Land Excursions

Golf & Horseback Riding

The island's 18-hole golf course is at Mullet Bay. There are riding stables in the Le Galion beach area. Other activities include walking, mountain biking and zip lining through the forest canopy.

Exploring the Island

Philipsburg

Founded on the shoes of Great Bay in 1763 by John Philips, a Scotsman serving in the Dutch Navy, Philipsburg soon became an important port, a role that it maintains to this day. A major cruise ship and duty free shopping haven, this waterfront town boasts a variety of stores stocking luxury goods, jewelry, clothing and electronics. There are also restaurants, cafes, casinos, bars and night clubs.

The most important streets are Front and Back Street, which are linked by a series of alleys called steegjes. Look out for the colorful wooden houses with carved fretwork railings, eaves and shutters. These typically Caribbean homes are found throughout the island and the style is called "gingerbread".

Front Street is the site of the Courthouse which dates from 1793 and was once John Philips' home. Over the years it has served as the council hall, weigh station, post office, jail and fire station before being renovated and given to the courts. Also on Front Street, the Sint Maarten Museum has interesting displays of Arawak pottery and artifacts from the Colonial period, including plantation records and cargo salvaged from HMS Proselyte, the ship that foundered off the coast in 1801.

The approaches to the colonial port were guarded by two hilltop forts, Fort Amsterdam, built in 1631, and Fort Willem, erected by the British in 1801.The latter is located on top of Fort Hill and is easily recognizable due to its television transmitting tower.

Sint Maarten Park

Over 60 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish from the Caribbean and tropical South America are on display at this forest park. They include squirrel and golden lion tamarin monkeys, bats, ocelots, parrots, macaws and toucans.

Marigot

This picturesque waterfront town is a blend of Caribbean color and Continental chic. French sidewalk cafes bistros, boutiques, art galleries, gift shops and even gourmet delicatessens line the streets. The Port La Royale Marina, Rue de France (Port Road), Rue de la Republique, Rue du General de Gaulle and Le West Indies mall are the main shopping and dining districts. Visit the St Martin Museum next to the Marina Port La Royale for a glimpse of the ancient Arawak civilization and the archaeological dig at the Hope Estate, life on the colonial plantations and island society after the abolition of slavery. The bustling Marigot Market is worth a visit to purchase locally grown fruit, vegetables and spices, carved wooden figures and other crafts and to sample freshly caught fish and seafood. Discover a traditional French West Indian market and meeting place on the waterfront, at the foot of Fort St. Louis, every Wednesday and Saturday. Built by the French in 1767 to protect the town of Marigot, Fort St. Louis dominates Marigot Bay. The ten-minute walk from the harbor to the fort is well worth it for the panoramic views of the island. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes.

Gtande Case

Nestled on the shores of a beautiful bay, this tiny fishing village is a must for visitors who like to indulge in the art of fine dining. Its waterfront street is lined with restaurants, many in traditional wooden houses painted in pastel colors, serving everything from seafood and Creole dishes to French, Italian, Indian and Indonesian cuisine.

Colombier

Colombier is a picturesque West Indian hamlet of gingerbread houses and colorful gardens that is set in a fertile valley. The Carib Plantation, a watermelon farm open to the public is in the Colombier district. Several walking trails wind through the valley towards the hills.

Orleans

Also known as the French Quarter, this fishing village is the site of the original French settlement on the island.

Pic Paradis

Climb to the top of Pic Paradis for spectacular views of the island, the Caribbean and neighboring islands

Loterie Farm

This former plantation and nature reserve is worth a visit. Follow eco trails through the jungle to the top of Pic Paradis and learn about the history of the state. You can also zip line through the forest canopy.

Buterfly Farm

A variety of the world's most colorful tropical butterflies are on display in the gardens at the Butterfly Farm. Find out about the importance of butterflies as indicators of a healthy environment; they are sensitive to pesticides, insecticides and other sources of pollution. Located on the Le Galion Beach Road.

The Old House

Located in the Orleans Quarter, this is an 18 th century plantation house owned by the Beauperthuy family since 1843. An interesting collection of heirlooms helps tell the story of the family and life on Saint Martin. Closed on Monday. Sucrerie Spring, near Orient Bay.

Water Sports

The Pelican Marina has two docks and is home to the largest water sports center and dive shop on the island. Activities on offer include water skiing, windsurfing, sunfish and aqua cat sailing, wave runners, pedal boats, parasailing and kayaks. There are cruises through Simpson Bay Lagoon, past the yachts and villas of the rich and famous, and you can even sail an America's Cup racing yacht. Join the crew on Dennis Connor's famous America's Cup winner, the Stars and Stripes, or its rivals Canada II and True North for a thrilling day on the high seas. Previous sailing experience is not necessary, the crew will teach you.

• Catch of the Day
  The waters around St Maarten are rich in game fish such as marlin, dorado, sailfish, tuna and wahoo and half and full day charter fishing trips are available at the water sports center.
• Snorkeling
  Once you have brushed up on your snorkeling skills in the pool at The Pelican Resort you can explore the clear waters of Simpson Bay. Other good snorkeling spots off the St Maarten/St Martin coast include Dawn Beach, the Ilet Pinel and Tintamarre Cays, Caye Verte, Friar's Bay, Little Bay, Baie Rouge and Cupecoy Beach. Half-day snorkeling trips to Creole Rock are also available from the water sports center.
• Diving
  Coral reefs fringe the coast of St Maarten/St Martin providing a habitat for a wealth of marine life including butterfly fish, sergeant majors, angel, frog and parrot fish, grunts, jacks, moray eels, rays, barracuda and green turtles. The water sports center offers a variety of trips to reefs in the area and neighboring islands suitable for novices, intermediate and advanced divers. Popular dive sites are the Proselyte Reef, the coral-covered remains of a ship that sunk in 1801, and other nearby reefs in the Philipsburg area, the Carib Cargo Wreck in Cay Bay, Ilet Tintemarre, Dolphin Point, Creole Rock, Grand Case Reef and Anse Marcel, Groupers en route to St. Barts, Gregory in Cupecoy Bay and the Bridge in Simpson Bay.
  
  If you have never tried diving, classes are available at the dive shop from a team of experienced professionals. If you are already a diver and would like to learn more, you can sign up for PADI Open water and Advanced Open water courses and certification or Nitrox diving and Enriched Air courses.
  
• Island hopping
  The water sports center offers day trips to several of St Maarten's neighbors. Visit the British island of Anguilla on board a sail cat, and see why its long, white-sand beaches often make the cover of international travel magazines. Other Anguilla excursions take you to Prickly Pear Cay and to meet the dolphins at Fantaseas Park.
  
  Smallest of the French West Indies, St. Barts is a chic island retreat and definitely one of the Caribbean's places to see and be seen. Spend the day on the beach at St. Jean or Anse du Gouverneur and explore the picturesque village of Gustavia soaking up the French ambiance. The St. Barts ferry departs from the Pelican Marina and the crossing takes about 45 minutes.
  
  Known as the “Unspoiled Queen,” the tiny Dutch island of Saba is an ecological wonderland of tropical forest, mountains, cliffs and reefs teeming with marine life. A village called the Bottom is the capital and there are three other picturesque hamlets on the island. Hiking and bird watching are popular activities and the path leading up Mt Scenery, an extinct 887-meter-high volcano, affords spectacular views of the Caribbean. Saba's reefs are protected by a Marine Park and are famous for their challenging pinnacle, drop off and wall dives.
  
• Cruising
  Savor the romance of the Caribbean at sunset on board a catamaran; you can even stay on for dinner and watch the stars. Make your sunset and dinner cruise reservations at the water sports center.
• On Dry Land
  The water sports center is a one stop vacation shop also offering shopping and sightseeing excursions to Philipsburg and Marigot, Butterfly Farm and St. Maarten Park trips, island tours and horseback riding.

Restaurants & Bars

Delicious Dining

St Maarten/St Martin is a gourmet destination with over 200 restaurants and cafes. Island offerings include everything from ocean-fresh seafood and local Caribbean recipes to bistro favorites, classic French haute cuisine, Italian, Argentinean, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian specialties and sophisticated dishes that are a marriage of exotic spices and a feast for the senses. Rustic beachfront eateries and market stands called lolos serve grilled fish and lobster, jerk chicken and other local meals and there are fast food outlets for visitors who crave burgers and pizzas.

Many of the island's most famous restaurants are in Philipsburg, Marigot and the tiny seaside village of Grand Case, which is often hailed as the "gastronomic capital of the Caribbean."

Sizzling Nightlife

St Maarten/St Martin is the island that never sleeps! Start your evening with a sunset cocktail at one of the beach bars. Watch carefully and you may see the famous green flash of the tropics as the sun dips below the horizon. After dinner, let St Maarten's musicians entertain you with your favorite piano melodies and everything from reggae, zouk, soca and salsa to jazz, rock, rhythm and blues. Still not tired? Dance the night away at the disco.

Casinos

Hollywood Casino

Located in the Great House building, our popular Las Vegas-style casino offers blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, slot machines and state-of-the-art electronic games. Don’t miss the Texas Hold-em at 9 p.m. every night and Bingo at weekends. Your Pelican concierge will be able to tell you about other weekly events or you can check the in-house magazine Pelican Resort News. Hollywood Casino is open daily: 1 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Children under 18 years of age are not permitted in the casino.

Beaches

37 Beaches to Choose From

The St. Maarten island's beaches range from windswept stretches of shoreline to sheltered bays with low sandstone cliffs and swathes of pearly white sand. Some beaches are lively and crowded and have beach bars, restaurants and water sports rentals while others are quiet, virtually deserted and have no services at all. The beaches along the windward coast tend to have larger waves and some are popular with surfers and windsurfers. Leeward coast beaches are popular with families.

All beaches are open to the public and several in the French half of the island are favored by topless sun worshippers. After you have spent a few days at Simpson Bay and Simpson Bay Lagoon, you may want to visit some of the following beaches:

Dutch St Maarten

Dawn Beach

This beach on the Dutch side may be a little difficult to get to, however, the trip is definitely worth it for the fine white sand and the snorkeling, considered some of the best on the island. You can see the island of St Barts from here.

Macho Bay

Located next to the Princess Juliana Airport, this beach is popular but noisy as planes take off and land. The mountainous island of Saba is visible on most days.

Mullet Bay

A popular spot with surfers, palm and sea grape trees provide welcome shade. The 18-hole golf course runs along the coast.

Oyster Pond

A good beach for body surfing.

Cupecoy

A series of tiny bays backed by golden cliffs pitted with caves; care needed when swimming. Clothing optional. Other beaches worth a visit include Guana Bay and Great Bay.

French Saint Martin

Baie Longue

The longest beach on the island is secluded and very quiet. Clothing optional. Visit Baie Longue and nearby Baie aux Prunes (Plum Bay) for sunset watching.

Baie Orientale

Orient Bay is the island's most popular beach and is good for windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing and horseback riding. Clothing optional. The entire bay is an underwater marine reserve.

Baie Rouge

This beautiful wide bay on the French side has white sand with a pinkish tinge due to minute fragments of coral and the shells of marine organisms called foraminifera, and water which is a breathtaking shade of turquoise.

Le Galion

Also known as Baie de L'Embouchure or Coconut Grove, this shallow bay is a popular spot with families for swimming and snorkeling; wind surfers, surfers and kite boarders also gather here. The bay is part of the St Martin Marine Reserve.

Grand Case

This sheltered and picturesque bay has a narrow beach and tasty waterfront dining.

Tintemarre & Ilet Pinel

These tiny offshore cays have fine beaches and good snorkeling spots. You may visit them on a day cruise. Other beaches worth a visit include Friar's Bay, Happy Bay Beach and Anse Marcel.

Shopping

A Shoppers Paradise

St Maarten and St Martin are duty-free shopping enclaves and visits to the picturesque island capitals - Philipsburg on the Dutch side and Marigot on the French side are de rigueur. Look for cameras, watches, electronics, French wines and cheeses, Cuban cigars fine gold and gemstone jewelry, porcelain, crystal, perfumes and designer clothing, some of it straight from Paris. You can also find Indonesian batik clothing, Caribbean wood carvings and baskets, paintings by local artists, spices, locally made hot sauces and St Maarten's famous Guavaberry liqueur, made from the berries of a tree that grows wild in the hills.

Spa

L'Aqualigne Spa

This world-class European health, fitness and beauty spa offers services ranging from aqua-aerobics to Shiatsu and Swedish massages. Spa treatments include deep cleansing facials, exfoliations, aromatherapy, anti cellulite and anti wrinkle remedies. The beauty salon offers waxing, pedicures, manicures and beauty treatments

Adventures

Aqua Mania Adventures

Imagine a one-stop vacation shop. A place that could offer departures to all destinations for day trips, all the toys for water sports and combine a professional and well-established dive center to round off the package. Aqua Mania Adventures is located at Pelican Marina Residences and has over 20 years experience in the customer service industry with friendly and reliable staff. These are the people to plan your unforgettable vacation.

St. Maarten is surrounded by four beautiful islands - the French jewel of St Barts, the unspoiled Dutch Queen, Saba, and the two British sisters Anguilla and Prickly Pear Cay await discovery. Each day you have an exciting opportunity to explore and enjoy a new country and culture.

Aqua Mania Adventures offers Edge I & II high speed ferries to St Barts and the only constant service to Saba. State of the art sail cats, Lambada and Tango, are the best way to travel to pristine white beaches and the aquamarine waters surrounding Anguilla and Prickly Pear. Great snorkeling at these destinations and local restaurants provide a tasty BBQ lunch.

If you prefer a half-day sightseeing and snorkeling combo, Sand Dollar is a popular outing with departures twice daily. Captain Alex is a dedicated and amusing companion for the three-hour trip, and snorkeling at Creole Rock caters to the experienced and novice alike. This is a trip to christen that new gear or knock the cobwebs out of the trusted antiques.

If you envision days of lazing under palm trees sipping pina coladas, and roasting a deep golden brown, then surely by evening you will be ready to tap your feet to the Caribbean steel drum beat. Lambada and Tango provide the best seat in the house to watch breathtaking tropical sunsets. Take a two-hour cruise on Lambada with drinks and snacks, before dinner at one of the 350 fantastic restaurants, or a sumptuous Creole buffet aboard Tango for a longer evening of picnic dining, and dancing underneath the stars.

Thought that was it? If you snorkel and swim, why haven’t you tried Scuba? It is the most natural progression, and the common thought is, if you can breathe you can scuba. Try a one-day discovery course or get your certification card. Dive wrecks and reefs and hone your skills on advanced and specialty courses. With Dive Shop Manager Vinny at the helm, Dive Adventures takes you by the hand and shows you a side of St Maarten you will never forget. This is an adventure with Dive Adventures. Day trips for diving in Saba on walls and pinnacles are opportunities for world-class diving.

Now what vacation would be complete without thrill seeking? Wave runner tours, parasailing, kite surfing, waterskiing, and eco tours like kayaking and mountain biking are all available for first timers and experienced participants. Plan a private charter for your birthday, wedding or family group with a variety of vessels to exotic destinations.