Luxury holidays in St Martin

An ocean-ringed yin-yang fringed with verdant palms, Caribbean island St Martin (or Sint Maarten) is half French, half Dutch, and all delightful. Check in to a stylish seaside hotel and let the tropical luxury commence. Escape the throngs who arrive on colossal cruise ships, and Saint Martin is a surprisingly serene oasis of sandy beaches fringed by jungle and dotted with the occasional thatch-roofed bar. The Dutch side is more populous and action-packed; the capital, Philipsburg, dazzles with casinos, duty-free shops and nightclubs. Over on the French side, Marigot is a Caribbean counterpart to St Tropez, with fashionable boutiques and upscale restaurants populated with perfectly tanned jetsetters. Whichever side you prefer, both have their fair share of laid-back rum bars, superlative views and reefs filled with a kaleidoscope of sealife.