Things to Do in St Maarten & St Martin – Caribbean

Want to know what the best things to do in Sint Maarten are? Then continue reading!

The Caribbean island of St Maarten and St Martin: two nations on one tiny island.

I don’t know what it is about St Maarten but out of all the different places I once called home, it’s one of the rare ones I keep traveling back to.

Sint Maarten (French: Saint Martin; Dutch: Sint Maarten) is an island in the northeast Caribbean, east of Puerto Rico.

This tiny 87-square-kilometer (34 sq mi) island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This makes it the smallest inhabited island in the world divided between two nations.

Sint Maarten’s Dutch side (often misspelled as St Marteen) is known for its festive nightlife, beaches, jewelry, drinks made with native rum-based guavaberry liquors, and casinos.

The island’s French side is known for its nude beaches, fashion, shopping (including outdoor markets), and high-quality French and Indian Caribbean cuisine.

All in all, St Maarten has a lot to offer tourists, and compared to similar size Caribbean islands there is a lot going on here.

I could talk about this island for days but here I’ll limit myself to my recommendations for things to do in Sint Maarten and things to do in St.Martin.

Tip: if you want to know where to stay in St Maarten, check out my article about the best hotels in St Maarten & St Martin.

Things to Do in St Maarten & St Martin

1. Front Street & The Boardwalk

Whether arriving by cruise ship or spending time on the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, offers some fun things to see and do, most within view of the gorgeous blue water of Great Bay.

Philipsburg is an area of only a few streets sandwiched between the Salt Pond and Great Bay. Do you like to shop? You can find a lot of items on Front Street: from inexpensive souvenirs to diamonds and watches.

Want to find something to eat? Go to the Boardwalk for a variety of options ranging from very casual to elegant.

Go for a swim in the Caribbean sea off Great Bay, lounge around on the beach, and return to the Boardwalk for a cocktail.

Philipsburg quiets down quickly in the evenings but it’s a great place to spend a day!

2. The Sint Maarten “America’s Cup” 12 Metre Challenge

Ever dreamed of sailing a real racing yacht?

The 12 Metre Challenge gives you the opportunity to be part of the crew sailing a real America’s Cup yacht. This is a truly unique experience and even better, you don’t need any sailing experience to join!

It’s one of my favorite things to do in St Maarten!

The 12 Metre staff is absolutely great and will make sure you have an amazing time.

Go to 12Metre.com for more information

3. Sea Trek St Maarten – Walking Underwater!

My personal favorite: I once spent a season working with Sea Trek as a safety diver and highly recommend this trip!

Sea Trek allows anyone from the age of 8 to walk underwater. Even if you can’t swim!

It’s a great way for non-divers to experience the underwater world: you will walk past shipwrecks and coral reefs while being surrounded by tropical fish.

My description doesn’t do it justice but if you love seeing the underwater world in a safe, fun and easy way, I’d really recommend this!

For more information: Seatrekstmaarten.com

Tip: if you love scuba diving, also check out this article about the best dive sites in the Caribbean

4. Crazy Airplane Landings and Take-Offs at Maho Beach

Maho Beach on the Dutch side of the island, right next to the airport, is world-famous for all the low-flying airplanes.

People can actually be blown into the water because of the jet blast of larger planes taking off!

It’s definitely one of the most touristy things to do in St Maarten but it’s a must-see when on the island! Plus there is a fun bar, Sunset Bar and Grill, to have drinks while watching the planes come in.

Or go to the smaller and slightly less touristy Driftwood Boat Bar on the other side of the beach for a more relaxed plane spotting experience.

Tip: If you aren’t renting a car it will be a relatively expensive taxi ride to get to Maho Beach. Alternatively though you can book a half-day tour of St Maarten which includes a visit to Maho Beach. And, a tour might be a good thing so that you don’t have to worry about driving back after enjoying a few local rum punches on the beach!

5. Grand Case & Its Festival

The small beach town of Grand Case, in St. Martin, the French side of the island, is often referred to as the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean. With its high-quality restaurants and interesting mix of French, Caribbean, and Creole cuisine I believe this title is well deserved and I highly recommend dining here at least once.

The Grand Case Boulevard and the beach are lined with restaurants so there are plenty of options to choose from!

Grand Case’s Street Festival

This is one of my favorite things to do in St. Martin.

The “Mardis de Grand Case” start on the last Tuesday of January and are held every Tuesday evening until the first Tuesday in April.

A large craft market invades each side of Grand Case’s main street and you’ll find entertainment such as music bands, dancers, acrobats, carnival parades, and a lively, multi-cultural vibe.

Well worth a visit if you happen to be on the island during these months!

6. Pinel Island

This is a perfect half-day trip from St Maarten and a place I often went to on a day off while I lived in St Maarten.

Pinel Island is a cute little island set in the heart of St Martin’s Marine Reserve.

The island is just a 5-minute ferry ride from French Cul de Sac. It is considered one of the better places for snorkeling and loved by kayakers and stand up paddling enthusiasts.

The main beach is lined with sun loungers and umbrellas and is a great way to spend a few hours on the beach.

But behind this main beach there’s an untouched part of St Maarten. Follow the tiny trail to get to the Northern side of Pinel Island where you will find a wild beach protected by a reef and with a completely different feel than the other, more crowded side of this tiny island.

Pinel Island is the place where residents of St. Martin/St. Maarten go to relax, especially on weekends.

The island offers a few cute little restaurants and makes for a perfect relaxing day of swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.

Also Read: Did You Know It’s Really Bad for the Environment to Take Shells From the Beach? and Snorkeling Tips for Beginners & What Snorkeling Gear to Buy

How to Get to Pinel Island

The end of the road at French Cul de Sac opens onto a wide sandy area where you will find the ferry that takes you to the island.

Or you can rent a kayak or paddleboard to make your way to Pinel Island. I rented a paddleboard once, on a very windy day, and I can tell you, Pinel is further away than it looks! But it’s good exercise and a lot of fun.

7. Orient Bay

Orient Bay, or in French “Baie Orientale”, is a 2 mile long, white powdered sand beach, protected from the Atlantic waves by a reef.

Orient Bay is the only beach on St. Martin with a large number of beach bars and restaurants directly located on the beach.

Water sports facilities are available such as jet skis, sailboats, paragliding, and some kids’ activities.

The beach is reputed as much for its natural beauty and setting as it is for being the island’s main clothing optional beach. Although clothing is optional everywhere on the beach, only a small section on the south end is used as a real nude beach.

The trendy beach bars with great cocktail menus and frequent beach parties give this beach a cool vibe and I love spending the afternoon or evening here.

Note: there is often a lot of seaweed on this beach.

8. Loterie Farm

This is one of my favorite places to visit in St Martin. If you need a change from all those white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, go inland to the Loterie Farm, on the French side of the island.

Loterie Farm is a secret hideaway nestled in the hillside of Pic Paradis where you can wine, dine, climb, hike and zipline over the treetop canopy.

The bar/restaurant looks like a luxury treehouse and the pool area with its comfortable cabanas and tropical vegetation is truly lush.

It’s not the cheapest option but at least stop by for a drink or a hike through the unspoilt, green hills.

For more information check out Loteriefarm’s Facebook page

Tip: if you love ziplining, St Maarten now has the world’s steepest zipline with amazing views of the island! You can read more about it and book it here.

9. Boat Trips

Spend a day, or half a day, on a boat exploring the waters around St Maarten / St Martin.

There are many different tours available but most offer a number of stops to give you the opportunity to swim and snorkel at some great reefs or to just relax.

Some boat trips include a Caribbean lunch and there are several tours that will allow you to explore a different island.

Several companies throughout the island offer these boat trips. I can highly recommend this full-day boat tour that takes you to Anguilla and Prickly Pear. Or, if you have less time or prefer being on a catamaran, I have very fond memories of the Lambada Sunset Cruises…

Fun Tip: Want to drive your own boat without any previous experience? There is this fun tour in St Maarten called the Rhino Safari Excursion where you get to drive your own, small motorboat!

10. Fort Louis, Marigot

Marigot is the capital of the French side, St. Martin. And the town’s old fort, Fort Louis, offers some incredible views of the island!

A relatively short walk on a well-maintained path with steps takes you up to the fort. It’s not a difficult walk but in the summer it can get quite hot!

But, it’s well worth it for the incredible view of the island.

Note: the Dutch side also has a fort, called Fort Amsterdam. You can also hike up to that fort, but it is less impressive than Fort Louis.

11. Nightlife in Sint Maarten

Yes, Sint Maarten is known for having good nightlife. And here I mean specifically the Dutch side.

Although going out for a good meal is great in Grand Case on the French side, if you are looking for a more lively night out, you want to be on the Dutch side.

The best area for nightlife in Sint Maarten is Simpson Bay. Here you’ll find many bars and restaurants, plus a few casinos, within walking distance of each other.

Pineapple Pete is one of the most popular restaurants. They offer a wide range of dishes, from local favorites to burgers. It’s a place with a lively vibe, and they even have a game room with pool tables in case you want to hang around after dinner.

Buccaneer is the popular spot for sunset drinks. Don’t expect too much from their food, and their service is often slow, but the setting is great.

Soggy Dollar is a local favorite for a night of drinking and dancing, Dinghy Dock is often packed as well, and Roxxy is your more trendy dining & clubbing location on the beach.

But, really if you are going out for the evening in Simpson Bay, just visit a few different places, and stop wherever the crowds are.

You might decide to spend several evenings here because you can’t possibly visit everything in one night!

Maho is another area with several bars, restaurants, and casinos. They are all located close together so it’s easy to walk from place to place.

There are several larger hotels in Maho, in case you don’t want to drive home. But because of the large hotels this is definitely more of a touristy nightlife area and was never my favorite.

Oh and yes, Sint Maarten is known for having several ”gentleman’s clubs” as well, if that’s your thing.

12. Take the Ferry to Anguilla

If you want to visit a completely different island I can highly recommend a day trip to Anguilla.

Anguilla is known as a popular destination for the rich and famous. But, as a day trip from St Maarten it doesn’t have to be expensive and it’s a beautiful, unspoiled island.

You can take the ferry from Marigot in the morning and come back in the evening.

Check out this complete guide for traveling to Anguilla if you’re interested in visiting.

Note: you can also take a ferry to St Barts, or a ferry to Saba. If you have enough time, those islands are also definitely worth visiting as they are both quite different from St Maarten.

About Sint Maarten

Ok, let’s start with the names of this island. St Maarteen, St Marten, Saint Maarten, St Marten, Sint Maartan… They are all incorrect spellings I have seen.

I know, it is confusing!

The island has two names, or two spellings of the same name really; one for the Dutch side and one for the French side.

The Dutch side is called Sint Maarten, which is shortened to St. Maarten. The French side is called Saint Martin, which is shortened to St. Martin.

Sint Maarten, being the Dutch side, receives more worldwide visitors than Saint Martin so often the whole island is referred to as St. Maarten.

And then there is SXM, which you will see a lot when you are on the island. It’s the airport code for St Maarten’s Princess Juliana Airport but locally it’s often used to refer to the whole island and you will see it on lots of souvenirs.

What is St Maarten Known For?

As I briefly mentioned before, St Maarten, being the Dutch side of the island, is known for its lively nightlife scene, cheap alcohol, casinos, and tax-free shopping. 

It’s definitely the party side of the island but it also has lovely beaches, great water sports and a wider range of hotels than the French side.

Saint Martin, the French side, is known for its high-quality restaurants, nude beach, lively markets, and typical French Caribbean vibe.

If you come to St Maarten I highly recommend visiting both sides of the island because they are distinctly different!

For More Information About St Maarten  / St Martin:

• Where to Stay in St Maarten – the best locations and hotels on the island.
• Interview With an Expat About Life in St Maarten
• Anchoring in Mullet Bay While Sailing in Sint Maarten

 

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