Posted March 12, 2009

St. Maarten and St. Martin Airport Security, Passports, Money, Credit Cards, ATMs,
Gasoline, Using the Island Phone System, Cheap Cell Phones, Food Shopping, and
INTERNET Access

Heavily Updated March 12, 2009

Island Essentials:

• Size: 16 square miles St. Maarten (Dutch side), 21 square miles St. Martin (French side)
• Population: 35,000 (Dutch side), 30,000 (French side)
• Capital: Philipsburg (Dutch side), Marigot (French side)
• Political Status: St. Maarten is Dutch, Netherlands Antilles ( Holland ), but is moving toward autonomous country status affiliated with Holland, similar to Aruba's status, probably during 2010; French St. Martin is a dependency of Guadeloupe Island, but it is moving toward a semi-autonomous relationship with France and the European Union
• Language: St. Maarten (Dutch/Papiamentu/English); French St. Martin (French/Patois/English); English is dominant on the Dutch Side, and almost universal on the French Side 
• Currency: Dutch Side, Antillean “Florin” or Guilder ($US Dollar widely accepted) Currency: French Side, Euro (value varies, but some French Side businesses accept dollars and Euros at par if you pay cash; it pays to ask). Dutch Side currency will probably change in 2010 when the Antilles are dissolved. Current currency conversion rates for every currency on the planet are here.
• Climate: 82-85 degrees year round with constant breezes. Sometimes hotter in Summer. In mid-winter, low 70s is considered an unusual cold wave; locals wear sweaters and some wear coats.
• Electricity: Dutch side 127/120 volts 50 cycles (Adapters not needed for American appliances.) French side 220 volts 60 cycles (Adapters a must for American appliances.)
• Time: Atlantic Standard, year-round (one hour ahead of U. S. Eastern Standard Time). When Daylight Savings is in effect in the US, Atlantic Standard is the same time as Eastern Daylight.  
• Telephone: Dutch side-Dial 011+599+5+ local number French side-Dial 590+590+ local number (590 – 690 for calls to cellular numbers)
• Drive On: Right hand side of the road

AIRPORT SECURITY / PASSPORTS: Since 9/11, airport security has much tougher. Passports are required.

Allow at least two hours in the airport, preferably three hours, when leaving the U. S. for security before your flight time. In your carry-on baggage, don't put anything that security agents may find problematic. Carry on only what you really need; check all other baggage. Report any remotely suspicious activity you see anywhere IMMEDIATELY. You may also want to look under your seat; if you see anything there that doesn't belong there, give it to a flight attendant before the plane leaves the ground. (Applies wherever / whenever you fly.)

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CREDIT CARDS and ATMs: VISA is very widely accepted, but it is not quite "Everywhere you want to be" on the island. A few restaurants take only cash or travelers checks. American Express is less widely accepted particularly by the best restaurants. ATMs are easy to access especially on the Dutch side; we use them often.  Scotia Bank ATMs in Simpson Bay and elsewhere currently do not charge Bank of America customers for foreign ATM use. Scotia Bank usually gives you dollars or Antillean Guilders; the latter are handy for buying gas (see next item). 

GETTING GAS FOR RENT-A-CARs: Many gas pumps on the French side clearly convert Euros to dollars, or charge 1:1, so you can easily pay for gas in dollars. On the Dutch side, the conversion is less clear. Unless you can do the conversion in your head ($1= about 1.78 guilders), we recommend you pay in Antillean Guilders...that way there are no "inadvertent" miscalculations. Because of taxes, gas for years has been cheaper on the French side. Cheapest station on the island is usually Cadisco, French Side, near Orient Beach, which has been 1:1 for some time. Early in 2009 they were 82 cents per liter, very cheap for SXM. When you rent a car, ask the rental agent about where gas is currently cheaper. There are both Shell and Texaco stations here (Dutch side) but they have not customarily accepted US credit cards. Shell station value the dollar at $1.80 to guilders; Texaco, $1.78.

ABOUT THE ISLAND'S PHONE SYSTEMS: 

French Side: From overseas, dial 011-590-590 plus the six-digit number. If you're dialing a French side CELL phone, it's 011-590-690. (Check on the island to see what special codes you need to get French side numbers from the Dutch side.)

Dutch Side: If you dial any Dutch-side land-line phone numbers from the US, dial 011-599 plus the seven digit number. Usually, you will dial 011-599-54 and five additional digits. Cell numbers are (mostly) now 011-599-55X-XXXX, but other exchanges are now being used as well.

USING RENTED CELL PHONES IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: We strongly recommend the use of analog or dual-mode analog/digital cell phones in St. Maarten because Telem, the SXM phone company, hasn't been dependable in the past and they charge astronomical fees for calls home. You pay $5/minute at hotels, which also don't take most US calling cards, prepaid or otherwise. Your Verizon Wireless cell phone is at least $1.99 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls -- bad! We'll recommend a local phone rental outfit down this page. Much cheaper / better.

You can't dial 800 numbers from SXM for free. You probably will have to dial "300" first before dialing the 800 number, but the call will cost you. Ask before your call.

FOOD SHOPPING: For reasons we've never been able to fathom, some vacationers bring their own food wherever they vacation. (How can that be a "vacation?") SXM has great restaurants and American-style supermarkets with all your favorite food -- even Lactaid milk and sugar-free Murray's cookies. Leave the groceries home and shop in SXM. The best market is Le Grand Marche on the Union Road between Cole Bay (Dutch Side) and Marigot (French Capital). Le Grand Marche sells Etna Ice Cream, made on the island. It puts Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry's to shame, which is tough to do. Super creamy. No matter where you buy, watch food expiration dates...

Internet access: Regardless of whether you use an online service (such as AOL or MSN), or an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as Comcast, you can access your email in St. Maarten, easily, at reasonable speed, and WITHOUT international surcharges. Wireless Internet Access is widely available at most hotels / timeshares / villas, usually free but sometimes not. You'll often see folks with laptops picking up free signals. More and more free access is available ... just ask. 

Our Recommended Cellular Provider is Sharon's Cell Phone Rentals, a little storefront in Royal Palm Resort near the drawbridge on the Dutch Side. Reserve well in advance and tell them you were referred by Jeff Berger's everythingstmaarten.com.  They are the best on the island. No charge for incoming calls, and outgoing calls are VERY cheap even to the US and Canada.

Get 32 money-saving St. Maarten and St. Martin-focused travel benefits. Check here. 

Heavily Updated March, 2009