I like most places I’ve been. I have positive experiences most everywhere, and try to find reasons to enjoy myself. But it is not hyperbole to state that this island, shared by Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin, exceeded any expectations I may have had coming in, and after merely a week, it can be counted on my short lists of “favorites.”

For most planning a Caribbean vacation, St. Martin (the name I’ll give to the island as a whole) is probably on the radar. Several US airlines fly there, with enough competition to keep pricing reasonable. It is the second busiest cruise port in the Caribbean for those who want cruises. Island hopping is easy. Dollars are accepted. Basically, it has everything a Caribbean vacation could possibly be looking for.

But this island is deeper than just a place for a Caribbean beach trip. There is history here. There is culture. There is great food. And yes, there are awesome beaches where you can have a tropical drink and relax away the day.

In this guide, I’ll attempt to explain just why this island is so special, and to help provide useful information from my own experiences to assist you with your trip planning. Be sure to click the links throughout for deeper dives into some of my favorite aspects of Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin.

And if you enjoy this guide, please click here to read our Ultimate Guides from all over the world!

Getting There

I alluded to this in the introduction. St. Martin is easy to reach, perhaps more so than any destination in the Caribbean other than Puerto Rico or the Bahamas. You’ll arrive either by plane or by cruise ship, so let’s talk about those.

Sint Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport is on the Dutch side. (There is a small airport at Grand Case on the French side, but your chance as an American of coming in here is minimal unless you’re coming from a neighboring island.) The airport has about a dozen gates, and a single runway best known for the plane spotting provided from its end at Maho Beach. Customs is easy, with an online form you’ll need to fill out prior to arrival that will be connected in their system to your passport.

From the airport, you’ll either need to rent a car or take a taxi to wherever you are staying. The Dutch side resorts of Simpson Bay are only about 5-10 minutes away, and the French side resort areas around Grand Case about 45 to an hour. (It’s a small island.) Public transit exists but is not remotely efficient.

Likewise, cruise ships also dock on the Dutch side, within the capital of Philipsburg. Walking from the cruise terminal into town is about 10-15 minutes, depending on which side of the boardwalk you want to reach. There are also water taxis, but my understanding is that those are not free for cruise passengers, although they may be included with a purchased excursion. Normal taxis will also be available at the terminal to help you reach other places on the island.

Getting Around

This is the most challenging aspect to St. Martin, as while the island has a small bus system, it really isn’t usable for visitors in anything resembling an efficient manner. If you are planning to mainly stay at a resort, you’ll probably be fine with taxis just to navigate the nearby area for meals and such. (Or if you only have a day as a cruise passenger, you will utilize a cab or an organized tour if you need to get around.) If, however, you want to see more of the island, you’ll probably have to rent a car.

There are several rental car agencies at the airport, and prices are reasonable. (My small car was under $250 for a week, and I only really used about half a tank of gas since the island is small, even while driving to the French side multiple times.) You can do the math on a car versus taxis, but if you want to do more than one trip to somewhere outside your immediate area while on the island, you’re probably coming out ahead with a rental.

The issues are those of traffic and parking. This is a driving island, and there are a lot of cars on the road, especially during rush hour. Parking is available for free most places other than resorts, but it might not be right where you want to go. (For instance, in Philipsburg your best bet is to park on the north side of Walter A. Nisbeth Rd. and to walk the ten or so minutes to the waterfront. If you can’t find parking in the lots in that area, there is perpendicular parking along the street, but backing into traffic can be rough.)

Trust your navigation system, as street signs are rare. But that’s a bit offset by the roads being largely in good condition (with a lot of speed bumps), despite not great lighting at night outside of the towns. Pluses and minuses, right?

What to Do

Let’s start with the basic obvious thing. This is a Caribbean island and you probably want to enjoy beaches. Fortunately, both Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin have some amazing ones, and you can read about my favorites here.

If you’re a regular follower of this website, you know that history is my favorite aspect of visiting a new place (click here to read about the island’s colonial history). This island has some cool stuff along those lines. Philipsburg’s Fort Amsterdam is a highlight, as is Marigot’s Fort Louis on the French side. And both towns have some cool historic buildings.

For a more in depth history activity, try an Adventure Race in Philipsburg, which will give you some fun and exercise while you explore cool aspects of the island’s past and present. Or pop into the small history museum just off the Philipsburg boardwalk.

If you like adrenaline, Rainforest Adventure has the world’s tallest zip line (more than 1000 feet) and the best views out over the island. Or if you are scuba certified you can dive the underwater sculpture park for a unique adventure. And there are also water sports a-plenty, of course.

If drinking is your thing, a tour of Topper’s Rhum Distillery is a great way to spend a couple hours. (Just walk down the road for a meal afterward so you don’t have to drive immediately.)

But most importantly, spend time with the locals here in both Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin. They are about the nicest and most welcoming people of anywhere I have ever visited. (Click here to read about the amazing friendliness of the island.)

Finally, if one island just isn’t enough, St. Martin has easy day trips to other islands, like St. Bart’s and Anguilla. Go to town with this as a base.

Where to Stay

The largest groupings of resorts are Simpson Bay and Maho Beach on the Dutch side. On the French side they are a bit more spread out. But hotels and resorts are all over. I had experience with three that I can recommend, so let’s go over those.

For a cool take on the island’s plantation history, try Pasture Piece SXM, a small bed and breakfast in Dutch Cul-de-Sac right near Rainforest Adventure. Your host, Natasha, restored her family’s old house and provides amazing stories with Johnny cakes and salt fish for breakfast. Tell her I say hi!

While many want a larger resort, I can’t recommend highly enough the experience of staying in Philipsburg itself, and if you do so, Seaview Beach Hotel has comfortable rooms, ridiculously friendly staff, a stunning pool, and available beach chairs and umbrellas. It was a place I felt immediately at home, and you will, too. It is also one of the most historic hotels on the island, dating back to 1948, which is rad.

Finally, if you want a truly beautiful property in Grand Case, try the Grand Case Beach Club. While I didn’t stay there, I spent much of a day, and let me tell you, I’m coming back.

What to Eat

The food here is awesome, but I’ll break it down into a few basic sections.

First, Saint-Martin is part of France. Yeah, French food on a Caribbean beach is a cool experience. Steak tartare while barefoot in the sand? Yes, please!

Next we have seafood. It is good everywhere, but I have a couple suggestions of what to eat and where. Caribbean spiny lobster is a thing here, but it can be very pricy. The Greenhouse (in Philipsburg or Simpson Bay) has a twice weekly lobster special that makes it more affordable. (Tuesday and Friday are those days, but the food is good enough for other days as well.) In Simpson Bay, you should also try the prawn stuffed grouper at Astra.

Creole food is all over the island. I had awesome curry goat at Creole Delights in Marigot, and the best curry shrimp roti of my life at Cindy’s Roti in Philipsburg.

While Sint Maarten isn’t as Dutch as Saint-Martin is French, if you like Dutch pancakes (and you probably do, or will), try Dutch Blonde along the Philipsburg boardwalk.

As for drinks, just make sure to get something with rum. Try guavaberry rum for a unique island take. (And click here to read all about the sugar cane and salt industries that built the island and provided the rum you will love.) Oh, and grab coffee at Double Dutch Cafe in Philipsburg.

Other Useful Information

Let’s talk currency for a moment. While Sint Maarten technically uses the guilder, it is pegged to the dollar at 1.8 to 1, so the dollar is much more common. Use them freely. On the French side of Saint-Martin, the Euro is used. Some places will also take dollars in cash at 1-1; if they do, as of this writing that’s about an 18% savings, so do it. Credit cards are widely accepted on both sides. (Exceptions are for some of the ferries, which are cash on board. Consult their websites before deciding on those day trips to other islands.)

St. Martin is a Caribbean tropical island. It can and probably will be hot and humid. Drink plenty of water and wear plenty of sunscreen. It might also rain a bit.

Another note on weather: hurricanes. People are justifiably nervous about the Caribbean during the prime hurricane months in the fall. I was on the island at the exact historic peak of hurricane season, and I wasn’t worried. Why? You know a hurricane is coming; it doesn’t surprise you. If it is coming, you cancel your trip, or leave early, or whatever. And the chance a tiny island gets directly hit is minimal. Keep informed, follow weather, but don’t worry.

This one was mentioned earlier but bears repeating. The people here are awesome. But there is a cultural expectation to say hi, to engage with them. Do so. Swap stories. You’ll leave with some friends, and that is a guarantee.

Finally, the style of electrical outlet will depend on what side of the island you are on. The Dutch side Sint Maarten uses US-style while the French Saint-Martin uses European. For more fun about being a divided island, click here.

Conclusion

There are a lot of cool places in the world to go. Heck, there are a lot of cool Caribbean islands to visit. But this place, the island that holds Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin, is special. Visit. Spend time. Get to know the people. You will leave reluctantly, already planning your return.

I hope this guide – and the articles it links to – helps to inspire that trip.

Note: while many of my experiences here in St. Martin were hosted (Adventure Race, Rainforest Adventure, Topper’s Rhum Distillery, and my stays at Pasture Piece and Seaview Beach Hotel), my opinions are, as always, my own. Thank you to those businesses, to the locals who helped show me around, and to Visit St. Maarten/St. Martin for arranging my magical visit.

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