How incredibly lucky are you! If you are reading this, it’s probably because you are going to St. Maarten soon, or you are thinking about going to St. Maarten but you are not completely sure yet. Or you are simply curious and want to know more about this island.
Either way, we are here to talk about the best excursions in St. Maarten. From prices to duration to an honest review, continue reading this article and you will find out whether those excursions are worthy of your time, effort, and your money!
Go to Fort Amsterdam
No, it’s not in Europe, it’s actually in the Caribbean. This fort was the first one that was built by the Dutch back in 1631. Then in 1633, the fort was ransacked and captured by the Spanish who would then occupy it for a period of 15 years.
It was then in 1648 when the Partition Agreement was signed by both France and the Dutch Republic of the time. And as a result, the presence of french people and dutch people would be alternated within this historical fort.
Nowadays you can go to the fort and see its ruins. It is definitely a visit you must make, especially if you like learning about the history of a place. There are even rusty cannons that date back to the 19th century, and you are guaranteed to have gorgeous views of the ocean everywhere you look.
Full-day excursions
Are you ready to start your trip? If you decide to book a full-day excursion in St. Maarten you will have lots of fun as the local guides usually take you to the hot spots of the island that not many tourists can even go into!
In most boats, they will give you breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and if you have decided to spend the night on the boat then they will also provide some dinner for you.
There are many full-day excursions and experiences for you to choose from, and they usually start from USD $50 and can cost you up to USD $300. It will all depend on your desires. This is definitely a great way of getting to know St. Maarten through a different view.
In pretty much all boats you will get a snorkeling gear for you to use and wear throughout the excursion. And if you have never done snorkeling before you can ask for a class that is often included in the price of the excursion.
And don’t forget to ask for an alcoholic drink (that is if you are an adult now and you have no problems drinking something light and being on the sea, of course) as St. Maarten is known for producing some great liqueurs.
Soualiga Sky Explorer and Flying Dutchman Excursion
Are you ready to take on an incredible adventure? Then this is your turn. Go to the Souliga Sky Explorer chairlifts if you would like to see St. Maarten’s highest mountains. This is a fairly new attraction so make sure you get there early so you can go on the chairlifts.
Your journey will be around 2,997 feet (or 913 meters) of pure joy and relaxation. Once you reach the top you will have a great panoramic view of the whole island. And what happens afterwards? You can go down by a zip line (which also happens to be the world’s steepest zip line) and is accurately called The Flying Dutchman!
But don’t be afraid as this excursion has been tested by thousands – if not millions of people already. It will approximately take you 25 minutes to reach Sentry Hill, which is one of the highest points of the island.
And another interesting thing? You will not only be able to see all of St. Maarten but once you reach the mountaintop you will also be able to look at Anguilla, Saba, St. Bart’s and St. Eustatius, as they are all nearby islands.
Don’t forget to buy one of the photos that they will capture you once you are coming down on the Flying Dutchman, especially if you have put a silly face on! They are priceless!
A day trip to Anguilla
You are probably thinking why am I even consider going to another Caribbean island when you are already in St. Maarten? And the true answer is, why not? Why shouldn’t you get to know yet again a different culture? Different beaches? Different waters? Different people?
Why shouldn’t you have a trip within a trip? Especially if you will find the British Caribbean island that is only 12 miles from where you are. You could easily take a speedboat from the pier at St. Maarten and a couple of minutes later you’ll be on another island.
One thing I do tell you though: expect to see turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and beautiful bays as well! The Caribbean is like this, it has it all!
See the Border obelisk
As you probably know by now, the island where St. Maarten is located is actually divided into two nations: one is St. Maarten, and it’s a Dutch island, whereas the other part of the island is the French part of St. Martin.
This division occurred on the 23rd of March in 1648, when the treatment between the Dutch Republic and France was signed. And even though there were two nations, people were still able to move from the Dutch side to the French side and the opposite as well, without any issues.
So, how can you tell whether you are on the Dutch side or the French side of the island? Well, the languages that are officially spoken will give you a clue, if not, you can always check out the border obelisk as this marks the separation between these two nations.
The obelisk was erected at the border between St. Maarten and St. Marting back in 1948, but people have lived in peace for more than three centuries.
Scuba Diva in St. Maarten
A trip to St. Maarten will never be complete if you didn’t go scuba diving. I know that, you know that, everybody knows that. This is why you should get a PADI certified beginner SCUBA dive master class if you have never done scuba diving before.
Most classes will give you all the necessary diving equipment, you will have instructors that are very likely to speak your language, and you will also get a complimentary snack and bottled water.
There are plenty of beginner’s course for you to find the best deal and the one that suits your possibilities. And the great thing about this short course is that you don’t need prior scuba diving experience or certification, you just need to have a good and positive attitude!
If you pass the short course then you can go to the sea and scuba dive alongside your instructor (always remember you cannot go scuba diving by yourself).
This is a lovely experience that I recommend you to have, so start looking for some more information before you head to St. Maarten, and if you have any health issues or health concerns talk to your doctor before you go on holiday as they will tell you whether you are fit enough to try scuba diving.
