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Travel Guide: St Maarten/St Martin - Things to do on the friendly island
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items I have been visiting St Maarten since I was a child and consider it a home away from home - these are my top recs for things to do and places to eat on the island
This is easily my favorite bar on the island. They have live music almost every night. The staff is so friendly and the piano players are so talented and fun to interact with.
The Red Piano SXM
Ray and Yolanda are the owners here and they make you feel like family. From full price transparency to reasonable pricing to celebratory wine at pickup, the experience at Sage Jewelers sets them apart from the rest.
SAGE Jewelers
This is such a cool hidden gem in Philipsburg. Nick Maley - the creature creator for Yoda from Star Wars - has on display props, face casts, scripts and other movie relics inside this little museum. If you pay for the tour, Nick is often sitting wher...
Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit
This is one of those places we go every time we visit the island. The lobster thermidor here is my favorite that I have tried.
PINEAPPLE PETE
This is a unique experience that will get you out of the sun for a bit. On the tour you get to see how the rhum is made and also learn the history of rhum. At the end there are a ton of flavors your can try.
Tip: They sell their 6 core flavors al...
Topper's Rhum Distillery
You can book different boat trips through Aqua Mania. One of my favorites is the Tango or Lambada to Prickly Pear and Anguilla. This trip includes stops at snorkeling spots and other islands and includes lunch and an open bar.
They also offer suns...
Aqua Mania Adventures
This is the famous plane beach. This beach sits at the end of the runway - check the arrivals schedule for the day and plan to be on the beach to see a larger plane land. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
Note: Standing behind the plan...
MAHO BEACH | St. Maarten / St. Martin
This is a great spot to grab a drink or some food and watch the planes land. They have music and cater to a more adult crowd (not good for kids).
Note: as Maho Beach gains popularity, this bar has been getting more and more crowded. If you want to s...
Sunset Bar and Grill
This is a beautiful restaurant right on Simpson Bay. Make a reservation for an outdoor table and try some of the table side creations for a more unique dining experience.
La Patrona
Orient beach is huge with some much to do for people of any age. They have water trampolines, jet skis, parasailing, etc. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars along the beach to grab lunch or a drink. Some bars offer service to your loung...
Orient Beach
One of my favorite spots in Philpsburg. They serve really good food and drinks on the waterfront and it’s close to the cruise port in Philipsburg. An interesting fact about this place is that it was constructed from driftwood that washed ashore afte...
Taloula Mango’s / Blue Bitch Bar
This place is soooo good! We ended up here after a long day - almost all the food places were closed by the time we went out to eat except this one. I’m so glad we found this place because of how good the food is here. I got the butter chicken with g...
Shiv Shakti Restaurant and Bar
The seafood here is soooo good - we’ve had a few fried fish dishes here and they were all delicious. This place also gets recommended a lot by locals.
Lee's Roadside Grill & Bar - Simpson Bay Restaurants
I love the mac n cheese at Toppers. Also do not miss the bonfire shrimp.
If you’re looking for karaoke be sure to check the schedule here!
And stop for ice cream on your way out
Topper's Restaurant & Bar
Miguel’s is a tiny bar right along the Philipsburg boardwalk with really good drinks and vibes.
You might notice some stray dogs around this area - Miguel does what he can to take care of them and will happily accept donations to help pay for dog fo...
Miguel's Hot Beach Spot
If you’re missing your pup, head over to SXM Paws and take one of their coconut retrievers on an adventure for the day - take them hiking, to the beach, etc
SXM Paws is an animal rescue on the island. They are always looking for volunteers to foster...
SXM Paws