Simpson Bay Lagoon

One of the things that struck me on St. Maarten were the several salt ponds on it. Of these, Simpson Bay Lagoon is the largest. This is a huge saltwater lagoon in the west of the island, connected to the Caribbean Sea through a small canal that opens into Nettle Bay (north, on the French side). This lake is part French and part Dutch, and inside there are two islands: Great Key (at the border) and Little Key (in Dutch). A road with a very intense and maddening road borders it, passing through the towns of Billy Folly, Maho, Lowlands, Morne Rouges and Marigot. Most tourism is along this route: hotels, restaurants, shops and beaches.