BEQUIA

This is the most northerly and the jewel in the necklace of islands called the Grenadines being about 5 miles long and half a mile wide. Friendly people, natural beauty and island charm make Bequia a very special place. Well known by yachtsmen, it is now being discovered by travellers seeking a natural place to relax and unwind. The centre of the island is hilly and forested, providing a dramatic backdrop to the bays and gold sandy beaches.

Admiralty Bay, the island's natural harbour, is a favourite anchoring spot for yachtsmen from all over the world, and here visitors can watch boats being built by hand on the shores.

The quaint waterfront of Port Elizabeth is lined with bars, restaurants and craft shops. Gold-sand beaches many of which disappear into coves, excellent for sailing, scuba diving and snorkelling, encircle Bequia. Much of the nightlife centres on the hotels and beachside barbecues, invariably accompanied by a steel band.

ST. MARTIN/ST. MAARTEN

St Martin Villa Rental

St. Martin villa rentals including Villa Harmony, a 2-bedroom property, Callisto, Giselle, Le Mas des Sables and Robinson, offering 3-4 bedrooms; Jasmin and Le Caprice with 5 bedrooms.

St Martin – The Island

The smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations, St. Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighbourly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years.

Once the home to the peaceful Arawaks and then the not so peaceful Caribs, it was reputedly sighted by Christopher Columbus on November 11th 1493, the feast day of St. Martin of Tours in Spain. In the years since the Dutch in the South and the French in the North signed the accord that halved the Island, it has been the delight of a succession of visitors who revel in its beauty. The border is almost imperceptible; people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country.

Both parts of the Island have managed to retain the distinctiveness of its their own national culture. The French emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafés and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place.

St. Maarten – The Island

St. Maarten with its busy cruise port, international airport and bustling commercial district has long been an active centre for trade and tourism. More developed and at the same time more informal, it is very Dutch in flavour and still has strong ties with fellow compatriots in the other Netherlands Antilles. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, vacationers will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun.

Located midway through the chain of islands in the Caribbean, just as the Antilles begin to curve to the south, St. Martin is sunny and warm year-round, averaging 82 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and just 2 degrees cooler in winter. The island is buffeted by cooling trade winds that keep things temperate all year long. Average annual rainfall comes to about 45 inches, most of which occurs around late summer and early autumn.

ALL STERLING RATES QUOTED ARE SUBJECT TO FLUCTUATIONS IN THE EXCHANGE RATE AND MAY CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.