St. Martin & St. Maarten Travel Guide
We spent almost four weeks exploring St. Martin/St. Maarten. And with previous shorter visits (plus a couple of cruise stops) under our belts, we’ve had a great taste of everything this chic Caribbean island offers!
st. martin/st. maarten intro
THINGS TO DO
WHERE TO STAY
PLANNING (AND EATING!)
Quick island tips
Getting there
Beaches
The Atlantic coast is breezier and more wave-prone. For calmer swimming, head to Caribbean-facing beaches – like Grand Case, Friar’s Bay, Mullet Bay and Simpson Bay.
Getting around
Renting a car makes exploring easy. Or book tours with hotel pick-up and drop-off. (We book through Viator and GetYourGuide.) Taxis are also readily available.
When to visit
Visit from November to June for sunny beach weather, with daytime highs around 80 to 86 F (27 to 30 C).
Hurricane season runs from June to November. (July and August are the wettest months. September is the peak for storms.)
Good to know
Fun island tours
A trio of hotel gems
We stayed at several hotels on the island and “inspected” many more as media guests.
HOTEL L’ESPLANADE
French side
Lovely hillside suites with kitchens (Grand Case)
LA PLAYA ORIENT BAY
French side
Boutique beachfront gem (Orient Bay)
CORAL BEACH CLUB
Dutch side
Deluxe townhouses and villas (Oyster Bay)
Our top travel tips and resources
→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, with loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking.com’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find excellent discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.
→ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
→ Flights: For the best flights, we search on Google Flights first. Expedia and Kayak are then perfect for snagging the cheapest tickets. (They’re often non-refundable, though, so for more flexibility, we book directly with the airline, even if it costs more.)
→ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
→ Car rental: Renting a car can be a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies for the lowest rates.
→ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
→ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
→ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find cool hotels and other useful trip planning info.
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About the authors
