Saint-Martin, the French part of the island it shares with Dutch Sint Maarten, takes up the north: Marigot, its main town, the seafront village of Grand Case and beaches such as Orient Bay. It is a French overseas territory and one of the EU's outermost regions, so it is covered by Roam Like at Home, and an EU SIM behaves on French-side networks exactly as it does at home. The catch is geography. The island's main international airport lies on the Dutch side, where Roam Like at Home does not apply, and no checkpoint or sign tells your phone where one side ends and the other begins.
Key facts for Saint Martin (French side)
- EU roaming: covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Digicel (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 112; ambulance 15; police 17; fire 18
- Embassies: none; the UK covers the French side from Paris and the US from Bridgetown, Barbados
Arriving through the Dutch side
Large aircraft use Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten, while Grand Case–L'Espérance, the French side's own airport, handles small planes. If you fly into Princess Juliana, you enter through Sint Maarten, so check its online arrival form before you travel, even if your hotel is in Marigot.
Once you are on French soil, French entry rules apply. British visitors need no visa for stays of up to 3 months, and their passport must still be valid 3 months after the date they leave. Saint-Martin sits outside the Schengen area, and proof of yellow fever vaccination is needed if you arrive from a country where the disease is transmitted.
One island, two sets of rules
You can drive from Marigot to Philipsburg without stopping at a single checkpoint, yet each side keeps its own laws. In the French north you must be able to prove your identity when asked, or within 4 hours at a police station, with a passport, a photocard driving licence or another government document. In the Dutch south, photo ID has to be on you at all times and a photocopy is not normally enough.
The emergency numbers change too: 112, 15, 17 and 18 on this side, 911 once you cross. French driving rules apply here, traffic keeps to the right, and a UK licence is accepted.
Health care and your EHIC or GHIC
Hospitals, emergency services and family doctors on the French side are good and comparable with mainland France, although some specialist treatment is only available on the larger islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Because Saint-Martin belongs to the EU, the UK's GHIC or a European Health Insurance Card gives you necessary state treatment on the same terms as local people. Neither card pays for private doctors or clinics, repatriation or non-urgent care, so travel insurance is still essential. Ring 15 or 112 for an ambulance. Zika and dengue are present, so use insect repellent.
Safety, storms and money
Crime levels are low. Even so, keep away from isolated places after dark, beaches included, do not flash cash or expensive-looking watches and jewellery, and lock passports and valuables in the hotel safe. The hurricane season normally runs from June to November; if a storm builds, follow the US National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization. The euro is the official currency, and US dollars are widely accepted.
Getting connected
With an EU SIM: on French-side networks your allowance works as usual. In Philipsburg, at Princess Juliana or simply near the border, though, your phone can latch onto a Dutch-side network, where Roam Like at Home does not apply and your operator's roaming charges begin. Selecting a French-side network manually in your settings avoids nasty surprises.
From outside the EU: add a travel eSIM before you set off. A Saint Martin plan covers the French side; if you will also spend time on the Dutch side or take the boat to St Barts, a Caribbean plan covers both halves of the island and St Barts, and a World plan suits a longer itinerary. Leave your own SIM in the phone for bank codes, with data roaming turned off.
Consular protection: who to call in Saint Martin
- Dial 112 for any emergency, or 15 for an ambulance, 17 for the police and 18 for the fire service. South of the border, on the Dutch side, the number is 911.
- The UK has no embassy or consulate in Saint-Martin and covers it from the British Embassy in Paris. The US has no consular presence on the French side either, and assists its citizens from its embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados.
- Other nationalities should find out which of their missions is responsible for Saint-Martin; the Telcomia app lists embassies and consulates with address and phone number.
- French is the official language.
Questions travellers ask about Saint Martin
Will my EU SIM work in Saint Martin?
Yes, on the French side's networks, because Saint-Martin is in the EU. If the phone hops onto a Dutch-side network, the EU rules stop applying and roaming charges can follow.
Do I need my passport to visit Philipsburg?
There are no border controls, but take it: the Dutch side requires you to carry photo ID, and a copy is not usually enough.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Saint Martin?
Digicel, on 4G where available.
Which emergency number should I call?
112, 15, 17 or 18 on the French side, and 911 on the Dutch side.
The short version
Complete Sint Maarten's arrival form if you land at Princess Juliana, keep an eye on which network your phone picks near the border, carry your passport when you head south, pack your GHIC or EHIC, stay off lonely beaches at night, and save 112 and 15.
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