Join the effort to keep Saint-Martin Nature Reserve ecologically sound and reward yourself by relaxing on an idyllic stretch of beach nearby. During this hands-on experience at the reserve, you can participate in a variety of activities that may include regulating invasive species, planting mangroves and counting birds. As you will see firsthand, the reserve is well worth keeping in its natural state. Although protected, the abundant marine and terrestrial species still face environmental challenges that you will help neutralize. It is a never-ending process to which Saint-Martin is wholly committed. Following your volunteer efforts, you will enjoy the setting of a pristine beach, Orient Beach, an area known as the Saint-Tropez of the Caribbean. Feel free to spend the time there however you please, which could be doing nothing more ambitious than lying in the sun without a care in the world. The waters are typically bright turquoise and calm, so be sure to take a refreshing swim in the sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Participate in a volunteer activity to help keep Saint-Martin Nature Reserve pristine.
• Enjoy the natural setting of the reserve, which extends beyond the land and into the sea.
• Relax on nearby Orient Beach, a gorgeous setting on the island’s northeastern shore.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Treat yourself to the ultimate cruise on a classic wooden schooner where everything is first class, including the service. You will travel on the luxurious Spirit of St. Maarten, a one-of-a-kind, 114-foot vessel designed for comfort. Features include a second-level sun deck, shaded and open areas below and bowsprit netting where you can ride above the waves. You will cruise through Great Bay, past 17th-century Fort Amsterdam and on to Little Bay, where the ship will anchor in sheltered waters that are ideal for snorkeling. If you prefer, you might just take a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear bay or remain on board and luxuriate in whatever way you find most pleasurable. Feel free to take advantage of the open bar and indulge in a tropical-inspired lunch that the chefs will prepare from scratch. If conditions permit, you will pass Maho Beach, the perfect spot to watch airplanes land and take off just over your head. Spirit of St Maarten is owned by a charitable foundation, with some of its proceeds going toward a range of educational and empowerment programs for the island’s vulnerable youths.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise along the island’s southern shore on a luxurious wooden schooner.
• Luxuriate onboard as the crew sees to your every need.
• Snorkel, swim, kayak and paddle board in Little Bay if you like (snorkel, mask & fins provided).
• Enjoy a freshly grilled lunch onboard and an open bar.
• Your excursion provides a sustainable future for local youths while you enjoy the beauty of the island!

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy the view of riding on an open-air double decker bus. Drive from Philipsburg, the Dutch capital of St. Maarten, past the Great Salt Pond and through the countryside on the way to Marigot, the French-side capital. Here, you’ll have a photo-stop with a truly European atmosphere, having the waterside, open-air markets, quaint shops, boutiques or sidewalk cafes as your backdrop.

Back on board the Double Decker, you will pass through St. Maarten’s latest infrastructure addition, the Causeway Swing Bridge, where you can spot lovely sailboats or magnificent Mega Yachts on the lagoon, depending on the time of year.

Arriving at Maho you may watch for airplanes overhead as they are landing at the Princess Juliana International airport. The journey will proceed across the south for views of Simpson Bay Lagoon where we'll stop at a local Rum Distillery for a free tasting of various flavors of rum. Your experience concludes with a tasting at the Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor store for a tasting of Old Amsterdam Gouda Cheese.

Sail aboard the original Golden Eagle Catamaran known for its 5 star service and professional crew that will attend to your every need. Sail gently down the scenic coast of St. Maarten viewing Fort William, Pelican Point, Simpson Bay and the famous St. Maarten "airport beach", with planes landing just feet over the mast. After a brief orientation you’ll be ready to snorkel in the crystal clear waters of Little Bay. Next, you’ll stop at a beautiful white sand beach, where you can swim in a quiet cove or relax on the beach for 45 minutes up to 1 hour, time permitting.

On the return, the crew sets the sails, as you listen to great music, enjoying an open bar with free champagne, rum punch, sodas, and gourmet ham and cheese sandwiches served on fresh baked French baguettes. Snorkel equipment and pool noodles are included. The vessel is fast, stable, and has plenty of shade with custom built stairs for easy access to the water.

OVERVIEW

See both the Dutch and French sides of the island on a spectacularly scenic drive to an idyllic beach where you can relax however you please. Before leaving Dutch-governed St. Maarten, you will pass the Great Salt Pond, which for centuries was a source of salt for export. Upon crossing the border into French-governed St. Martin, you will notice that the landscape is less developed until you reach Marigot, the fashionable French capital that is tucked along the island’s western shore. Colorful colonial buildings dot much of the vibrant downtown, which is known for extraordinary shopping. It will be quite the contrast to your beach experience as a secluded stretch of sand will be chosen so you can completely relax and enjoy the serenity. Exactly what you do there will be totally up to you. Feel free to bask in the sun, stroll along the shore and take a refreshing swim in the sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through both the Dutch and French sides of the island.
• Pass through the somewhat undeveloped countryside and the French-governed capital of Marigot.
• Relax on a gorgeous stretch of sand along the turquoise sea.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

View a collection of tropical birds that mostly includes brightly colored parrots at a serene sanctuary and relax at one of the most popular beaches on the island’s northeastern shore. How fitting that the name of the bird park is Parotte Ville, a reference to the founder and passionate bird lover George Parotte. You can expect to see parrots of every imaginable type, including bright-green Quaker Parrots and long-tailed, red-beaked Alexandrine Parrots, which are known for their piercing screeches. Yellow-orange sun conures are also plentiful. After crossing over to the French side of the island, you will soon arrive at Orient Beach, a lengthy stretch of sand that rims Orient Bay. It is a gorgeous setting that invites relaxation. Feel free to swim in the sea, bask in the sun and stroll up and down the beach. The island that lies directly off shore is the nature reserve Caye Verte.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Meander through a bird sanctuary that houses a collection of exotic parrots.
• See brightly colored indigenous birds and non-native species.
• Relax however you please on Orient Beach on the island’s French side.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sun screen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

All Aboard the Tschu-Tschu Train! Immerse yourself in Philipsburg’s natural, cultural, and historic landmarks on this scenic ride through town in a custom Trolley Train.

When the first Dutch settlers arrived on St Maarten in 1631, they chose the sandy strip separating Great Bay from Great Salt Pond to build their capital, Philipsburg, where your ship is moored today. This excursion combines the exhilarating experience of a classical Tschu-Tschu Train ride with the natural, cultural, and historic landmarks on this scenic ride through Philipsburg, starting at the official Old Amsterdam Venue to taste the famous Dutch Gouda Cheese. Then you have 30min to enjoy your favorite spot in Philipsburg before we pass by to pick you up to finish the tour or you can enjoy more free time to discover Philipsburg and get back to ship at your own leisure.

OVERVIEW

Get a feel for the charming French colonial capital of Marigot before sitting down to a Caribbean-inspired lunch at a beachfront restaurant. Before crossing the border into the French Collectivity of St. Martin, you will pause at Harold Jack Hill, the best vantage point to admire Dutch-governed St. Maarten. The northern half of the island is just as beautiful as you will discover on the way to fashionable Marigot on the island’s western shore. The city exudes a distinctly French flair in its architecture and in the open-air Marigot Market, where you will see an endless array of garden-fresh produce and succulent seafood. Many of those ingredients will be used in preparing your multi-course lunch at Tropic’s Beach Bar in the nearby village of Grand Case. It offers a wonderfully relaxed waterfront setting for dining on Caribbean-fusion cuisine, especially when complemented with an ice-cold rum punch.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through both the Dutch and French sides of the island.
• Pause at a lookout that offers sweeping view of the island’s gorgeous southern portion.
• Browse an open-air market in the French capital of Marigot.
• Settle in for an extraordinary meal at a beachfront bar in the village of Grand Case.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Savor samples of locally produced beer and rhum on the way to Maho Beach, the ultimate spot to watch incoming jets land directly over your head. While browsing SXM Beer with a cold beer in hand, you will learn how this largest brewery in St. Maarten produces its crisp, easy-drinking lagers. Topper’s Rhum is another local favorite, but the product line is much more diverse as you will discover while touring the distillery. You will be offered a sample of its signature rhum cake as well as a rhum that may be flavored with mango, elderflower or cotton candy. Free time follows on Maho Beach, a thin stretch of sand at the very end of the runway for Princess Juliana International Airport, whose code is SXM, the inspirational for brewery’s name. No other place in the world offers such a close-up view of planes landing. Depending on where you stand, you can feel the blasts from the jet engines.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour St. Maarten’s largest brewery with one of its award-winning lagers in hand.
• Enjoy a sampling of rhum cake and an exotically flavored rhum at a local distillery.
• Watch planes land shockingly close overhead at Maho Beach at the end of the runway.
• Opt to spend free time shopping near Maho Beach, if you prefer.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend several hours relaxing as you please at Grand Case Beach, an idyllic setting that offers special beach wheelchairs to accommodate your needs. On the drive from Philipsburg, you will hear enlightening commentary about the inspiration for the Freedom Fighter statue that you will see in one of the city roundabouts and the history of the Great Salt Pond that borders the capital of the island’s Dutch side. It won’t take long to reach Grand Case Bay on the French side of the island, giving you all the more time to enjoy its wide crescent-shaped beach. To enhance your mobility there, you will ease into a comfortable wheelchair with large tires that are designed for rolling across even the softest sand with the least amount of resistance. The wheelchairs can be pushed right to the edge of the sea. In time, you will drop by a beachside restaurant for a Caribbean-style lunch.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Relax however you please at Grand Case Beach on the French side of the island.
• Ease into a special beach wheelchair with large tires for easier rolling across the sand.
• Hear entertaining commentary about the sights on the way to and from Case Beach.
• Enjoy a Caribbean-style lunch at a beachside restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Pause at popular spots known mostly to locals for tastings that best reflect the traditional cuisines of both the Dutch and French sides of the island. While the exact dishes will vary depending on the season and what’s freshest, you can expect to sample a hearty Caribbean barbecue at an open-air grill known as a lolo. You will also get a taste of local life as these types of dining venues are immensely popular. Callaloo is another favorite; in fact, it is one of the national dishes of St. Maarten. This thick soup is typically prepared with crabmeat, spices and greens such as curly kale, fresh spinach and callaloo – the leaves from taro or amaranth. Many chefs have their own closely guarded recipes, so there is no telling which variation of callaloo you will be served. You will also sample fried Johnny Cakes, a doughy staple throughout the island.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit several popular dining venues and sample the island’s signature dishes.
• Enjoy favorites such as callaloo soup and fried Johnny Cakes.
• Get a glimpse of local life by dining on barbecue at an open-air grill known as a lolo.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See both sides of the island for a sense of its French and Dutch heritages and then dine on cuisine that is also a fusion of different cultures. For the ultimate view of the island’s southern half, you will pause at Harold Jack Hill, an elevated lookout between Philipsburg and Cole Bay. Once you cross the border into the northern side of the island, the ambiance will become noticeably French, especially in St. Martin’s capital of Marigot. Although well known for its fashionable boutiques, this Creole-influenced city is also a foodie’s delight. As you browse the open-air Marigot Market – considered the largest of its kind in the Caribbean – you will see an abundance of locally sourced items, many of which will be ingredients in your lunch at the L’Aloha in Orient Beach. Even the restaurant’s traditional French dishes have a Creole or Asian twist, which will make for a delightful dining experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through both the Dutch and French sides of the island.
• Pause at a lookout that offers sweeping view of the island’s gorgeous southern portion.
• Browse an open-air market in the French capital of Marigot.
• Dine on French cuisine that reflects a Creole or Asian influence, as well.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.