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DAY GUIDE

Beaches – Drinks – Watersports – Food – Shops – Fun

Whether you’re here on a cruise for a day, island hopping, or staying overnights before catching a plane, here are a some “must see” things on the island. Pro tip: rent a car if you want to zip around the island easily. 

DAY STARTER

To start your day, grab a coffee and get breakfast in one of the many bakeries, like in Marigot at So Benedict. All these places are well known for the great pastries and the coffee!

BEACHES

If you want to start with the most famous gay beach, visit the famous Cupecoy beach. It’s a quiet stretch of beach in the Cupecoy neighborhood. Cupecoy is also a nude friendly beach. (Shhh! If you walk from Danny’s – the only bar on that beach- up to the path above the beaches, there’s a gay beach on your right-hand side. It’s the one with the concrete steps and no railing.) 

On the other side of the island, the French side, you will find Orient Beach, the famous French West Indies beach that offers many great experiences. There’s a family-friendly side and a nude beach side. Hang out near Kakao beach bar on the family-friendly side and check out the Perch Bar & Grill on the nude side. Walk to the far-right side of the other section and you’ll find what is called the gay beach.

Stay all day at the beach or hop around to others you’ve researched. We have 37 beaches so more than enough to explore! Some other great options on the Dutch side are: Mullet Bay and Great Bay; on the French side: Baie Rouge, Anse Marcel and Friar’s Bay (together with the beautiful and secret nearby beach of Happy Bay). Check out our BEACHES page.

And of course you need to visit Maho Beach, which is the most popular site for tourists and planewatchers.

PHILIPSBURG

More into shopping? If you’re coming here on a cruise, then you won’t have to walk too far for some of the best high-end retail shops in the Caribbean. Walk along Front Street and the Boardwalk and you’ll find jewelers, high-end retailers, cosmetics, perfumes, souvenirs and the best pharmacy for our family members! Check out our RETAIL THERAPY page to learn about the more gay and gay-friendly business. You could spend all day on Front Street and the Boardwalk, and don’t forget to grab lunch at one of the great beach bars.

MARIGOT

Feeling more adventurous? Find your way to the French side and enjoy the best retail therapy in Marigot. There’s plenty of men’s and women’s European fashion, cosmetics, perfumes, gifts and cafe’s popping up every day. For the most shops walk down Rue de Charles de Gaulle and Rue du President Kennedy near the Marina Port Royal. Walk all the way into the Marina to find a few more shops and restaurants like Restaurant Tropicana and fashion store Carmen C.

THE ADVENTUROUS TOURIST ?

Are you more the adventurous type? Many island adventures you want to explore can be found on both sides. There are too many itineraries to list just one, so instead we’ll offer you a few different ideas:

  • Boat trip? The best charter who is doing tours to discover the different bays and the turtle island of Tintamare is Soualiga Destination Tours. Or take a ferry to the islands of Saba, St. Barth’s and Anguilla. The ferries are also available for a day trip with departures and arrival on both the Dutch and the French side. Don’t forget your passport!
  • Snorkeling? Bring your gear to Baie Rouge and swim through Devil’s Hole, a rocky archway that will give you that perfect Caribbean picture with your sweetheart.
  • Diving? There are several dive-shops all over the island. 
  • Jet ski’s? On many beaches you will find them to book a tour.
  • Horseback riding? Visit the Seaside Nature Park St Maarten  and book a champagne sunset ride !
  • Hiking? Head to Loterie Farm on top of the highest point in St Martin, Pic Paradis. Here you will have a variety of options, including a hike through our rainforest, visit past remnants of old sugar plantations and all with the best views of the entire island. Perhaps you’ll even get a glimpse of our monkeys! Loterie Farm also offers you a bar, restaurant, pool lounge and a tree-top adventure park with zip-lines.
  • Zip line? If you’re feeling extra daring, head to Rainforest Adventures on the Dutch side, ride the chair lift all the way up the mountain, and take the Caribbean’s steepest zip line back down! Enjoy the history and the culture of this spot on the island too by exploring the history museum and the grounds of the historic plantation at the foot of the mountain.
  • Caribbean paddling? We suggest going to the Cul-de-Sac neighborhood, rent a kayak and head out to Pinel Island. It’s a tiny island just off the mainland with two beach restaurants, plenty of chairs and umbrellas, and friendly giant iguanas to keep you entertained all day.
  • Sky Diving? Absolutely! One of the most breathtaking views on the island.

DINNER & NIGHTLIFE

Still have time for dinner? Check out our MEALS & DRINKS page to learn about the best restaurants on the island. If you really want the local experience, find someone serving Johnny cakes and saltfish, it’s practically a national dish! Staying overnight on the weekend?

Finally, no visit to the island is complete stopping by a bar on the Boardwalk and getting a tropical cocktail. You won’t regret it !

The rest of the site will give you more specific recommendations for Meals & Drinks, Flight Info, Retail Therapy, Beaches and Lodges. And you can trust that everyone listed is either LGBT-friendly or LGBT-owned.

Enjoy the island !