Driving Tour

Perhaps the best way to view St. Maarten/St. Martin and begin to understand the marvel that is its diverse cultural heritage is a driving tour of the island. Armed with a road map and a vehicle of your own, it's relatively easy to navigate the island's roads.

You'll find driving on St. Maarten/St. Martin requires some attention. Many streets are unmarked. But don't worry -- this is a small island and with a general sense of direction and the island's shape, you'll always be able to find your way back to a main road.

Perhaps the easiest driving tour route takes you in a circular pattern around St. Maarten/St. Martin. For the purpose of convenience, assume a starting point at the Princess Juliana Airport.

From the airport, exit westbound and watch as the teeming development around Princess Juliana fades quickly. Several of St. Maarten/St. Martin's beaches lay just west of the airport. You'll quickly find Maho Beach and Mullet Beach and have Simpson Bay Lagoon on your right and Mullet Bay on the left.

Don't be too distracted by the beauty of the beaches to your left though. You'll need to venture through the homes and businesses along the road as you pass Cupecoy Bay and the route begins to veer northward.

Carefully feeling your way along the island's main road, you'll pass through the Dutch lowlands and may even begin to wonder if you've wandered off-track. But don't worry! Just when you imagine you're lost, a sign will notify you that you are entering the French side of the island.

After you enter the French side of the island, you can stay to the right to accelerate the trip back to civilization or veer to the left and explore the waterfront of Terres Basses. In any event you'll eventually end up eastbound through some of the prettiest countryside in the region.

You'll approach Marigot and be impressed with the combination of two elements. Hovering like a guardian angel above the settlement growing larger in your windshield are the lush green slopes of St. Maarten/St. Martin's mountainous center. And yet, just a stone's throw to your left will be approaches to the bay and sophisticated waterfront eateries and accommodations. The major commercial area of Marigot begins after crossing a drawbridge.

Marigot is quaint yet sophisticated, relatively small but possessing a bevy of interesting and inspiring sights. You'll pass the French-side island museum on your path and then enter the heart of the town. Depending on your schedule, Marigot is a good place to stop for a leg-stretching walk, a meal and a great introduction to the French-side style and tradition of the island. The architecture here is a mix of traditional Caribbean with European and contemporary touches. Shops here range from souvenir items to those that supply the local residents with excellent food, wine and other fine goods from around the world. Don't be afraid to eat anywhere here. A visit to St. Maarten/St. Martin is a culinary adventure, after all.

In Marigot you'll find signs directing you to a variety of points of interests and byways. However, for the sake of your tour, follow carefully the signs leading you to Grand Case. You'll make your way through town as the mountains begin to swell around you. Fort St. Louis on your left still stands sentinel over the Baie de Marigot and is one of the island's most significant historical points.

Between Marigot and the town of Grand Case is a beautiful stretch of the island. To your right will be the approach to Pic Paradis, the high point of the island that shadows the savanna and Caribbean Sea to your left.

Don't let the quaint nature of Grand Case fool you. The architecture here is charming, and the pace slower than Marigot. But this is the very heart of an important aspect of the French-side culture: food. Dining in Grand Case is as close to dining in Paris as anywhere in the hemisphere. So stretch your legs and begin to acquaint yourself with the particular French feel here. Take a stroll along the narrow street with charming Creole architecture and the beautiful half moon beach.

Back on the main road, which begins to wind east and south and pass Grand Case Airport, you'll pass through the island's largely less populous and wild east end. Orient Beach lays here along Orient Bay. One of the most spectacular beaches on the island and well-known to travelers, Orient Beach is a delightful combination of natural beauty and amenities. This is a clothing optional beach, where the emphasis is on optional! So keep this in mind if you decide to take the family to the beach for a look-see.

Approaching Orleans, you'll pass the Salt Pond on your left and then enter town. Orleans is a quaint, mostly-residential community. After Orleans you'll need to choose whether to head off eastward to travel alongside the waterfront abutting Baie Lucas or continue through the island's more-rugged interior southward. In any event, you'll eventually end up in the Lower Princess Quarters area of the Dutch side.

All roads on the Dutch side will eventually lead you into Philipsburg. You'll have the option of exploring the southeast Point Blanche area heading south past the huge salt pond to the Dutch capital's north end, and into town. Point Blanche is being developed at a rapid pace, but the region's Back Bay and Point Blanche Bay are worth seeing for their excellent eastward views.

The island's most "urban" area, Philipsburg is defined by Dutch-inspired local architecture, outlying residential zones and one of the most exciting main streets in the Caribbean. Front Street, running parallel to Great Bay is a great place to stop and explore -- although you will surely be back to Front Street during your stay here. Front Street offers the rare combination of dining, truly duty-free and diverse shopping, several fun casinos and cultural and historical attractions -- all located within feet of the desperately beautiful Great Bay.

Front Street or Voorstraat (Dutch) runs east through he heart of Philipsburg and is closed to vehicular traffic on busy cruise ship days. Back Street (Achterstraat) runs west and the two are connected by alleys or steegjes.

From Philipsburg, you are nearing the end of your driving tour. The main road out of town winds through spectacular mountain vistas -- up and around the town's 'suburbs.' From outside Philipsburg, alternate roads can take you north through the heart of the island if you want a scenic side-trip. Otherwise, traffic flow will take you through a scenic pass, stay to the left you'll be winding through the Simpson Bay area near the airport. Simpson Bay is emerging as the island's hottest destination and fastest growing area with major hotels, nightclubs, shopping, dining and entertainment possibilities.

By now, the sights will begin to look familiar to you again. After you cross the Simpson Bay bridge, you may catch sight of planes flying in low from the south toward Queen Juliana Airport. And then, the airport itself will appear on your left and you will have successfully circled the entire island.

Depending upon where you choose to stop and take in the sights, the circuitous route around St. Maarten/St. Martin might have taken you a couple of hours or an entire day. But rest assured that your trip acquainted you with the major themes of the island -- and you'll have the rest of the stay to create the characters and plot that flesh out the remainder of your experience. It's a story you'll long remember and delight in with each and every recounting.

Don't leave home without your credit card, or our shopping maps. Click here for quick guides to St. Maarten/St. Martin shopping and shopping maps.

On your tour around the island, sample the island's cuisine. Use our restaurant guide to help plan as well as a handy guide to activities and sights here.