10 Best Towns and Resorts in Saint Martin

Simpson Bay is amongst the most popular towns in Sint Maarten, marked by a luxurious resort and marina that offers a Mediterranean vibe with exotic plant life, beaches, and adventure. You can choose from suites or villas at the resort itself, all of which have full amenities. Dining options here include Mexican, Italian, Japanese, and gourmet bistro, as well as classic coffee shops. If you enjoy water sports, you've got options for everything from bodyboarding to kite surfing.

The resort's spa will make you feel completely pampered while you're here. Whether you want to lie on the white sands or explore elegantly tended gardens, Simpson Bay is a picturesque site that's full of memories waiting to be made.

Philipsburg is amongst the most popular towns on the Sint Maarten area of the island and is famed for its quaint and walkable shopping districts. The two main shopping regions in this area are Front Street and Old Street. At Front Street you can find great deals on things like jewellery, locally crafted liquors, and even dishes. If you're looking for some nightlife and excitement, head for the casino, where you can catch live entertainment.

On Old Street, you'll find a quieter experience dotted with many historic buildings, bistro-style eateries, and tonnes of photo ops. This is the place to come to enjoy an old-world experience without the crowds, but still with plenty to see and do.

Maho is home to a beach that's famed for being right next to the airport, where planes fly so low overhead you'll feel like you can touch them. It's on the Sint Maarten side of the island and offers long stretches of gold sand beach and clear, turquoise waters. The planes roar overhead, and you'll feel the wind blasting down as they move past. It's a unique and exciting experience that kids especially tend to love.

In the town itself you'll find plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, dining, and shopping. If you are looking for a unique and unusual holiday experience, Maho is definitely the place to be.

Marigot offers one of the most picturesque ports on the entire island and is also a cultural centre of Saint Martin, with gorgeous historic structures, hiking, and great dining. This is an exciting town on the French side of the island that's very popular with visitors due to the many photo opportunities it offers, whether of the Caribbean, the ruins of Fort St. Louis, or the quaint gingerbread-style houses that line the streets.

For those looking to get their shopping and dining on, you'll find plenty of independent stores here and a bi-weekly farmer's market, as well as outstanding bistro dining. In many ways, Marigot is a shining example of the iconic Caribbean town.

Lowlands in Sint Maarten offers a wide range of beaches and lagoons to explore, whether you're looking to plane spot, engage in watersports, or just relax on a calm bay. You can also hit the famed Casino Royale to play slots, table games, have some good food and watch the latest exciting sporting events, or catch some live entertainment.

You can party on crowded beaches where planes fly low overhead. You can hit a secluded beach with great pipes for surfing. You can even find secluded inlet bays and lagoons where you can swim in warm, clear, and calm waters. After it's all done, hit world-class shopping and dining across the region.

Dawn Beach is famed for its crystal clear waters that are ideal for snorkelling and the incredible sunrises for which it is named. Here you can find upscale full-featured resorts that will pamper you the whole way. Some of the beaches have rough surf that's good for surfing, while others have calmer waves ideal for swimming. The area is clean and relaxing, and the beaches are free to access.

A few of the activities and adventures to be had near Dawn Beach include snorkelling and beach tours on the ocean, a guided tour of the island via quad bike, and flying zipline experiences. Of course, you can also find plenty of opportunities for shopping and dining.

Orient Bay is on the French side of the island and offers one of the busiest, cleanest, and nicest beaches on St. Martin with a lively, bohemian vibe. Here you can enjoy plenty of boutique indie shopping, every kind of dining you can imagine, from takeaway snack stands to upscale fine dining establishments, and one of the most vibrant nightlife scenes around.

This is a town where there's always something going on, and you will never lack for adventure. You can lie on the beach and catch some rays. You can walk lively shopping avenues, grab a drink at a pavement café, or dance the night away at a hopping nightclub.

Grand Case offers a mile-long stretch of white sand and dark blue waters lined by hotels, shops, and restaurants with rental loungers and plenty of amenities. This beach is one of the more iconic locations in Saint Martin and is in many ways the archetype of what a Caribbean beach should be. Whether you want to build sandcastles with the kids, go snorkelling and swimming in the surf, or just lie in the sand and catch some rays, you'll find it here.

Just steps away from the beach, you can also find historic sites, great seafood restaurants, and of course all the shopping you can handle. The town is also famed for its wealth of popular beach bars.

Oyster Pond is the home of several full-featured luxury resorts and offers diving, snorkelling, swimming, sun, and surf on a white sand beach just a few feet away from a living coral reef. It's a family friendly area, and they even offer special entertainment events geared specifically towards children. You can head for a resort restaurant, swim in an infinity pool, and get pampered in a full-service spa.

Nightlife opportunities abound here as well, with live entertainment several times per week and lots of bars and clubs. If you're looking to adventure, you can arrange a wide variety of day trips from here.

Little Bay is the home of a public rocky beach that offers a wide range of public amenities. It offers a different experience for calm water swimming, relaxing, and snorkelling. The beach, though public, has a secluded vibe and tends to be quiet and relaxing. Snorkellers will get the opportunity to see a living coral reef teeming with colourful and exotic tropical fish.

Little Bay is on the Dutch side of the island and is just a few minutes away from an upscale resort where you can be pampered your whole trip. It offers unique and stunning vistas for photo ops and tonnes of exploration and adventure.