AIDA Caribbean 2023 · Page 7

The highlight of the day was a dolphin that swam in the bay near the beachgoers for quite a while and came very close. After this great experience we went back to AIDAdiva at around 3 p.m. Our taxi driver picked us up punctually and brought us back safely. On the way back he made a short stop on a hill, where we had a great view of the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. We paid 7 dollars per person per trip, paid on pick-up.

Our last island stop was Sint Maarten, an island in the Caribbean that's particularly fascinating because of its political division. The northern part belongs to France and is called Saint-Martin, while the southern part, Sint Maarten, belongs to the Netherlands. This division offers travellers the unique opportunity to experience two different cultures on one island.

Saint-Martin, the French side, captivates with its relaxed atmosphere, picturesque villages and culinary delights of French cuisine. Sint Maarten on the Dutch side, on the other hand, impresses with lively nightlife, duty-free shopping and a wide range of water sports.

The border between the two parts is open, and travellers can easily cross it to enjoy the best of both worlds. This unique division makes Sint Maarten a diverse destination that combines cultural variety and scenic beauty.

We had reserved a taxi right at the port, and the four of us set off straight away in the small bus. Our driver Markey told us a lot as we drove across the island, showed us little highlights and explained his island to us.

Our first stop was at the border, where we could take a few pictures of this border crossing between the Netherlands and France.