Things to Do in St Maarten: 15 Best Experiences (2026 Guide)
The 15 best things to do in St Maarten, from plane-spotting at Maho Beach to lolo barbecue in Grand Case and snorkeling off Pinel Island. Practical picks from a team that lives here, covering both the Dutch and French sides.
This guide is brought to you by the Coral Villas team. As local experts in Sint Maarten, we're passionate about helping travelers discover the authentic Caribbean experience.
Thirty-four square miles, two countries, 37 beaches, and roughly 300 restaurants: St Maarten packs more into a small island than anywhere else in the Caribbean. That density is the point. You can watch a 747 land over your head at breakfast, snorkel an uninhabited island before lunch, and eat French food that would hold its own in Lyon by dinner. These are the 15 things actually worth your time, based on what our guests rave about (and a few things we'd skip).
The 15 best things to do in St Maarten
1. Watch the planes land at Maho Beach
The island's most famous spectacle: wide-body jets on final approach to Princess Juliana Airport pass a few dozen feet over the sand. Check the arrivals board, order a drink at the Sunset Bar, and have your camera ready for the big afternoon arrivals. Stand clear of the fence during takeoffs; the jet blast is no joke and the warning signs mean it.
2. Take the ferry to Pinel Island
A five-minute boat hop from Cul-de-Sac on the French side lands you on a car-free islet with calm, shallow water, easy snorkeling, and two barbecue restaurants on the sand. Go early on a weekday and you'll share it with a handful of people and some very confident iguanas.
3. Eat at the lolos in Grand Case
Open-air barbecue stands grilling ribs, lobster, and johnnycakes at prices that feel like a misprint next to the fine-dining street they sit on. Grand Case is the island's culinary capital: lolo lunch, gourmet dinner, same block.
4. Zipline down from Sentry Hill
Rainforest Adventures at Rockland Estate runs the Flying Dutchman, billed as the world's steepest zipline, dropping from the island's ridgeline with views across to St Barts. The chairlift up is half the experience.
5. Spend a lazy day at Loterie Farm
A private nature reserve on the slopes of Pic Paradis with hiking trails, a treetop ropes course, and a spring-fed pool with cabanas that books out in high season. Reserve ahead; it's the French side's favorite non-beach day.
6. Snorkel Creole Rock
The little rock off Grand Case Bay is the island's most reliable snorkel spot: turtles, rays, and clouds of reef fish in 10 to 20 feet of water. Kayak or boat trips run from Grand Case beach.
7. Shop duty-free on Front Street, Philipsburg
Jewelry, watches, and liquor without duty, priced in dollars, a few steps from the cruise pier. Even if you're not buying, the boardwalk one block over is a pleasant stroll with a Guavaberry cocktail in hand.
8. Browse the Marigot market
The French capital's waterfront market is at its best on Wednesday and Saturday mornings: spices, rum punch bottles, crafts, and produce, with Fort Louis watching from the hill above. Climb the fort afterward for the best free view on the French side.
9. Charter a boat for the day
The lagoon and leeward coast make St Maarten one of the Caribbean's great sailing bases. Day charters circle the island or cross to Anguilla and Prickly Pear Cay. This is the single most-requested arrangement our concierge teammakes, and the one guests remember longest.
10. Do a beach crawl on the French side
Orient Bay for watersports and beach clubs, Baie Rouge for space, Mullet Bay for bodysurfing, Happy Bay for near-privacy after a ten-minute walk. Our complete guide to all 37 beachesmaps them out with parking and crowd notes.
11. Day-trip to Anguilla
Twenty-five minutes by ferry from Marigot to some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean. Shoal Bay East alone justifies the trip. Details in our Anguilla day trip guide.
12. Day-trip to St Barts
The 45-minute crossing to Gustavia delivers a completely different island: designer boutiques, harbor yachts, and Saline Beach. Our St Barths ferry guidecovers schedules and how to plan the day.
13. Try your luck in the casinos
The Dutch side has a dozen casinos, concentrated around Maho and Simpson Bay. Not Vegas, but a fun late-night hour after dinner, and the people-watching is free.
14. Hike Pic Paradis
The island's highest point at 1,391 feet, reachable by trail from Loterie Farm or Colombier. Go in the morning before the heat, bring water, and you'll see both coastlines and five neighboring islands on a clear day.
15. Eat your way through a Simpson Bay evening
The Dutch side's dining and nightlife hub: fresh catch at the fish shacks, cocktails on the lagoon, live music most nights. What happens after dark is covered in our nightlife guide.
Planning your days: what's where
| Experience | Side | Best for | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maho Beach plane-spotting | Dutch | First-timers, photographers | 1-2 hours |
| Pinel Island | French | Families, snorkelers | Half day |
| Grand Case dining | French | Food lovers, couples | Evening |
| Flying Dutchman zipline | Dutch | Thrill seekers | Half day |
| Loterie Farm | French | Everyone | Half to full day |
| Boat charter | Either | Groups, celebrations | Full day |
| Anguilla or St Barts trip | From Marigot / Philipsburg | Island collectors | Full day |
| Front Street + boardwalk | Dutch | Cruise days, shoppers | 2-3 hours |
Frequently asked questions
What is St Maarten best known for?
Maho Beach, where jets land directly over sunbathers, and its two-nations-one-island setup: Dutch Sint Maarten and French Saint-Martin share 34 square miles with no real border. The island is also the Caribbean's duty-free shopping hub and its unofficial culinary capital.
How many days do you need in St Maarten?
A week is the sweet spot. Five days covers the highlights on both sides; seven lets you add a day trip to Anguilla or St Barts and still have full beach days. It's why most of our villasbook Saturday to Saturday.
Is St Maarten walkable, or do you need a car?
You need a car, or a driver. Attractions are spread across both sides of the island, taxis are unmetered, and the best beaches have no bus service. Most of our guests rent a car for the week; our concierge arranges delivery to the villa.
Which side of St Maarten is better to stay on?
Neither is "better": the Dutch side puts you closer to nightlife, casinos, and the airport, while the French side is quieter with the best food and beaches. Everything is within a 30-minute drive either way. Our best areas to stay guidebreaks it down neighborhood by neighborhood.
However you fill the days, the island works best from a base of your own. Browse our villa collectionacross both sides, and let the concierge turn this list into an itinerary; boat days, restaurant tables, and zipline slots are exactly the kind of thing we arrange before you land.
