Activities & Things To Do on St Maarten / St Martin

An Introduction to the Best St. Maarten Excursions

Research has shown that one of the five key factors that makes St. Maarten worth visiting is its wide variety of things to do. From the steepest zipline in the world at Rainforest Adventures to the historic UnderSXM statue park for snorkelers and scuba divers. From sampling the culinary capital of the Caribbean to indulging in its culture, there is a lot of excursions to explore. Every area and beach on the island are available well within one St. Maarten day trip!

Booking the Best St. Maarten Tours

See below a guide of the top 10 categories of activities our visitors like to do on island, divided in activities on land, sailing tours, St. Maarten scuba diving and snorkeling tours, other water and activity tours, island hopping and excursions, excursions for history and culture fans, excursions to the French side and island hopping tours and those looking for inspiration.

Below our guide you find a visual overview of the many things to do on St. Maarten / St. Martin. See what appeals to your preferences and click for more information!

If you want to swiftly book excursions, you can also directly proceed to reserve your spot in our overview! All St. Maarten Tour companies involved are professional and part of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association. See the conditions of the individual tour companies, dress code and what you need to bring when checking for availability.

Excursions and Tours for Families and Cruise Visitors

St Maarten Cruise Port

If you are visiting St. Maarten by cruise ship, the vast majority of activities listed below can be experienced during your stay. To ensure your timely return to the ship, see our dedicated guide on best things to do when visiting the Philipsburg St. Maarten Cruise Port to explore what trips are available during your stay in port of call St. Maarten.

If you are traveling with family and looking for things to do with kids, see our inspiration page for kids friendly activities. That does not mean that many other activities listed below can not be enjoyed by the youngest generations, so take a look regardless!

A Quick Travel Guide to St. Maarten Excursions at sea, on Land and Under Water

St. Maartens famed offer of activities can be divided into these main categories:

Things to do on land

If you are aiming to explore the lush green hills and highly varied activities and areas of St. Maarten on land, make sure to enjoy our wide offer of activities for zipline thrillseekers, bike fanatics, pirate trainees, scavenger hunters and puzzle pros! See our Things to do on Land page for a more detailed overview of land based St. Maarten excursions on offer. Some tips in advance for iconic landlubber tours you might want to book directly:

Man going down the Sentury Hill Zipline
Take the Soualiga Sky Explorer up Sentry Hill, enjoy the magnificent view over the Northeastern Caribbean, and take the Flying Dutchman, the steepest zipline in the world, down!

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Two people going up the Souliga Sky Explorer
If you prefer to see the sights at Rainforest Adventures Park panorama platform but to take the Soualiga Sky Explorer back up – no problem as the view alone is worth it!

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Kids will love the Learn all you need to know (the truth, that is) about pirates in a multimedia presentation at the Rusty Parrot Pirate Ship.

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Nature & Hiking Tours

Sentry Hill Hike St Maarten, St Martin

Explore the beautiful and highly varied landscapes, either by taking part in a guided tour or on your own with a car rental! Some suggestions for a guided tour to discover St. Maartens natural beauty to the fullest:

Three people walking down during the Guana Bay Hiking Tour
Do a Guana Bay hiking tour to see the beautiful Atlantic coast of the island and the Natural Pool.

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Two people in a kayak on the Simpson Bay Lagoon
Take a Kayak Lagoon Tour to learn about the nature and mangrove forests of St Maarten / St Martin.

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A green Iguana sitting on some plants
See for individual hiking routes and nature areas to explore our St. Maarten nature & hiking page.

Active & Sports Excursions

St. Maarten Padel Court view

Many visitors like to enjoy their holidays in an active manner. Some fun tips to combine exercise with great views of the Caribbean:

A family during the Tri-Sport Adventure Race
The Adventure Race scavenger hunt in and around Philipsburg gives you a great and active discovery of St. Maarten history.

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Picture form above of the SXM Group Padel Courts
Combine a Little Bay Beach day with playing padel under the Caribbean sun at the Padel court of SXM Padel, frequented by some of the most famous players in the world!
Golf ball at the Golf Track with a sunset background
Lob a ball at St. Maartens only Golf Course along Mullet Bay Beach.

Set Sail for Great Vistas On and Under Water- Sailing Excursions

Heineken regatta Sailers Sint Maarten

St. Maarten is an internationally recognized sailing centre, famous for its yearly Heineken Regatta. Embark on one of its famous and well-provisioned catamarans for a great day at sea, or charter your own catamaran! Explore our sailing activities page what excursion fit you best. Some great sailing tour options:

A Sailboat on the waters of St Maarten/St Martin
Explore St. Maartens seas in a sustainable manner with Eco Friendly Sailing Tours!

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A lambada boat sailing with a sunset background
Enjoy the spectacle of a true Caribbean sunset with the Lambada Sunset Sail from Aqua Mania!

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Three boats on the blue waters of St Maarten
For those that want to take a enjoy a full day of sailing, try the Tropical sailing, beach and snorkel tour.

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Other Water Excursions: From Motor Boat Tours, Dinner Cruises to Jetskis & Kayaks

St. Maarten offers many nautical activities beyond sailing. St. Maarten boat tours can also be motor boat excursions during the day or in the evening, jetski or kayak trips and dinner cruises. Go and navigate the St. Maarten / St. Martin shores! See our for a full overview –  but here are some suggested excursions on the water in advance:

Two people watching the sunset during a Tango Cruise Dinner
Catamaran “Tango” does dinner cruises along the St. Maarten coast line.

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A Santino Motorboat which sails on the sea
Motorboat Santino does tours around the island with swim and snorkel stops at Tintamarre, Creole Rock and Grand Case.

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A man walking on the beach with a kayak
Go Kayaking along Kim Sha Beach into the beautiful Simpson Bay!

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Two people on a Wave Runner Jetski
Take a “Wave Runner” jetski out, and tour the waters!

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Picture of DIVI Resort taken from sea
When bringing kids, consider spending a day at gorgeous Little Bay beach, with water fun, umbrella and beach chairs included!

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Two wine glasses clinking with a sunset background  
Bubbly Sunset Cruises are available to enjoy a great champagne while enjoying a great Caribbean sunset.

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St. Maarten Scuba Diving & Snorkeling Excursions

St Maarten Excursions Underwater SXM

St. Maartens / St. Martins beauty does not end at its shores. Amongst the many nautical activities on offer, boat excursions including Scuba Diving and Snorkeling are important tour categories on their own merit for those curious for under water sea life. Some excursions that will bring you to amazing spots to snorkel and / or dive:

Underwater Statues at UnderSXM
The new UnderSXM is a historical statue park just under the surface of the Caribbean. Plunge in and learn about St. Maarten history in the process!

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A diver diving with coral
For those fanatics ready for a full day of diving, try the two tank dive!

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A Sand Dollar Boat on the water of St Maarten
The Sand Dollar snorkling tour provides a motor boat tour geared towards great snorkeling too.

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Excursions to the French side

Activities on St Maarten / St Martin

Though most tour companies depart from Dutch side St. Maarten, many visit the French side of the island too. See the descriptions of your excursions of choice for more information on their itinerary. Some tours that visit famous parts of the French side:

The boarder between the Dutch Side and French Side of St Maarten/St Martin
The “Two Countries, One e-bike Tour” is a great exploration of the binational character of the island by e-bike.

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A group bikers during the Gem of St Maarten Tour
The “Gem of St. Maarten” e- bike tour takes you to famous Orient Beach, St. Martins partially clothing optional beach.

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A plane flying over Maho Beach 
The Tour de lagoon e-bike tour explores both the French and Dutch side of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

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Island Hopping Excursions to Anguilla, Saba and St. Barths

St. Barthelemy Island Hopping

A popular day trip for stayover tourists is to spend a day of island hopping by sailing a catamaran or taking a fast ferry to neighboring islands like Saba, Statia, St. Barths and Anguilla! St. Maartens geographic position, with many neighboring islands clearly visible on the horizon, allows for excellent excursions to other islands for just a day. Explore our St Maarten Island Hopping Page for an overview of surrounding islands and for more information on their character. Some excursions that can take you to our “neighbors”:

The Edge Ferry of Aqua Mania sailing to Saba
Boat tours with Aqua Manias “The Edge” to the beautiful “unspoiled queen” island of Saba.

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A boat sailing to Anguilla
The Eagle Tours Anguilla and Prickly Pear Island Day Excursion with its own set of gorgeous beaches.

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The Edge Ferry of Aqua Mania at an harbor
Boat tours with the Edge to St. Barths, the regional elite hotspot.

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Mambo to Rendezvous bay Sailing
Mambo sailing tours to Rendez Vous Bay, Anguilla.

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A Winair plane parked at PJIA 
Day trips by plane to surrounding islands are available with Winair.

St. Maarten Culinary & Craft Brewery Excursions

brewery tour st maarten

When on St. Maarten, do not forget to take a culinary tour along St. Maartens dazzling offer of restaurants, cuisines, bars and breweries. Explore our multicultural cuisine offer and try Caribbean, American, Austrian, Chinese, Dutch, French, Indonesian, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Lebanese, Mexican and many other tastes! Immerse yourself in the stories of craft breweries with a St Maarten brewery tour or rum distillery visit during the day. Consider these excursion packages to get a feel of how to experience food and drinks apart from our great lunch and dining options:

A group sitting down while listening to a member of the Toppers Rhum Tour
Renowned rum distillery Toppers provides a great Rum tour, and don’t forget their famous Rum cake if you decide to dine in their restaurant after!

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A group watching the beer brewery at SXM Beer
Craft Brewery SXM Beer provides a great Brewery Tour with much more included than tasting their delightful home made brew!

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Four bottles of self made rum at the Rusty Parrot
Learn how to make your own version of the most celebrated Caribbean delicacy in a Rusty Parrot Rum Workshop!

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A plate with cheese on it
Enjoy the special culinary match of Dutch and French influences with a Cheese and Wine tasting at the Amsterdam Cheese & Liquor Store!
Three bottles of beer standing in the sand at the beach
Take a craft beer distillery tour at the Caribbean Brewery.
Front Side of Seaview Beach Hotel 
Seaview Hotel and Beach Bar offers a day pass package with a cabana, drinks and food along the beach.
4 shots of Pelikaan Brewery with a background of the sea
Pelikaan Brewery also offers tours through its Cole Bay brewery
Front Side of Big Bastards Beach Bar at the Boardwalk
If you decide Great Bay Beach is your outing of the day, consider Big Bastards Beach Bar for their umbrella, beach chairs and drinks package.
Inside of the Ocean Lounge Restaurant
Chic Ocean Lounge offers an umbrella, chairs and food combination.

Cultural & History Excursions

The courthouse of St Maarten in Front Street Philipsburg

Many visitors like to learn about the history of destination St. Maarten on their excursion. See below some guided tour ideas; see our dedicated St. Maarten culture page and St. Maarten Monuments site if you want to explore local history on your own.

Some bikers cycling on a pier
The Historic Philipsburg bike tour learns you about the history of the island and guides you along the main landmarks of “town” as locals like to call it.

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Big Group standing in front of a wall painting during the Island Street Art Tour.
Take an Island Art Tour to learn about local artistry and crafts.

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Sunset at the Boardwalk with in the background Dutch Blond Beach Bar
The Rusty Parrot organizes Mural Tours through Philipsburg. Enjoy the wall painting of local artists, learning you about St. Maarten history in the process.

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An Under SXM sculpture 
Dive into Little Bay with a tour to the UnderSXM historical statue park under the water!
A collection of things in the Heritage Museum
The St. Maarten Heritage Museum in Philipsburg and Amuseum Naturalis are free of charge and give you glimpses of island life in the past and learns about island nature.

Beach Excursions

things to do St Maarten

Rest assured any trip with St. Maarten Tour Operators will include a visit to at least one of St. Maartens dozens of world famous, pristine beaches. There are many beaches to explore on St. Maarten day tours beyond world famous Great Bay and Maho Beach alone, from the lively to the tranquil.

Lots of people in D's Beach Club restaurant
Select your Beach Club (and reserve some beach chairs) in advance!
activities in st maarten
When bringing kids, consider spending a day at gorgeous Little Bay beach, with water fun, umbrella and beach chairs included!

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Excursions to Maho Beach

Airplane landing Princess Juliana Airport, Maho Beach

Seeing planes landing at Maho Beach is a must-do for many. This most famous St. Maarten activity of all is incorporated in many tours, but can also be reached easily by bus or taxi. The distance is about 11 kilometers.

 

Go shopping!

Take a shopping trip to the St Maarten Capital Philipsburg and its most famous shopping street Front Street

Philipsburg especially has received many accolades for its shopping experience. In addition, the nations capital provides opportunities for cultural, culinary and beach activities. See our dedicated list of things to do in Philipsburg.

If you are still looking for inspiration for fun things to do on island, see our list of unique experiences on St Maarten! Should our famous St. Maarten sun be absent during your stay, see our dedicated page for things to do on St. Maarten when it rains.

 

How to get to the excursions?

water taxi st maarten

See our St. Maarten buses page how your excursions can be reached via the St. Maarten minivan bus system. See for an overview of St. Maarten taxis and taxi rates to the various activities should you want to take a cab to your excursion.

Back to Visit St Maarten / St Martin Main Page

Mooring with Santino embarking in Simpson Bay

Santino Round The Island Snorkel Tour

Sky Explorer St Maarten is a tranquil ride up and down over the landscape of the island

Soualiga Sky Explorer & 360 View Points

Dive Adventures – Scuba Double Tank Dive

Coral diving on St Maarten, Dive St Maarten

CORAL IDENTIFICATION

St Maarten culture and Art on Display the Art Box Gallery in Simpson Bay

THE ART BOX GALLERY

EAGLE TOURS

guana bay view from above

Guana Bay Hiking Tour

Casino Royale is the largest gaming area on St Maarten / St Martin offering customers fun casino experiences

Casino Royale

Catamaran on sea

Tropical Sailing, Beach, and Snorkel Tour

Scooba diving, St marteen

DIVE SINT MAARTEN

Mullet Bay Golf Course, Maho Village, Maho Beach, Dutch Side St Maarten

Mullet Bay Golf Course

Activities on St Maarten / St Martin

Two countries, one e-bike tour

Rusty Parrot

Seagrape tours

Seagrape Tours

Dive Adventures – Scuba Night Dive

The Flying Dutchman St Maarten provides a thrill of a lifetime over the landscapes of the island

The Big Three: Soualiga Sky Explorer, Flying Dutchman, Schooner Ride And Sentry Hill Zip Line

Maho village has different dining and shopping opportunities for all

Maho Village

Dive Adventure – Discover Scuba

Dive Sint Maarten, Advanced open water diving, St Maarten

PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER

Heineken regatta Sailers Sint Maarten

ST MAARTEN HEINEKEN REGATTA

Soualiga Sky Explorer + Sentry Hill Zip Line + Flying Dutchman

Historical Bike Tour and Beach Time

Father and girl in blue sea with snorkels on SXM

Kayak Snorkel tour

St. Maarten Brewery & Beer Tour

Beautiful sunset view of the Tango Catamaran in the Caribbean

Lambada Sunset Sail

Diving on St Maarten, Things to do on St Maarten, Activities on St Maarten, Diving PADI

PADI RESCUE DIVER

Dive Sint Maarten Day Charter

DAY CHARTER

Dive Sint Maarten, Maho Beach, SXM Airport

5x TWO TANK DIVE

Dive St Maarten, Wreck Diving SXM

PADI WRECK DIVER SPECIALTY

Dive Sint Maarten Fishing Charter, Double Dutch

FISHING CHARTERS

Tour de Lagoon with E-Bike

DUTCH BLONDE BREWERY

Tourist on the Themed sunset dinner cruise of spirit of St Maarten

Themed Sunset Dinner Cruise

Cheese And Wine Tasting

Adventure Race St Maarten

Sint Maarten turtles, Caribbean Sea, Dive Sint Maarten

DISCOVER SCUBA DIVE

Dive Adventures – Single Dive / Refresher Dive / Snorkel

Catamaran the Edge from Aquamania crossing the Caribbean Sea

Edge Ferry To / From Saba

A girl sitting on a band sliding and laughing at rainforest adventures St Maarten

Soualiga Sky Explorer & Schooner Ride

Kayaks Rental

Moondance Sailing Charters

Snorkeling at Little Bay Beach while staying at the Divi Little Bay Resort St Maarten

Simple Beach Day At Divi Little Bay Resort

Family Kayaking in SXM Lagoon

Kayak lagoon tour

Sand Dollar Half Day Snorkel Adventure

St. Maarten Padel Court view

SXM PADEL GROUP

Multiple photos of the We are SXM Pub Crawl

SXM Pub Crawl

Tango Catamaran with people celebrating vacations

Mambo To Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

Carnival SXM, Carnival St Maarten, woman dressed in typical Caribbean Carnival clothes with blue feathers

ST MAARTEN CARNIVAL

St Maarten must do, Dive Sint Maarten, St Maarten dolphin swim

ONE TANK DIVE

Dive St Maarten

PADI OPEN WATER

St Maarten best snorkeling, Diving on St Maarten, Two tank dive

TWO TANK DIVE

Tri-Sport SXM

St. Maarten Beer Tour

SXM BEER, BREWERY TOUR

The Edge Ferry in Gustavia Harbor St Barths

Edge Ferry From St Maarten to St. Barth’s (Roundtrip)

Colorful paintings and cultural expressions displayed at the Tropismes Art Gallery

Tropismes Gallery

ECO FRIENDLY TOUR AROUND THE ISLAND

people on the sunset tour of eagle tours

Champagne Sunset Tour by Eagle Tours

Scooba diving, st maarten

Dive Adventures – Scuba Dive Discount Packages

Night dive St Maarten, Philipsburg, Snorkeling, SXM

NIGHT DIVE (ONE TANK)

Lambada To Prickly Pear Cays & Anguilla

Rocky landscapes on Anguilla’s North Coast with aquamarine seas

A DAY IN ST. BARTHS WITH EAGLE TOURS

pictures of the we are sxm island street tour

Island Street Art Tour

Soualiga Sky Explorer, Sentry Hill Zip Line & Schooner Ride

Sculptures at UnderSXM Waterpark Divi Little Bay St. Maareten

UNDERSXM

Dive Adventures – PADI Dive Courses

Catamaran the Edge from Aquamania crossing the Caribbean Sea

Edge Ferry To Saba (Day Trip)

Dive Sint Maarten

EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE (EFR)

The Rusty Parrot – An amazing Pirate Experience

Philipsburg Mural & Sunset tour by We Are SXM

Philipsburg Mural & Sunset Tour

THE SPA AT BELMOND LA SAMANNA

PADI DRIFT DIVER

Soualiga Sky Explorer & Sentry Hill Zip Line Adventure

SXM Beer brewery tour

SXM Beer Cruise Ship Tour

Seaview SXM cabana

Seaview Beach Hotel: Day passes and Cabanas

Eagle Tours catamaran on the sea

Ultimate Prickly Pear Anguilla Experience

Fish identification course, Dive St Maarten, Diving on St Maarten

FISH IDENTIFICATION

Under Water Sculpture from UnderSXM

Snorkel trip at the Under Water Sculpture Park

November St Maarten Flavors in St Marteen

ST MAARTEN FLAVORS MONTH

Diving on St Maarten, Dive St Maarten, Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg

PADI PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY

Topper's building welcoming tourists with large variety of Topper's rhum and souvenir products in Simpson Bay St Maarten / St Martin

Distillery Tour: Topper’s Rhum

Escape Room at Dutch Blonde Beach Bar, Philipsburg

Dutch Blond Escape Rooms

Picture of St Maarten artist Roland Richardson with Flamboyant Tree paintings

Roland Richardson Gallery Museum

Seaside Nature Park / Lucky Stables

Night view of the Spirit of St Maarten in Philipsburg’s Great Bay

Sun, Sea, Sail

Renegades Catamaran Up Close SXM

RENEGADES

Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Dive Sint Maarten

PADI DEEP DIVER

Prosecco toast at the Tango Bubbly Sunset Sail, Aqua Mania Adventures, St Maarten, Sailing

Tango Bubbly Sunset Sail

The Flying Dutchman St Maarten provides a thrill of a lifetime over the landscapes of the island

Soualiga Sky Explorer & Flying Dutchman

Bicycle Rental

The Sint Maarten Yacht Club from a side perspective where you can see the Club and a little bit of the surrounding Simpson Bay area

SINT MAARTEN YACHT CLUB

Multiple rum bottles of the Rusty Parrot in St Maarten

The Rusty Parrot – Make your own rum workshop

Discover Scuba Diving at the Under Water Sculpture Park

Sint Maarten duiken, what to do on Sint Maarten, Dive Sint Maarten

10x TWO TANK DIVE

A view of people on the Flying Dutchman at Rainforest Adventures St Maarten, with a view over the Dutch Caribbean island

Rainforest Adventures

Aqua Mania Adventures

Waverunner/Jetski form aquamania

Wave Runner (Jetski)

Diving on St Maarten, Simpson Bay, Philipsburg

PADI UNDERWATER NAVIGATOR

Beautiful sunset view of the Tango Catamaran in the Caribbean

Tango Caribbean Dinner Cruise

The Gem of St. Maarten Bicycle Tour with E-Bike

Dive St Maarten, Bobby's Marina, Diving on St Maarten

PADI DIGITAL UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY