Things to do in St Maarten
St Maarten is all about sun, sea and sand, with a beach for every taste: Orient Beach promises beauty, Pinel Island offers fun and water activities. Discover the underwater world on the Seaworld Explorer or join in with the highly-competitive sailing race, the St Maarten 12 Metre Challenge. Back on dry land there's The Butterfly Farm and Plantation Mont Vernon to explore. Paradise Peak provides views over the whole island.
Plantation Mont Vernon
Island's agricultural history
Plantation Mont Vernon near Orient Beach in St Martin is a 1786 cotton
plantation. The outdoor eco-museum details the historical importance of
salt, rum, coffee, sugar and indigo on the island. Explore the indigenous
flora and an old-fashioned rum distillery.
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Cost
US$12
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-5pm
Address
Route d'Orient-Baie, Orient Beach, St Martin 97150
Loterie Farm
Rainforest for adventure lovers
Located in a pristine forest, the Loterie Farm near Paradise Peak features
eco-tours, hiking, mountain biking, meditation and yoga. Tarzan wannabes can
soar over the forest canopy via a series of ropes, cables, and suspended
bridges in The Fly Zone.
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Cost
€5 park entry; €25 for guided tour; €35 Fly Zone; €55 Fly Zone Extreme
Opening Hours
Daily all day (some activities closed Sep & early Oct each year)
Address
Route Pic du Paradis, Paradise Peak, 97150 St Martin
Telephone
+590 590 87 86 16
Paradise Peak
Exotic vistas
It's a steep trek or a bumpy ride up to Paradise Peak in St Martin. At almost
424 metres (1,391 feet), it is the island's highest point. The breathtaking
views take in tropical rainforest, the surrounding islands and the
ocean.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 7am-7pm
Address
Pic du Paradis Road, Paradise Peak, St Martin 97150
Transport
Taxi
Fort Louis
18th-century lookout
Built in 1767 to defend the surrounding settlement from invasion, Fort Louis
in Margot, St Martin, is just a ruin nowadays. Make the short climb to the
top for sweeping views over Marigot, Simpson Bay Lagoon and Nettle Bay.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Marigot, St Martin 97150
Transport
Taxi
The Butterfly Farm
Fluttering beauties
The Butterfly Farm in the Quartier d'Orleans, is a tranquil, tropical
terrarium-like sphere. Guided tours teach visitors everything there is to
know about the life cycle of 40 species of fluttering creatures. Pick up
butterfly-themed gifts in the gift shop.
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Cost
US$12
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-3.30pm
Address
Le Galion Beach Road, Quartier d'Orleans, St Martin 97150
Telephone
+590 590 87 31 21
Seaworld Explorer
Underwater paradise
Atlantis Adventures runs the Seaworld Explorer, a glass-bottomed submarine
giving guests a peek at life under the sea without getting wet. Passengers
descend into its hull near Grand Case and observe coral reefs and colourful
fish through glass windows.
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Cost
US$30
Opening Hours
Daily. Morning and afternoon tours, times vary
Address
Pier at Grand Case, Grand Case, St Maarten and St Martin 97150
Telephone
+599 542 4078
Pinel Island
Sun, sea and sand
St Martin's Pinel Island, just off the French Cul de Sac, boasts pinkish sand
for sunbathing, clear water for snorkelling and fashionable beach bars for
socialising. Nature trails along the water's edge and into the hills make
for delightful walks.
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Cost
US$6 for round-trip boat to the island
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-5pm
Address
Off French Cul de Sac, Pinel Island, St Maarten and St Martin 97150
Transport
Taxi then boat
Orient Beach
Popular beach holiday spot
Soft white sand, excellent snorkelling and surfing conditions and beach bars
with live Caribbean music make St Martin's Orient Beach very popular. The
northern end is family-oriented while the southern end has St Martin's only
official nudist beach.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Orient Beach, 97150 St Martin
Transport
Taxi
St Maarten 12 Metre Challenge
Sailing with the best
The St Maarten 12 Metre Challenge uses the same boats as the America's Cup.
Races last two to three hours and set off from Bobby's Marina in
Philipsburg. Grind a winch, trim a sail or just enjoy the trip.
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Cost
US$78-US$99 (seasonal)
Opening Hours
Four daily races at 8.30am, 10am, 11.45am and 1.30pm. Reservations are necessary.
Address
Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg, St Maarten
Telephone
+599 542 0045
