Diving St. Maarten and St. Martin
The diving is fairly shallow, typically 60 feet or less, and the sites are a mixture of artificial reefs made by wrecks, old coral reefs, and encrusted rocks. You should consider St. Maarten/Martin as the center of a diving area that includes Saba, Statia, Anguilla, and St. Barts. Not all of St. Maarten/Martin’s reef sites are actually coral reefs. Many of the sites are rock formations encrusted with sponges, hydroids, and coral. In the north, there are interesting layered rock formations. In the south, Proselyte Reef, was formed by lava flows. In other areas, old coral reefs can be seen below new growth of coral and sponges. There are 11 wreck sites to dive. Marine life includes sergeant majors, blue tangs, surgeonfish, blue and brown chromis, trumpetfish, filefish, and trunkfish.
Best time to dive
Year-round the diving is great.
Visibility
Visibility averages 100 feet and sometimes reaches 150 to 200 feet.
Water temperatures
The water temperature ranges from 78°F to 82°F.
Weather and climate
The weather is tropical, meaning it’s hot and sunny year-round with very little temperature variation between seasons. Expect an average in the high 80s F during the summer, with a drop of only a few degrees for the winter season. Constant trade winds cut down on the humidity. The island’s interior is also home to some low-lying mountains, where the air is cooler and temperatures tend to be more pleasant.
Language
St. Martin uses French as their primary language. St. Maarten uses Dutch as their primary language.
Passport/Visa requirements
U.S. and Canadian citizens can enter with a valid passport or government-issued birth certificate. Citizens of all other nations need a valid passport. All travelers should have a round-trip or onward ticket.
Currency
St. Martin: Euro – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
St. Maarten: Antillean florin or guilder – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
On the Dutch side (St. Maarten) 110 volts AC is typically (like North America), while the French side (St. Martin) 220 volts AC is typical (like in Europe). Adaptors or transformers are necessary for North American appliances.
Capital
St. Martin: Marigot
St. Maarten: Philipsburg
General information
In the north of the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles chain lies St. Martin island, a small territory shared by two cultures, two countries, and thousands of tourists each year. St. Martin Island is divided into two halves roughly through its middle; on the southern side is St. Maarten, a Dutch dependency renowned for its restaurants, while the French dependency of St. Martin occupies the north and offers beautiful beaches and abundant water sports. Most of St. Martin Island’s 80,000 residents are of African decent, giving St. Martin Island a unique combination of European hospitality infused with Caribbean charm. One of the most wonderful things about St. Martin is its cuisine. This is one of the few places in the Caribbean where you can get a “taste of France” at highly reasonable prices.
Map
Get a map of St. Martin and St. Maarten from WorldAtlas.com.