If your idea of the perfect holiday includes beautiful beaches, year-round sunshine, turquoise seas, friendly locals, and delicious seaside dining – France and Holland might not be the first destinations that come to mind… but these two European  countries share a little piece of paradise in the Caribbean Sea – namely Saint Martin and Sint Maarten.

A popular port of call for cruise ships, St Maarten/Martin combines typical Caribbean style with a touch of European flair, especially on the French side where Euros are the official currency, and while it is one of the smallest Caribbean islands shared by two nations – it offers double the amount of fun!

We were lucky enough to call St. Maarten (Dutch Side) home for a whole six months, and while it took quite some time to get used to the intense Caribbean heat, tropical storms and pesky mosquitoes, we soon made new friends, found the best ‘non-touristy’ places to hang out, and spent every free minute exploring the two territories.

Driving around St Maarten/Martin is easy, so if you have a week or two on this pretty island, we would have to recommend you rent a ‘Love Machine’ (a rather nifty scooter!), and head off for a day of adventure.

If you fancy going further afield, head over to St Martin and catch a boat to the Paradise Island of Anguilla.  A holiday destination frequented by the rich and famous, Anguilla is dotted with luxury hotels and the most stunning white beaches you could ever wish to dig your toes in! 

Here’s what we got up to during our six-month adventure work placement…