While I can understand some of the comments I have to say that it was from a cruise that we discovered St. Martin. We are not the type to take a cruise without learning about the ports so we always try to do an excursion that is also educational.

When we were in St. Martin the first time we did one of those tours and loved it. Afterward we strolled down Front Street and bought some souvenirs. Second time we were on a cruise we found Dusty's ATVs and arranged a tour with them. Stopped at many locations and had drinks in a few bars.

What we have come to realize is that we hate the hawkers trying to lure us in to their store, it's not something we are used to in the US. When we were there for a week in September we went to P'burg and walked along Back Street. Not too many hawkers outside but once we stepped inside the store the sales people were hovering over us way too much. In other stores the shopkeepers followed us around like we were going to shoplift. We spent less than 30 minutes there before leaving and going back to the condo.

Once word gets out from cruisers to their friends that the shopkeepers are selling the same crap you can get on Duval Street in Key West but are very pushy the word gets out to stay away.