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Home > Philipsburg > St Maarten Shore Excursion: Island Sightseeing Tour from Philipsburg
St Maarten Shore Excursion: Island Sightseeing Tour from Philipsburg
USD $44.00

St Maarten Shore Excursion: Island Sightseeing Tour from Philipsburg

St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

While in port in Philipsburg, discover the enchanting towns, stunning beaches and local cuisine of the island of St Martin on this 4.5-hour shore excursion. Explore both the Dutch (St Maarten) and French (St-Martin) sides of this Caribbean island with your guide, and let the sun-drenched views mesmerize you as you learn about its interesting colonial past and European influences.

When your cruise ship docks in Philipsburg port, meet your guide for your St Maarten shore excursion, and get ready to explore the highlights of this Caribbean treasure. You’ll experience both sides of this Dutch- and French-colonial island, which covers just 37 square miles (60 square km) in the Lesser Antilles, and stop at scenic spots along the way.

First, head to the north end of the island, on the French side, to one of its most serene and remarkable beaches, Grand Case Beach, where you can stroll along the pure white shore. Swim or sunbathe, stretching out on the soft sand as you marvel at the turquoise water that sparkles in the tropical sunlight.

Then, in the Caribbean’s gourmet capital, Grand Case, you’ll find a diverse selection of local cuisine. Try a traditional dish such as a scrumptious Johnny Cake – a fried cornmeal pancake – for lunch (own expense), or sample guavaberry rum punch (a tasty rum drink made from the island berries) or sip a soda or beer on the beach (one drink included).

Then, head to Marigot, the charming capital of St-Martin, and take in the French atmosphere where shops line the colonial streets and an open-air bazaar surrounds the central square. Next, your guide will take you back to the Dutch side to Maho Beach, where you can watch planes approach at a close distance as they land at the adjacent Princess Juliana International Airport.

Your shore excursion ends with a drive past Simpson Bay on your return to the cruise port. If you wish, you may request to be dropped off in Philipsburg to explore on your own instead of being dropped off at the port. If you do so, however, the worry-free shore excursion policy no longer applies; see Additional Information for details.

Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Philipsburg port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.

USD $44.00
Traveler Reviews
Review by:   Flora Y,    May 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Our tour guide was Wellington. He was a fun, very knowledgeable and more important very funny. He showed us all the sites and was very honest about the destruction of some locations we were visiting due to hurricane Irma. It was sad the destruction. He was very friendly and continuously shared with us info while on the car. Took us to French side and its beach then back to Dutch side. Stopped for shopping/eating and another famous beach that we could watch airlines going over us. Thanks Wellington. You were amazing.
 

Review by:   Isabelle C,    May 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
One of the best tours we've been on! Our tour guide Wellington, was OUTSTANDING from start to finish!! We saw all the sights on the French and the Dutch side and learned SO much, while having the best time! Not only was Wellington informative, but he was entertaining as well! He tailored the tour to what we ALL wanted to see and do, not just what was stated as what we would do/see in the initial tour description. Would highly recommend this tour and see if you can request Wellington - he is the bEST!
 

Review by:   Katherine B,    April 2018 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
The excursion went on 3 hours longer than expected! The tour was way too long and boring. The guide was pretty terrible. I did not like being dumped for an hour at a run-down little road side restaurant with the worst service, questionable cleanliness, no restrooms and very expensive prices in euros in the village of Marigot. Right after our lunch break we were driven to another bar and grill for another 45 minute break at Maho Beach to watch the airplanes. We could have combined the two lunch breaks and just lunched at the bar at Maho beach which was a much better restaurant. I'm sure the guide received kick backs from the first restaurant. Mainly, the island is not very fun, it is rundown and devastated by the hurricane. Skip the sight seeing and just book a beach excursion. The island is a huge disappointment. The charming village of Marigot is a dump with overpriced restaurants, run down buildings and the shopping consists of tired looking tourist souvenirs on tables and carts. Not at all French, except for the prices in euros. The downtown area of St. Maarten is also rundown and I would never buy diamonds there. Safety is even questionable. The locals I met were rude and did not understand anything about customer service even though the entire economy of the island is based on tourism.
 

Review by:   Kevieska,    April 2018 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Need to adapt schedule to account for reconstruction of port and roads after Irma. Much anxiety among group as our trip grew from 4.5 hrs to 6.5 hrs. Arrived back just in time to catch ship. Otherwise, beach breaks and tour were good. St. Martin is working hard to recover. Be prepared!
 

Review by:   Amelia M,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
My husband and son 22 yrs loved the tour. St Maarten still has a long way to recover...
 

Review by:   Margaret Q,    April 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Our guide, Wellington, was fantastic!!!! I would take any tour with him. He gave honest information about the hurricane damage, the history of the island, the current state of it. We learned a lot! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to get to our second beach stop which I was looking forward to. Coming back into town to the cruise terminal, there was a lot of traffic and that cut into our time on the tour. This was not Wellington's fault, of course. There is plenty to drink in the cooler on the van, it's comfortable and cool. Seeing the large and small planes fly right over our heads was very interesting. I highly recommend this tour if you are wanting to see a lot of the island.
 

Review by:   Barbara H,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Excellent trip, well organised with really interesting guide. Island is badly damaged by hurricane Irma but was still interesting.
 

Review by:   MELODIE M,    April 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
This tour was really amazing, Wellington gave a lot of info on the Dutch and French side of the island. Stop to feed iguana and take pic, great view, 2 beach stop Maho and Kim Sha. At Maho saw the airplane taking off and landing as we relax on the beach. Lots of damages but slowly recovering, fun tour
 

Review by:   Loren D,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
While the island is recovering and the damage was heartbreaking, our guide was able to still show us the amazing beauty of the island. He also put a real human view on what happened during the storm as well as the work going on now after the storm.
 

Review by:   jill.kunkel,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great tour with a great tour guide, Otis.
 

Review by:   Ronald G,    March 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Driver was extremely informative, very knowledgeable, entertaining, and shared many facts about the island and devastation suffered during last years hurricanes. We went to several isolated parts of the island and saw the damage of the homes, the ports where boats are still capsized, some upside down, and he talked about the delays of the insurance to allow people to rebuild. To see beaches once crowded with people now deserted, and resorts totally shut down because of the damage is unbelievable. However, on our stops to hear the people talk and the positive attitude for rebuilding is truly inspiring. I did feel there was a little too much time spent stopping at beaches when they couldnt be truly enjoyed. Overall the excursion gave a very true picture of life as it is going on at the moment and the people will make this a wonderful place to visit again. We look forward to returning to the island once the rebuiilding occurs
 

Review by:   Teresa F,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
this tour was amazing it was my 80th birthday and our tour driver wellington made sure i had the best birthday yet i also met the most amazing people on this tour if you want to meet new friends and have a good time i highly recommend this tour the beaches were great and the tour was very informative we laughed for 4 and a half hours made new friends for life and wellington our driver was a hoot be sure to ask for him if you book this tour he is amazing
 

Review by:   Emil B,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Very nice and knowledgeable driver/guide for the tour. Interesting stops on the way. Nice swim at Orientale Beach. At the end I was sorry the tour was not a couple of hours longer. Thank you very much to our driver/guide! 11 March 2018
 

Review by:   Molly G,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wellington was FANTASTIC and great with our kids! We would recommend this tour for anyone that wants to see the island beyond just the beaches and understand the history, but also enjoy getting your toes in the sand. We loved it!!
 

Review by:   Amber D,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Excellent excursion. David our driver was amazing and kept us entertained. Would definitely recommend this excursion.
 

Review by:   Brian M,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great trip. Tour guide, Fleming very knowledgable about the island. Thank you
 

Review by:   Steve L,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
The island is devastated right now and tourism is all that is helping residents to recover. It was amazing to see the resilience of the people and the work being done! Wonderful experience on such a gorgeous island both sides.
 

Review by:   Kimlei,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This tour was super informative, as well as beautiful. The driver showed us all around the island and was very patient with all the questions regarding life on the island, aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and economic and political issues for them. He was very knowledgeable, stopped at all the most beautiful photo-op spots. We are now thinking about a visit just to St. Maarten. Praying the island can continue their restoration through the upcoming hurricane season.
 

Review by:   tlbeehler,    March 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Having been on this tour in years past we thought we knew what to expect. The guide was insightful but traffic was unbelievable. Due to the hurricane they are rushing to restore their island and resume tours however, we were so saddened with what we saw. This island is a mess - we believe they are doing everything to provide entertainment to its visitors. The traffic and waiting to move along the roads is nuts. The majority our the tour was in out of the way places, and sitting in the van hoping to get moving. We wish them the best, however, be prepared to sit and wait a lot. The guides did the best they could with what they had to share. The tour did run over do to traffic.
 

Review by:   semon1,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Tour guide excellent, sad to see devastation in the area, none the less it was a great experience and be sure the rum bottle does not have a hole in it since it seemed to go away very quickly . lol.
 

Review by:   Anthony,    February 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Good fun with a trip to the other side of the island into France. Stood near the flight path of the airport quite exciting but very crowded
 

Review by:   Paul D,    February 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wellington was a great tour guide. He was very knowledgeable of St. Marten. We toured many places throughout the island. Wellington was very friendly and interesting. Our tour was enjoyable and we never felt rushed.
 

Review by:   Ann M,    February 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Excellent Guide! For my taste the excursion spent too much time at the beach stop and the airport. Other than that I felt it was very worthwhile and gave me an excellent feel for the island. The guide had some punch and drinks which were a very nice touch considering how hot it was. When we there early February we saw a lot of damage from Hurricane Irma but the island is still beautiful.
 

Review by:   Tabby72,    February 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Our tour guide was Wellington, he was incredible. The tour had only a few people so it was like getting a personalized tour. The island is beautiful but it was so sad to see all the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma. I would recommend this trip to anyone going to St Maarten.
 

Review by:   Lynn W,    January 2018 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
We had a great time! Our driver/tour guide, Wellington, was personable and very knowledgeable. He was so accommodating and the cold drinks they provided were appreciated. We toured in a modern, comfortable, air-conditioned van. The beach stops were too long to just sit and not long enough to swim. I would definitely recommend this tour, it was a good value.
 

Review by:   Dave,    October 2017 Review: 2 star rating: It was OK, but could have been better
We found this tour did not meet our expectations.
 

Review by:   James M,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Outstanding tour of the island. We visited the island via cruise ship on 24 August 2017 and really enjoyed our visit. I was reluctant at first to book the tour through viator and amigo tours but I did it anyway and was not disappointed. The cruise line changed our itinerary at the last minute having us come in a day later. The folks at viator took care of rebooking the tour and everything went off as planned. I can't say enough about these folks and the tour. You got to see both the French and Dutch side, complimentary drinks, knowledgeable guide and a medium size tour bus that was not crammed with people. We had lunch at Rosemary's, visited with some locals feeding iguanas,_br/_ and of course checked out the beaches. Maho being the best with the planes landing. Don't book your tour with the cruise line, you've already spent enough on them. Give these folks a shot and you won't be disappointed. Over the Top customer Service._br/_ Bud and Cathy Masters_br/_ Sweet Home Alabama
 

Review by:   Amir F,    July 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Good sightseeing tour of the island. Nice way to explore the island. Our guide, Anthony, was knowlegeable, courteous and showed all key spots all the way.
 

Review by:   John K,    July 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great tour by a brother.
 

Review by:   Amy E,    July 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was a perfect way to spend the day getting all the local knowledge of the island. We had a great time seeing both sides of the island and loved the market on the French side and lunch at an outdoor cafe.
 

Review by:   Monique R,    July 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We loved this tour! St Maarten was our favorite island on our cruise. Daniel, our tour guide, was extremely informative and added some humor which was great! We loved every stop! We took some beautiful pictures, ate some delicious BBQ and drank the best fruit smoothies in Marigot, enjoyed beach time and loved experiencing airplanes flying right over our heads at Maho Beach!!! Simply amazing and indescribable!!! This island had it all and is just gorgeous! Enjoyed the uniqueness of both the Dutch and French sides. Loved the guavaberry rum punch. Purchased some to make at home! Enjoyed complimentary drinks throughout the tour which was nice! Arrived back at the port with enough time to enjoy some Belgian chocolate and do a little shopping. We highly recommend this tour. You won't be disappointed!!
 

Review by:   janablpc,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Antony was our guide. He did a great job and was very informative. My favorite part of the day was Maho Beach, but it was all great!
 

Review by:   Charlotte L,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great comprehensive tour of the whole island and Bert, our bus drive/tour guide, made it fun and interesting! It was great to experience both the Dutch and French sides of the island, including the world famous Maho beach where the airplanes fly directly over when landing. During the tour stops, they supplied cold bottled water, sodas, beer and a local rum punch that was delicious and refreshing! Highly recommend this tour!
 

Review by:   Dave S,    May 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was a good trip. You got to see all of the island. Our tour guideWellington was awesome. I would recommend this trip for anyone who wants a sample of all of St. Maarten.
 

Review by:   saj7334,    May 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
My husband and I were on an 8 day Carnival Cruise and have always booked all our excursions through the cruiseline. We decided to try Viator because it was recommended by an acquaintance. We were not disappointed!! The check-in was very smooth and organized. Our tour guide, Dudley, was exceptional!!! He was very knowledgeable about St. Maarten and was very helpful! One of the best sightseeing tours we've been on!! We will definitely be booking through Viator again!!! Thanks for a memorable experience!!
 

Review by:   James B,    May 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
An excellent tour, with no rushing and in a small bus, so was able to get to lots of out of the way areas. Friendly, fun driver, who was very knowledgeable and passionate about the island. Lots of opportunities to take pictures, especially at the beautiful beaches and with a stop at Maho Beach for drinks and lunch, or disco if you want it. Great views of the planes landing directly over the beach. Arrived back at the port with lots of time to spare.
 

Review by:   HARRY L,    May 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Our tour guide Bert was awesome and a lot of fun! We wanted an overview of both parts of the island, as we'd never been there before, and this tour certainly provided that! The excursion stopped at a bunch of interesting sights and provided a delicious rum punch, as well as water and soft drinks. We especially liked stopping at Sunset Beach otherwise known as Airport Beach where the planes land right over your head. What we didn't realize is that we wouldn't have much time to eat, as the stops on the excursion are relatively short. We ended up eating in Marigot on the French side, but because we only had about 30 minutes, we didn't get to explore that stop. and food was pretty expensive. Had we known, we would have eaten at the stop at the beach prior to Marigot and then had more time to shop in Marigot. Note: as we were told, taxes are higher in France, so everything is more expensive on the French side. If you can wait, spend your money in Phillipsburg, on the Dutch side.
 

Review by:   MR P.N. D,    April 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
The tour covered all the Island and because of time available before we left was extended reaching almost 7 hours. The highlight was was definitely the beach stop at Waikiki beach. Stunning area was selected and the views, location etc were stunning. The meal was well prepared​ but not brilliant.
 

Review by:   Barbara C,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wellington gave us a fantastic day! I didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised with how much fun we had and what a great day it turned out to be. He has a great sense of humour and all of our stops along the way on this beautiful island made for memorable experience. Would highly recommend!
 

Review by:   Brian C,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Excellent tour, guide very friendly with plenty of local knowledge. We saw all the sights we expected to see on this tour. Was exactly as described. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
 

Review by:   slferris,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We were very pleased with our tour, our guide Bert was wonderful. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about the island. I was surprised at the amounts of sites we managed to hit during the tour, more than I expected. The stop at Orient Beach was nice, and Maho Beach was my favorite. We weren't sure at first where Amigo Tours would be located at the port, but a quick stop at the port information desk led us to their location. Also, a nice air-conditioned bus for a very comfortable ride. The rum punch was tasty!
 

Review by:   Manford C,    April 2017 Review: 2 star rating: It was OK, but could have been better
This could have been a nice tour. We were told to meet 15 minutes before the start of the tour and most of us were there. The tour was 25 minutes late in leaving, meaning we sat under a hot tent for 40 minutes. Due to the late start, the driver was rushed and did not stop at several interesting points such as overlooks. I was disappointed and would not recommend this company.
 

Review by:   Amy P,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This tour was great! It was a really good overview of the whole area. Our tour guide was awesome and knowledgeable and wanted everyone to have a great time. If you want to see all St Maarten has to offer this tour is for you!
 

Review by:   Laura N,    March 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wellington was truly the best tour guide, I will definitely use Viator the next time we're on a cruise that stops in St Maarten. It was so nice to be on a smaller bus instead of the large buses the cruise line uses.
 

Review by:   Howard R,    March 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was one of the best tours my husband and I have ever taken. The tour guide, Wellington, was friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and funny. This was a 4 1/2 hour tour that included many sites on both the Dutch and French side of the island, including a visit to Maho Beach where we watched the planes land at the airport. The tour also included water and soft drinks as well as rum punch with many refills. The price was extremely reasonable and much less than 2-hour tours offered from the cruise ship.
 

Review by:   Kathy M,    March 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We had a wonderful excursion with Amigo Tours in St. Maarten. Would recommend this tour for anyone who wants to see all of the sights on the island. Great tour guide, comfortable van, drinks served, just enough time sightseeing at various stops. If cruising, this is a great way to get the general lay of the land and to see a good deal of the island.
 

Review by:   Mrs E Carswell C,    February 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
The only thing I would change is that I felted we spend to much time at maho beach, we loved the tour and our guide was great.
 

Review by:   Robert O,    February 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Outstanding tour - thanks to our tour guide Wellington. His first day on the job claim caught some by surprise, but by the end of the tour everyone knew this well experienced native of St. Maarten was on top of his game. His knowledge of the history and recent activities on the island provided great insight for everyone viewing the local landmarks. Great experience.
 

Review by:   Sharon M,    February 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wellington was our driver. He was excellent. Knew the places inside and out. He kept us on our toes by throwing in some facts that were silly. This promoted communication among the group of passengers plus with him. It was a fun excursion, nice to get to know the area, other people and Wellington. I would highly recommend this tour group and if you get Wellington it will be even better.
 

Review by:   Glenn M,    February 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We had a great trip. We chose to book our tour online rather than use the cruise ship excursions. Worked about great. Less expensive and a terrific tour of the island, both sides. At the end we were at Maho Beach and got to watch several major airlines planes come in right overhead. Our driver was informative, entertaining and easily understood. His knowledge of the island was exceptional and his passion for it was obvious. Would strongly recommend Viator Tours. BTW, this was our first time going on excursions not set up by the cruise. This is how we will do it from now on....
 

All Traveler Reviews...

USD $44.00
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