St. Maarten / St. Martin with its
busy cruise port and bustling commercial
district, has long been an active center for trade and tourism.
Wide
beaches along the coast, full of sunbathers and surfers, seem a far
cry from
the quiet country roads and small towns of the hillsides.
In the
evening,
the hills of the interior become even more peaceful, while the glittering
casinos and pulsing clubs of the coast just begin to come alive. Emphasizing
comfort and elegance, the beaches are secluded, and some of the
restaurants offer the finest dining experiences in the Caribbean.
The latest
French
fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of
fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas
of West
Indian cooking.
Small cafés and charming bistros add a
decidedly Gaelic and
cosmopolitan flair to the place.
Fun Fact: The Arawak Indians were the first to inhabit the island of St. Maarten. They left their homeland in the Orinoco basin of South America and migrated along the chain of islands in the Caribbean. They gave it the name "Sualouiga" meaning "Land of Salt" for the salt-pans and the salty water they found here in great abundance. |
