St. Maarten Museum
Long before the French and the Dutch, there were the Arawaks. Pre-Columbian artifacts on the island are known to come from as early as 1800 B.C.E., with ceramics definitely dated to 550 B.C.E. A recreation of a c. 1500 B.C.E. burial mound found only in 1994 details life among the native people, the Arawaks, while other exhibits cover the plantation and slavery era, even modern-day development. Next to Marina Port la Royale Marigot • 590.29.48.36
tropical parrots in the region. There are ocelots, cotton top tamarins, bush dogs and peccaries on the mammal side, and caimans, red-footed tortoises, rainbow boas and Burmese pythons on the reptile side. A small “zootique” and playground complement the menagerie. On the Great Salt Pond, outside of Philipsburg www.stmaartenzoo.com • 599.543.2030
Loterie Farm
Fort St. Louis
Built under direct orders from King Louis XVI in 1767, the fort once overlooked the precious trade routes that built the economic empire of the Caribbean, but now stands as simply the island’s most dramatic historic site. The fort was always occupied by the French, save for one brief moment during the French Revolution, when the Dutch stepped in to keep the insurrection from spreading from nearby Guadelupe. Overlooking Marigot Harbor
The first owner of the farm was an Englishman who won it in a “land loterie,” but he wouldn’t recognize the place today. Yes, the farm still produces more than 1,000 varieties of coconuts, bananas, papayas and more, and he probably had trails that he followed akin to the hiking trails that wind up the side of Pic Paradis today. He would not, though, know what to make of the Flyzone ziplines, suspended bridges and the Tree Lounge. Route Pic Paradis www.loteriefarm.com • 590.87.86.16
Sint Maarten Park
The Butterfly Farm (La Ferme Des Papillons)
A unique blend of zoological, botanical and floral gardens showcases the lives of the plants and animals of the Caribbean and American tropics, including the largest gathering of
The Butterfly Farm calls on you to wear bright clothing and, believe it or not, citrus-based cologne, if you want the most delightful experience possible at their facility, as these items will attract their butterflies to land on you. A pair of
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Captain’s Guide MEGA YACHTS 2013
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