Two countries, one island, and no border to cross
Restaurants, hidden gems and local detail — all on an interactive map.
Port St. Maarten's cruise berths sit at Point Blanche, on the headland just south of Philipsburg. Two piers take four ships at once; Pier 2 alone is 445 m and handles two vessels of over 220,000 gross tons, with its own pair of screening booths to speed disembarkation. You come ashore into Harbour Point Village, a purpose-built arrival area built in old Philipsburg style with duty-free outlets, souvenir stalls, bars and restaurants, plus the tour desks, bus stands and a rank the port says holds over 100 cabs. Pedestrians walk straight out and follow the harbour road into town.
💡 Pro Tip
Three ways out of Harbour Point Village. On foot it is about 1.6 km along the harbour road to Wathey Square: Port St. Maarten and the tourist bureau both say 15 minutes, but two independent pedestrian routers make it 20-22, so use the longer figure. Taxis are government-fixed by zone with no meters, and the way the tariff is written catches people out: USD 10 to Philipsburg covers one OR two passengers together, USD 25 to Maho Beach or the airport - but three to five people switch to a PER-PERSON rate, USD 4 each to Philipsburg and USD 9 each to Maho, so a family of four to Maho pays USD 36, not USD 25 plus a supplement. Add 25% between 22:00 and 06:00 and on public holidays. The water taxi is a paid all-day ticket sold by two private operators, not a free shuttle - the tourist bureau publishes USD 6 - landing at Bobby's Marina, Captain Hodge Wharf on Wathey Square, or Walter Plantz Square.
Typical Stop
9-11 hours
Best For
Beaches, duty-free shopping, two countries in one day
Shuttle
Not needed — walk!
Payment
US dollars are used everywhere on the Dutch side. The official currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), pegged at US$1 = XCG 1.79; the euro is official on the French side.
Skip the overpriced ship excursions. Explore St. Maarten independently with a local-level guide designed for the hours you have in port.
Every place pinned on a map. Tap to see details, directions, and tips.
Where the locals eat — not the tourist traps by the pier.
The spots most cruise passengers never find.
No roaming needed. Save the guide before you dock.
The whole guide is built around a 4–8 hour port day.
From $3 — cheaper than a coffee on board
Pay in US dollars - every price on the Dutch side is quoted in USD. The official currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), legal tender since 31 March 2025 and pegged at US$1 = XCG 1.79 by the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten. Cross to French Saint-Martin and the euro takes over. Cards work in the bigger shops, but the tourist bureau warns that small family-run places take cash only.
There is no advertised free public WiFi: neither Port St. Maarten's site nor the tourist bureau publishes a network for visitors, so plan on your ship's package. St. Maarten dials +1 721 and local SIMs are sold by TELEM at 2 Soualiga Boulevard and FLOW at 2 Codville Webster Road, both Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00.
Banks: Mon-Fri 08:30-15:30, closed weekends; the ATMs run day and night. The Front Street pharmacy opens Mon-Fri from 08:00 and, unusually for the island, on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The supermarket on the harbour road runs Mon-Sat 08:00-20:00 and Sun 09:00-14:00. If you cross to French Saint-Martin, shops there close between noon and 14:00.
Public toilets in Philipsburg are pay-to-use. The two nearest the shopping strip are inside the Sint Rose Arcade at Front Street 35 (charged, wheelchair-accessible) and at the Bobby's Marina end of the Boardwalk. Bars and cafes expect a purchase first; the free ones are back on the ship.
Tropical year-round - the tourist bureau puts the island average at 27 C (80 F). December to April rarely tops 32 C and never drops below 20 C; June to November afternoons reach 35-37 C. Atlantic hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November, and wet-season showers are short rather than all-day. Sun protection and water matter more than a jacket.
English is the mother tongue of the whole island, both sides, and you will need nothing else. Dutch and English are the official languages of Sint Maarten, French of Saint-Martin, and Spanish, Papiamento and an English-based Creole are widely spoken.
You can walk into the French half of the island with no border check at all - the Saint-Martin tourist office states there is no physical border and movement of people and goods is completely free. The cheapest way across is the Line 1 minibus from Philipsburg to Marigot at US$2.00; buses mostly pause at Emmaplein, the square closest to the cruise port, and can be flagged down by hand. Take small notes: drivers rarely have change.
Not 112. On the Dutch side the government publishes 911 for police, 912 for ambulance, 919 for fire and 910 for the hospital. St. Maarten Medical Center - now trading as St. Maarten General Hospital - is at Welgelegen Road 30, Cay Hill, on +1 721 543-1111.
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Dr. A. C. Wathey Cruise Facility - Harbour Point Village. Port St. Maarten's cruise berths sit at Point Blanche, on the headland just south of Philipsburg. Two piers take four ships at once; Pier 2 alone is 445 m and handles two vessels of over 220,000 gross tons, with its own pair of screening booths to speed disembarkation. You come ashore into Harbour Point Village, a purpose-built arrival area built in old Philipsburg style with duty-free outlets, souvenir stalls, bars and restaurants, plus the tour desks, bus stands and a rank the port says holds over 100 cabs. Pedestrians walk straight out and follow the harbour road into town.
20-22 minutes
Two countries, one island, and no border to cross
Not needed — walk!
Get restaurants, hidden gems and local detail — all on an interactive map that works offline. Made for cruise passengers, by people who've been in port.
🗺️ Open St. Maarten GuideFrom $3 — cheaper than a coffee on board
Last updated March 2026