Philipsburg
Philipsburg is the capital of Dutch St. Maarten and the only
town of consequence on the island. It has two main streets, Front
Street (
Voorstraat) and Back Street
(
Achterstraat), connected by several bustling
thoroughfares, and filled mainly with duty-free shops, cafes,
hotels and courtyards overflowing with flowers.
The town has an unusual setting, sitting on a narrow stretch of
land between Great Bay, on the south coast of the island, and the
Great Salt Pond (a huge marsh). It is the port of call of hundreds
of cruise ships, filling the primary need of the day-tripping
passengers who come ashore mainly to shop for everything from
Italian leather goods and Japanese cameras to native crafts. The
town's nightlife is regarded as among the liveliest to be found in
the Caribbean.
Architecturally the town, founded in 1763 by John Philips (a
Scots captain in the Dutch navy), is quaint, with characteristic
pastel-coloured West Indian houses lining the streets, and a few
Dutch colonial landmarks, including Fort Willem, built in 1801, and
Fort Amsterdam, constructed nearly 200 years earlier.
Attractions
Fort Amsterdam © MoToMo
Dutch Forts
The town of Philipsburg boasts the remains of two historic forts
that bear witness to its strategic importance in days of old. Fort
Amsterdam, the first Dutch military establishment in the Caribbean,
was built in 1631 on a peninsula between Great Bay and...
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Front Street courthouse © Photocapy
Front Street (Voorstraat)
Front Street faces south onto the ocean, running about half a
mile (1km) east to west, and is the main drawcard in Philipsburg
for tourists. At its eastern end is Wathey Square, housing the
tourist information kiosk, just a minute's walk from the
semi-circular...
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Mullet Bay, Philipsburg © St Maarten Tourist Bureau
Philipsburg Beaches
Dutch St Maarten's prime popular beach resorts extend as a
series of sandy bays from Philipsburg along the southwest coast of
the island, reaching a grand finale at the great spread of Simpson
Bay, site of the international airport. From the headland at...
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Pottery © Unhindered by Talent
Simartin Museum
The tiny Simartin Museum in a century-old house on Front Street
is a mine of information for those interested in the island's
history, from Amerindian times through to the colonial period.
Among the artefacts on display are pottery from the island's
original inhabitants, the...
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Golden Lion Tamarins © sxmzoo.networkidl.net
St Maarten Zoo
North of Philipsburg on Pondfill Road is the St Maarten Zoo and
Botanical Gardens, situated in the Madam Estate area. The zoo is
home to more than 250 animals of about 60 different species,
including six on the endangered list such as Bush...
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