St. Maarten Travel guide
Updated: Mar 31
One of the most fun cruise ports in our opinion! Their beaches are gorgeous, and its iconic to watch planes land over your head! St. Maarten is one of the most unique Caribbean islands because it is split between two countries (Dutch & French!) which means double the culture, beaches, and vibes in one day!
We traveled to St. Maarten on the Icon of the Seas cruise ship with Royal Caribbean! Which meant we had limited time on the island. Here are our recommendations on what to do if you are also making a stop in the gorgeous island of St. Maarten!
If you are traveling on a cruise ship, you will most likely dock in Philipsburg. (Dutch side)
Fun Facts
St. Maarten is the smallest island in the world shared by two nations!
It is spelled differently depending on which side you are at! St. Maarten (Dutch) Sint Martin (French)
The Maho Beach Airport was originally built by the U.S. military in WWII
COCO BEACH CLUB
Our favorite spot that we got to explore when visiting was definitely Coco Beach Club which is on the French side near Orient Bay. It is a gorgeous beach front restaurant that also has beach chairs and lounge seating for rent. The staff was very friendly and the food & drinks were amazing! Everything was so fresh and their menu has various food options such as seafood, American food, and French food! We also got to enjoy cappuccinos by the beach (literally the best thing!) since we got there early in the morning. *We did not know this before we arrived but it is actually a topless beach (crazy!!!) We thought we should let you know before booking anything! Actually a lot of the beaches on the French side are topless beaches. To us it was a bit of a shock since we did not know what we were getting ourselves into, but honestly we didn't pay attention to others and just minded our business :)
How to get there
At the Philipsburg cruise port they have a super organized taxi stand! You will let them know you want to go to Coco Beach Club on the french side and they will most likely group you up with other people who are also going that direction.
Time in taxi: 20 minutes
Cost: $15-25 per person
Rentals: $20-30 for lounge chairs
Photo spots:
Lounge chairs with coffee in hand & palm trees behind you
Running into the ocean
Cute drink shot
Mirror outside of bathrooms
Maho beach (iconic)
At this beach, you will see planes fly directly over your head while landing. It is one of the most unique beaches in the world! It is on the Dutch side, so its a bit of a drive from Coco beach club! VERY IMPORTANT- Jet blast from planes is extremely strong and dangerous. There are signs that warn you to not be in the ocean or near the aiport fence while planes are landing. Please be safe if you go to this beach. You can still get amazing shots and views from the shore. There is even catamarans and small boats that take you further into the ocean to watch the planes land safely. There is also a couple of bars and restaurants if you wanted to grab a drink/ bite to eat.
BEst time to go:
Earlier in the day: Less crowded!
Afternoon: Biggest planes land!
Check flight times online: You can always look up incoming flight status and times! This helps a lot if you are just going to watch the planes.
Taxi: 30 minutes from port
Cost: $20-25 per person
Other iconic beaches
When we visited St. Maarten, we only had the chance to check out Coco Beach club and Maho beach. However, we have done the research on other picture perfect beaches so you don't have to!
Orient bay (FRENCH SIDE)
The village of Orient Bay is a must-do of the Caribbean! Also known as the "Saint Tropez" in the Caribbean because of its large ocean and busy lifestyle. It is pretty windy, which makes it great for water sports such as Jetskiing! It is about a mile long with white sands, hotels, and beautiful restaurants. This is a great beach for those who enjoy people watching and doing more than just relaxing on the beach. Keep in mind that this is also a topless beach since it is on the French side :)
Taxi: 20-30 minutes from port
Cost: $25-30
Vibes:
Long white sand beach
Clear turquoise water
Tons of beach clubs! (Coco beach club is about a 10-15 min walk)
Multiple restaurants!
Mullet bay beach
This beach is a hidden gem near Maho Beach! (Dutch side) If you are planning on watching the planes land, this is definitely a beach worth checking out!!
Taxi: 5 minutes from Maho Beach
Cost: $5-10
Vibes:
Way less crowded than Maho
Insanely gorgeous
smaller/ local vibes
Great bay beach (near cruise port)
If you don't want to go too far away from the cruise port, this beach is exactly for you! Keep in mind that the closer the beaches are from the port, the more crowded they will be. If you like to shop and explore rather than have beach time, we recommend going here.
Time in water taxi OR short walk: 5-10 minutes
Cost of taxi: $7 OR free if you walk :)
VIBES:
Super convenient
Boardwalk with cute shops and restaurants
Colorful buildings
Beach with cruise ships in the background
Pro Tips
Bring cash for taxis and beach chair rentals!
Screenshot directions since the service can be spotty
Wear your swimsuit under your fit
Plan you timing around traffic- it is a small island and traffic can get pretty bad especially on Port days!
Don't stay too long at Maho Beach if its crowded- go early or do a quick stop
quick Itinerary flow
Morning:
From cruise port head to Coco Beach Club for photos and relaxing time at the beach
OR Head to Orient Bay and explore other beach clubs
Midday:
Head to Maho Beach to spot planes and take more pictures!
Stop by Mullet Bay Beach to get gorgeous views of the water!
Head back to cruise port and stop by Great Bay Beach for shopping!
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