle from courtship dances, laying eggs, emerging from their chrysali to taking their first flight. There are informative guided tours plus a gift shop and a small refreshments bar. Photographers are most welcome. It's open from 9.00am to 4:30pm. |
St. Martin Sunset |
The Dutch Side
Philipsburg is a good half-hour from Marigot so you will either need to rent a car or grab a taxi. You can also get a ferry service to Juliana from Blowing Port in Anguilla. In many ways it is Front Street in Philipsburg that captures the atmosphere of the Dutch side well; the street and its little alleyways (or steegjes as the Dutch call them) are bustling with activity and lined with colourful shops. The duty free deals are generally accepted as the best in the Caribbean on the vast array of goods (cameras, mp3 players, stereos, watches, jewellery, leather goods, computers, and phones just to name a few). Do note that H.M.Customs Anguilla reserve the right to hold duty free items for you until you eventually leave Anguilla, so don't be perturbed if the item(s) are put in their storeroom on your return.There are a number of good restaurants and bars in walking distance of Front Street where you can cool off with a 'Dutch Coffee'- it comes in a green bottle with the word "Heineken" written on it. There is a small museum at the end of Front Street - the Sint Maarten Museum showing the history and culture of the island in a series of changing exhibits. If you don't get the chance to visit the museum in Marigot, you can take the opportunity to visit this one.
Visiting St.Martin/St.Maarten can be very rewarding if you are looking for a brief change of pace and a unique juxtaposition of cultures. When the day is over you can catch the ferry or your plane back to Anguilla and return once again to blissful peace. |
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Front Street Video
With over 100 jewellery shops on Front Street alone, Phillipsburg is definitely worth a visit if you want get some shopping in! This video account tells you what the place is all about, day and night.
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Other Islands |
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St. Barthelemy
Day trips are available to St. Barthelemy, a small island with a unique French/Swedish influence. Despite its diminutive size it has a very cosmopolitan air and the idyllic main town of Gustavia has a number of excellent restaurants and luxury item shops. Day trips can be arranged from Anguilla. The airport must have one of the most hair-raising landings ever, but at least one doesn't have to steer in between the trees like the first pilot did back in the 1920's!
Sandy Cay, Dog Island, Prickly Pear
Luxury powerboats or catamarans offer all-inclusive cruises as well as an informal ferry service and these trips are the ultimate in peaceful isolation. |
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