The most unusual airport in the world (video). Saint Martin is the smallest inhabited island in the world

The island of St. Martin, also known as the island of Saint Martin, is located in Surprisingly, two states are located on this small piece of land - France and the Netherlands. Moreover, this is the smallest in the world inhabited island. All these incredible facts thousands of tourists are attracted here every year, since the weather contributes quality rest- warm sea, clean beaches and the sun, which shines almost all year round.

Island location

Saint Martin's Island is located in the northern ridge of the Eastern Caribbean. Part of the Small archipelago

The northern part of the coast of the island is occupied by the French overseas community, and the southern part is considered a self-governing autonomy, but it is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch part of the island is called Sint Martin.

Each part has its own capital. The French is called Marigot, and the Dutch is Philipsburg.

A remarkable fact is that the island received its name from the British. The primordial local natives always called him Narikel Jinjira, which in literal translation means It really paradise, therefore, it is not in vain that many tourists from all over the world are interested in where the island of St. Martin is located.

Geography

The area of ​​the smallest inhabited island on the planet is only 87 square kilometers. Most of them belong to the French side - about 53 square kilometers, the remaining 34 - under the jurisdiction of the Dutch.

The island of St. Martin is distinguished by a hilly relief. There are many mountains and hills, the highest point is Mount Peak Paradise. Its height is 424 meters above sea level. It is located in the French part of the island. Climbing the mountains is convenient and pleasant, most of the hills are covered with forests and greenery.

Climate

The island has a pronounced marine tropical climate. The rainy season here begins in April and lasts until about November. Rains are heavy, but most often short-lived.

Saint Martin is subject to trade winds at this time of the year, which neutralize the high humidity. Therefore, even in these months it is comfortable to rest here. The heat is not so strong due to the wind.

In the winter months, the temperature drops to 27-29 degrees above zero during the day and 20-22 degrees at night. Humid climate in winter is almost not felt. For tourists on the island there are about 30 beaches, almost all of them have white sand, which makes the rest unforgettable. Tourist places are located on both Dutch and French territory.

History of the island

Before the island belonged to the Arawak Indian people. They called it "Land of Women". It was a peaceful tribe that was mainly engaged in agriculture. The first to know where the island of St. Martin is, the British. On November 11, 1493, it was applied to the world geographical map. Until today, this date is considered the main holiday on the island.

French colonists came here only in 1620. They actively began to cultivate the cultivation of tobacco. And in 1631, the Dutch founded their base on the island. The first governor was Jan Claeszon van Kampen, who began to extract salt.

In 1633, Saint-Martin came under the protectorate of the Spaniards, who held it for several decades, repulsing the attacks of the Dutch. They left him only in 1648, when he stopped having strategic importance. Under the Treaty of Munster, he passed to the Netherlands. Ultimately, the French colonists also restored their settlements here.

Population and language

In total, a little less than 75 thousand inhabitants live on the island. Only a quarter of the population is white.

Saint Martin - the island of two masters. It received this name not by chance. Today, both the Dutch and the French peacefully coexist there in a small area, having a single colloquial- this is a Saint-Martin dialect of East Caribbean. At the same time, on the side of the Netherlands, Dutch is considered official, and on the side of France, respectively, French. In addition, English, Spanish and Papiamento Creole are extremely common.

Economy of the island

The main income item of the island's economy is tourism. The official currency is the euro, but American dollars are freely accepted everywhere, and most prices in shops and hotels are indicated in this currency, since the main flow of tourists still arrives from the United States. You can freely pay with a credit card anywhere, and the standard of living on the island is the same (and even slightly higher) than in Western Europe.

The Dutch part of the island is a well-known offshore. A large number of companies are registered in this territory, but business is carried out outside it and are exempt from taxes. Companies also benefit from the absolute absence of property taxes.

At the service of those wishing to fly to the island of St. Martin - Princess Juliana Airport. It is named after the Dutch princess, who came here a year after its opening, in 1944.

The airport is quite small. Length runway is only 2.3 kilometers. Therefore, only experienced and confident pilots fly here.

Landing on St. Martin's Island is considered one of the hardest in the world. Not only is the length of the runway very short, but in addition it also adjoins the seashore. As a result, a passenger liner has to be landed literally over the heads of tourists vacationing on the largest local beach - Maho.

Beaches on the island

Maho is one of largest beaches for which the island of Saint Martin is famous. The description of it always begins with what sensations tourists experience when passenger liners, arriving on the island, fly 15-20 meters above their heads.

Largely for this reason, Maho is extremely popular among spotters - people who are fond of watching aircraft. The beach itself is small, its length is about 300 meters, and its width is several tens of meters. In one of the eateries, it is obligatory to announce the approach of the next plane through the loudspeaker. Also everywhere along the beach there are boards on which the schedule of the next flights is written in chalk.

Due to the fact that Maho is regularly exposed to strong air currents from airliners, it is completely devoid of vegetation. Also because of this, there are almost always strong waves on the coast, which, in turn, attracts windsurfers. Being in the central part of the beach during the landing of an airliner is very dangerous - it is fraught with injuries (fatal outcomes are not ruled out), which tourists are constantly warned about by local administration employees. After all, the wind speed at this time reaches 160 kilometers per hour. However, many deliberately ignore these warnings, wanting to experience the thrill.

In 2008, the island of St. Martin was badly damaged by the hurricane. France did a lot to minimize the damage. Hurricane Omar washed away all the sand from it and had to be re-imported.

Attractions of the island

Also, tourists are attracted by the highest point of the island - Mount Peak Paradise. It has two viewing platforms, each of which offers an unforgettable view of the Caribbean Sea and the island coast. In order to climb the island, most often they use a car, since the road is very steep and rocky. A bicycle or a moped will not pass here.

The island is also popular among nudists. There are many beaches where wearing clothes is optional. For example, on the Dutch side, this is the Kupekoy beach, located at the very foot of the cliff. True, in the territory of the Netherlands this is the only such place, on any other beach you will definitely be fined.

In French territory, the favorite beach of nudists is Papagayo. Here it is officially allowed. On other beaches, those who want to sunbathe topless are most often tolerated. Especially if it's a weekday and there aren't many visitors.

Football team

One of the most interesting and amazing facts is that the island has its own football team. True, she is not a member of FIFA, therefore she does not participate in qualifying matches for the world championships. But he regularly plays in competitions held under the auspices of CONCACAF - the Football Federation of North and Central America.

The last time the Saint Martin team tried to break into the CONCACAF Gold Cup was in 2012. To do this, it was necessary to successfully perform at the Caribbean Cup. However, in the group stage, the team suffered three defeats - 0:7 from Haiti, 0:9 from Puerto Rico and 0:8 from Bermuda.

In general, the team is considered one of the weakest in CONCACAF. It has been in existence since 1994. On this moment played 26 matches, 17 of which lost. In 6 meetings, the guys managed to win. The most successful year for the Saint Martin team was 2001, when they defeated the teams of Montserrat and Anguilla with a score of 3: 1. These victories remain the largest in its history.

The largest defeat to the St. Martins was inflicted by the Jamaican team in 2004. The game ended with the score 12:0.

Saint Martin Island (in the Dutch version - Sint Maarten) - a small island volcanic origin, which is part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, washed in the east by the waters of the Atlantic, and in the west by the Caribbean Sea, located twenty kilometers northwest of the island and twelve kilometers south of the island. The name of the island was given by the Spaniards immediately after its discovery in honor of the day on which it was discovered.

Saint-Martin is a small hilly land area with rocky coasts resembling a triangle in shape with convenient bays in the north and south, as well as two internal lagoons connected to the sea by channels. In the vicinity of the island there are a lot of surface and underwater rocks and reefs, as well as small uninhabited islets, among which Tintamer and Pinet stand out in size. total area the island of Saint Martin is slightly more than 87 square kilometers.

Before the discovery of the island by Christopher Columbus in 1493, the island was inhabited by the Arawaks, who called it the Island of Salt or the Island of Women (matriarchy was not uncommon in the Antilles). Since the Spaniards were initially not interested in small islands in the Caribbean, in the 17th century the French and Dutch began to settle the island, and then, united in a coalition, repulsed the Spaniards who tried to capture this island. In 1648, during a treaty signed between France and the Netherlands, the island was divided between the two states.

Currently, the island of Saint Martin is divided into two parts. Northern part has the status of an overseas community of France, and the southern one continues to be part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, having a fairly wide autonomy.

The monetary unit in circulation on the territory of the northern (French) part of the island is the euro (EUR, code 978), consisting of 100 euro cents, and in the southern (Dutch) part of circulation is the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG, code 532), which consists of 100 cents. It is also worth noting that American dollars are widely accepted for payment for goods and services on the island.

The population of the island of Saint Martin is more than 74 thousand people. By ethnic composition blacks and mulattoes predominate, descendants of blacks brought for work from Africa, immigrants from the Netherlands and France in total account for approximately 25% of total number residents. The official languages ​​in the south are Dutch, and in the north - French, but, in addition to them, both Spanish and English can be heard in everyday life.

The administrative center of the French part of the island is the city of Marigot, located on the northwestern coast of the island and inhabited by about six thousand inhabitants. The center of the Dutch possession is the city of Philipsburg, located in the southern part of the island with a population of just over a thousand people. Among the others settlements the islands should be noted in the Dutch part of the towns of Kuulbaai, Princes Kvarti, Simonbaai, in the French - Colombier, Oyster Point, Quarti Orleans.

main direction National economy Saint Martin is an offshore economic and financial activity, as well as, to a large extent, tourism.

It is not difficult for tourists and guests of the island to get to Saint-Martin. In the southern part of the island, the airport named after Princess Juliana, one of the ten largest airports in the Caribbean region. Naturally, the airport has international status, as it receives flights from almost all countries of the region, Europe and America. In the northern part of the island, not far from Marigot tank, there is an airport, but in size it is significantly inferior to its counterpart, although it is capable of receiving flights from different countries. Both Marigot and Philipsburg are located on the shores of convenient bays and have port facilities that are capable of receiving passenger ships small and middle class, but mostly they are the place of mooring for private yachts. It is worth noting that Saint Martin is connected to the island by regular ferry service.

For tourists arriving on the island, there are 69 hotels of different classes. Hotels and inns are located, as a rule, in coastal areas close to beaches and salt lakes, and this significantly improves the service of establishments. Among the luxury hotels of the island are such as La Samanna, The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort Spa, Cap Caraibes Resort, Hotel Beach Plaza with five stars.

The climate of the island is tropical, dry and temperate, with the trade winds providing the humidity. The average temperature throughout the year is approximately + 24-27 ° C, despite the fact that there are no large seasonal temperature fluctuations on the island.

Despite the mountainous terrain of the island, its coast is replete with beaches with white Caribbean sand, which are washed by azure waters caribbean and the Atlantic. In both the French and Dutch parts of the island, there are about 30 beaches along the coast, among which beaches such as Gret, Cole, Longy, Rouge, Grand Cas, Orient and many others can be distinguished. On the beaches of the island, you can always large quantities meet surfers who catch, though rare, but rather high waves.

The island of St. Maarten does not have much to engage in diving, as it has practically no conditions for this. But presence coastal rocks And coral reef, which is home to myriads of tropical fish and other inhabitants of the sea, make every underwater dive unique and memorable. Diving enthusiasts can also explore the medieval frigate Proselyte, which sank nearby Fort Amsterdam, lying in relatively shallow water.

Salt reserves and the presence of inland salt lagoons make Saint Martin the most famous spa resort in the region. Numerous boarding houses in large numbers accept tourists arriving for the treatment of the musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary systems.

There are also attractions on the island that are worth seeing for tourists. First of all, these are the old defensive forts: in the French part - Fort Saint-Louis (in the suburbs of Marigot) and in the Dutch part - Fort Amsterdam (on the western spit near Philipsburg). The attention of tourists here is presented to the old fortress walls and cannons, as well as museums that operate on the territory of the forts. You can also admire the view of the extinct Mount Flagstaff volcano (translated as a flagpole) and the slopes of two low mountain ranges, Sentry Hill and Williams Hill, overgrown with local shrubs and low trees.

The island of Saint Martin has long been divided between two countries - France and the Netherlands. Once this situation caused some tension in relations between the islanders. Today, these disputes are a thing of the past and both parts of the island are actively engaged in servicing numerous visitors. Tourism is the backbone of the island's economy. Meanwhile, it is very dependent on the outside world: there is almost no agriculture and drinking water.

OVERSEAS TERRITORY

Saint Martin is the smallest inhabited island in the world, divided between two states.

Saint Martin is located in the northern part of the Small Windward Range. Antilles in an area of ​​high seismic activity. It is a low, hilly area of ​​land composed of volcanic rocks.

The coast of the island is an almost continuous strip of white sandy beaches. The coastline is very indented. In the western part of Saint Martin, a long and narrow spit has formed, separating the Simpson Bay lagoon from the sea - one of the largest inland bodies of water in the Caribbean. A significant part of the south of the island is occupied by the salt lake Great Salt Pond. The north of the island is covered with hills, and two low ridges - Sentry Hill and Williams Hill - descend to a gentle south coast, also indented by numerous salty lagoons and narrow deep bays.

Distinctive features of the island are the characteristic contours of the extinct volcano Mount Flagstaff (Flagstaff) with a height of 386 m and countless islets scattered along the coast of Saint Martin.

The landscape of the island is very deceptive: it seems green, but in fact it is poor in vegetation. Only in hilly central regions the remains of forests have been preserved, the main type of flora here is undersized shrubs. The vegetation is represented mainly by palm trees, hibiscus and cacti. The fauna is also not rich: common species of tropical birds, several species of lizards and feral goats and pigs.

There are no rivers on the island, but there are many dry hollows without signs of moisture.

Before the advent of Europeans, the Indians of the rather mysterious Siboney tribe, close to the Arawaks, lived on the island, whose origin is not exactly established. Indian fishermen and farmers settled here about 3.5 thousand years ago. They called their land Sualiga (Isle of Salt) and the Country of Women. There are many salty reservoirs in the south of the island, salt has been and remains the main natural wealth islands, and matriarchy is quite common in the Antilles.

The peaceful life of the Siboneans was destroyed by the Carib Indians, a warlike tribe that exterminated men and enslaved women.

The island was discovered to Europeans by Christopher Columbus in 1493, during his second voyage to the West Indies, and named Saint Martin. On November 11, it was put on the map, and this day is considered the main public holiday islanders today. Having proclaimed the island a Spanish territory, Columbus himself did not land on the coast. Yes, and subsequently the Spaniards did not consider it necessary to engage in the development of tiny and poor Saint Martin.

But the French and Dutch became interested in the island. The Dutch needed it as a convenient place to anchor their ships halfway from their colonies of New Amsterdam (now New York, USA) and Brazil. As for the French, they sought to colonize all the Antilles in a row.

In 1631, the Dutch settled in the south of the island, built Fort Amsterdam and began to mine salt. The French occupied the northern part of the island. After several attempts to recapture Saint Martin, the Spaniards abandoned it forever. The French and Dutch decided not to fight because of this piece of land in the ocean and in 1648 signed the Treaty of Concord, dividing the island among themselves.

In the XVIII century. the island turned into a sugar cane plantation, which was processed by slaves brought from Africa. Slavery was abolished in the middle of the 19th century.

For a long time, the island had the status of a "free port", since it had no other income. Only in the second half of the XX century. tourism began to develop rapidly here.

There has never been a movement for full independence on the island, which is why its northern part remained the overseas community of France Saint-Martin, and the southern self-governing state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands Sint Maarten.

Despite the fact that the French part of the island is larger than the Dutch part, the population on both sides is about the same. The frontier is practically not marked in any way, and people move freely from one country to another.

COCONUT ISLAND

Contrary to official name locals They called this land Narikel-Jinjira, or "Coconut Island".

If Saint-Margen is part of the territory of France, then the status of Sint Maarten gives it complete independence in internal affairs. The Dutch government is only responsible for defense and foreign policy. The head of the Dutch part of the island is the Queen of the Netherlands, and the French President of France.

The main branch of the island's economy is tourism, which is facilitated by a relatively favorable climate and convenient geographical location. A decisive role in the development of this sector was played by the transformation of the military airport in St. Maarten into a civilian international one. Also in the harbors of the island, huge cruise ships Panamax class (capable of passing Panama Canal). The Simpson Bay lagoon, which is very popular among yachtsmen, brings a lot of income. The water area of ​​the lagoon is divided in half between the French and Dutch administrations of the island. The tourism industry employs 85% of the working population. The agriculture and fishing industry employs only one percent of the population, and the island is entirely dependent on food imports. Own sources fresh water there is almost none on the island, and it has to be obtained by sea desalination.

During the years of slavery (XVIII-XIX centuries), the number of African slaves on the island exceeded the number of Europeans, which played a decisive role in the decision to abolish slavery. The descendants of black slaves make up the vast majority of the island's population.

The culture of Saint Martin is a vibrant mixture of African, Creole and European traditions of peoples from 70 countries of the world. Despite the nominal division of the island, both halves of Saint Martin celebrate general holidays, sing one common national anthem and in November celebrate the Day of Concordia (consent) - the date of the peaceful division of the island.

Capital of the French part of Saint-Martin - former village, and now the city of Marigot. The main attractions of Marigot - art galleries, historical museums, craftsmen's workshops. The main and most beautiful street of Marigot is Republic Avenue, lined with buildings in the traditional Creole style. Evidence of a significant French presence in the Antilles is the great Fort Saint-Louis (1767). Even the fishing village of Orleans, the very first French settlement on the island, has survived.

The administrative center of the Dutch part of the island is Philipsburg. It stands on sand spit, separating the salt lake of Salt Pond from Great Bay, and consists of two streets - Vorshtrat (Front Street) and Akhtershtrat (Back Street). The city differs from other cities in the Antilles in that classic examples of early colonial architecture have remained intact here. Even far from their homeland, European settlers built houses like in Holland: with steep tiled roofs, red-and-white facades and tiny square windows. The city has preserved two old fairly ruined fortresses: Fort Willem and Fort Amsterdam.

CURIOUS FACTS

■ There is a legend on the island about how the French and the Dutch divided the island between themselves. According to this legend, the Frenchman and the Dane left the same point on east coast islands. The Frenchman then went along the coast to the north, and the Dutchman to the south. According to the agreement, a border will be drawn from the place where they meet. The legend claims that a certain lady diverted the attention of the Dutchman and the Frenchman managed to overcome a greater distance, as a result, France got most of the island. In fact, the French brought a military squadron to the island and, under the cover of cannons, bargained for themselves a large territory.

■ Relations between the French and the Dutch on the island were very tense for a long time. From 1648 to 1816 armed conflicts broke out here 16 times.

■ The French-Dutch Treaty of Concord of 1648, by which the island was divided between the parties, is one of the oldest agreements of its kind in the world, still in force today.

■ Princess Juliana Saint Martin International Airport is one of the ten most dangerous in the world. A short runway with a length of 2 thousand meters begins at the very seashore, so when landing, planes fly literally over the heads of sunbathers on the beach at a height of 10-20 m.

■ The difference between the two parts of the island is that the mains voltage in the Dutch territory is 110 V, while in the French it is 220 V.

■ Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch part of the island, was named after John Philips, a sailor on a Dutch ship and later mayor of the city. Philips founded several sugar mills in St. Maarten, which gave impetus to economic development islands.

ATTRACTIONS

■ Butterfly Farm (Saint-Martin).
■ Parrot Jungle Parrot Sanctuary (Saint Martin).
■ Lothery Farm Forest Reserve (Saint Martin).
■ The old sugar plantation "La Sucreriere" (Saint-Martin).
■ Rose Valley Banana Plantation (St. Maarten).
■ Fort Charlotte (Saint Martin).
■ Princess Juliana Airport.
■ Philipsburg (Sint Martin): Sint Maarten Museum (collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and household items of the Dutch settlers of the 17th century), a monument to Queen Wilhelmina. Watney Square, Vorshtrat (Front Street) and Achtershtrat (Back Street), Fort Willem and Fort Amsterdam (XVII century).
■ Marigot (Saint-Martin): Lulu Gallery, Historical Museum“In the footsteps of the Arawaks”, La Royal yacht parking, Fort Louis (XVIII century), Republic Avenue.
■ Simpson Bay Lagoon.
■ Salt Lake Great Salt Pond.
■ fishing village Orleans (Saint Martin);
■ picturesque islands: Pelican Key (Guana Key), Little Key, Molly Bedy. Hen. Chicken.
■ Zoo and Botanical Garden(Sint Maarten): the rarest Saint Kitts monkeys.
■ The Creole village of Grand Case (Saint-Martin).
■ Beaches: Orient Beach, Mahobich. Anse Marcel, Plum Bay, Bay Rouge, Fry Bay. Petit Kay.
■ Peak Paradise Rise.
■ Mount Concordia.
■ Dormant volcano Mount Flagstaff (Flagpole).

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands #136

Saint Martin's is the world's smallest inhabited island, administered simultaneously by two independent governments. The northern part of the island is the French overseas community of Saint Martin, while the southern part is a self-governing state with significant autonomy (status aparte) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is called Sint Maarten. The area is 83 km² (including the Dutch part of the island - 35 km², the French - 48 km²). Highest point- Mount Peak Paradise (424 m) in the French part of the island.

The administrative center of the Dutch part of the island is the city of Philipsburg, the French one is the city of Marigot.

Before the discovery of America by Europeans, the island belonged entirely to the Arawaks, who called it the island of Salt (in honor of the main wealth of Saint Martin) or the Land of Women. After the discovery of the island by Christopher Columbus in 1493, the possession of the Arawaks was renamed Saint Martin, and November 11 - the day the island was put on the world map - is considered its main public holiday. A century and a half later, the first settlements of the French and Dutch appeared here, who formed a coalition when the Spaniards returned to Saint-Martin. The Spaniards were unable to take possession of the island, which was divided between France and the Netherlands according to the treaty of 1648. Today, this treaty is one of the oldest agreements still in force.

Population

The population of the island (French and Dutch parts together) is 32 thousand people. Whites make up 1/4 of the population. The name "St. Martin" was given to the island by the British, the locals call it Narikel Jinjira, which means "Coconut Island".

Saint Martin has a dry, temperate climate and, thanks to the trade winds, has sufficient humidity. Its relief is hilly, and the uplands are covered with greenery and forests. It also has over 30 beaches with white sand belonging to the French and Dutch territories. The surface of the island is mountainous, treeless; Mount Mont Paradis reaches 420 m in height.

Economy
The basis of the economy is tourism.

Official monetary unit on the Dutch side is the Dutch Antilles guilder, and on the French side, as in all other overseas possessions of France, the euro. The American dollar is accepted everywhere, in addition, most prices in shops on the island are indicated in this currency. The cost of living is similar or slightly higher than in Europe. Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

The southern, Dutch part of the island is an offshore zone. Companies registered in the Dutch part of the island and not doing business on the island are exempt from taxes. In addition, there is no tax on real estate and on income from its sale.

Princess Juliana Airport is located on this island. Landing in it is considered one of the most difficult, because the end of the runway adjoins the seashore, and the planes are forced to land literally over the heads of tourists relaxing on the beach, while the runway itself is only 2180 m.

The official language of the Dutch part of the island is Dutch. English and Spanish, as well as the adverb papiamento; on the french side official language is French, but local population also speaks English and Creole.

Princess Juliana Airport in the Dutch part of the island of St. Maarten is one of the largest air hubs in the Caribbean region. Ranked among the top ten dangerous airports peace. In the seventeenth century, the conquistadors besieged for a long time, but could not take possession of the island, which was divided between the Netherlands and France according to the oldest treaty of 1648. By the way, the treaty is still de jure in force. In 1942, an airfield was hastily built here, which is now international airport. Named after the Queen of the Netherlands, who visited here as Crown Princess in 1944, a year after the airport opened.

The runway is only 2,180 meters long, barely enough to big liners. For heavy aircraft, such as a Boeing 747 or Airbus A340, this is not enough - but there are no other options for landing here. Pilots start the liner to land directly above famous beach Maho Beach. That's why this place is so popular with planespotters. Maho Beach - perfect place for a detailed look at low-flying aircraft. It's hard to believe the authenticity of the pictures: giant liners, fly at a height of 10-20 meters above the vacationers. Despite the unusual takeoff and landing conditions, not a single accident was recorded here.

Saint Martin is the smallest piece of land in the world dual citizenship. The northern part is governed by the French government, while the southern side is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. English language in use on both sides, Dutch is the official language on south side, and French respectively in the northern half of the island. The island has two capitals, Marigot and Philipsburg. Saying Saint-Martin, they mean the French part of the island, and Saint-Martin (or Sint Maarten) - the Dutch part. There is also an airport on the French side of the island near Marigot, called Aéroport de Grand Case.

Terminal

The new four-story building offers all the necessary services on the road. Air-conditioned premises, shops, pharmacies, ATMs, taxi and information desks. Wi-Fi is everywhere in the terminal.

You can land a liner at this unusual airport in the popular flight simulator Microsoft Flight Simulator X. full version program this mission is called "Caribbean Landing".

How to get there

Rent a car. Here are the following car rental companies:

• Adventure Car Rental American Car Rentals
• Avis car rental Best Deal car rental
• Hertz Car Rental Lucky Car Rental
• Paradise Island Car rental Safari car rental
• Sidro United Sunshine Car Rental
• Thrifty Car Rental

You can ask the price and immediately book a car of any class on the official websites.

Taxis tirelessly ride all over the island. Moving from the airport to the nearest city of Philipsburg will cost about $30.

Shuttles from the airport run throughout the island. They do not have numbers, the route is written on the bus itself. The island is small, any transport moves freely throughout the territory.