Philipsburg is the capital of Sint Maarten, the Dutch half of an island shared with French Saint-Martin, and this guide covers both sides. The island lies in the northern Lesser Antilles, south of Anguilla and northwest of St. Barts, and its roughly 87 square kilometers have been divided between France and the Netherlands since the Treaty of Concordia of 1648, with no checkpoint on the roads that cross the border.
Two cultures fit into a small space. The Dutch south has the main airport, the cruise port and boardwalk at Philipsburg and the busy Simpson Bay area, where condos, apartments and villas line the lagoon and the beaches. The French north is quieter and more spread out, with the harbor town of Marigot, the waterfront dining street of Grand Case and the long sweep of Orient Bay. Many visitors stay on one side and swim, eat and shop on the other, which makes the island a good fit for couples, families and groups who want variety without long drives.
Simpson Bay, on the strip of land between Princess Juliana International Airport and the island's large lagoon, is the most convenient base on the Dutch side: condos, apartments and villas close to beaches, marinas and restaurants, and only minutes from the terminal. Just west, Maho is lively rather than restful, since jets land directly over its small beach.
Philipsburg suits shorter stays and travelers who want to walk to Great Bay, its boardwalk and the shops, though cruise days bring crowds. On the French side, Grand Case is a seaside town with a long beach and a main street of about a mile lined with places to eat. Orient Bay, on the east coast, has beachfront apartments and steady breezes for water sports. Terres Basses, the peninsula at the island's western tip, is an area of spacious private villas that suits families and groups who value privacy.
The island's Arawak name, Oualichi, is usually translated as island of women, and the Kalinago called it Soualiga, land of salt. The Dutch built Fort Amsterdam above Great Bay in 1631 to protect their salt works, but Spain seized the island two years later, and Peter Stuyvesant, later governor of New Amsterdam, lost his leg trying to retake it in 1644. Once the Spanish left, France and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Concordia on 23 March 1648 on Mount Concordia, dividing the island. The border changed many times before settling in 1816, and some details around Oyster Pond were only finalized in 2023.
Philipsburg, laid out in the 18th century by the Scottish-born John Philips between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond, grew as a trading town and was declared a duty-free port in 1939. France abolished slavery in 1848; enslaved people on the Dutch side, who threatened to cross the border, won their freedom locally soon after, although Dutch law ended slavery only in 1863.
The island has around 37 beaches, and Sint Maarten's beach policy holds that they must remain usable by everyone. Great Bay curves in front of Philipsburg, Simpson Bay is long and sandy, and at Maho Beach aircraft on final approach pass only a few dozen meters above the sand. The jet blast from departing planes is genuinely dangerous, so obey the warning signs and stay well back from the runway fence.
On the French side, Orient Bay is one of the island's most popular beaches, with a naturist section at its southern end, while Grand Case has a long sandy beach right in front of the town. Offshore, Pinel Island, a short boat ride from Cul-de-Sac, belongs to the Saint-Martin National Nature Reserve, created in 1998 to protect reefs, seagrass, mangroves and islets off the northeast coast. Inland, hiking trails climb through dry forest to Pic Paradis, at 424 meters the island's highest point.
Crossing the border is as simple as following the road, and the contrast is part of the appeal. The Dutch side, where Dutch and English are both official and English is what you hear everywhere, has the casinos, the big marinas and much of the nightlife. The French side uses the euro, French road signs and French law, though the local prefect has described daily life there as essentially English-speaking; Marigot, its capital, sits on a bay below the walls of Fort Louis, built in 1789 to guard the warehouses of the port.
The island's cooking mixes Creole, French and West Indian traditions, and the dish many islanders call their own is conch in a rich broth served with dumplings. People from more than 70 countries live here, so Spanish, Papiamento and French Creole are common too. Sint Maarten's annual regatta, held over a few days in early March, fills the bays with racing yachts.
Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), on the Dutch side beside Simpson Bay Lagoon, receives flights from North America, Europe and around the Caribbean. Its terminal, badly damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017, was rebuilt and officially recommissioned in November 2024. SXM is also the gateway for short flights to Anguilla, Saba, St. Barts and Sint Eustatius. The smaller Grand Case-L'Espérance Airport (SFG), on the French side, handles regional flights, mainly to Guadeloupe and St. Barts.
Distances are short, often 15 to 30 minutes by car between the main areas, but traffic around Philipsburg, Simpson Bay and Marigot can be slow at rush hour and on cruise days. Traffic drives on the right. Minibuses run along the main roads and taxis are easy to find, although a rental car is the simplest way to explore both sides. Ferries link Marigot with Anguilla, and passports are checked on that crossing.
St. Martin is warm all year, with a mean temperature of about 27 degrees Celsius and steady trade winds from the east and northeast. The driest months are roughly January to April, which, together with December, form the busiest season, so winter rentals are best booked well ahead. Rain falls mostly from August to December, often in short, heavy showers, and the sea is warmest around October.
The Atlantic hurricane season, from June to November, has shaped the island's recent history: Hurricane Luis in 1995 and Hurricane Irma, which struck as a Category 5 storm on 6 September 2017, caused severe damage, and rebuilding after Irma took years. Storms are most frequent from August to October, so travel insurance and flexible dates are worth having for a stay in those months. Late spring and early summer are a good compromise, with warm water, long days and fewer visitors than in the winter peak.
They are one island with two countries. The north is Saint-Martin, an overseas collectivity of France, and the south is Sint Maarten, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The two sides have shared the island since 1648, and you can drive between them freely without a border check.
The Dutch side suits travelers who want the airport close by, nightlife, marinas and a wide choice of condos around Simpson Bay. The French side suits those who prefer a quieter, more relaxed stay, with Grand Case for dining and Orient Bay for beach life. Because the island is small, either base works for exploring both.
The French side uses the euro. The Dutch side has used the Caribbean guilder (XCG) since 31 March 2025, when it replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder. US dollars are widely accepted on both sides, especially in tourist areas, and cards are common.
December to April is the driest and busiest period, with steady breezes and the highest demand for rentals. Rain is more frequent from August to December, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. May to July often brings warm water and fewer crowds.
A car is the easiest way to see both sides, reach quieter beaches and get to villas in the hills. If you stay in Simpson Bay, Philipsburg or Grand Case, you can manage with taxis, minibuses and walking, but expect traffic around the main towns. Driving is on the right.
Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) sits on the Dutch west side, a few minutes from Simpson Bay and Maho. Philipsburg and Marigot are roughly 20 to 30 minutes away by car, and Grand Case and Orient Bay somewhat farther, depending on traffic.
Yes. Maho Beach lies at the end of the main runway, and landing aircraft pass low over the sand, which draws plane spotters every day. Jet blast from departing aircraft can throw sand, belongings and people, so follow the posted warnings and never stand behind the runway fence.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .