Hallmarks of a St. Maarten Vacation

The tiny two-nation island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is widely recognized for offering excellent value for vacationers at the crossroads of the Caribbean. Within its 37 square miles, not only can visitors experience both Dutch and French culture for the price of one convenient flight, but they will also have a stunning array of picturesque landscapes to explore - from blissful beaches to imposing mountains - and a full range of activities. The St. Maarten Specialist course at TravelAgentAcademy.com focuses on the Dutch side but emphasizes that visitors should feel free to venture all over the island. Click through this slideshow to learn more.

Driving throughout the island is almost fool-proof on account of well-marked roads and easy-to-follow signs. So encourage your clients to rent a car and explore on their own. Their journeys might take them to isolated white-sand beaches, scattered coves and quiet inlets - all of which offer a taste of luxury without costing extra.

Most of the accommodations on St. Maarten come in the form of independent hotels, although there are some luxury chain hotels, including Westin, Wyndham, all-inclusive Sonesta and Little Divi Bay, which offers an all-inclusive plan. The luxury hotels have everything from casinos to spas to extensive watersport facilities. But no matter where your clients stay on the St. Maarten side, they won't be too far from beaches, restaurants and nightlife.

The Dutch side of the island has a greater variety of accommodations and is where the casinos are located. Also, all of St. Maarten is a tax- and duty-free haven with a selection of stores unrivaled in the Caribbean. Your clients can come home with great deals on jewelry, fashion, electronics, watches, liquor, cigars and more.

The entire island - the Dutch and French sides combined - is widely viewed as the "Gastronomic Capital of the Caribbean." With over 350 restaurants, St. Maarten/St. Martin simmers with flavors from all over the world. Here your clients can enjoy everything from Italian to Indian to Caribbean cuisine, including dishes that blend local sweet and spicy flavors into traditional international recipes, and find shops selling delicious pastries and baguettes.

Along with restaurants, there are other ways to experience the melting pot that is St. Maarten/St. Martin, with its Dutch, French and African influences and cultural contributions made more recently by immigrants from Haiti, the Dominican Republic and China. Recommend that your clients drive around the island and explore its diverse villages or book them on a cultural tour.

St. Maarten has dozens of pristine white-sand beaches, but nothing compares to the experience of Maho Beach, where planes landing at nearby Princess Juliana International Airport soar overhead at an altitude of less than 100 feet as they approach the runway. It's an event that draws beachgoers and spectators alike, who can upgrade their viewing fun with a piña colada in hand at the Sunset Beach Bar.

All sorts of watersports can be enjoyed on St. Maarten, including diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing and boating - for starters! Adventurous kids five years and older shouldn't miss riding along as passengers on the Rhino Safari, an excursion on motorized 10-foot-long inflatable boats that seat two. (Drivers must be 18 years of age or older.)

On land, your clients can check out a Harley Davidson tour that will take them around the island, try mountain biking or hike to the top of the 1,391-foot Paradise Peak for a spectacular view.

These are just a few of the ways your clients can enjoy an enriching St. Maarten vacation. Go to TravelAgentAcademy.com and enroll in the St. Maarten Specialist program to learn more!