Documentation becomes important for daytrips to Anguilla and other islands.

Area: Overall, 37 square miles: 20 are French, 17 Dutch.

Population: Over 30,000, most on the Dutch side.   

Language: Dutch and French in their respective domains; English is widely spoken.

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Rainy Season: This is a fairly arid place, with rainfall of only forty-five inches a year. Rain falls mostly between September and December.

Documents: St. Maarten, the Dutch side where the international airport/customs/immigration are located, is normally all you have to worry about. U.S. and Canadian citizens need only birth certificates and ongoing or return tickes. All others need passports and perhaps visas. Check the latest requirements at www.st-maarten.com

Cruise ship passengers or those in transit for a stay of less than 24 hours need some form of ID but not necessarily a passport. Air travelers need an onward ticket.

St. Martin's entry requirements become important if you decide to take the 20-minute ferry ride from St. Martin to neighboring Anguilla; the ferryboats depart and return to Marigot. U.S. and Canadian citizens need some sort of picture ID and birth certificate; a passport is required of everyone else.

There are no formalities for traveling between St. Maarten and St. Martin . The border is unmanned, designated only by signs or markers. After a few days, you tend to forget you're crossing from one country into another.

Currency: The guilder, the French franc and the Euro are the official currencies, but dollars are accepted everywhere. You need never change; in fact, you'll probably get a poor rate for the franc if you do. Banks are open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Taxes & Tips: St. Maarten has a 5% room tax; a 15% service charge is common for both. When dining anywhere in St. Martin, look for "Service Compris" on your bill; that means the tip has already been included. There is a $20 departure tax.

Restaurants: View St. Martin Restaurant Reviews from our Travelocity.com partner. Go to Mexico & The Caribbean, then click on St. Martin Restaurant Index. The fact there aren't any reviews for St. Maarten speaks volumes about which side has the better restaurants.

Electrical Current: It differs on the Dutch and French sides: 120, 60 cycles on the Dutch, 220, 50 cycles on the French. Most hotels have transformers.

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