St. Maarten shore excursions

A walk-off port with a beach town at hand, plus Maho Beach plane-spotting and the French side's beaches by fixed-fare taxi.

Photo: Caroline Ross / Unsplash

Typical call

8:00 am→4:30 pm

Docking to all aboard · about 8 h 30 min ashore

Getting ashore

Walk off at the pier

Walkable to town

Money

Dutch side: Caribbean guilder

US dollars widely accepted

Time zone

UTC-4

Keep your watch on ship's time

Tours that fit your day in St. Maarten

Enter the times from your cruise line's itinerary. We add time to walk off the ship, the drive to each tour's start point and back, and your safety margin.

Ship docks8:00 amAll aboard4:30 pm

Safety margin before all aboard

Ship in portGetting ashore (20 min)Safety margin (1 h)All aboard 4:30 pm

8 h 30 min in port80 fit with time to spare11 cutting it close9 too long

Fits your day
The Best Catamaran Day Sail in St Maarten (public, not private)
5 h 5.0 (1,856)Free cancellation
Back by 2:00 pm · 1 h 30 min sparefrom $145
Fits your day
Private Full-Day Luxury Sailing Catamaran Charter in Sint Maarten
6 h 5.0 (499)Free cancellation
Back by 3:00 pm · 30 min sparefrom $1750
Fits your day
Captain Bob Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Beach Tour & Lunch St Maarten
6 h 4.9 (4,486)Free cancellation
Back by 3:00 pm · 30 min sparefrom $149
Fits your day
CAPTAIN ALAN'S 4hr -3 Islands-snorkeling-turtles-beach ADVENTURE
4 h 4.9 (635)Free cancellation
Back by 1:00 pm · 2 h 30 min sparefrom $99
Fits your day
UTV / ATV Guided Tour in Philipsburg (Hotel & Airbnb Guests)
3 h 30 min 4.9 (2,156)Free cancellation
Back by 12:30 pm · 3 h sparefrom $120
Fits your day
Electric Adventures Buggy Rental
4 h 4.9 (466)Free cancellation
Back by 1:00 pm · 2 h 30 min sparefrom $249
Fits your day
UTV/ATV Guided Tour in Philipsburg (Hotel & Airbnb Guests)
3 h 5.0 (222)Free cancellation
Back by 12:00 pm · 3 h 30 min sparefrom $120
Fits your day
Sun & Fun Combo Jetski/ATV
3 h 30 min 4.9 (666)Free cancellation
Back by 12:30 pm · 3 h sparefrom $200
Fits your day
UTV / ATV Guided Tour in Philipsburg (Hotel & Airbnb Guests)
3 h 4.9 (677)Free cancellation
Back by 12:00 pm · 3 h 30 min sparefrom $120
Fits your day
Anguilla in Style
6 h 4.9 (448)Free cancellation
Back by 3:00 pm · 30 min sparefrom $149
Fits your day
UTV / ATV Famous Beach Ride (for Cruise Passengers)
3 h 30 min–3 h 45 min 4.9 (1,741)Free cancellation
Back by 12:45 pm · 2 h 45 min sparefrom $120
Fits your day
Private Island Tour - Sint Maarten
3 h–4 h 4.9 (243)Free cancellation
Back by 1:00 pm · 2 h 30 min sparefrom $189

Return times are estimates from the tour length, travel from the pier and time to get ashore. Always check your ship's all-aboard time.

Port guide

St. Maarten cruise port guide

Ships dock at Port St. Maarten in Philipsburg, on the Dutch side, and it is not a tender port: you walk off at Harbour Point Village, which has duty-free shops, bars and the taxi and excursion pickup points. Downtown Philipsburg and Great Bay Beach are a 15 to 20 minute walk away, and a water taxi covers the same stretch for a few dollars. Most visitors choose one of three days. Stay in Philipsburg for the boardwalk, Front Street and the beach. Take a taxi to Maho Beach, where jets land just above the sand, which is the island's best-known sight. Or cross to the French side, where Orient Bay, Pinel Island, Marigot and Grand Case are 25 to 45 minutes away by road. There is no border, and taxis charge government-set zone fares in US dollars, so you can plan a day without booking a ship tour. Calls usually start between 07:00 and 09:00 and end between 14:00 and 18:00, so the length of your stay decides how far you can go. With under five hours, keep to the Dutch side. The French side suits ships that sail at 17:00 or later, and you should start back well before all-aboard because traffic around Simpson Bay and its bridge can slow the return.

On your own

Things to do in St. Maarten

Taxi times are from Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility, Harbour Point Village unless noted. Hover a place to find it on the map; open Details for costs, tips and your time budget.

Numbers match the list; colours show the type of place. Anchor = where ships dock.

Great Bay Beach and Philipsburg Boardwalk
Beach 5–10 min from the pier 2-4 hours
The easiest day: a long town beach beside the boardwalk (built in 2006 for cruise visitors), with bars and Front Street behind it. Calm bay water.
Fits your day
Front Street and Old Street, Philipsburg
Town 5–10 min from the pier 1-2 hours
The island's main duty-free shopping street, about 0.7 miles from the pier, with Old Street one block parallel (0.8 miles) for quieter cafes.
Fits your day
Fort Amsterdam and Little Bay
Attraction 10 min from the pier 1.5-2 hours
The 1631 Dutch fort is a small ruin with rusting cannons and harbour views, over a bird area with a brown pelican colony. Little Bay Beach is next door.
Fits your day
Maho Beach
Beach 20–25 min from the pier 2-3 hours
Aircraft land less than 100 feet over the sand just beyond the 2,300 m runway end at Princess Juliana airport. Sunset Bar & Grill posts the arrival times.
Fits your day
Orient Bay (Baie Orientale)
Beach 25–35 min from the pier 3-4 hours on the sand
The island's most popular beach on the French east coast, with beach clubs, water sports and a clothing-optional section at the south end.
Fits your day
Pinel Island
Beach 25–30 min from the pier 4-5 hours including transfers
A small protected islet 170 m offshore, reached by a roughly 5-minute ferry from Cul-de-Sac. Calm swimming, snorkelling near shore and two beach restaurants (Yellow Beach, Karibuni).
Fits your day
Marigot (market and Fort Louis)
Town 25–40 min from the pier 2-3 hours
The French capital, with a harbourfront market, cafes and Fort Louis (built 1789) overlooking the bay. The market runs Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Fits your day
Grand Case
Food & drink 30–45 min from the pier 3 hours
A seaside village on the northwest coast with a mile-long main street and more than two dozen restaurants, plus a long sand beach.
Fits your day
Loterie Farm
Nature 30–35 min from the pier 3-4 hours
A private nature reserve on the slopes of Pic Paradis with a spring-fed jungle pool, hiking trails and a restaurant. The Fly Zone zipline is currently listed as closed.
Fits your day
Rainforest Adventures Sentry Hill (Flying Dutchman zipline, Sky Explorer)
Adventure 10–15 min from the pier 2-3 hours
The park is the closest adventure site to the port, at Rockland Estate on Sentry Hill, with the Flying Dutchman and Sentry Hill zipline and a gondola with 360-degree views.
Fits your day
Catamaran sail and snorkel from Great Bay
Snorkel & dive 5–10 min from the pier 3.5-4 hours
A half-day sail from Great Bay, a short walk from the pier, with a snorkel stop over a wreck and a sunken helicopter, then a beach stop, lunch and open bar.
Fits your day
America's Cup 12-metre race
Attraction 5–10 min from the pier 3 hours including briefing and boarding
Guests crew a real 12-metre racing yacht in Great Bay for about two hours, grinding winches and trimming sails or just watching.
Fits your day

On your own or a cruise-line tour?

Philipsburg, Great Bay, Maho and Little Bay are easy to do on your own because taxis at the port charge fixed fares and the pier is not a tender. The French side also works independently, but it means a 25 to 45 minute drive each way, with possible delays on the Simpson Bay causeway and bridge. Public minibuses have no timetable, so they are a poor choice for a ship deadline. A ship-booked tour is worth it for ziplining, the 12-metre race and catamaran trips if you want the cruise line's return guarantee, and for Pinel or Orient Bay if your sailing is early. Independent bookings of the same tours are available but you carry the risk of any delay.

How people miss the ship here

The French side is 25–45 minutes by road, and traffic around Simpson Bay and its bridge can add delays. On busy ship days, leave the French side at least two hours before all aboard.
As many as six ships can be in port at once, so taxi queues at the terminal and traffic on the island are heavier on those days.
Minibuses have no fixed timetable and leave when full; the route to Marigot may involve a change, so do not rely on them for a tight return.
Pinel Island needs a taxi to Cul-de-Sac, a ferry about every 30 minutes and a return in the same sequence; one source advises booking it only when the ship sails at 17:00 or later.
Plane-watching at Maho is easy to extend, and taxis back to the port can be slow to find on busy days. Keep at least 30 minutes of margin on top of the drive.

Logistics

Where ships dock and getting around

Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility (Port St. Maarten), Harbour Point Village

Ships dock here 5-10 min to town Walkable to town

Open-air terminal and Harbour Point Village with duty-free shops, souvenir stalls, bars, a restaurant, two tourist information booths, the taxi stand and tour pickup points. There is no free Wi-Fi. The water-taxi terminal is beside the port and car rental is a short walk away. Flat and wheelchair accessible.

Getting to town: Walk 15-22 minutes to Wathey Square (port says 15, walking routers say 20-22), taxi $10 per car, or water taxi (about $6-7 day pass)

Usually used by: Mixed: the October 2026 schedule lists Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Cunard, Norwegian, TUI Cruises, Virgin Voyages, MSC Explora Journeys and Atlas Ocean Voyages. Up to six ships can be in port at once.

Taxi (government-regulated zone fares)

About 100 taxis wait at the terminal. Fares are fixed by zone under a national tariff, not metered. For 1–2 passengers the rate is per car; for 3 or more it is per person. A 25% surcharge applies from 22:00 to 06:00.

Cruise port to Philipsburg / Great Bay / Little Bay (1-2 people, per car) · 2022	$10
Cruise port to Maho Beach (1-2 people, per car) · 2022	$20-25
Cruise port to Rainforest Adventures (1-2 people, per car) · 2022	$12
Cruise port to Orient Bay (1-2 people, per car) · 2022	$30-45
Cruise port to Grand Case (1-2 people, per car) · 2022	$35-40
Cruise port to Marigot (private guide's figure, not the official table) · 2024	$30
Cruise port to Maho Beach, 3-5 people (per person) · 2022	$9-10

Water taxi

Runs from the port to the Philipsburg waterfront with landing points at Captain Hodge Wharf, Walter Williams Jetty (also called Walter Plantz Square) and Bobby's Marina. Sold as an all-day unlimited ticket by private companies, not a free shuttle.

All-day unlimited ticket · 2024

$6-7

Walking

Philipsburg and Front Street are about 1.1-1.6 km away on level ground (port says 15 minutes, other writers say up to 20-22). Great Bay Beach is about 1.6 km. Maho Beach, Little Bay and the French side are too far to walk.

Public minibus

Privately run vans on fixed routes without a timetable; they leave when fairly full. Line 1 runs Philipsburg to Marigot. Drivers rarely have change. Not suited to a ship deadline.

Philipsburg to Marigot · 2026

$2-3

Rental car

Driving is on the right. Roads are narrow, with speed bumps and heavy traffic near the Simpson Bay causeway and bridge. Bring your passport and licence.

Small car per day · 2026

$40-60

Climate

St. Maarten weather by month

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, peaking from August to October; September to November are also the wettest months. Itineraries may be changed or the call skipped when a storm threatens.

Before you go

Practical information

Currency: Dutch side: Caribbean guilder (XCG), which replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder in 2025. French side: euro.
US dollars: Yes. US dollars are accepted on both sides, taxis quote in USD, and the port area and most tourist businesses take USD. Carry small bills; change is often given in USD or local currency at about 1.80 XCG per USD.
Language: English is the everyday language; Dutch is official on the Dutch side; French is spoken on the French side.
Time zone: UTC-4 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Safety: US State Department: Level 1, exercise normal precautions (advisory last seen dated 19 Aug 2024). Standard tourist-area precautions apply. At Maho Beach, the local government warns that jet blast from departing aircraft can cause serious injury or death; a visitor was killed there in 2017.

Questions

St. Maarten cruise port FAQ

Do ships dock or tender in St. Maarten?

Ships dock at Port St. Maarten in Philipsburg, which is not a tender port. There are two piers and the port can take up to six ships at once. You walk off at Harbour Point Village, where taxis and tour pickups are located.

How far is the cruise port from Philipsburg?

Philipsburg is about 1.1 to 1.6 km from the pier. The port says 15 minutes on foot, though some walkers report 20 to 22 minutes. A taxi costs $10 per car for one or two people, and a water taxi day ticket is about $6 to $7.

How much is a taxi from the St. Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach?

Taxi fares are government-regulated by zone. For one or two people the fare is about $20 to $25 per car depending on which tariff table you read; for three to five people it is about $9 to $10 each. A 25% surcharge applies at night and on holidays. Confirm before you ride.

How long does it take to get from the cruise port to Orient Bay?

By taxi it takes about 25–35 minutes in normal traffic, longer in high season, and costs about $30–45 each way for one or two people. Plan for the same drive back and leave a buffer before all aboard.

Is it safe to stand at Maho Beach when planes land?

Watching low landings is the attraction, but jet blast from departing aircraft can cause serious injury or death, and the local government warns visitors to keep clear of the fence. A visitor died there in 2017. Stay to the side of the runway's end and keep children away from the fence.

Do I need euros or US dollars in St. Maarten?

US dollars are accepted on both sides of the island, and taxis quote in dollars. The Dutch side uses the Caribbean guilder and the French side uses the euro. Bring small bills for taxis, tips and chair rentals. Many businesses on the French side price in euros.

Can I visit the French side of the island on my own?

Yes. There is no border or check, and you can take a taxi, rental car or minibus. Marigot, Grand Case, Orient Bay and Pinel are 25 to 45 minutes away. Ships sailing at 17:00 or later give the most time, and you should start back at least two hours early on busy days.

What is the best way to spend a short stop in St. Maarten?

With under about five hours, stay on the Dutch side: Great Bay Beach and Front Street on foot, or a taxi to Maho Beach. With six hours or more, the French side becomes realistic. Keep at least a 30-minute buffer before all-aboard whichever you choose.

Nearby

More Eastern Caribbean ports

All ports

The Bahamas

Nassau

A deep-water port in the middle of town: beaches, forts and Paradise Island are all close, and ships dock without tenders.

~9 h typical call11 places

U.S. Virgin Islands

St. Thomas

Two piers a short ride from duty-free Charlotte Amalie, with Magens Bay, Coki Beach and a ferry to St. John all within a day.

~9 h typical call11 places

Dominican Republic

Amber Cove & Puerto Plata

Two piers: Amber Cove is a Carnival-built resort 15-20 minutes from town; Taino Bay puts other lines a short walk from Puerto Plata's old centre.

~9 h typical call11 places

St. Maarten cruise port guide

St. Maarten shore excursions

Tours that fit your day in St. Maarten

St. Maarten cruise port guide

Things to do in St. Maarten

Great Bay Beach and Philipsburg Boardwalk

Front Street and Old Street, Philipsburg

Fort Amsterdam and Little Bay

Maho Beach

Orient Bay (Baie Orientale)

Pinel Island

Marigot (market and Fort Louis)

Grand Case

Loterie Farm

Rainforest Adventures Sentry Hill (Flying Dutchman zipline, Sky Explorer)

Catamaran sail and snorkel from Great Bay