Martin offers some of the best shopping in the region. Stores are open every day except Christmas and Good Friday, and no duty is paid on imports arriving on either side of the island.
Many shops stay open longer on days when cruise ships are in port.
In addition, the Maho shopping and entertainment area has shops that stay open until 10PM or later. In Philipsburg, specialties of Front Street include everything from Swiss watches, French perfumes, British cashmeres, Chinese embroidery, Japanese Electronics and Cameras, Indonesian Batiks, and Italian Leather goods, plus fine jewelry, crystals, linens, porcelain liquor and cigars. Maarten on the South spanning 16 square miles and French Saint Martin on the North covering 21. The island is the smallest land mass to be shared by two separate governments. Capitals - Philipsburg on Great Bay is the capital of St.