Sint Maarten Top 10 Highlights Full-Day Island Tour

Philipsburg and the Dutch Side

Philipsburg is the capital of Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of the island, set on a narrow strip of land between the Great Salt Pond and the sea. Founded in the eighteenth century, it is the arrival point for cruise ships and is known for Front Street, its long shopping street, and the boardwalk along the beach. Your Sint Maarten island tour starts here at the cruise pier or with pickup from hotels around the island.

The island has been shared between the Netherlands and France since 1648, with no hard border between the two sides, which is why one day can take you through two cultures. The tour returns to Philipsburg at the end for a cheese tasting at a speciality store, a nod to the Dutch heritage of this side of the island, before dropping you back where you started.

Orient Beach on the French Side

Orient Beach, on the east coast of the French side, is often called the most beautiful beach of Saint Martin: a long crescent of white sand facing calm turquoise water protected by offshore islets and reefs. It is lined with beach restaurants and loungers and offers water sports such as jet skiing and parasailing for those who want more action.

With about an hour and a quarter here, this is the longest stop of the tour, enough time to swim, sunbathe, have lunch and stroll along the shore. On the way you drive through the French Quarter, where old houses and some of the island's first churches line the road. Loungers and umbrellas can be rented on the sand, and the gentle slope of the seabed makes the water easy to enter for swimmers of all levels.

Marigot and Fort Louis

Marigot is the capital of the French side, Saint-Martin, with a relaxed French feel, pastel buildings, a waterfront market and a marina full of yachts. The tour gives you about 45 minutes here to browse the streets, try local food from the stalls and small restaurants, shop for souvenirs or simply take photos along the harbour.

Above the town stand the ruins of Fort Louis, built in 1789 to protect the harbour and the warehouses of Marigot. It is the largest fort on the island, and the short but steep climb rewards you with sweeping views over the town, the lagoon and, on clear days, the neighbouring island of Anguilla. On the way out of Marigot the tour slows at the border so you can photograph the flags that mark the island's dual identity.

Maho Beach and the Low-Flying Planes

Maho Beach is the most famous stop of any St Maarten shore excursion. It lies right at the end of the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport, so large passenger jets pass just a few dozen metres above the sand as they come in to land. Watching and photographing a plane roar overhead is an experience visitors talk about for years.

You have about 45 minutes to swim, relax on the sand and wait for the next arrival. Stay a safe distance from the airport fence: the jet blast from departing aircraft is powerful enough to knock people over and throw sand. Afternoon is usually the busiest time for big arrivals, and the beach has small snack spots where you can buy cold drinks and something to eat.

Coralita, Simpson Bay and Cole Bay Hill

Early in the tour you cross to the French side near Oyster Pond and stop for photos at Coralita beach, a wild stretch of coast with views over the protected waters of the east side, followed by a short iguana stop where these large green reptiles gather in the trees and on the rocks, a favourite with children.

Later the route follows Simpson Bay, with its lagoon, marinas and mega yachts, and makes a short stop where you can buy gifts, souvenirs and ice cream. The last viewpoint is Cole Bay Hill, high above the lagoon, with one of the best panoramas on the island over Simpson Bay, the airport and the sea. Is the Sint Maarten island tour worth it? For a first visit, it shows the whole island in one day.