LITTLE BAY

About Little Bay

 

Though now especially known for its impressive resorts Divi Little Bay and Belair Beach Hotel, Boutique hotel L’Esperance and various scenic villas surrounding it, the Little Bay / Belair / Fort Willem area is one of historical importance. It was the first location where the Dutch made landfall on island and settled. In addition, various battles for Fort Amsterdam took place, during one of which later governor of New Amsterdam (New York) Peter Stuyvesant lost his leg when trying to reoccupy the fort from the Spanish.

A great place to start hiking trails, for example from Belair to Cay Bay, the Little Bay Cay Bay trail.

 

Important Bird Area

 

Behind Little Bay Beach‘s Belair Beach Hotel, you find Little Bay Pond, one of the internationally designated Important Bird Areas on St. Maarten. The others are Great Salt Pond and Fresh Pond in Philipsburg, nearby Fort Amsterdam and the Pelican Rock islet outside Guana Bay.

Map of Little Bay

 

Find the Little Bay area on the map below!

 

 

Best things to do in the Little Bay area:

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin activities in the Little Bay area: 

• See our national symbol the Courthouse!

• Make an AMAsterdam bar selfie in an Amsterdam streetcar or “red light district”!

• Visit Rainforest Adventure Park

• Visit Fort Amsterdam

• Visit the Heritage Museum

• Take a brewery tour!

• Spend a day at Little Bay Beach, take a one day Divi Little Bay Resort pass and/or enjoy a meal at Gizmo’s or PureOcean!

• Take a Spirit of St Maarten dinner tour!

Take the Philipsburg Mural tour!

• Spend a beach day at Great Bay Beach, and don’t forget to take lunch at the Ocean Lounge.

• Do an active Philipsburg Trisport tour!

• Try a rum of local manufacturer guavaberry made of namesake fruits that grow on the island.

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin restaurants in the Little Bay area: 

• Ocean Lounge

 Dutch Blonde Beach Bar

• Emilio’s

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin bars in the Little Bay area: 

• Take a local craft beer!

• Learn the true history of pirates at the Rusty Parrot and have a drink with the experts (trust us, pirates are good people these days)!

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin shops in the Little Bay area: 

 Coffee Lounge

• Joe’s Jewelers

• Ballerina’s Jewelers

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin resorts in the Little Bay area: 

• Divi Little Bay Beach Resort

• Belair Beach Hotel

 

Best St Maarten / St Martin boutique hotels in the Little Bay area: 

• Horizon View Beach Hotel

• Holland House Beach Hotel

• L’Espérance Hotel

• Pasanggrahan Boutique Hotel

• Alicia’s Inn

 

See our overview of St. Maarten taxi rates what pricing is in place from Little Bay to your place of departure.