/St_Martin

A bit more than half the island is French St Martin. The remainder is Dutch St Maarten, complete with windmills and peope who don't take their dogs to restaurants as do the French. True, there aren't many windmills but the same can be said for Holland itself.

First, let's parlez-vous about St Martin. It is the High Cuisine Mecca of the region, and its capital city of Marigot is lined with shops as chic as any you might find in the south of France. If you haven't a thing to wear, head for the beaches where topless and even bottomless is as acceptable as in France. The French side of this Edenic isle has breathtaking scenery with or without the bikinis and "naturists." With such crystal-clear water and near-perfect weather, sports are a viable option. On the Southern 16 square miles of this 37 square mile island is Dutch St Maarten. Its Old Street in the capital city of Philipsburg evokes the tall, narrow buildings of Amsterdam in Holland.

There are beaches and sports to suit all tastes. You can shop till you drop, then get up again and shop some more. The bargains are everywhere because St Maarten is a truly duty-free, tax-free island.

Try your luck at any of some 10 casinos on this swinging island shared by two of Europe's most colourful cultures.

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