Travel in St. Martin

 Hello! It looks like you are thinking of traveling to St. Martin, but there's a few things you'll need to know before you should simply book a flight or cruise out there. 

One of the first things when considering traveling is to ask whether or not you need some kind of Visa or Passport in order to step foot in the country. St. Martin is no exception. Most of you will most likely be headed to St. Martin via a cruise, they tend to be very popular. Cruises can dock, but if you do not have a passport, you are not allowed to legally leave the boat. There are some places, usually shipping businesses, or government buildings that can help get you set up with your passport. For both there will be some kind of fee. In Georgia the fee can go for about $150-200 dollars just from the governmental fee. Some businesses or government offices may even add additional payments on top of that for the varying things that go into it. 

Next you have to find a place to stay, and this can depend on the type of travel and how long you plan to stay on the island. Most often in the form of hotels these can run you $100-300 dollars each night, which can be quite the expense. However if you are visiting via a cruise then this is not a payment you have to worry about, as most cruise lines include arrangements to sleep within their own packages. 

The Caribbean is known for its beaches and its waters. As such some of the best places to visit are the Great Bay Beach, Little Bay Beach and the Boardwalk. The boardwalk is home to many of the restaurants and shops that visitors to the island are likely to visit. For those interested in movies and props the unique "Yoda Guy" museum on the island, is home to many props from famous science fiction and horror movies from the 70s to 90s. It is interesting to note that the "Yoda Guy" is able to sell merchandise on the island without running into the usual copywrite laws that would otherwise limit or prevent him in the states. 

Often included in packages are the excursions. Snorkeling and scuba diving are staples on the island, with there being many locations to do so around the island. In addition there are fun activities such as stingray petting, where a caretaker will help visitors pet the animals in safe ways. Much sure to take as many pictures as you can of your time on the island, for those underwater images it's recommended to purchase a GoPro camera which can be purchased for around $50. 

Now for the fun part, counting up all the expenses for a weekend or weeklong trip. Including everything from the passport, to the travel ticket, to the hotel on the island it can vary depending on how long you wish to stay. At a base for a weekend trip you are looking at $400-1000 not including food or beverages. To stay for a week (5 days) will cost you about $700-1300, with a majority of the cost being hotel costs.