Things to do in Sint Maarten: must-see attractions in 2026

One island, two countries, 34 square kilometres on the Dutch side

The quietest border in the Caribbean crosses this island without a checkpoint: a roadside monument, and you have switched countries. To the south, you pay in dollars and speak English. To the north, you order in French.

Is this destination right for you?

The Dutch half runs on cruise ships and airplanes. Close to two million cruise passengers step ashore every year at Point Blanche, a quarter of an hour from the capital. The rhythm of the island follows this tide: Front Street packed in the morning, nearly empty by 6:00 PM.

It is an easy destination. Everything is within a thirty-minute drive, English is spoken everywhere, and lodging ranges from a Simpson Bay studio to a Dawn Beach resort. Do not expect to explore a wild island: the beaches are short, traffic is heavy, and the shoreline is heavily built up.

Budget: the total for an island that imports everything

Practical realities

Electricity changes depending on the country: 110 volts with American outlets in the south, 220 volts with European outlets in the north. The same island, two different adapters. The US dollar is accepted everywhere on the Dutch side, including for change, even though the official currency is the Caribbean guilder as of March 2025.

Roads are decent but jammed during rush hour, particularly around the Simpson Bay bridge, which opens several times a day to let yachts through. Give yourself extra time before a flight. Public buses exist without posted schedules, meaning a rental car remains the best option.

Is it safe to travel to Sint Maarten?

The island is peaceful for visitors, with the main risks being pickpocketing and car break-ins targeting rental vehicles. Do not leave anything in plain sight in beach parking lots. A few outlying neighborhoods near the capital are best avoided at night, which hotel staff will readily point out.

Friendly tip: book your rental car before arriving and check that the insurance covers both sides of the island. Many contracts stop at the border, which has neither a barrier nor a customs post.

Short beaches, but all different

Maho Beach is the most famous for a reason that has nothing to do with its sand: commercial planes fly just feet overhead before touching down on the runway. The spectacle is worth seeing once. The noise discourages spending the whole day there.

For swimming, Mullet Bay is preferred as the widest beach on the west coast, or Little Bay which is sheltered from the wind. Dawn Beach on the eastern shore catches the Atlantic swell and suits confident swimmers. Great Bay, in front of the capital, is functional rather than scenic.

Cupecoy rounds out the list with its yellow sandstone cliffs and small coves, located five minutes from the border. The sand largely disappears here at high tide.

Diving to explore a frigate that sank in 1801

The most popular dive site on the island is the wreck of the HMS Proselyte, a British frigate that hit the reef off Great Bay. Only scattered cannons, anchors, and ribs remain between 8 and 16 metres of depth, colonized by sea fans.

The waters are shallow, currents weak, and visibility decent, making for good conditions for an introductory dive or a refresher. Several operators depart from Bobby's Marina and Simpson Bay, generally for two morning dives. Snorkeling works well at Little Bay and around the bay's islets.

Friendly tip: if you have never breathed underwater, try snuba, sitting halfway between snorkeling and scuba diving. Air travels through a hose from a raft left on the surface, you only descend a few metres, and no certification is required.

Philipsburg, shopping, and salt

The capital, Philipsburg, sits on a narrow sand strip between the sea and the Great Salt Pond, the body of water that sustained it for three centuries. Salt was harvested here and exported to Europe and North America. Two parallel streets are enough to walk the whole town.

Front Street lines up jewelry stores, electronics shops, and duty-free liquor boutiques whose hours follow the arrival of cruise liners. Behind it, Back Street is more local and less polished. The boardwalk running along the beach, rebuilt after Hurricane Irma, remains the best spot for lunch facing the bay.

At the end of the peninsula, the ruins of Fort Amsterdam have guarded the entrance to the bay since 1631. It was the first Dutch military outpost in the Caribbean. Low walls, an open view, and a colony of pelicans remain today.

Crossing the border and jumping to neighboring islands

The French side, half again as large, can be reached in twenty minutes. Marigot has a morning market and ferry docks, while Grand-Case concentrates the island's finest dining along a single beachfront street. The difference in cuisine is sharp, and so is the price.

From Philipsburg and Simpson Bay, boats depart for Saint Barthélemy, three-quarters of an hour away, and Saba, a 13-square-kilometre volcanic rock with no beaches or crowds. Anguilla is reached from Marigot on the French side in half an hour.

Sint Maarten on your plate: two culinary traditions for one island

On the Dutch side, the food is Caribbean and diverse. You can eat johnny cake, fried dough served with fish, barbecue pork ribs, and conch fritters. Lolos, open-air eateries, serve grilled chicken and rice with peas for around ten dollars.

Guavaberry, a liqueur made by macerating wild berries harvested in the hills, is sold in a Front Street house dedicated entirely to it. The taste is both tart and sweet. Visitors rarely leave without a bottle.

French cuisine begins at the border in Grand-Case with its beachfront grills and chef-driven restaurants. An evening out there costs double a dinner in Simpson Bay.

When to visit Sint Maarten?

• From December to April, the air is dry, the sea is calm, and temperatures hold between 25 and 29 degrees. This is high season, meaning prices spike and cruise ships arrive back-to-back. February and March are the busiest weeks of the year.
• The hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking in September and October. Many hotels and restaurants close for several weeks during this window. The island still remembers Irma, which struck in September 2017, leading to a multi-year reconstruction.
• The months of May, June, and November offer the best compromise: manageable heat, lower rates, and short downpours. The Dutch-side carnival in April is worth planning a trip around.

How to get to Sint Maarten?

A single airport serves the entire island: Princess Juliana, airport code SXM, whose runway ends right at the edge of Maho Beach. Air France connects it to Paris Charles de Gaulle year-round, while Air Caraïbes flies to Paris Orly from October to May. That Paris route runs nearly nine hours; from North America, nonstop flights land here from New York, Miami, Charlotte and Atlanta, about four hours from the East Coast and three from Florida.

From the Netherlands, KLM operates flights from Amsterdam. Connections through Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, or a US hub widen your options, often at a lower cost. Transiting through the United States requires an ESTA authorization, even for a simple layover.

The other entry point is by boat: the cruise port at Point Blanche and regular ferries from Saint Barthélemy and Anguilla.

How to get around Sint Maarten?

A rental car is the obvious choice, with a coastal highway circling the island. An International Driving Permit is not required. Fuel is paid in dollars, and parking in Philipsburg gets difficult on cruise ship days. Driving is on the right on both sides of the border.

Public buses, which are white minibuses marked with their destination, run without fixed schedules or formal stops: you simply hail them on the street, and rides cost two to three dollars. Taxis use official per-trip rates that should be confirmed before boarding. Distances are short, with a twenty-kilometre drive enough to cross the entire island.