Standing sentinel in the palm-lined Watney Square on Front Street, Philipsburg Courthouse is the centerpiece of the island’s Dutch capital. Built in 1793, the white wooden structure with crisp green trim has a bell tower topped by a pineapple—a classic Caribbean symbol for “welcome.” Once used as a jail, a post office, and a fire station, the building is currently a working courthouse.
Hidden among the steep hills of the northern coast of St. Martin, this discreet cove has a lovely beach and a jewel-box marina. Drop in on the Anse Marcel Beach Resort for a drink or meal or simply to enjoy the cove’s gentle and shallow waters.
Off the southern coast of St. Maarten, the diminutive and isolated island of Saba is a thriving sanctuary for tropical plant and animal life. Though Saba doesn’t have any beaches, the pristine volcanic island is a paradise for hikers and a world-class destination for scuba divers.
Built by the Dutch in 1631, Fort Amsterdam was the original colonial fort built and an important vantage point in the dispute over the island by the Dutch, French, and British. Located on a peninsula on the western side of Great Bay, the fort is now decommissioned, but ruins and 19th century cannons remain. It’s also a sanctuary for nesting pelicans.
Housed in a traditional 19th-century house, St. Maarten’s only museum is devoted to the history of the Dutch side of the island. Exhibitions at the small museum focus on the island’s indigenous cultures, geology, and colonial history, while archaeological finds on display date back as early as 500 BC.
Step into the world ofStar Wars—and the mind of legendary Hollywood makeup artist Nick Maley who helped create many of the franchise’s most memorable characters—at the Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit in Phillipsburg. In the middle of a bevy of duty-free shops along Front Street, this museum and gift shop houses movie memorabilia, figurines, props, and holograms.
One of St. Martin’s most family-friendly beaches, Le Galion Beach is the perfect beach day for visitors traveling with young children. The turquoise waters of the beach also known as L’Embouchure or Baby Beach are clear, mellow, and very shallow—even 300 feet (91 meters) from the shore. It’s also one of the few area beaches that discourages nude sunbathing.
With more than 2 million annual cruise visitors, St. Maarten Cruise Port has long been one of the busiest in the Caribbean. Located in the island capital of Philipsburg, it’s not only the gateway to the Dutch side of St. Maarten but also a popular choice for visitors heading to the French side of St. Martin.
Cole Bay Hill is the perfect perch for travelers to catch panoramic views of Philipsburg, St. Maarten’s Dutch capital, and nearby islands Saba, St. Eustatius, and Anguilla. In the mornings, sun glints off Simpson Bay Lagoon, the largest inland body of water in the Caribbean, and in the evenings, travelers flock here for sunset snaps.
Rising from the center of St. Maarten/St. Martin, Pic Paradis (Peak Paradise) is the island’s highest point as well as its wettest, which ensures the vegetation is lush and green year-round. Climb to the 1,391-foot (424-meter) summit for sweeping views of Orient Bay, Philipsburg, Simpson Bay Lagoon, Marigot, and the neighboring islands.
A ship transformed into a restaurant and entertainment hub, D-Boat SXM draws visitors to the island of St. Maarten who come to eat, drink, and enjoy the Caribbean coastline from this unique floating viewpoint.
As the capital of French St. Martin, Marigot is a unique fusion of French and West Indian culture, alive in the ambiance, cafes, bakeries, wine shops, and the Creole gingerbread houses along Rue de la République. History buffs gravitate to Fort Louis, built in 1789 to overlook Marigot Bay.
One of the Caribbean’s great snorkeling destinations, Creole Rock is a small rocky outcropping just off St. Martin’s northern coast. Teaming with the life above and under the sea, the reef is part of a protected marine reserve. It’s also an important bird rookery where pelicans and brown boobies come to lay their eggs.
