We’ve lived here for 25 years. We’ve watched thousands of visitors arrive with a vague plan and leave wishing they’d had one more day. The ones who made the most of their time had something in common — they got on the water.
A catamaran to Tintamarre, a day in Anguilla, a private boat pulling into Gustavia harbor — these are the moments people talk about for years. Not the shopping in Philipsburg. Not the casino. The water.
Beyond the boat trips, there’s more — Maho Beach where planes land close enough to feel the engines, the zipline with views over both sides of the island, ATV trails through the hills, snorkeling at Creole Rock just off the coast of Grand Case.
We’ve selected the experiences actually worth your time. Not everything on the island — the ones that consistently deliver. The ones that sell out first. The ones we’d recommend to our own friends.
St Maarten is an island. But it’s also a base — one of the best in the Caribbean for getting on the water and going somewhere.
The lagoon, the Atlantic coast, Tintamarre, Anguilla 20 minutes away, St Barths 45 minutes away — the sea here is not just a backdrop. It’s the whole point.
These are the experiences that happen on the water. The ones most visitors end up wishing they’d booked sooner.
A full day on the water — open bar, lunch cooked fresh on board, music, the sun on your face. You’ll snorkel at Tintamarre with sea turtles swimming right past you. You’ll float on the netting at the front of the boat with a rum punch in your hand, watching the coastline drift by, wondering why you ever hesitated.
We see people come back from catamaran days all the time. Always the same look. Always the same thing : “we should have done this on day one.”
Book it on day one.
If you’re staying in Grand Case, Orient Bay, or anywhere on the French side — you don’t need to drive to Philipsburg. You don’t need to fight the traffic, find the parking, or spend half your morning getting to a marina on the other side of the island.
The boat leaves from here. From your side. Smaller groups, local operators, a completely different atmosphere. Less tourist conveyor belt, more actual Caribbean.
This is our specialty. We live here — we know these operators.
No fixed itinerary. No strangers. No “okay everyone back on the boat in 20 minutes.” Just your group, your captain, and a list of places you actually want to go. Tintamarre before anyone else gets there. A quiet bay in Anguilla. St Barths for lunch.
The captain adapts. You decide. That’s the whole point.
Creole Rock is a marine reserve just off the coast of Grand Case — calm water, coral reef, and more fish than you’d expect from a place this close to shore. Sea turtles. Stingrays. The kind of underwater world that makes first-timers gasp through their snorkel.
And then there’s Under SXM — an underwater sculpture park unlike anything else in the Caribbean. Art, coral, and the ocean, all in one place. We still can’t quite explain it. You just have to see it.
The wind drops. The sky turns pink over St Barths. Someone hands you a drink. And you realize this is exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Sunset cruises are not an activity. They’re a feeling. The kind of evening you don’t plan for and never forget. The kind you tell people about when you get home and they ask “what was the best part?”
Book it for your last night. Or your first. Either way, don’t skip it.
Within 45 minutes by boat, you can be on two of the most extraordinary islands in the Caribbean. Different worlds.
Different atmospheres. Different everything. And you’re back in time for dinner.
That’s the magic of this island’s location.
Use it.
And then you’re somewhere that feels completely different — quieter, slower, more beautiful than you expected. The beaches in Anguilla are in a category of their own. Shoal Bay, Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay — the kind of sand and water that makes you question every beach you’ve ever been to before.
We say this to every visitor who asks : if you have one free day, go to Anguilla. None of them have ever come back disappointed.
More polished. More elegant. That particular French Caribbean atmosphere that makes everything feel slightly more special — the restaurants, the beaches, the light. Johnny Hallyday chose to spend his winters here. Once you’ve been, you understand why.
It’s not the easiest day trip. It’s not the cheapest. But it’s the one people talk about for years.
Do it right. Private charter, Anse Marcel departure, Colombier in the morning. Trust us on this one.
The sea is the main event in St Maarten. But the island has more to offer than the water — and some of the best moments happen when you least expect them.
A private jet ski tour covers both sides of the island in two hours. The French coast, the Dutch lagoon, hidden bays you’d never find by car. Wind, speed, spray, and that particular feeling of freedom that only happens when you’re going too fast on the Caribbean Sea.
It’s the most fun you’ll have in two hours on this island. We’ll stand by that.
The hills of St Maarten hide something most tourists never see — panoramic views over both sides of the island, the lagoon on one side, the Atlantic on the other.
An ATV tour takes you there. Through the hills, along the trails, to the viewpoints that don’t show up on Google Maps. Dusty, bumpy, completely worth it.
The hills of St Maarten hide something most tourists never see — panoramic views over both sides of the island, the lagoon on one side, the Atlantic on the other.
An ATV tour takes you there. Through the hills, along the trails, to the viewpoints that don’t show up on Google Maps. Dusty, bumpy, completely worth it.
An island tour takes you across both sides of St Maarten in one day — Orient Bay, Grand Case, Marigot on the French side, then Philipsburg, Maho Beach, and the lagoon on the Dutch side. Two countries, two atmospheres, one small island.
It’s the perfect introduction for first-timers — or the best way to finally see the parts you missed. A local guide who actually knows the island makes all the difference.
Get on the water. Seriously — the best experiences on this island happen at sea. Catamaran to Anguilla, snorkeling at Creole Rock, sunset cruise along the French coast. Beyond that : a day on Orient Bay, dinner in Grand Case, and at least one afternoon watching planes land at Maho Beach. That last one never gets old.
For the popular ones, yes. The Anguilla day trips and the catamaran cruises fill up fast between December and April. If you're traveling high season, don't wait until you're on the island — the best spots will be gone.
Depends what you're after. For a full day with snorkeling and lunch included, the catamaran trips to Anguilla are hard to beat. For something more intimate, a private speedboat to St Barts is a different level entirely.
Anguilla is 20 minutes away by boat and feels like a completely different world — quieter, more pristine. St Barts is further but worth every minute. Both are genuinely among the best day trips in the entire Caribbean.
Yes, and one of the best spots on the island is Creole Rock, just off the coast of Grand Case. It's a marine reserve — calm water, lots of fish, genuinely beautiful. The easiest way to get there is through Creole Rock Watersports, based at the Grand Case Beach Club, who run daily guided snorkeling trips. Worth booking in advance.
December through April is peak season — perfect weather, everything is open, but it's busy and prices are higher. May and November are the sweet spot for locals : quieter, cheaper, and the island is still beautiful.
Discover our guide to things to do, beaches, restaurants and vacation rentals on the island.
I've lived in St Martin for 25 years — and this island never stops surprising me. As an epicurean at heart, my online journey started with 'SXM Epicure Club', a Facebook culinary blog connecting visitors and locals around the best tables on the island.
For 15 years, it evolved into BookStMartin with the same idea and the same passion : connecting people and places, and making it easier for our visitors to plan their stays.
Let me help you plan your perfect vacation in St Martin !
