1312mrw@houxa.UUCP (M.WILSON) (04/10/85)
I'm considering going to St. Maarten for 4 or 5 days and would like to know of any good packages or deals. More than likely I'll be traveling alone and would leave during the week to miss the crowds. I was told this was a quiet island has anyone found this to be contrary. Mike Wilson Houxm!houxa!1312mrw
royer@savax.UUCP (royer) (04/15/85)
> > I'm considering going to St. Maarten for 4 or 5 days and > would like to know of any good packages or deals. More than likely > I'll be traveling alone and would leave during the week to miss the > crowds. I was told this was a quiet island has anyone found this to > be contrary. > > Mike Wilson > Houxm!houxa!1312mrw *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR SUNTAN *** I returned three weeks ago from a week in St. Maarten. We travelled on a tour set up by GWV (a package). Generally, things went OK and I'd use their service again. St. Maarten is kind of spread out. Unless you intend to park at your hotel and not move, you'll want a car for at least a day or two. Your can rent from just about anyone. If you're luckly, you can get a good deal from an "independent" for about $25/day, but you might have problems; the major rental chains will charge in the vicinity of $50/day but will be considerably more supportive of you. You'll need a reliable car: the roads on St. Maarten are the *WORST* I've ever seen. P.S. there are cabs and something which passes for public transportation, but I don't think you'll want to be limited by them all the time. Since you'll be travelling alone, you might be able to link up with someone who has wheels. The Dutch side has most of the people and hotels and the biggest share of the greed (not all of it, just most). Everyone there speaks English and the local currency is just for show, the dollar is king. The rule seems to be "Anything to keep the tourist spending money and to hell with everyting else". The French side seemed very much more laid back and genuine. I realize that a lot of people feel the other way, but ... The beaches are great and they're all public and they're all around the island. Have fun ! -- Tom Royer Sanders Associates MER24-1283, CS2034 (603)-885-9171 Nashua, NH 03061-2034