Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
5 Days in St. Maarten
28
items How to spend 5 days on my favorite tropical island without getting bored! Explore multiple countries and cultures all within one island while visiting some of the bluest waters in the world.
Map
Sections
9
Hotels
Day 1: Mullet Bay Beach
Day 2: The Maho Beach Experience
Day 3: Philipsburg
Day 4: Loterie Farm
Day 5: Grand Case
Hotels
Here is a list of great places that I would recommend to stay for your visit in St Maarten. I prefer to stay on the Dutch side of the island and visit the French side!
La Vista is the most adorable boutique hotel! There are two sections, the one by the main pool and restaurant and another section by the beach. Both are excellent and have their own advantages. The main area has units that each feel like their own bu...
La Vista
The Morgan is one of the most unique hotels I’ve ever stayed at! The pool was made to feel like you’re walking into the ocean all around which is very interesting. It also overlooks the ocean and really feels luxurious. The spa here is also incredibl...
The Morgan Resort & Spa
The Royal Islander has two sections, La Plage and La Terrasse. La Plage is the beachside option and my personal preference. This is a more budget friendly option without skipping any of the amenities. It has a fantastic pool with a sandy area around ...
Royal Islander Club Resort La Plage
While there is a regular section to the Sonesta hotel that is budget friendly, the ultimate luxury is Sonesta Ocean Point. It’s a separate hotel within the hotel and super luxurious. This hotel is all inclusive so definitely a great option for famili...
Sonesta Ocean Point Resort
Day 1: Mullet Bay Beach
Day 1: Start your vacation with the bluest beach with crystal clear waters for a relaxing day. Mullet Bay beach has been named one of the top beaches in the world!
Start your vacation off at one of the best and clearest beaches in the world, Mullet Bay! Kalatua is a beach club that has comfortable plushy chairs, chairside service, and an incredible restaurant. Reservations are required and if driving, you will ...
Kalatua Beach Restaurant
Day 2: The Maho Beach Experience
Day 2: Spend the early morning lazing around the hotel and then go to the coolest experience at Maho beach where the planes fly right over your head so close you think you can touch them. The large planes usually land 11am-2pm.
Maho beach is one of the coolest experiences you will ever have! The airport sits right behind the beach so when planes come in, it looks like they are right over your head and makes the best photo ops and videos! While this is a swimmable beach, it ...
MAHO BEACH | St. Maarten / St. Martin
Day 3: Philipsburg
Day 3: Explore the town of Philipsburg and all it has to offer. Tip: Check the schedules and avoid going on days where cruises are at port. These days can bring in tens of thousands of extra tourists into an already small town.
Stroll around the boardwalk for great shops, candy, and general boardwalk fun! Lots of shops and cafes here to just appreciate the view.
Philipsburg - St. Maarten
If you walk all the way to the end of the boardwalk behind a children’s playground you will find the best phot spot with a “we love St Maarten” sign above a swing set overlooking the water!
I Love S.X.M Beach Bar
If you have time, take a tour of all the beautiful art murals around Philipsburg! There is a map available on google if you want to do a self guided tour or you can find one on either the Get Your Guide or Viator apps. My personal favorite is the “I ...
Philipsburg Art Walk
When in Philipsburg do not miss the cheese shop! They have every Gouda imaginable here and each one is vacuum sealed so you can fly home with it!
Amsterdam Cheese And Liquor Store
Stop for lunch at the Blue Bitch! The drinks here are incredible and it’s a great spot for a photo op as well!
Taloula Mango’s / Blue Bitch Bar
Day 4: Loterie Farm
Day 4: Loterie Farm. Make you way to the French side of the island and enjoy lush gardens and jungle like scenery. You can swim, hike, or even zip line here!
You’ve made it to the French side of the island! While it is technically France, you don’t need your passport to cross over from the Dutch side. Loterie Farm is a huge nature reserve so they offer many hikes (and even ziplining!) but its most often u...
Loterie Farm
Day 5: Grand Case
Day 5: Explore more of the French side of the island in Grand Case. Be sure to also stop at a pharmacy on the French side, as they have luxury French skincare for much cheaper than the US!
You will be crossing the border into France here (no passport required though). While there are several areas to explore on this side, not all are the safest. One of my favorite (and super safe) is Rainbow Cafe. The beach is unmatched and they seat y...
Rainbow Café
Dinner Restaurants
A list of all my favorite restaurants on the island!
My absolute favorite restaurant on the island. While at first glance this seems like an Indian restaurant, it really caters to so many types of foods. The bao buns with tamarind sauce as an appetizer are incredible, the curry is outrageous, and the r...
The Palms
Thai food at its finest! Do not leave without ordering the crispy pork appetizer.
Avantika
Definitely a splurge for dinner, but really most well known for their incredible cocktails. Stop here for drinks before dinner!
Palapa Hidden Oasis SXM
A great restaurant on the Dutch side of you are looking for traditional French food!
Le moulin fou sxm
While it seems funny that this restaurant is in a strip mall next to a movie theater, don’t miss it! It’s an incredible tapas restaurant with an excellent wine selection. You cannot go wrong with anything on this menu.
Balls & Wine
For a more formal dinner, there are several options in Grand Case on the French side. L’Auberge happens to be my personal favorite as it is less formal than some of the others.
Restaurant L'Auberge Gourmande
For a seaside white tablecloth dinner in Grand Case, Ocean 82 is the nicest! It’s traditional french cuisine and they have a large lobster tank in the front with some of the largest lobsters I’ve ever seen!
Océan 82
For a casual lunch or dinner, go straight to Dinghy Dock. The burgers are fabulous, but the chicken sandwich is elite. Really, everything is great here. Also a great spot to watch sports games. Bonus: they have an ice cream shop in the front!
Dinghy Dock Sailors Bar
Upscale Asian restaurant right in Maho. Easy dinner if you want to go out for some nightlife afterwards!
Mr Chow
Nightlife
Bar recommendations for some after dinner drinks and fun!
For a fun night out go to Hole In The Wall! They have live music almost every night and the crowds will sing along…loudly. The bar is open air and has a backyard with some quieter tables and seating if you’re into that. Great for after dinner drinks!
The Hole in the Wall
Fun open air bar with excellent cocktails and vibes. This restaurant/bar also has great views of the entire Maho area.
Mimosa Skylounge
Day Trips
If you have more than 5 days, here are some more options to travel a bit further off island.
For a nice day trip, rent a catamaran and go out to St Barth’s! You will find tons of celebrity sightings but be warned, it’s not cheap. There is also a ferry that runs from St Maarten a few times per day but it does get rough at times. The better op...
St Barthélemy
A nice day trip is also out to Anguilla. Rent a catamaran to get here to explore a new island for the day!
Anguilla
Out in the distance on a clear day you can see Saba from St Maarten. It’s a very tiny island that is definitely worth exploring but really requires an overnight trip. Fun fact: Saba has the shortest runway in the world so landing there is interesting...
SABA
Pinel island is a small island that is great for diving and snorkeling while in SXM. if you’re looking to change your scenery, this small day trip is perfect!
Île Pinel