Located 186 miles east of Puerto Rico, a major appeal of St. Martin Island is that it offers you two cultures in one island, since it is divided into an official French territory and an official Dutch territory, each with its own separate government.
The northern end of the island is the French side, and it comprises 60 percent of the island’s land. The island’s French side is known for its nude beaches, clothes, shopping (including outdoor markets), and rich French and Indian Caribbean cuisine.
The southern end of the island, the Dutch side, has the larger population and a much more active night life, with casinos galore and other attractions that will remind you of Las Vegas.
Duty-free shopping has turned the island into a virtual mall, and the Dutch capital, Philipsburg, is often bustling with cruise-ship hordes.
Add to all that some of the most stunning scenery found anywhere in the Caribbean Sea, as well as an average 80.6 degrees temperature, and you can see why St. Martin is one of the most popular vacation spots in the Caribbean.
That popularity means St. Martin all inclusive vacation packages also abound, in order to remain competitive with all the other great vacation spots in the Caribbean.
Seven-day packages are the most popular, both at resort hotels and at many villas for rent that are surrounded by the luscious vegetation.
When you participate in such all inclusive vacation package deals, you’ll save hundreds of dollars by covering with one billing all your food, transportation, tours, and special event costs. We’ve tried a couple of them and have been very happy each time.
This post brought to you by one of our Caribbean Vacations travel writers