Beyond the classic Caribbean beauty that you’d expect to find here (200 miles east of Puerto Rico), St. Martin offers a unique blend of European culture, a buzzing nightlife, casinos, nude beaches and some of the best cuisine in the region. Settled by 15th-century Spaniards harvesting salt, the island rotated through multiple ruling nations before the French and Dutch finally settled for divided territories in the 1600s (currently, the northern half of the island is a “collectivity” of France and the southern half is one of four constituent countries making up the Kingdom of the Netherlands). Visitors will note the diverse melting pot of heritages that lend St. Martin its vibrant feel — a mix of European provinciality and West Indian island culture.
