St Martin (St Maarten) Yacht Charters

Fact File for St Martin (St Maarten)

The “Friendly Island” is one the Caribbean’s premium charter destinations. With a pristine coastline, 37 remarkable beaches and the world’s most exclusive boutiques, this two-nation island has it all.

COORDINATES: 18º04N, 63º03W

LANGUAGE: French (Saint-Martin), Dutch (Sint Maarten); English and widely spoken; Papiamento is the local lingua franca.

CAPITAL: Marigot (Saint-Martin), Philipsburg (Sint Maarten)

WEATHER: Tropical monsoon climate with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from August to December. Temperatures remain stable throughout the year with an average daily mean of 27C (81F).

BEST TIME TO CHARTER: December-April

AIRPORTS: The main gateway to neighboring Caribbean islands as well as intercontinental destinations is the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on St Maarten, sitting right by the famous Maho Beach.

TIME: UTC-4

CURRENCY: EUR (FR) + Antillean Guilder (NL); Dollars are also widely accepted on both sides. Major credit cards are common. ATM machines can be found everywhere on the island.

ELECTRICITY: 220 V, 50 Hz (FR); 110 V, 60 Hz (NL)

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

1 Jan - New Year's Day
Mar/Apr Good Friday, Easter Monday
27 Apr (26 if a Sun) - King's Day
1 May - Labor Day
Apr/May - Ascension Day
May/Jun - Whit Monday
1 Jul - Emancipation Day
14 Jul - Bastille Day
21 Jul - Schoelcher Day
21 Oct - Antillean Day
1 Nov - All Saints Day
11 Nov - Saint Martin Day / Armistice
15 Dec - Kingdom Day
25 Dec - Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day

MAIN PORTS AND MARINAS: Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Yacht Club, Koolbaai, Great Bay Port

RECOMMENDED BEACHES: The island boasts a total of 37 beautiful beaches to discover.

CULTURAL: The island has no visible border between France and the Netherlands and is a unique blend of cultures. St Martin is known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean with a number of great restaurants, ranging from casual to elegant.