Visit Saint-Martin / St.Maarten > Travel tips

Climate
Mean temperature is 80 degrees F year-round; 45inches of rainfall annually.

Transportation
Visitors can find taxis at the airport and at major hotels. Though the taxis don’t use meters, they have standard rates throughout the island. These rates increase by 25% at 10:00 p.m. and another 25% at midnight (the rates return to normal at 6:00 a.m.).

More adventurous travelers might want to try renting a car. Tourists won’t find rental cars at the airport to prevent competition with taxi services. Instead, shuttles take visitors to nearby satellite rental lots. Most hotels also offer on-site car rental services.

A word of caution: keep in mind that the roads on the Dutch side are quite narrow and winding. Even more dangerous are the local drivers, who all believe they have the right of way and that a mere honk is enough to signal their entrance onto the main road, regardless of the speed and proximity of oncoming traffic. Fortunately, the French side is somewhat less congested and easier to navigate.

Electricity:
(Dutch St. Maarten): 110-volt AC, 60 cycles (same as U.S. & Canada)

(French St. Martin): 220-volt AC, 60 cycles (requires the use of adapters and transformers)

Medical Facilities:
St. Maarten Medical Center in Cay Hill and L'hospital General de Gaulle in Marigot, St. Martin. Airlift is available to Puerto Rico and the continental U.S. in case of extreme medical emergency.

Airports
Princess Juliana International Airport (Dutch St. Maarten) services all the international flights. L’Espérance Airport (French St. Martin) services small commuter flights from neighboring islands.