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Saint Martin Travel Guide

The compact island of Saint Martin is bursting with cultural diversity and thrilling activities. You'll be amazed by the Dutch side of the island in the south, Sint Maarten, known for its intoxicating nightlife full of casinos and Guavaberry rum drinks. While the northern French side of the island, Saint Martin, is much more mellow, yet still brimming with fun things to get up to. From idyllic beaches and bustling markets to fascinating historical sites and tranquil nature reserves - whichever side of the island you visit, there's never a dull moment in this gem of the lesser Antilles.

Beaches in Saint Martin

Saint Martin, also known as the “island of 37 beaches,” has beautiful vistas everywhere the sand meets the sea. It would be near impossible to see all these beaches in just one trip so we’ve put together a list of some of our top picks.

Best beaches in Saint Martin

Plane Flying Over Beach At Maho Bay

Maho Beach, Sint Maarten

if you're looking for something unique and Instagram worthy then look no further than Maho beach. Situated in Sint Maarten this beach has all the typical attributes you expect of a tropical beach - ivory sand and a serene teal sea that borders it. It’s next to Princess Juliana International Airport and the planes fly so close to the beach you can practically see the people in them.

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Young girl with green flippers snorkeling in tropical clear water

Mullet Bay Beach, Sint Maarten

Mullet Bay beach lies in a peaceful location with crystal clear waters to swim in, sun loungers and umbrellas to relax on, and snack bars to keep you well fed. Nearby is the island's one and only golf course so if you’re an avid golfer this may become your favourite beach.

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Aerial view of colourful sun loungers lined up on a white sand beach around a small tropical island

Orient Bay, Saint Martin

Orient Bay in Saint Martin is for lovers of watersports and adrenaline junkies alike. There are various sports for anyone inexperienced, but the more experienced folks can just rent equipment. Many of the beaches on the French side of the island allow nudity and Orient Bay is no different.

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Saint Martin geography

Saint Martin is part of the group of islands named the lesser Antilles and sits in the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Its nearest neighbours are Anguilla and St Barts which would be only a short boat ride away. It is a small island – the northern French territory is the larger half of the island, and the smaller, southern part is the Dutch territory. Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side of the island while Marigot is the capital of the French. The island is made up of dry vegetation, salt ponds and mountains - the highest mountain is Pic Paradis (424m), located on the French side.

Saint Martin history

Saint Martin was first inhabited by the Arawak people who arrived around 800 AD. Due to the vast amount of salt ponds they named it ‘Land of the Salt’ (Soualiga) and these ponds were a significant reason Europeans later colonised the island.

The island's modern name came from Christopher Columbus who named it after Saint Martin upon spotting it in 1493. It was then occupied by various European forces like the Dutch, French and Spanish. It transferred between these different forces until it ultimately was split between the Dutch and French in 1648.

The Dutch and French heavily relied on sugarcane plantations worked by enslaved Africans to make a profit from the island but after the abolition of slavery in the 19th-century sugar production diminished. This eventually resulted in a mass exodus of the islands’ inhabitants to other local Caribbean islands over the next few decades. By 1914 the population of the island had dropped to 3000 and this dropped down to 2000 by the 1940s.

World War Two changed the trajectory of Saint Martin’s future as the U.S army needed to use it for plane runways in order to defend the Americas from German attacks. This led to the construction of Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana Airport which opened up the island to tourism once the war was over.

Wildlife in Saint Martin

The wildlife in Saint Martin is unusual as it was never connected to the mainland and has always been an island. The only native mammals on Saint Martin were bats. However, many different species were introduced to the detriment of many of the native ones after being colonised. Many of the animals on the island now are livestock, racoons, and mongoose. Reptiles and birds on the other hand are plentiful. Saint Martin was at one point home to the Lesser Antillean Iguana (which is now extinct from the island).

Activities in Saint Martin

There’s no shortage of things to do on an island as diverse and jam packed as Saint Martin, from trying your luck at the casino to visiting a stunning butterfly farm, there’s something for everyone.

Watersports

Diving in Saint Martin

Saint Martin has over 30 wonderful dive sites. If you venture out into these waters you have the chance to see reef sharks, sea turtles and grouper, amongst many others. One of our top picks is diving at the HMS Proselyte, a ship built in 1770 that sank just on the coast in 1801. This shipwreck is now on its side between 20-55 feet of water, covered in coral, and home to a variety of sea life.

Another popular spot is the Fish Bowl, named after its glass-like clear water full of vast swatches of colourful tropical fish. This site is ideal for even novice divers but be careful in rough sea conditions as it can be dangerous. When the weather's ideal you'll have the chance to swim through a large arch alongside barracudas - how many people can say they’ve done that!

Surfing in Saint Martin

Whether you visit the Dutch or French side of the island there are surf spots aplenty. Le Galion beach is fantastic for people of all surfing levels as the waves are fairly regular and the sea isn't too rough. There are surfing lessons available from a variety of surf clubs with experts to guide you every step of the way.

If you're an experienced surfer looking for more point break waves, then Mullet beach will be more your speed. Surfing here offers some intense waves but it's not for the faint of heart.

Windsurfing & kitesurfing in Saint Martin

Le Galion Beach isn't just perfect for surfing but wind and kite surfing too. Since there are no jet skis or motorboats, this beach is incredibly safe to learn to kite or windsurf. You’ll find plenty of businesses offering lessons and some of them even use the lagoon to teach beginners instead of the open sea.

Sailing in Saint Martin

Saint Martin may just be one of the best places to sail in the entire Caribbean due to the 12-metre Regatta based on the Americas Cup Regatta. This may be your only chance to race yacht worth millions and experience what it would be like to be part of the biggest sailing competition in the world. This activity is safe for ages six and up so the whole family can jump on board. Whether you’ve never been on a boat before or you sail on a regular basis, this opportunity would be both thrilling and a once in a lifetime chance.

Fishing in Saint Martin

Fishing in Saint Martin is a delight since you can get great catches all year round. It's possible to rent fishing charters for a few hours to a day with equipment and instructors who'll show you the ropes. Deep-sea fishing is the game here and one of the most popular spots to fish is Tuna Shoals, near the Dutch side of the island. It's aptly named for its abundance of yellowfin tuna, as well as the Mahi that live in these waters. Some of the other fish you might get to catch are sailfish and marlin (if you visit in summer) or wahoo if you fish in the winter.

Canoeing & kayaking in Saint Martin

Kayaking or canoeing is a must for any tropical destination and Saint Martin is no different. It's easy to find companies to do kayaking tours and one of the best places to take a tour is Galion Beach mangroves. The beauty of rows upon rows of verdant trees passing you by as your float along pristine turquoise waters makes all the effort of rowing worthwhile. Besides the amazing views, you’ll also get a chance to see herons and iguanas and maybe even egrets.

Pinel Island is another popular choice for kayaking since it's off the coast of the mainland and some of it is purely accessible by kayak. That means total serenity and a real sense of connecting with nature is guaranteed here.

Land activties

Golf in Saint Martin

Saint Martin is an island with limited golfing options so if you’re a heavy golfer then Jamaica, Bermuda or the Dominican Republic might be a better option. If you're heart’s set on holidaying in Saint Martin then there is one golf course on the island - Mullet Bay golf course. This 18-hole course is easy to get set up at and is vast enough to keep you entertained so would be worth a visit if you really love the game.

Cycling & mountain biking in Saint Martin

Cycling is the ideal way to explore the hilly topography of Saint Martin. Bike tours of the historic city of Philipsburg are a wonderful choice for seeing all the sites, but if you're looking to get more in touch with nature then Simpson Bay lagoon would be excellent too. If it's not chilled out bike tours, you want then you can rent a mountain bike and ride the rugged trails of cay bay to fort Amsterdam. An even more intense trail would be riding up Pic du Paradis but you’ll need some strong legs for this. No need to worry about getting lost though as guides are readily available in nearby bike shops.

Walking & hiking in Saint Martin

You can't consider ‘hiking’ in Saint Martin without mentioning Pic Paradis, the biggest mountain and highest point on the island. This is a beautiful hike full of vervet monkeys and iguanas and the achievement of making it up a mountain will be the cherry on top of this hike. One of the ways to get to the top Pic Paradis is through Loterie farm which is a delight in its own right. Loterie farm was once a sugar plantation and you’ll get to see all that’s left of it, before hiking through the forest right up the mountain.

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Adults
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