sint maarten/saint martin/voyage guide/sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING	SIGHTSEEING
To drive around the Island will take less than one hour. It can take much more time if you decide to visit all the sightseeing though around	See other day activities
PHILIPSBURG	PHILIPSBURG
Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, fills a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. Founded in 1763 by John Philips, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy, it soon became a bustling center of international trade. Today it is as bustling as ever, with lively shopping streets, cafes, and hotels.	Two main roads cut across the length of Philipsburg--Front Street and, yes, Back Street. Front Street, the main thoroughfare, is lined with duty-free shops offering everything from Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. Narrow alleyways lead in either direction to arcades and courtyards filled with flowers. Visitors will also find examples of traditional West Indian architecture, including characteristic pastel-colored houses with second-story verandas looking out over the street.
FRONT STREET	TODAY
Front Street, most prominent landmark is the Courthouse, built in 1793. A grand white wooden structure topped with a cupola, it now serves as St. Maarten's courthouse. Also on Front Street is the Stmartin Museum, which gives visitors an excellent introduction to local history. Among the artifacts on display are pottery from the island's original inhabitants, the Arawaks, and cargo salvaged from a British ship which sank off the coast in 1801.	Today, Philipsburg combines its historical legacy with 20th century excitement. Its waterfront has become a popular stop for cruise ships, and the town's many restaurants, cafes and night clubs offer entertainment well into the night. The town offers accommodations to suit every need, from modern resorts to intimate guest houses.
TWO HISTORIC FORTS	TWO HISTORIC FORTS
Two historic forts bear witness to Philipsburg's strategic importance in St. Maarten's history. Fort Amsterdam, built in 1631 on a peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay, was the first Dutch military outpost in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, it was soon captured by the Spanish, who made it their most important bastion east of Puerto Rico. The Spanish abandoned the fort in 1648, and since then it has remained in Dutch hands.	All military operations ceased in the 19th century, although the fort was used as a signaling and communications station into the 1950s. A few walls of the original bastion remain, and the site provides an outstanding view of modern Philipsburg. Fort Willem, easily recognizable by its television transmission tower, lies just to the west of downtown. Built in 1801 by the British, it was taken over by the Dutch in 1816. It's an easy hike up to the fort, with a lovely panorama of Philipsburg and neighboring islands at the top.

SIGHTSEEING
FRENCH SIDE

The best choice in the Caribbean

SIGHTSEEING	SIGHTSEEING

THE FORT LOUIS MARINA	HOPE ESTATE
Open daily from 8am to 12 noon 1pm to 6pm Tel: (0590) 51 11 11 website: www.marinafortlouis.info	The Hope estate Archaeological Association is bringing to light the oldest remains of the Amerindians occupation of the Island near the Grand Case Pond.
PARADISE PEACK	THE NATURAL RESERVE
The highest point of the Island: 424 m with an utterly unobstructed view. There is a guided tour to the Paradise Peack Sugar Mill. There is a farm restaurant	The natural preserve consist of 2900 hectares of marine reserve and 170 hectares of reserve land along the Nort East Coasts of the Island. Tel: (0590) 29 09 72
THE GRAND CASE SALT MINES	COLOMBIER
Until the Nineteen Sixties, the Grand Case Salt Mines produced high quality fine salt. A small railway carried wagons loads of collected salt to the Grand Case Bay to be charged in cargo boats for North America	Nothing looks like disturbing this bucolic scenery, yet until the last century wood pigeons where still hunted and coffee, indigo and cotton picked.