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General Information About the Island and the Resort
Table of Contents
A Note From Management
Entry Requirements
Customs
Airport Departure Tax
Airlines
Check-In / Check-Out
Cancellation Policy
Currency
Languages
Electricity
Telephone
Television
Climate
Time Zone
Population
Marriage
Airport Transfers
Rental Car
Taxi
Beaches
Duty Free Shopping
Casinos
Flora and Fauna
Things to Do, Places to Go Around the Island
A Note From The Management
We would like to thank you in advance for choosing to stay with us again or for the first time at Captain Oliver's Resort. Our primary objectives are to make sure that you truly enjoy your vacation and to ensure that your stay with us is a memorable one. We'd like you to feel so comfortable and relaxed here that you'll want to come back again and again. All the personnel here at the resort will do their utmost to achieve this goal. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist you in any way.
Entry Requirements
U.S. citizens need a valid passport or birth certificate with raised seal and photo identification and a return/continuing ticket. As of December 31, 2006 a valid passport will be required, so we suggest you go ahead and get one since you'll need one anyway if you decide to visit the neighboring islands.
Canadian citizens need a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.
European community citizens need a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.
For a list of countries that require a visa for entry please visit the St. Maarten Office of Tourism's website.
www.st-maarten.com/requirements.htm
Customs
St. Maarten is the only completely duty-free port in the Caribbean. No vaccination certificates are required unless arriving from an area experiencing an epidemic.
Airport Departure Tax
For international destinations, there is a departure tax of US$30. for those age 2 and up. This departure tax might be already included in the airfare of certain airlines.
For islands within the Netherlands Antilles, the departure tax is US$10.00. This departure tax might be already included in the airfare of certain airlines.
Airlines
From the United States
- American Airlines direct from New York, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.aa.com
- US Airways direct from Philadelphia and Charlotte, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.usairways.com
- United Airlines direct from Chicago, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.united.com
- Continental direct from Newark, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.continental.com
- Delta Airlines direct from Atlanta, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.delta.com
- Northwest direct from Detroit and Minneapolis, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.nwa.com
- Spirit Airlines direct from Ft. Lauderdale, with connecting flights from numerous cities throughout the U.S.
www.spiritair.com
- GWV direct from Boston.
www.gwvvacations.com
- In addition there are numerous charter flights available.
From Canada
- Air Transat from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax.
www.airtransat.com
- Air Canada direct from Toronto.
www.aircanada.com
- Conquest from Toronto.
www.conquestvacations.com
- Signature Vacations from Toronto.
www.signaturevacations.com
From Europe
- KLM direct from Amsterdam with connecting flights from numerous cities thoughout Europe.
www.klm.com
- Air France direct from Paris, with connecting fllights from numerous cities throughout Europe.
www.airfrance.com
- Corsair direct from Paris.
www.corsair.fr
Within the Caribbean
- Dutch Antilles Express from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire.
www.flydae.com
- LIAT from Antigua, Anguilla, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, San Juan and Tortola.
www.liat.com
- Caribbean Star from Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tobago, Trinidad, Tortola and San Juan.
www.flycaribbeanstar.com
- American Eagle from San Juan.
www.aa.com
- Winward Islands Airways (WINAIR) from, St. Kitts/Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, St. Barth's, Dominica and Tortola.
www.fly-winair.com
Check-In / Check-Out Times
Check-In time is at 3:00 P.M., for early arrivals we will do our best to accommodate you and store your luggage. Check-Out time is at 11:30 A.M. Please consult the front desk for late check-out arrangements, if necessary and if available.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel a reservation, please do so at least 7 days prior to your scheduled arrival date to avoid a 1-night penalty during the low season. During the high season, please notify us at least 14 days prior to arrival to avoid a 3-night penalty.
Currency
The Netherlands Antilles Florin (NAF/Fls), a.k.a. Guilder, is the official currency of Dutch St. Maarten. The exchange rate is 1.79 to the US$. The Euro is the official currency of French St. Martin. The exchange rate fluctuates, but it runs around .70 to the US$. You may run across some places that will accept one to one if you pay cash. The US$ is accepted throughout the island.
Languages
French is the official language of St. Martin and Dutch is the official language of St. Maarten. English is widely spoken on both sides of the island. You'll hear all sorts of different languages spoken on the island - Papiamento, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian to name a few. Most of the employees at Captain Oliver's Resort speak both French and English.
Electricity
The electricity is 220-volt. Each guest room is equipped with one 110-volt outlet in the bathroom for razors, etc. (not recommended for curling irons)
Telephone
Telephone calls made from St. Martin are expensive, especially when compared to the U.S. From your room you can dial direct and the charges will be placed on your hotel bill. You can find dialing instruction in the hotel directory located in the guest rooms.
Television
There are a few channels in French and a few channels in English (including a news channel, premium movie channel, and some network channels).
Climate
The climate on St. Martin/St. Maarten varies little from summer to winter. The average year round temperature on the island is 83 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the ocean rarely drops below 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius. Light trade winds prevail throughout the year, making even the warmest summertime temperatures comfortable. The average yearly rainfall is 45 inches or 114 centimeters. On the days when it does rain, it is usually in bursts, which pass quickly.
Time Zone
St. Martin/St. Maarten is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round. During the spring and summer it is the same time as on the eastern coast of the U.S., during fall and winter it is one hour later on the island.
Population
The population on the Dutch side of the island is around 42,000 and around 36,000 on the French side.
Marriage
The residency law has been changed and now allows for non-residents to get married on St. Maarten. It is necessary to request permission from the Lt. Governor. Detailed information is provided on the St. Maarten Office of Tourism website.
www.st-maarten.com/weddings.htm
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers are included in the package plans offered by Captain Oliver's Hotel. If you are not staying with us on one of those package plans, there are plenty of taxis available at the airport.
Rental Car
To really discover the island of St. Martin / St. Maarten you may want to take advantage of our preferential rates with our partner SIXT car rental. There are different models available to suit your needs: Hyundai, Picanto Getz, Rio, Elantra, Jeep Sportage, Sonata, Wragler, Chrysler C 300, or a minibus. Rental cars may be picked up at the airport or at the reception of Captain Oliver’s Hotel.
Taxi
As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of taxis available at the airport. For taxi service from the hotel, simply contact the front desk. Please allow a minimum of 30 minutes for pick up, further advanced notice is recommended.
Beaches
There are 37 beaches on the island. Dawn Beach is located just across the bay from Captain Oliver's Resort. Free taxi-boat service to and from the beach is provided for hotel guests - it takes just a couple of minutes to get there. On calm days it's great for snorkeling due to the offshore reefs. Also because of the offshore reefs, on windy days there is a nice surf break that is fun for body surfing. Also there is a sandy area in front of the hotel with some tikis and hammocks that is private for hotel guests.
Duty Free Shopping
St. Martin/St. Maarten is known as a duty-free shopper's paradise. On the island you will find items from all over the world - precious stones and jewelry, watches, electronics, linens, wine and liquor, designer handbags and much more - all duty-free! Front Street in Philipsburg has earned the name "The Golden Mile". Marigot is renowned for its top European fashions.
Casinos
There are 12 casinos on the Dutch side of the island; there are no casinos on the French side.
Flora and Fauna
The tropical vegetation at Captain Oliver's hotel and around the island includes coconut trees, banana trees, flamboyant trees, palms, hibiscus, bougainvillea, oleander and cacti. Ferns and other tropical flowers can be found in the mountainous regions of the island. At the resort you will see a nice variety of birds including pelicans, herons, egrets, sea gulls, sugar birds and humming birds. Other than Edith, Edward and Eddy the iguanas at the Iguana Bar you may run across other land or sea iguanas, an occasional mongoose, and of course the cute little lizards.
Things to Do, Places to Go Around the Island
Many of our guests are quite content staying around Captain Oliver's in Oyster Pond and Dawn Beach for their entire vacation. Others also want to do some exploring around the island. Here are some suggestions that we have for places you may enjoy visiting while on your vacation. This is just a brief overview of a few of our favorites; we'll provide you with details when you get here. We've also included some links to websites that you can visit to learn more.
The Boardwalk along the beach in Philipsburg. This is one of the newest additions on the island, part of a St. Maarten beautification program. The boardwalk extends for about a mile along the beachfront on Great Bay. It makes for a beautiful stroll and easy access to plenty of shopping and restaurants. Lots of live entertainment is featured along the boardwalk. Segway rentals are even a fun way to explore the many offerings along the boardwalk, down by the sea.
Loterie Farm in Pic Paradis. This is in the central mountainous area of the island and is the highest point of the island so the views are magnificent. It used to be a sugar plantation and now the 160 acres of rainforest have miles of trails for hiking and even canopy-style riding above the lush tropical foliage known as "The Fly Zone". A team of French technicians installed this adventurous course of zip-lines and it's safe for both adults and children. For smaller kids they even have the "Little Tarzan" trail. Plus they have a cafe there.
www.loteriefarm.com
St. Maarten Zoological Park is just east of Phillipsburg. This is home for 80 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Plus they have gardens that exhibit beautiful plants from all around the Caribbean. There is also a playground there for the kids to enjoy.
www.stmaartenpark.com
OK Corral is right here in Oyster Pond for horseback riding. During the two and a half hour ride between Oyster Pond and Orient Beach, your horse will take you along the seaside, for a swim, and for a stroll on the beach.
Butterfly Farm at Le Galion Beach. Here you will find beautiful gardens with ponds, a waterfall and hundreds of rare and exotic butterflies fluttering around to the music softly playing in the background.
www.thebutterflyfarm.com
Pinel Island is just minutes off shore from French Cul-de-sac. There are two boats that run ferry service between 10 a.m. and 5 pm. Or you can do a full or half day trip on a sailing catamaran from Captain Oliver's Marina that will take you to both Pinel and Tintamarre. Pinel is a small uninhabited island with a gorgeous protected white sand beach that is surrounded by shallow water. Just a short swim or walk off the beach there is a protected area for some nice snorkeling. The fish here have the habit of being fed, so bring a little bread with you to make some quick aquatic friends - great for underwater photos. Plus on the island there are a couple of restaurants that serve lunch. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available to rent.
Tintamarre Island is about 15 minutes off shore from French Cul-de-sac. This is a completely uninhabited island, not even any snack bars, restaurants, or beach chair rentals. It has a long stretch of beach with a good day anchorage just off shore making it a boater's paradise. Here you'll find mud that you can apply to your body and hair, let it dry, then go in the sea to wash if off - after you'll feel silky smooth all over.
Fort St. Louis in Marigot. This historical fort was built in 1776 and offers a panoramic view of Marigot and Simpson Bay. Along the harbor at the foot of Fort Louis hill is one of St. Martin's newest additions - Le West Indies Shopping Mall. This beautifully designed 3-story mall houses 22 stores with offering that include fashions, jewelry, cosmetics and Caribbean gifts.
Sint Maarten Museum in Phillipsburg. Here you can learn about the island's history, from pre-historic times to the present.
The Local Market along the waterfront in Marigot. Every Wednesday and Saturday morning there is a colorful open-air display of items ranging from freshly harvested Caribbean produce to local arts & crafts and beach attire.
Clothing Optional Beach at Orient Bay. This is a bustling place with a lot of restaurants, bars, shops, and watersports. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available to rent.
Plus there's lots of activities to enjoy on the island: jet skiing, wave running, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, sport fishing, kiteboarding, kayaking, golf, sky diving . . .
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