St. Maarten Attractions and Things to Do

St. Maarten belongs in the same category of Caribbean attractions as other small islands such as St. Kitts. The size of the island is limited, but there is enough to do to fill a week.

Unique St. Maarten attractions include Bay of Grand Case, which has the best restaurants on the island; the well-known Orient Beach; sailing to nearby St. Barths and Anguilla; and the panoramic views of Fort Louis, built in 1765 to protect the capital of Marigot on the French side of the island from the English.


Marigot, capital of the French side, offers visitors a tour of Fort Louis, built in 1765 to protect the city from the English. The site provides a 180 degree view of the city, Simpson Bay, the lagoon, Anguilla, Marigot Bay, and Nettlé Bay up to the Terres Basses. The fort canons are visible from the waterfront by West Indies Mall. Marigot also has The Market for shopping and opportunities to see Creole architecture.


Philipsburg has the benefit of being the primary St. Maarten cruise port, which means it has a special strength as a shopping opportunity. The main street has the usual variety of jewelry, electronic and souvenir shops, while the boardwalk has many bars and restaurants.


It's big, it's beautiful, it's filled with people and sometimes some people don't have a stitch of clothing. The most famous St. Maarten beach is actually located on the French St. Martin side. As a result, clothing is optional. But when we visited, nearly everyone had a real bathing suit.


Visitors can go to the highest point on the island at Pic Paradis for a 360 degree view of St. Martin and nearby islands. The location is halfway between Marigot and Grand Case.


The former sugar cane plantations from the 1720s are a home to rain forest, thousands of plant species and numerous animal species including monkeys, mongoose and parrots. Hikers can eat at a restaurant at the starting point of the walk that provides lunch from Tuesday to Sunday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. During high season, jazz bands play music during the aperitif hour on weekends.


A small, typically Creole village, by the sea, lined with gourmet and local restaurants and arts and crafts boutiques. From January to May, on Tuesdays, the “Mardis de Grand Case” or Harmony Night festival, features brass bands and Caribbean music, to whose rhythm you can discover the local crafts, and enjoy local or gourmet cuisine in a festive, family and convivial atmosphere.


The large plantation includes cotton, coffee, manioc, tobacco, corn, sugar cane and spice gardens. Visitors will learn about rum production, indigo and coffee roasting.


The farm is one of several on islands around the Caribbean. This one was the first built by two Englishmen and it opened to the public in 1994.


The Old House provides tours of an old sugar plantation house with restorations that include period furniture, family portraits and collections spanning six generations.


The safari reserve contains more than 150 animals of 80 different species from the Amazonian jungle. A walking tour goes through lush and dense vegetation Other activities include painting competitions, puppet shows and experiences with the reptiles that live there.