Saint Martin overview : Discover

Discover Saint Martin Overview

• Location : North of Saint Barthelemy, 300 km from the coast of Puerto Rico.
• Population : a genuine melting pot with over 80 nationalities and 10 different languages spoken
• Capital : Marigot.
• Surface area : 52 km2 for the Northern part of the island.
• Number of inhabitants : estimated around 36,000 (29,888 in 1998).
• Languages : French, Dutch, English, Spanish and Creole
• Currency : the official currency in use is the Euro, though US dollars are also widespread. Traveller’s cheques and credit cards are accepted everywhere. Cheques from outside the island are very often refused.

Climate

Average temperatures move around 27 °C, with peaks of 32 °C and descending only very rarely to below 20 °C, which makes Saint Martin an excellent sunny destination, especially during Europe’s winter months. Surrounded by magnificent beaches, the island is a perfect place to idle around in the shade of a coconut tree. The climate is generally of a pleasant nature, with constant temperatures and the refreshing breeze of trade winds, though summer months are slightly on the sultry side with high levels of humidity. There is no real “rainy” season, as showers are brief and only rarely violent, and it is difficult to determine an “ideal period” to visit the island. The only climatic phenomenon to really watch out for is the possibility of hurricanes in the months of September and October, and prices generally tend to go down in the muggier periods from the end of April.Average temperatures move around 27 °C, with peaks of 32 °C and descending only very rarely to below 20 °C, which makes Saint Martin an excellent sunny destination, especially during Europe’s winter months. Surrounded by magnificent beaches, the island is a perfect place to idle around in the shade of a coconut tree. The climate is generally of a pleasant nature, with constant temperatures and the refreshing breeze of trade winds, though summer months are slightly on the sultry side with high levels of humidity. There is no real “rainy” season, as showers are brief and only rarely violent, and it is difficult to determine an “ideal period” to visit the island. The only climatic phenomenon to really watch out for is the possibility of hurricanes in the months of September and October, and prices generally tend to go down in the muggier periods from the end of April.

Population

Origins of Saint Martin’s population are rather diverse, and this constitutes a sort of national pride in the island’s inhabitants. Over 80 different nationalities are said to be living in the area (though not more than 45 according to the Tourist Office), making the island a nest of cosmopolitanism, where a walk of only a few streets can end with a major culture shock. French, Creole, Dutch, English, Spanish and other languages are spoken all around, and even tourists are also of varying background, with no domination of French or American travellers.