Saint Martin holidays

There’s double the carnival fun in Saint martin. This is the only island in the Caribbean with two different carnivals, spanning from February to April.

The French side of the island host carnival in February-March. This is a much smaller more intimate celebration than the other side of the island. This street festival happens during lent and the costumed people fill the streets with colour while the sounds of zouk music reverberate through the air. Bands both home growth and international play music as people dance through the streets with food and drink enjoyed as the party continues.

The big party is on the Dutch side... as the 17-day party runs between April and May – it's the longest-running carnival in all the Caribbean islands! The first bit of carnival here consists of ‘Jump Up’ soca music parties and then the carnival village takes centre stage. A setup of over 80 food stalls and a concert stage for performances from some of the biggest local and international stars. The next part of the party consists of the parades with colourful costumes and the final stages consist of a band clash musical contest and a steel pan performance.

Calypso is one of the popular music genres here which spread throughout the Lesser Antilles after being initially created in Trinidad and Tobago in the 19th century. Another genre loves in Saint Martin/Sint Maarten is merengue which evolved in the Dominican Republic and was brought over through trade and immigration. Soca is another extremely popular genre throughout the Caribbean and Saint Martin is no exception to the rule, this music will play throughout the carnival and is a top pick for dancing.

Saint Martin is known for its cultural fusion of food from the African enslaved people who were brought there, to influences from immigration over the years, as well as the Dutch and French impacts on the food culture. Like many Caribbean islands seafood is a speciality here, in fact, Sint Maarten's national dish is conch and dumplings with other popular seafood consisting of crab, urchin and octopus. The cuisine is usually heavily spiced with scotch bonnet chillies, curry, allspice and ginger amongst many others. There is also an abundance of French classics on the island such as escargot and Croque monsieur so you can have a taste of Europe in the tropical sun.

Guavaberry forms the basis of some of the most famous and popular beverages on this island. The fact that Guavaberry liqueur was named the national drink of both sides of the island tells you it’s a must have. This liqueur is used in a variety of different cocktails and really is a taste unique to Saint Martin since its rarely cultivated internationally.

Like many other nations people in Saint Martin love football. However, sailing is what this island is really known for due to the 12-Metre Regatta featuring ships from the biggest sailing regatta in the world, the America cup. The multi-million-pound vessels are donated to the island of Saint Martin where people of any age can get a chance to race on these top-quality boats.

The island of Saint Martin has some of the best shopping in the Caribbean. As the island is a territory of France and the Netherlands so European goods are abundant. One of the best places for shopping is on Front Street in Phillipsburg, a mile-long strip of shops and street vendors that offer high-end designer brands as well as local stores. On the French side of Saint Martin, the Le West Indies shopping mall is the go-to area for designer brands as well as boutiques. Some of the most famous French brands have a sport here including Lacoste and Jean Paul Gaultier so you get a taste of France right in the heart of the Caribbean.