Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/471424
St. Maarten/St. Martin 77 ST. MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN Two nations, two cultures—one single, celebrated island. On the Dutch side, rolling hills swell over 16 square miles, with Phillipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten, recognizable to frequent cruisers. Over 500 duty-free shops line Front Street, alongside more than 300 restaurants and 14 casinos. Down the avenue are 37 white beaches with visibility of up to 100 feet at sites like the HMS Proselyte frigate, but non-divers are far from land-locked—sailing is a significant part of the culture, and cruises through lagoons to nearby islands, and water sports are always available. To the French north, jet skiers and windsurfers chase the action of the seas, while fashionable visitors seeking modern culture find it in capital Marigot's Marina Port La Royale. Historians can sample the past at Loterie Farm, where a former slave trail leads to streams, foliage, iguanas, hummingbirds and Pic Paradise, the island's highest point. For a literal taste of St. Martin, look no farther than the fine dining of Grand Case, where casual "lolo" shacks serving conch and other local specialties interweave with harbor bistros and, of course, cafés. Marigot Bay Great Bay Orient Bay Simpson Bay Cole Bay Longue Bay Juliana International Airport Marigot Philipsburg S T . M A R T I N S T . M A A R T E N Simpson Bay Lagoon L'Esperance Airport Oyster Pond Grand Case Caribbean Sea 0 1 mile 0 1 km 12 9 8 4 7 1 2 6 5 11 3 10 14 13