Ultimate Visitors Guide To Sint Maarten and Saint Martin (SXM)
Updated: November 10, 2024
Keywords: Guide To St Martin, Sint Maarten Visitors Guide, St Martin Travel Guide, Activities In Sint Maarten, Sint Maarten vs St Martin Which Is Better, Best Restaurants In St Maarten/Martin, Best Food St Maarten, St Martin Day Trips, SXM Travel Guide, SXM Activities
We Love SXM Mural - Maho - Dutch Sint Maarten
St Martin Is An Island of Many Names:
Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, SXM,
Europe of the Caribbean, The Friendly Island,
The Culinary Capital of the Caribbean
Its Indigenous name(s) Soualiga - The Land of Salt and Oualichi - Land of Beautiful and Strong Women.
We created this guide while living On The Island
Our Custom Google Map of The Island! Designed to maximize your visit! An interactive google map with Points of Interest, Tours, Restaurants, and more.
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Related Blogs
Coming Soon: Best Happy Hours In St Maarten
Coming Soon: Best Beaches In St Maarten
Table of Contents
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Sint Maarten vs Saint Martin
One Island, Two Nations. This small island of approximately 80,000 citizens welcomes over 3 million visitors yearly.
A living legacy of European colonialism, the island is an internationally recognized territory of two European countries an ocean away. French Saint Martin takes up 53 km² on the Northern side. Dutch Sint Maarten takes up 34 km² on the Southern side.
The French capital Marigot faces West with ferry terminals servicing British Anguilla.
The Dutch capital Philipsburg faces South with cruise ship and ferry terminals servicing other Caribbean islands like Saba and St. Barts.
Many visitors arrive at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on the Dutch side between Maho and Simpson Bay. Regional flights to other islands are serviced through Grand Case Airport.
An inland lagoon connects Marigot & Simpson Bay to the Caribbean Sea & Anguilla Channel.
Visa Requirements
A valid passport from the United States, the Schengen Area, or CANZUK will grant visa-free entry for up to 90 days on the island. Ensure your passport is up to date for six months after arrival.
Follow the visa application process if you plan to work or stay longer than 90 days.
For those coming to the island from other countries, find information here.
Border Crossings on The Island
One island, two nations, no borders. Similar to the Schengen Zone in Europe there are no internal borders on SXM. You can drive/walk/bike/boat from one side of the island to the other.
Visitors can travel freely between both of SXM’s nations when they >rent a vehicle< or >take a tour< of the island!
Languages Spoken
Sint Maarten and Saint Martin are excellent places to practice speaking diverse languages. Many locals and youth raised on the island speak three languages (English, French, and Dutch).
The French side seems to honour their First Language roots more than the Dutch side, so expect to hear and read a lot of French!
Price of Living/Grocery Shopping
SXM is extremely expensive. Expect to pay North American/European prices for everything from groceries to activities and accommodation.
Every first and third Saturday of the month is a local farmers market at Port de Plaisance in Simpson Bay!
From our experiences, groceries tend to be cheaper on the French side of the island.
Carrefour is the main grocery chain on the Dutch Side. In French Saint Martin, CADISMARKET grocery/gas chains have several locations.
Cost.U.Less on the outskirts of Philipsburg is an excellent super/bulk stores for buying cleaning supplies, household products, food, produce, etc.
Currencies/Credit Cards/ATMs
Put simply, both sides accept the US dollar, alongside the local currency.
In Dutch Sint Maarten prices are listed in the Netherlands Antillean Guilder and the US Dollar. ATMs on the Dutch side give the option of withdrawing USD or ANG. Most ATMs charge a 7-10 USD/EUR withdrawal fee, avoid small withdrawals! Maho Casino has the lowest withdrawal fee we’ve seen on the island at $5 per transaction.
French Saint Martin is easier for experienced European travellers as they use the Euro and USD.
Plug-ins/Adapters
The one island, two nations statement also applies to electricity. Dutch Sint Maarten uses US three-prong outlets. French Saint Martin uses standard EU outlets.
SIM Cards/Phone Plans
Buy a local SIM card when you arrive on the island.
An 8GB data-only SIM can be purchased at SXM airport for $45 USD. Texting and calling can be added online once the SIM card has been set up. Chippie also has combo packages that go on sale here!
Most businesses and locals use Whatsapp for texting.
Cupecoy Beach Sunset - Dutch Sint Maarten
Getting Around
The best way to get around the island is to rent a vehicle @ >Discovercars.com< or >Rentalcars.com<.
We rented from CCB Rentals in Nettle Bay. CCB charges a 33 Euros/day weekly rate for a small 4-door car. The average rental car costs around $45/day. The island’s terrain and public infrastructure are extremely vehicle-oriented.
Taxi rides from the airport will cost you $15-30 for a single trip. Taxis have license plates with “Taxi”.
There is public transport on both sides of the island. Public transport buses will have a license plate that starts with a “B”. Routes run from the airport to Maho, Phillipsburg, or Marigot. Other routes run from Maho to Phillipsburg, Phillipsburg to Marigot, and Marigot to Grand Case. Prices range from $2-3 per ride. Drivers may take you further than their normal routes for a tip. Buses will stop where you ask them to, you don’t need to wait for stops.
Bicycle rentals are available at Tri-Sport, but be aware there are no bike lanes in SXM.
Safe For Females and Solo Travellers?
Put simply, yes! But, some areas that get a bad reputation are Sandy Ground (near Marigot), Dutch Cul-De-Sac, Sucker Garden, Dutch Quarter, and French Quarter. These are low income areas disproportionally affected by hurricane season.
We have seen few homeless people on the island. Beggars are not something you have to worry about. Even in the touristy areas, you do not have people trying to push cheap tourist memorabilia on you.
Mullet Bay Sunrise - Dutch Sint Maarten
Best Areas To Stay/Live/Rent
From our experiences on the island, the best place for expats to stay is Cupecoy (Dutch Side). Cupecoy is home to the Caribbean School of Medicine. There are many North American/EU-priced condos ($1200-1500/month) available in Cupecoy for 4-month minimum rentals. Cupecoy has over a dozen restaurants, Mullet Bay Beach is within walking distance, Cupecoy Beach is excellent for sunsets, four grocery stores are within walking distance of each other, and it is a quiet area at night.
The best areas for tourists to stay are Simpson Bay, Maho, Philipsburg, and Grand Case. Simpson Bay and Maho are the nightlife and entertainment hot spots on the island with endless bars, clubs, and food options. Grand Case, at the Northern tip of French Saint Martin, is more relaxing and is home to some of the best beach-side restaurants.
For luxury travel look in the Terre Basses region with >Villa Rentals< and private beaches
We lived in Nettle Bay (French Side). The area is great for villa rentals. It has a dozen beach-side bars/restaurants. Located on Rue Sandy Ground, Nettle Bay has easy access to both the ocean and in-land lagoon. It is quiet at night, but far away from the nightlife hotspots.
Links To Hotels and Resorts Below!
>Philipsburg< - Dutch Capitol & Cruise Ship Terminal
>Simpson Bay< - Food, Entertainment, Nightlife, Marina
>Maho<- Resorts, Food, Beaches
>Cupecoy< - Marina, Beaches, Food
>Orient Bay< - Beach Resorts
>Grand Case< - Food, Entertainment, Beaches
>Nettle Bay< - Gated Condos, Private Beaches
>Marigot< - French Capitol, Marina
>Les Terres Basses< - Villa Rentals
St Martin Island Aerial View
Geography
Location: SXM is a small Caribbean island (95 km²) in the Lesser Antilles, or the Leeward Islands.
Neighbouring Islands: British Anguilla is located North of French Saint Martin and can be seen from many French beaches. Dutch Saba is located southeast. French Saint Barthélemy is to the southwest. These neighbouring islands can be reached by >Ferry< or >Day Trips<. Day trips can also be organized to the offshore islands of >Tintamarre & Pinel Island<
SXM is surrounded by small coral reefs that offer great >snorkelling< or >scuba diving<
History: The Indigenous peoples of the island had two land-based names for it "Soualiga" (the land of salt) and "Oualichi" (the land of powerful & brave women). Christopher Columbus “discovered” and “named” the island in the late 1400s. Colonists created monoculture plantations of tobacco, sugar, and cotton by replacing the native ecology. The trans-Atlantic slave trade played a major role in the island’s history and the development of its Afro-Caribbean culture.
Volcanic Island: Today, SXM’s mountainous interior and 37 beaches welcome tourism as its main economic source. The highest peak is Pic Paradis on the French side. There is an in-land salt water Lagoon that connects Marigot to Simpson Bay via a system of canals. The island sits on top of a volcanic fault line which can cause Earthquakes. The nearby Saba Volcano is active, with the last major eruption happening in the 1600s.
Hurricane Season: impacts SXM and neighbouring islands during the summer months of June-October.
Wildlife: SXM is home to many reptiles including turtles, lizards, geckos, and iguanas. Keep an eye out for the invasive vervet monkeys. Pet monkeys who escaped during hurricanes are notoriously hard to photograph and predict their population size. Other wildlife includes birds, marine life, insects, and feral cats/dogs.
Things To Do
Related Blog: >24 Best Things To Do In St Maarten<
Tours Our Readers Are Booking:
Events/Updates/News
Popular Attractions/Activities
Marigot Boardwalk Restaurants
Excursions/Day Trips
British Anguilla can be reached by public ferry from 9:30 am until 5:15 pm daily. Ferries run from Marigot harbour in French Saint Martin. The ferry costs $76 round trip with port fees >Marigot Harbour Directions<
Nature/Green Tourism
Fishing Charters
Pic Paradise Hiking
Naked Boy Hill Hiking
Guana Bay Hiking
Landmarks
Fort Amsterdam (Philipsburg)
Fort Louis (Marigot)
Street art & murals (everywhere)
Peace and Friendship Monument
Philipsburg Courthouse (pineapple on top)
Simpson Bay Fish Market (local catch of the day)
Best Beaches
Nettle Bay Sunset - French Saint Martin
Best Beaches Blog Coming Soon!
Baie Rouge (Nettle Bay)
Orient Beach
Mullet Bay Beach (Maho)
Simpson Bay Beach
Grand Case Beach Bars
Kim Sha Beach (Simpson Bay)
La Samana Beach (Terre Basse)
Boho Beach Bar
Maho Beach
Long Bay
Little Divi Beach
Best Sunset Spots
Cupecoy Beach (sunsets over the horizon)
Ma Ti Beach Bar (for those staying in Nettle Bay)
La Terrasse Rooftop Bar (for those in Marigot)
Sentry Hill (360 view of the island and sunset)
Sunset Beach Bar (Maho)
Kim Sha Beach (Simpson Bay)
L’Pied dans L’Sable (Nettle Bay sunset cocktails)
Food & Cuisine
Check out our extensive blogs on these topics!
Bars and Nightlife
Related Blog: >21 Cocktails To Try In SXM<
Craft Beer: Pelikaan Brewery Taproom, Dutch Blonde Brewery, SXM Brewery
Clubs: Lotus Nightclub (expensive clubbing), Moonbar Nightclub (rooftop club), White Rabbit
Beach Bars: Cocky Turtle ($8 for every drink), Sunset Beach Bar (#1 rated bar, cocktails + planes landing), Rainbow Cafe, Captain Frenchy’s, Buccaneer Beach Bar
Live Music: The Red Piano, Lagoonies, D’s Beach Bar
Cupecoy Beach Sunset - Dutch Sint Maarten
Other Travel Tips
Tipping is common. Some places will automatically charge a 13-15% service charge.
There is no post-sale taxes on purchases
“The Trash Island” is how Nature Foundation SXM often describes the island. There is a major problem of tourists (and some locals) having zero respect for the land. Please respect the land! Leave the island better than you found it!
From conversations with locals, Dutch Sint Maarten is more conservative (in terms of public/legal policy) than their French neighbours. For example, abortion is legal on the French side but technically illegal on the Dutch side. LQBTQIA2+ individuals are welcome and safe on the island, but same-sex marriages are technically not allowed to be performed. Recycling programs exist on the French side, but not on the Dutch side.
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