The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: WSJ today/ St Martin

St. Martin
What to Do
On This Divided
Caribbean Island
By DARREN EVERSON
March 18, 2008; Page D6

What to do: Rent a car. It's the easiest way to see the entirety of the 37-square mile island, and it's a winding, hilly, worthy drive. Though the island is split roughly in half between French St. Martin in the north and Dutch St. Maarten in the south, traveling between the two is as easy as crossing state lines: There is no customs or physical border. Shoppers and foodies will prefer the French side, particularly the seaside town of Marigot; the Dutch end has a livelier nightlife, which includes numerous casinos. Beaches and snorkeling spots (and nude sunbathers) abound, including Ilet Pinel, a tiny island off the northeast coast that requires a five-minute boat ride to reach. Pic Paradis, a scenic hilltop near the island's center, is a popular hiking spot. Travelers also should consider taking a slightly longer ferry ride to one of the other nearby islands, including Saba, a hiking and scuba-diving destination, and Anguilla and St. Barthelemy, which offer more beaches.

Where to eat: Dining in French St. Martin feels like France, with the gourmet restaurants, the outdoor cafes and the leisurely waiter service. Unfortunately, it also costs like it: The euro can make dinner for two with a bottle of wine cost $130 pre-tip. There are several picturesque and romantic options, like La Vie en Rose (phone: 590-590-87-54-42), which has a view of Marigot's harbor and offers women a long-stem rose at meal's end. A row of restaurants overlook the ocean in the northern town of Grand Case, including Le Tastevin (phone: 590-590-87-55-45) and La California (phone: 590-590-87-55-57), but to get a table with a good view, you often need to call ahead. Also, it helps to pay attention to the sample menus posted outside. Several restaurants offer fixed-dollar exchanges -- look for "$1 = €1" on the menu -- but they typically rescind the deal if you pay by credit card.

Where to stay: The island offers both large, upscale resorts, like the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa (phone: 599-543-6700; starts at $483 in late March), and smaller, stylish boutique properties, like Le Petit Hotel (phone: 590-590-29-09-65; starts at $360 through March) and Hotel L'Esplanade (phone: 590-590-87-06-55; starts at $340 through March) in Grand Case. Rates at many hotels fall in April, the start of the off-peak season. Some timeshare/ownership properties also have rooms available for rent. The Flamingo Beach Resort (phone: 800-438-2929) in southern St. Maarten, for example, has balconies and its own beach; its rates during the off-peak season (April 16 to Dec. 15) are $195 for studios.

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Keep the 'change', thanks.