Dutch on one side, French on the other, and beaches all the way round. Where to go, what to book and how to fit it into a cruise day or a week.
Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin share about 87 square kilometres of hills, lagoons and beaches in the north-eastern Caribbean. The southern part is a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the northern part is a French overseas collectivity. They have divided the island peacefully since the Treaty of Concordia of 1648, and you cross from one to the other without stopping.
The result is two holidays in one: duty-free shopping, casinos and jets skimming the beach on the Dutch side; bakeries, beach clubs and some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean on the French. This guide covers both, plus the day trips to Anguilla, St Barths and Saba — with honest timings and no invented prices. We are an independent site with no connection to either government or tourist office.
Curated, well-reviewed experiences booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting points in US dollars — tap any tour for live availability in your currency.
Island tour from US$53 The classic first-timer loop and one of the most-reviewed Sint Maarten tours on GetYourGuide: around the island by bus with a guide, across the open border to Marigot and Grand Case and back via the airport beach.
Catamaran day sail from US$135 A whole day under sail from Simpson Bay to the Prickly Pear Cays off Anguilla — an all-inclusive day on board with a long stop at one of the most photogenic cays in the region.
Beach transfer from US$28 A no-frills round trip from Philipsburg to Maho Beach, where arriving jets cross the sand a few metres above your head. You get the ride and the time; the beach bars and the spectacle do the rest.
Island tour from US$62 A longer, fuller loop than the half-day tours: Orient and Maho beaches, a rum distillery, forts, viewpoints and local food stops, with morning departures. More stops, more hours, very good value.
Catamaran day trip from US$125 The sociable version of a day at sea: a catamaran day trip around Saint-Martin with an open bar, stops for snorkelling and swimming and a barbecue lunch.
Sunset cruise from US$45 Ninety minutes along the coast from Simpson Bay as the sun goes down. Short enough to fit before dinner, cheap enough to do on a whim, and the most-reviewed sunset sail on our list.
Zipline ticket from US$109 Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift up Sentry Hill, take in the panorama, then come back down strapped into the Flying Dutchman. The headline attraction at Rainforest Adventures, a short drive from the cruise port.
Catamaran day trip from US$197 A full day from Anse Marcel on the French side across the channel to Anguilla: open bar on board, snorkelling in very clear water and lunch ashore at a beach restaurant.
Real-time prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide. Free cancellation on most experiences.
Philipsburg and Maho are minutes from the ship and the airport; Marigot, Grand Case and Orient Bay are across a border you will not notice; Anguilla, St Barths and Saba are a boat ride away.
Dutch side — Sint Maarten The Dutch-side capital: Front Street, the Great Bay boardwalk and the cruise port.
A four-street town on a sandbar between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond, with duty-free shopping on Front Street, a long town beach, an 18th-century courthouse and the island’s cruise piers a short walk or water-taxi ride away.
Dutch side — Sint Maarten The beach at the end of the runway, where jets pass a few metres overhead.
A short strip of sand directly under the final approach to Princess Juliana International Airport. People come from all over the world to stand beneath landing airliners, check the arrivals board at the beach bar and swim between flights.
French side — Saint-Martin One beachfront street, dozens of restaurants and the island’s famous lolos.
A fishing village on a calm bay that became the dining capital of the island: French and Creole restaurants shoulder to shoulder along the boulevard, open-air barbecue stands called lolos, and Creole Rock for snorkelling just offshore.
French side — Saint-Martin The French side’s big, breezy beach of clubs, water sports and long lunches.
Around two kilometres of pale sand on the Atlantic side, lined with beach clubs, restaurants and water-sports operators. Lively in the middle, quieter at the ends, with a long-established naturist section at the southern tip.
French side — Saint-Martin The French capital: a waterfront market, bakeries and a hilltop fort.
Saint-Martin’s small capital looks across the water to Anguilla. Come for the open-air market on the waterfront, a croissant and coffee, the short climb to the ruins of Fort Louis and its view, and the ferries to Anguilla.
French side — Saint-Martin A tiny islet with a shallow beach, five minutes by boat from Cul-de-Sac.
Îlet Pinel sits just off the north-east coast inside the nature reserve. A little ferry or a kayak takes you over to a sheltered, knee-deep beach, two beach restaurants, a snorkelling area and a walking path round the island.
All-inclusives by the airport beach, apartments on Simpson Bay, a hotel on the Philipsburg boardwalk, or a room above the sand in Grand Case — compared, with live rates.
The big all-inclusive beside the airport beach: several pools, a casino next door and the Maho strip of bars and restaurants on the doorstep. Families and first-timers like having everything in one place — and the planes come free.
A newer, design-led resort beside the airport runway with a large pool and day-club atmosphere. A stylish base for a short stay, a stopover or serious plane-spotting from the sunbed.
The best address in the capital: a contemporary hotel on the Great Bay boardwalk with the beach in front and Front Street behind. Ideal before or after a cruise and for travellers who like a town around them.
Apartment-style rooms on the headland at the end of Grand Case bay, with a small beach of its own and the restaurants of the boulevard a short walk away. A long-time favourite with repeat visitors.
A beachfront hotel on Orient Bay with bright suites, a pool and loungers on the sand. The beach clubs and the restaurants of the village square are within walking distance.
The island’s grand luxury hotel: a white, Mediterranean-style hideaway on a cliff above Baie Longue, one of the longest and emptiest beaches on Saint-Martin. Priced accordingly.
The port, the walk and water taxi into Philipsburg, taxi rules and 4-, 6- and 8-hour shore plans.
Which of the island’s beaches to choose for swimming, snorkelling, families, sunsets or lunch.
Month-by-month weather, hurricane season, crowds, prices and the island’s festivals.
A half-day loop of both sides, a catamaran to Anguilla, a sunset sail or the world’s steepest zipline — compare tours with cruise-port and hotel pickup and book in a couple of taps.
No. VisitSintMaarten.com is an independent travel guide. We are not the tourist board of Sint Maarten or of Saint-Martin and have no connection with either government. For official notices and entry rules, consult the authorities directly.
Only on the map. There are no checkpoints, no passport controls and no customs between Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin — just a roadside sign or monument. You can cross as often as you like. See the travel guide.
US dollars work everywhere. The Dutch side’s official currency is the Caribbean guilder and the French side’s is the euro, but dollars are accepted across the island and are what most tourist prices are quoted in.
They are different rather than better. The Dutch side has the airport, the cruise port, larger resorts, casinos and nightlife; the French side is quieter, with the best restaurants and more natural beaches. The island is small enough to enjoy both — see where to stay.
For most first-time visitors, a half-day island tour that covers both sides and stops at Maho Beach, followed by an hour in Philipsburg. Our cruise-day guide has plans for four, six and eight hours ashore.
Officially from 1 June to 30 November, with the highest risk from mid-August to mid-October. Most visits in that period are untroubled, but book flexible arrangements. Details in when to visit.