Automobile

Europcar St. Maarten: The Ideal Choice for Your Island Adventures

By TOI Staff July 11, 2023 Update on : July 11, 2023

Want to go to a tropical paradise for a vacation? We have just the right place for you, St. Maarten Island. It is a tiny island known as the smallest landmass to hold two nations. Its clear skies, lush palm trees, numerous beaches, and clear blue waters make it an ideal place for an adventurous vacation. The blend of two different cultures adds more charm to the island and makes the entire experience more exciting.

Where is St. Maarten?

St. Maarten is located in the Northeastern part of the Caribbean Sea, just about 300 km away from Puerto Rico, another famous tropical island. As mentioned before, the island is known as the tinniest landmass to hold two nations: Netherlands and France.

The island is divided into two parts, the southern part is a Constituent territory of the Netherlands, and the northern part is the overseas territory of France. The Netherlands side of the island is called Sint Maarten, while the French side is called Saint. Martin. The capital of Sint Maarten is Philipsburg, and the capital of Saint Martin is Marigot; because of the island’s tiny size, both of these capitals are only 5 km apart.

What to do when you arrive at St. Maarten?

When you arrive at the island, the first thing you need to do is to arrange your accommodation and a means of transportation. The accommodation is easy to arrange; you can just stay in a hotel; there are many excellent quality hotels on the island; transportation, however, is a little different.

Although we said that St. Maarten is a tiny island that is compared to other islands, the surface area of this island is around 88 square km, which means there is no way you can move around on foot. The public transportation on the island can be unreliable, so we recommend not to use them if you don’t want to get frustrated.

Another feasible way to travel is by taxi, which can be expensive if you want to stay for a long time. The perfect solution is renting a car; it has many advantages. It is much more affordable than a taxi, and the car stays with you 24 hours a day, so you have transportation available whenever you want to explore the island.

The best car rental agency in St. Maarten, according to our experience is Europcar; it is the best Car rental in Princess Juliana Airport. If you arrive at the island by plane, you will likely land at the Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) near the famous Maho Beach. This makes it very convenient; you can get your rented car minutes after arriving and start your vacation immediately.

What is Princess Juliana Airport?

Princess Juliana Airport is one of the busiest airports on the island; it is located on the Netherlands side of the island. This airport is famous worldwide because its runway is just a few meters away from Maho Beach. People at the beach can see the plane and feel the gusts of wind when they land. This is a spectacular sight to behold; many people visit the beach just to see the planes landing and taking off.

How to rent a car from Europcar St. Maarten?

The best thing to do is to make a booking with Europcar before you arrive on the island. Although you can book a car after arriving, sometimes no free cars are available for you to rent. Or maybe there are cars available, but you might have to pay extra for an emergency booking.

So rather than depending on luck, it is best to call them to book a car before your vacation starts to make sure everything goes as planned.

What types are cars are available at Europcar St. Maarten?

As mentioned before, www.europcar-sxm.com is one of the best car rental services in St. Maarten. So, they naturally have a wide variety of cars to cater to the needs of different customers. They have both economy and luxury cars, so they can accommodate you no matter what your budget is. The most common cars that people rent from them include compacts, sedans, jeeps, and SUVs.

All their cars are in top condition, and most have various advanced features such as automatic gears, air conditioning, extra tires, and an excellent navigation system.

What you need to know before driving to St. Maarten:

Like any other place, St. Maarten has strict laws regarding driving, so we recommend following them if you don’t want to ruin your vacation.

You must have a driving license from the United States or Europe; without it, you legally cannot drive a vehicle on the island.
You must be at least 21 years old, no younger than this, and you cannot drive.
You must follow the speed limit of whatever road you are on, which is usually between 30 km/h to 80 km/h.

When is the best time to visit St. Maarten Island?

As mentioned before, St. Maarten is a tropical island which means it has a warm climate all year round, so you can come here whenever you want. However, if you want to avoid peak tourist season or hurricane period, the best time to visit is between May and June or between November and mid-December. During these times, the weather is pleasant, the skies are clear, and there are few tourists.