St. Maarten Best Island Tour
St Maarten
- 5 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get a taste of local culture and history with this highlights tour of St. Maarten. Ideal for first-timers to the island, enjoy an itinerary that includes monuments, museums, and beaches, as well as opportunities to shop. Learn about St. Maarten directly from your guide as you visit Cole Bay, Topper's Rhum Distillery, and Maho Beach. And don’t worry about getting sore feet when going to each destination, with transportation provided between attractions.
- Beat the heat in an air-conditioned vehicle
- A great excursion option for cruisers
- Relax with round-trip transfers from select hotels
- Get in the vacation spirit with a cooler full of alcoholic drinks and sodas
What's Included
- A fully air-conditioned vehicle
- A professional tour guide to narrate the tour
- A cooler with ice cold drinks (water,sodas,beer and rum punch), all free just for you.
- 6 stops in 5hrs of fun fun and more fun (Sights, Forts, Beaches, Museums and Shopping)
- Free round trip transfer from Hotel to start the tour
- The tour does not include food, beach chairs or umbrellas.You can purchase and rent at the beach bar
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Cole Bay
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Topper's Rhum Distillery
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Maho Beach
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Marigot
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Orient Bay Beach
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Orient Bay (Pass By)
Border Monument (Pass By)
6
Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Disclaimer/policy: Itinerary can be change due to traffic, weather and other uncontrollable forces. In that event we will try our best that all stops will be made.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 500 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
We had a great time. Our tour guide Cutty was kind, friendly, professional, courteous, very flexible, and more thann met our expectations. He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the island. We enjoyed the sites and the experience...This is our first visit and we highly recommend this tour..
Reviews
4.5
based on 1,226 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
I wasn't staying near the starting point so they sent someone to pick me up and take me to the cruiser terminal, very much appreciated! I sat for a few minutes then my name was called and we boarded the van. You MUST book with CuttyI He's born and raised here so he knows what he's talking about and genuinely loves what we does.
As with any tour aimed to jam everything in for people with limited time off the cruise ship some stops are quicker than others, but luckily our group all agreed on which stops to spend less time at. Cutty brought a cooler with water, soda, rum punch and beer, a nice touch.
They also took me back to my starting point at the end of the tour. A great way to get the lay of the land!
Wonderful tour of the island! We have been to St Maarten several times, but we had never actually seen the sites. This tour showed us so much!
All I have to say is cutter went above and beyond to make sure my excursion was amazing which it was I couldn’t find the tour in the beginning and he actually came back to pick me up so I could enjoy the tour with the rest of my group he went above and beyond all expectations and he made the trip amazing and everybody had so much fun💕💕💕
Rollin was polite, informative, professional and fun. We got a great feel for the island and explored so many fun sights. The van was comfortable and the included drinks were such a nice bonus.
This excursion was so good! Our guide was very thorough and informative! He kept us hydrated and entertained! I would definitely recommend and even take the tour again myself!
10/10. My guide was really nice and always made sure we was straight, answered all of our questions.
Our family had an amazing experience on the St. Maarten Best Island Tour! From the beautiful sights and beaches to learning about the island’s history and culture, every stop was enjoyable. Our tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and made sure our entire family had a great time.
It was the perfect way to experience both sides of this beautiful island while creating some unforgettable family memories. Great service, great vibes, and a great experience—we highly recommend this tour!
It was a joy to experience both sides of the island. Hard to find ship excursion that visits both sides
Once we left the port in Philipsburg, our first official stop in the center of the Dutch capital was at Amsterdam Cheese and Liquors. Inside this shop, you’re given samples of cheese, and you have the opportunity to purchase cheese, butter, chocolate, wine, or liquor. This stop lasts for around an hour. Once you leave the cheese shop, you still have plenty of time to explore the Boardwalk, Front, and Achterstraat Streets to do some more shopping, exploring, or sightseeing on your own. As a note, most of the shops don’t open until 9:30 or 10:00. If you get there before then, you can walk until the businesses open. When in St. Maarten, we always stop at the table settings, linen, and lace stores to purchase decorative wine bottle holders to give away as gifts. The main store we usually stop at was too far down Front Street to walk to. Close to Amsterdam Cheese, we found Mr. Tablecloth, which had the items we were shopping for. The staff here was very friendly and helped us find the items we wanted. Unfortunately, they informed us the items were hard to get now, which we saw from the selections on hand. We did purchase enough to give away as gifts for this year and maybe next, or until we could source the items elsewhere. We also made several liquor purchases while on Front Street. The liquor here was much cheaper than what we paid for the same bottles on Tortola. This tour also provided beverages of water, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Heineken, and the infamous rum punch. Each and every time we stopped, Rollins asked us if we wanted something to drink. He also noted during the tour that it was going to be hot, and that we needed to stay hydrated. A+
After leaving this area, we hopped back on the bus to continue making our way around the island. Rollins again noted points of interest or made quick stops for photos. Our next major stop was on the French side at Moses Walk. After leaving here, we made our way over to Orient Beach. At Orient Beach, we were hosted by the Bikini Beach Restaurant. They have loungers and umbrellas for rent on the beach. If you purchase at the bar or restaurant, you can use the beach sofas or couches in front of the bar and dining room. They are located 20 feet behind the loungers and umbrellas and 30 feet from the beach. Some of the couches are shaded by large palm trees. Smoking is allowed in the couch area for those who want to enjoy cigarettes, cigars, or vapes. I didn't notice if it was allowed at the bar or inside the restaurant itself.
After leaving Orient Beach, we made our way to the French capital of Marigot. Our stop here was just beside the Marigot Market where you can purchase local wares, gifts, and clothing. This was also our stop for lunch. Rachel from MH Family Adventures also recommended Strictly Lokal Creole Restaurant, which is steps away from the market. Her recommended dish to get was their red snapper fish. We ordered the red snapper and mahi mahi. Both entrees came with a small salad, pasta salad, and peas and rice. Both meals were well seasoned, well prepared, a nice portion size, and was delicious! Accompanying the dishes was a garlic, onion, and pepper condiment. As an individual who usually doesn’t eat condiments of any kind, this went well on the mahi mahi. It was so good that I asked for and was given the recipe! They also have oxtails, curry goat, chicken, conch, or other items that you may want to eat. The wait staff and chefs here were very friendly, attentive, and engaging. The total bill with two beers before tip was $45.00 U.S. For the quality and amount of food given, the price can’t be beat for authentic Creole Caribbean food. I highly recommend Strictly Lokal for their red snapper or mahi mahi.
After leaving Marigot, we made our way back to the Dutch side for a stop at Maho Beach. This was our third time in St. Maarten. We’d never been able to get good photos or videos of the planes landing due to the crowds. Rollins informed us that he had taken note of the flight arrivals at Princess Juliana Airport. He told us that we would be able to catch 3-4 commercial passenger planes landing and some smaller planes coming from neighboring islands. This stop would also be around an hour. During our time at Maho Beach, we were able to get multiple videos and photos of the planes overhead during landing. We were also able to take videos or photos for those around us who were there solo. After leaving Maho Beach, we made our way to Topper’s Rum Distillery. Here we tasted several local rums and gelato, along with making several rum purchases. After leaving Topper’s, we made our way back to the port to end our tour.
As a note, this tour was 6 hours and there were 7 passengers on our tour vehicle. Since we’ve previously visited in high season, we could tell the difference in the number of visitors, which limited our time at the various stops on a similar tour. This visit, we had plenty of time to explore or take photos and videos at each stop due to it being low season. We didn’t feel rushed, and everyone gave us an ample amount of time, especially at the beach stops.
I highly recommend St. Maarten Presidential Tours, and Rollins as your driver and tour guide. He was very friendly, engaging, very knowledgeable of the island. He could answer any questions that we had. He was also good at promoting land vacation resorts, houses, AirBnb’s, which interested us for a future land visit. This tour was a total of 6 hours. It gave us plenty of time to get back to port to explore the shops there also.
Very informative. They hit all the major places on the island. Great suggestions for other things to do and places to eat.
Great experience! The tour brought us to all the main sites on both sides of the island. The driver was informative and fun. I wouldn't hesitate to book it again or another tour through them!
This tour was perfect for seeing the main highlights on the island. City and Rolle (not sure about spelling, sorry guys) were great and knowledgeable, and also funny! Make sure you dress for a beach visit and some walking.
It was supposed to be a tour in a 14-person van, but they put us on a 22-person bus—even though there were 24 of us. The A/C wasn't working and it was sweltering; the best spots involved very quick stops, yet they left us for a longer time at the marina, where there was nothing to see.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear valued customer, your story is confusing and i think you took the wrong tour with the wrong company or maybe this review is not for us. we do not have a 14 person van or do 14 person tours. What is more strange is how can 24 persons fit on a 22 person bus. None of our stops includes a marina. Please remove this review off my page!
The Tour of St. Maarten with Presidential tours was nothing short of amazing. Cutty and Rolin were very knowledgeable and it was a fun experience.
Our experience was truly unforgettable with Mr. Cutty ! What started as an island tour turned into meeting one of the most kind-hearted and genuine people we could have ever crossed paths with. Our guide went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing experience.
Even when we encountered a few unexpected hiccups along the way, he never hesitated to step in, smooth things out, and make a way for us. His kindness, patience, generosity, and genuine care went far beyond what we expected from a tour.
You can tell when someone truly loves what they do and genuinely cares about the people they meet, and that was definitely our experience. We are incredibly grateful for his hospitality and for all the little things he did that made our time on the island so special.
If you’re considering booking this tour, DO IT! You won’t just get an amazing island experience you may leave having met an incredible person who makes the experience even more memorable. ❤️
Thank you again for everything! May God continue to bless you abundantly and use you to be a blessing to everyone you encounter. 🙏🏽🥹❤️
The tour was lovely! Our guide Mr Kari was terrific. It was great seeing both sides of the island and learning the history. The Feb h side shops were closed because it was early in the day and/or there was no cruise ship that day but otherwise it was a great tour.
This was honestly one of the best things I did in St. Maarten! The Best Island Tour is such a great way to see both the Dutch and French sides of the island in one day. We visited Maho Beach to see the famous planes, explored Marigot, stopped at Orient Bay (nude beach), visited Topper’s Rhum Distillery, and had opportunities for beautiful photos, shopping, and sightseeing along the way.
Our tour guide Cutty was AMAZING! He was funny, knowledgeable, professional, and incredibly accommodating. He shared so much history and information about the island while keeping the tour fun and engaging. He also offered us drinks on the van.
The transportation was comfortable, the pace was great, and I got to see so much of the island without feeling rushed. If you’re visiting St. Maarten for the first time, I highly recommend doing this tour early in your trip so you can get a feel for the island and decide what places you want to come back to.
The tour was 10/10 and would absolutely recommend Presidential Tours.
Had a great trip round the Island with Mr Cutty, he tailored the trip to our cruise departure time and we managed to get around the whole island. Very friendly and knowledgeable and answered all the questions people asked. Definitely recommend
You will get the Best of St. Maarten your for sure when you book and have Mr. Cutty as your tour guide! Cutty did a fantastic job taking us to all of the places and giving us time to enjoy each stop along the way. He shares the history of the areas, he’s fun and jokes (he has a great sense of humor), and the tour was about 6 hours which was perfect. My extended family of 11 chose this tour for my mother’s 80th birthday and she enjoyed it immensely.
This is a great island tour. You get your money’s worth. The tour guide was great and very accommodating.
Cutty was an amazing host. Very hospitable and friendly. He made sure everyone was WELL taken care of. Even after the tour I got a cold and he stopped at a store to get me some tea. I highly recommend the tour and ask for cutty if you can. The tour was informative and had many beautiful stops. 100% recommend booking. Great experience!
We had an amazing time on the island tour! Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and we got to see so many beautiful places around St. Maarten. We stopped at some great photo spots, enjoyed a delicious rum punch along the way, had time to relax at the beach, and even squeezed in a little shopping. Although the tour started almost an hour late (island time) 😉 we still received the full experience—they didn’t shorten the tour, and we never felt rushed. Overall, it was a fantastic way to see the island. I definitely recommend taking this tour—you’ll love it
This was an excellent tour. We did it our first full day so we would be familiar with the island and know where to go during our stay. Very informative and we had plenty of time to take in the information at each of the stops.
This tour was excellent. My husband and I was on a cruise and we choose this excursion versus what was offered from the cruise line and so excited we did.
We had an amazing tour and Rollin our driver ant tour guide was amazing. He was knowledgeable, provided great information and gave plenty of time at each stop while ensuring we may it back to the ship on time. We also had free rum punch which was delicious and other free be erase such as beer, water and sodas.
I definitely recommend this tour.
This excursion provides valuable iinsight of both the French and Dutch sides of St Maarten. It was refreshing to travel through the island with an experience tour guide. Cutty, the tour guide, was exceptional. He was very patient and reasonable. We all enjoyed the tour and of course it comes highly recommended..
Tour operator was well versed and had a speaker amplifier so all could hear. We toured around the entire island.
Driver was great! People just need to listen as the tour guide is talking. People kept trying to talk over the guide. It was frustrating for him and others of us in board. Driver had to stop several times and ask people to listen.
It was a great tour with Nel. He told us all about the history of the island and took us to many great spots.
Great tour of the island with all the highlights! Our driver was amazing and very accommodating. Would recommend this tour to everyone looking to get a feel for the island.
The boat excursion was fantastic!!! Loved every minute of it and the captain and his mate were phenomenal! Would highly recommend!
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per personWas $60.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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