Known as the Friendly Island, this land mass is shared by the nations of Sint Maarten (Dutch side) and Saint Martin (French side). These are two separate countries with their own languages and currencies. However, you can drive right across the border as if you were entering another town!
I sailed into Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, with Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas for a relaxing day in port as this was my second time on the island.
Our ship’s gangway went down at 8am, and we had to be back on board by 5pm, giving us a full nine hours ashore. Of course, we didn’t get off the ship until about 9am-9:30am, but as we didn’t have an excursion booked we weren’t in a rush.
If you don’t want to book an excursion, there are taxi vendors at the port that can take you to both sides of the island. Please remember when you go off on your own to keep an eye on the clock and make sure you’re using the correct timezone in order to not miss your ship! No one want to be a pier runner. That’s probably my biggest cruise fear, honestly, other than getting hit by a rouge wave.
Port Day Itinerary
Early Morning
After having breakfast onboard, make your way to the gangway to start your day! Sint Maarten is a medium-sized port, so I would take a moment to walk around and see if there’s anything you might like before heading towards Philipsburg or the taxis. This is a good time to perhaps knock out some souvenir shopping in case you run out of time at the end of the day, but this is definitely not the only spot with places to buy things, either.
Late Morning
Grab a Taxi and head to the French side of the island. This is farther away from the port, so it would be best to start there and work your way back to the Dutch side so you don’t have to worry too much about timing towards the end of the day. It’s also important to note that the taxis have government mandated fares based on how many passengers are in the vehicle. If you can pair up with other cruisers going to the same place, that will help save you some money! They do have these prices posted in USD at the taxi station.
You could make this a beach day and head to Orient Beach, which has both a bikini and nude side. These are decently separated, so don’t worry about seeing more skin than you might be comfortable with if you choose to go. We went to the bikini side and had a great time! There are vendors selling fresh coconut water straight out of the coconut as well! You can add rum, but I think it tasted better before adding that. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
Afternoon
After a few hours on the French side, head back over to the Dutch side to explore Philipsburg. There are a lot of nice side streets and vendors to explore before heading up the boardwalk. On the boardwalk, there’s a beach and tons of restaurants to choose from for lunch. You can also find a duty-free shop here if you’d like to take home any spirits, such as their famous Guavaberry Liquor! If you’re a Star Wars fan, one of the creators of Yoda also has a small museum here!
Lunch
Grab some fresh food from one of the spots on the boardwalk! I’m always a big fan of having grilled or steamed fish when in the Caribbean, so we stopped at a small spot called Kalua and had their red snapper with rice and peas and a salad. It was good, but I did misunderstand it was just a fillet and not the whole fish. I definitely wanted the whole fish, but that’s my mistake! There are also plenty of places selling jerk chicken and other island foods if fish isn’t your style.
Mid-Afternoon
After lunch, I would finish exploring Philipsburg and the boardwalk and buy any last minute souvenirs! I purchased a beautiful Larimar necklace from a vendor for $30 USD, and it’s now one of my favorite pieces! Larimar is a semi-precious blue stone that is unique to the Caribbean.
Board Ship
You can either walk from Philipsburg back to the port, take a taxi, or take the water taxi. I would recommend walking if you’d like to save the money as it’s only about fifteen minutes, but the water taxi is also a quick and fun option for only $5 USD per person. Get back to the ship on time! I always recommend 30 minutes before the gangway is pulled up.
Other Things To Do
French Side
Visit Marigot
Capital of the French side of the island, it’s home to many restaurants and close to many secluded beaches.
Fort St. Louis
An old French military fort overlooking Marigot Bay built during the 18th century.
David’s Hole
A natural swimming pool carved out of the seabed. It’s an ancient collapsed cave that has eroded into two arches. When the sea is rough, the site resembles a cauldron of boiling water, also known as Devil’s Hole.
Dutch Side
Maho Beach
A unique beach where beachgoers can get the thrill of airplanes flying extremely close to them due to its proximity to the airport.
Topper’s Rhum Distillery
Local rum distillery with tours and tasting.
Fort Amsterdam
Overlooking Philipsburg, it’s a military fort build by the Dutch in 1631 and the first Fort in the Caribbean named after the Chamber of Amsterdam.
Front Street
A popular tourist shopping street filled with souvenir and high-end shops.
Parotte Ville Bird Park
Museum and aviary with 26 different species and about 140 birds. There’s also a Heritage museum where visitors can see various antique items and a medicinal garden.
Seaside Nature Park
A former plantation and now nature park where visitors can experience interacting with various animals and even riding horses in the ocean.
Need data on the islands?
Unfortunately your Wi-Fi package doesn’t carry over ashore, so if you need data for navigation or in case of an emergency, I recommend Holafly’s global sim card! They do have one that also covers just the Caribbean but make sure to price compare so you get the best deal for your sailing!
Originally Published December 21, 2024
