Philipsburg, St. Maarten Shore Excursions

A 62-foot catamaran run by Sail The Phoenix leaves Bobby's Marina in Philipsburg at 10:00 and works its way along the Dutch coast, stopping in one of the island's sheltered bays for swimming. Snorkel gear, paddleboards and a floating mat come out at the anchorage, and fresh fruit and cake are served while you sail. The boat then runs to Maho Beach so you watch the approach traffic drop over the sand from the water rather than from the crowd on it, before a freshly made lunch and cold drinks are served on deck. Drinks are unlimited and the return to the marina is around 15:00.

A five-hour guided loop from Philipsburg that crosses the island's border and takes in both halves of it. The route stops at Orient Bay and Maho Beach on the white-sand side, at the French capital Marigot with its waterfront market, and at Bell's Lookout Point for the panorama over Simpson Bay Lagoon and the coast. The guide covers why one 87 km² island carries two nationalities, and an English audio guide is included alongside the live commentary. Pickup is included, so the tour comes to you rather than the other way round.

Rainforest Adventures' own combination ticket for all four rides on the Emilio Wilson Estate, above Philipsburg. It starts at the restored plantation house, originally built around 1700, whose museum tells the story of Trace Wilson, born into slavery, and her descendant Emilio Wilson. The Sky Explorer chairlift then takes about 25 minutes over two lift sections to the top of Sentry Hill, one of the island's highest points, where a ring of platforms gives a 360-degree view. From there you fly the Sentry Hill zip line along the ridge, then ride the Flying Dutchman — billed as the world's steepest zip line, a 1,050-foot descent taken in a seated harness — and finish on the schooner ride, a tube run down a purpose-built track.

A guided walk on the seabed off Philipsburg wearing a surface-supplied helmet, so you breathe normally and your head stays dry. The group is split in two: one half snorkels for 30 minutes while the other does the SeaTrek, then you swap. You descend gradually down a 20-step ladder to get used to the water and the helmet, then follow a railed path along the bottom past a sunken submarine, a helicopter, an aircraft and cannons from Fort Amsterdam. The listing states it is designed for non-swimmers as well as swimmers, and the whole thing runs 135 minutes.

Red Rose Transportation & Tours' four-and-a-half-hour drinking-and-history loop across both halves of the island, with the time at each stop published on the listing. It takes in the Great Salt Pond, whose salt industry is the reason Philipsburg exists, the Border Monument where the French and Dutch sides meet, and half an hour at Fort Louis above Marigot. The two long stops are the ones you came for: an hour at Topper's Rhum, where the island's hand-made rums are distilled and blended, and an hour at SXM Beer, St. Maarten's first brewery. Pickup is included and the tour is guided in English.

A five-hour beach circuit that starts in Philipsburg and gives you free time on three of the island's best-known stretches of sand: Mullet Bay, Orient Beach on the French side, and Maho Beach under the airport approach. Between them the driver-guide stops at Bell's panoramic viewpoint, the best single view of the island's south coast and Simpson Bay Lagoon, and gives you time to walk through Marigot's shops. Commentary on local history and culture comes from a live English-speaking guide, with an English audio guide included as well. Transfer and pickup are both part of the price, so the tour collects you rather than leaving you to find it.