St. Martin & St. Barts Alive!

338 Pages·1998·1.44 MB·English

by  Harriet Greenberg

title: St. Martin & St. Barts Alive Alive Guides
author: Greenberg, Harriet.
publisher: Hunter Publishing
isbn10 | asin: 155650831X
print isbn13: 9781556508318
ebook isbn13: 9780585042251
language: English
Saint Martin--Guidebooks, Saint-
subject
Barthâelemy--Guidebooks.
publication date: 1999
lcc: F2006.G74 1999eb
ddc:
Saint Martin--Guidebooks, Saint-
subject:
Barthâelemy--Guidebooks.
Page i
St. Martin & St. Barts Alive
Harriet Greenberg & Douglas Greenberg
Page ii
HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.
130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818
732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; Fax [phone]
[email protected]
1220 Nicholson Road, Newmarket, Ontario
Canada L3Y 7V1
800-399-6858; Fax [phone]
The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington
Oxford, OX44 9EJ England
01865-361122; Fax [phone]
ISBN 1-55650-831-X
© 1999 Alive Travel Books, Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the written permission of the publisher.
This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities
contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals
and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or
illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information
in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of
information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume,
and hereby disclaim, any liability for any loss or damage caused by
errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems
caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions are the result of
negligence, accident or any other cause.
Maps by Kim André © 1999 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
2 3 4

Page iii
About the Authors
Harriet Greenberg has been an avid world traveller and accomplished
travel writer for over 20 years. She is the author of the award-winning
Israel On Your Own, as well as other guides in the Alive series. She is
currently researching Puerto Rico Alive, to be published next year.
Douglas Greenberg graduated from Arizona State University with a
degree in Travel & Tourism. He works at Fox Sports in Los Angeles
when he isn't exploring restaurants and nightlife on Caribbean islands.
About the Alive Guides
Reliable, detailed and personally researched by knowledgeable
authors, the Alive series was founded by Harriet and Arnold
Greenberg.
This accomplished travel-writing team also operates a renowned
bookstore, The Complete Traveller, at 199 Madison Avenue in New
York City.
Other titles in this series include: Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao Alive,
Buenos Aires & The Best of Argentina Alive, Venezuela Alive, The
Virgin Islands Alive, and Cancún & Cozumel Alive.
Page iv
www.hunterpublishing.com
Hunter's full range of travel guides to all corners of the globe is
featured on our exciting web site. You'll find guidebooks to suit every
type of traveler, no matter what their budget, lifestyle, or idea of fun.
Full descriptions are given for each book, along with reviewers'
comments and a cover image. Books may be purchased on-line using
a credit card via our secure transaction system.
Alive Guides featured include: Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao, Buenos
Aires & the Best of Argentina, Cancún & Cozumel Venezuela and The
Virgin Islands.
Check out our Adventure Guides, a series aimed at the independent
traveler with a focus on outdoor activities (rafting, hiking, biking,
skiing, etc.). All books in this signature series cover places to stay and
eat, sightseeing, in-town attractions, transportation and more!
Hunter's Romantic Weekends series offers myriad things to do for
couples of all ages and lifestyles. Quaint places to stay and restaurants
where the ambiance will take your breath away are included, along
with fun activities that you and your partner will remember forever.
Page v
Acknowledgements
To El Niño for the terrible weather that kept me indoors working on
this book instead of at poolside working on my tan, and the great staff
at The Complete Traveller who kept the bookstore running smoothly
during my absences.
We Love to Get Mail
This book has been carefully researched to bring you current, accurate
information. But no place is unchanging. We welcome your comments
for future editions. Please write us at: St. Martin & St. Barts Alive, c/o
Hunter Publishing, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818, or e-mail
your comments to [email protected].
Page vi
Preface
Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Barts and Anguilla are clustered at the
northern tip of the Lesser Antilles island chain. Saint Martin/Sint
Maarten, the largest and most populous island, is at the heart of this
exclusive trio, with tiny St. Barts only 20 miles south and Anguilla
even closer to the northeast. You can make your base on one of these
islands and take leisurely daytrips to its neighbors.
Not simply land blips in a sea of blue, these islands have personalities
defined by their former colonial rulers and by the mix of their current
inhabitants. St. Barts and a large chunk of Saint Martin are French,
both in spirit and ambiance. They offer the Caribbean's best
restaurants, topless beaches and exclusive shops. The smaller but
more developed Sint Maarten is Dutch, and most closely resembles St.
Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. It has the largest number of duty-
free shops in the Caribbean, high-rise resort hotels, gambling casinos
and a golf course. The beaches of British Anguilla stretch for miles
with ankle-deep white sand and off-shore coral reefs waiting to be
explored by novice snorkelers and scuba divers.
Throw in sunny skies, cooling trade winds and first-rate air
connections and you can see why we feel you should head to the
''international" corner of the Caribbean on your next vacation.
Page vii
Contents
About the Alive Guides iii
About the Authors iii
Acknowledgements v
Preface vi
ST. BARTS 1
Getting There 3
Getting Around 7
From the Airport 7
Navigating the Island 7
Orientation 10
Towns 12
Gustavia 12
St. Jean 12
Lorient 13
Corossol 13
Colombier 13
Sights 14
La Grande Saline 14
Vitet 14
Geography 14
Climate 15
Flora & Fauna 16
Plant Life 16
Animal Life 17
A Brief History 17
Sunup To Sundown 21
Gustavia (and Shell Beach) 23
Saint Jean (Saint Jean Beach) 27
Lorient (Anse de Lorient) 29
Pointe Milou 31