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Dive Adventures

Explorer Ventures Ltd. Liveaboard

The Horny Toad Guesthouse

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Dive Services/Accommodations
Dive Adventures PO Box 5262, Simpson Bay Sint Maarten Netherlands Antilles Tel. 599 544 2631 Fax. 599 544 2476 One of the longest running dive shops ,conveniently located at Pelican Marina. Nitrox, dive packages, Saba day trips & night dives. Great dive team. Accomodation packages, group specials and private dives available. Large watersports and activity center located at the dive center. » Number of Dive Boats: 3 » Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 15 » Gear Provided: All except computers » Rental Gear Available: Included on dives only » Nitrox Available: Yes » Type of Diving Available: Wreck and reef » Total Dive Sites: 20 » Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 15 » Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 40 » Certification Agencies: PADI » Courses Offered: Open water, advanced, rescue, divemaster, nitrox diveadventures@sintmaarten.net http://www.diveadventures-sxm.com   Explorer Ventures Ltd. PO Box 488 Mabank, TX 75147-0488 USA 800-322-3577; 903-887-8521 903-887-8526 info@explorerventures.com http://www.explorerventures.com Liveaboard diving vacations for 16 to 18 passengers, to Turks & Caicos, Saba, St. Kitts, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, and to the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea from Cairns, Australia.   The Horny Toad Guesthouse 2 Vlaun Drive, Simpson Bay St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles Tel.: 599-545-4323 Reservations: 800-417-9361 Fax.: 599-545-3316 E-Mail: info @thtgh.com Web: http://www.thtgh.com The Horny Toad Guesthouse is a deliberately small and distinctive oceanfront guesthouse that is known for its congenial and unpretentious atmosphere. Relaxing, reading, swimming, walking, sailing, watersports, boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, golf, shopping, casinos, nightclubs, and wonderful restaurants.
Travel To St. Maarten
Getting There By Air Air service to Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is provided by: United States American Airlines direct from New York, Miami and San Juan, with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout the U.S. US Airways direct from Philadelphia and Charlotte, with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout the U.S. Continental from Newark, with connecting flights throughout the U.S. Delta Airlines direct from Atlanta, with connections to other U.S. cities GWV from Boston United Airlines from Washington D.C. (Dulles) Canada Air Transat from Toronto and Montreal Conquest from Toronto Signature Vacations from Toronto Europe KLM direct from Amsterdam, with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout Europe Air Holland direct from Amsterdam Air France direct from Paris, with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout Europe Corsair direct from ParisCorsair direct from Paris Caribbean Dutch Caribbean Airways from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire LIAT from Antigua, Anguilla, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, San Juan and Tortola Caribbean Star from Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tobago, Tortolla, Trinidad Caribbean Sun from San Juan American Eagle from San Juan Windward Islands Airways (WINAIR) from, St. Kitts/Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, St. Barth’s, Dominica and Tortola By Cruise Line Cruise lines that call on St. Maarten are: Aida Carnival Cruise Lines Celebrity Cruise Line Costa Cruises Cunard Line Disney Holland-America Norwegian Cruise Line P&O Cruises Princess Cruises Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Windstar Cruises Entry Requirements A passport is required for U.S. & Canadian citizens. Visas are required for some nationalities in addition to passports.    Travel Tips Getting Around Most visitors rely on taxis and rental cars, but public transportation also is available to all points on the island between 6 a.m. and 12 a.m. Fares can be paid in U.S. dollars. Taxi Service Taxis are ready and waiting at Princess Juliana International Airport and at all major hotels. The cabs have no meters, but drivers must follow official rates for travel throughout the island. After 10 p.m., rates rise 25 percent, and after midnight, 50 percent. Also, hotel tour desks can arrange sightseeing tours by taxi, the only way to go for those not wanting to drive a rental car. Car Rental The best way to sample a selection of beaches, restaurants and shops is by rental car. Many companies rent cars on the island, and most require either a credit card imprint or a cash deposit ranging from $350 to $1,500, plus an additional collision damage waiver. Cars are delivered to any hotel, but cannot be picked up at Princess Juliana International Airport in order to protect the livelihood of island taxi drivers. However, rental car shuttles run between the airport and satellite lots. All foreign driver's licenses are valid for driving on the island. Motorists drive on the right-hand side of the street, and the roadways have been designed by the government to be easily accessible to physically disabled visitors. Time St. Maarten is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round. During the fall and winter, noon in New York equals 1 p.m. on the island. During daylight savings time in the U.S., the hour is the same on the Eastern Seaboard as it is on the island. Electricity Most hotels in St. Maarten are wired as in the U.S.: 110 volts, 60 cycles. On the French side, all run on 220 volts, 60 cycles so a converter and adaptor plugs are needed for travel appliances. Radio and Television Most hotels have radio and television broadcasts in English - There is cable TV with over 50 channels - all major US networks and some European channels are available. Most hotels have their own video entertainment and direct TV systems. Satellite television reception is also available for private homes. Including DirecTV, DISH Networks. Newspapers In addition to several local newspapers, visitors can pick up one or more of the publications directed toward them. These include St. Maarten Nature Magazine, St. Maarten Events, Discover St. Maarten, St. Maarten Nights, Ti Gourmet and Vacation St. Maarten. Telephone When dialing the Dutch side from the U.S., dial the international access code 011, the country code 599 and the local number. Special codes are required from one side to the other, though only a local number is required when calling the same side. Pet Regulations Animals are admitted temporarily to the island with the following papers: a health certificate dated no more than 10 days before visit and a record of inoculations, including a rabies shot administered no more than 30 days prior to the visit. Medical Facilities St. Maarten Medical Center in Cay Hill and L'hospital General de Gaulle. Airlift is available to Puerto Rico and the continental U.S. in case of extreme medical emergency. Currency As U.S. dollars are widely accepted on both the Dutch and the French sides, visitors do not need to exchange their U.S. money for a visit to the island. Official currency of the Dutch side is the Netherlands Antilles florin or guilder (NAF). Official currency of the French side is the Euro, as in France or in other French holdings around the world. Nearly all prices are listed in U.S. dollars as well as the local currency, so there's no need for calculating exchange rates. Banks Banks are normally open from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. On Saturday, some banks open from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Taxes/Service Charges Government law requires a 5 percent room tax on all hotel rates. Most hotels and guest houses add 10 percent to 15 percent service charge in lieu of tipping. Some also add an energy surcharge. Tipping Most hotels and restaurants add between 10 percent and 15 percent to the bill as a service charge, and this is almost always posted in writing at the entrance, on the menu, etc. Travelers can tip more for special service. Taxi drivers expect 50 cents or $1 for short runs and more for an extended narrated tour. Airport porters should receive $2 per bag