Sint Maarten Travel Guide: Best Areas, Beaches & Local Tips

High season runs from mid-December to mid-April. Daytime temperatures sit in the low to mid 80s, the air is drier and the trade winds keep evenings comfortable. It is also the busiest and most expensive stretch, and the Christmas and New Year weeks book first, so plan those eight to twelve months ahead if you want a choice of villas.

May, June and November are quieter and better value. The weather is still settled, with short showers now and then, and restaurants are open. Across our villas, low-season weeks cost about 25 percent less than the same villa in high season.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. Most weeks pass without incident and storms are forecast days in advance, but if you travel in those months, book flexible flights and take travel insurance that covers cancellation.

July and August suit families on summer break: warm sea, long days and lower rates. December 26 to January 6 is the liveliest fortnight of the year.

The island has more than thirty beaches in about 34 square miles, and they differ more than you would expect. Mullet Bay on the Dutch side is the swimming beach locals point you to: long, gently sloping and calm in the morning. Maho is the famous one, with aircraft landing just overhead; go once. Orient Bay on the French side is the long Atlantic beach with the beach clubs, water sports and lunch on the sand.

For a quieter day, the three beaches of the Terres Basses peninsula, Baie Rouge, Plum Bay and Baie Longue, are usually uncrowded even in February. Cupecoy has sandstone cliffs and small coves that are best at sunset. Guana Bay and Dawn Beach face the Atlantic, with surf, fewer people and morning sun.

Off the beach, the week tends to revolve around food and water. Grand Case, often called the gourmet capital of the Caribbean, has a long row of restaurants on its beachfront street. Marigot has its waterfront and a market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings; Philipsburg has Front Street and the cruise port. The ferry from Marigot to Anguilla takes about 25 minutes, and ferries to St Barths take roughly 45 to 75 minutes depending on the boat and the sea, so both work as day trips.

A rental car is the easiest way to get around from a villa. The island is compact, you can drive end to end in under an hour without traffic, and most villa weeks include a few dinners out, beach runs and grocery stops. Driving is on the right on both sides, and a small SUV copes better with the steeper villa driveways than a sedan.

Taxis wait at the airport, in Philipsburg and at the larger hotels, and the airport posts its fixed fares; at private villas you will usually call ahead. There is no Uber or Lyft on the island, so ask us to book rides you know you will need.

Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), on the Dutch side, has nonstop flights from several US cities on the East Coast, including New York, Miami, Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte, as well as from Toronto, Amsterdam and Paris. Smaller planes to nearby islands use SXM or Grand Case airport on the French side.

We can schedule a private transfer from the airport and arrange a rental car delivered to the villa, so you skip the rental counters on arrival. Both are quoted before you confirm.

The Dutch side's official currency is the Caribbean guilder, which replaced the Antillean guilder in 2025, but US dollars are used everywhere. The French side uses euros, and most restaurants and shops also take dollars. Cards are accepted at sit-down restaurants and larger shops; carry some cash for beach bars, markets and taxis. ATMs are easy to find in Philipsburg, Simpson Bay and Marigot.

Restaurants on the Dutch side usually leave the tip to you, and 15 to 20 percent is normal. On the French side service is often included (look for "service compris" on the bill), with a little extra for good service. A tip for the villa's housekeeping team at the end of the stay is customary.

Electricity is 110V on the Dutch side, where US plugs fit, and 220V on the French side, where you need an adapter for US devices. Tap water on the Dutch side is desalinated; many visitors still drink bottled water. Mosquitoes are more active after rain, so pack repellent.

As on any island, keep valuables out of sight in parked cars and lock the villa when you go out. Terres Basses and Indigo Bay are gated communities; ask us about the setup of any villa you are considering.