The 5 St Maarten Shore Excursions That Earn Their Price

1.For cruise passengers: Guided ATV Tour of Dutch & French St. Maarten

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,552 reviews Our pick

Spend 3.5 to 4 hours exploring both sides of St. Maarten by ATV with guides such as Anthony, Prez, Boss P, and Sasha. Expect mostly paved main roads, short off-road sections, photo stops, beach time, and a visit to the French Nature Reserve. ATVs, helmets, fuel, and instruction are included. Cruise-port shuttle service costs $10 per person roundtrip.

“Good, fun way to see the entire island - both Sint Maarten (Dutch) and Saint Martin (French). Anthony, our guide, did a very nice job.”

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2.Orient and Maho Beach Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 486 reviews · from $55Best value

Spend about two hours at Orient Bay, then head to Maho Beach for close plane watching near Princess Juliana Airport. Your air-conditioned van, port pickup, local guide, and water, soda, beer, or guavaberry rum punch are included. Guides such as Captain K, Daniel, and Wellington are known for lively island commentary, but confirm the pickup point before departure.

“DO NOT trust Viator map. Said we would be picked up on the pier. You are not. Without directions it took us 30 minutes to find the pick up spot. We missed the bus. To their credit they paid for our cab to meet the bus. The guide was great.”

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3.Billy Bones St.Maarten Getaway for CRUISE SHIP GUESTS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 143 reviews · from $139

Meet at Bobby’s Marina at 10 a.m. for a six-hour boat trip around St. Maarten. You’ll snorkel at Creole Rock, look for turtles near Tintamarre, visit Pinel Island, eat a hot lunch in Grand Case, and watch planes at Maho Beach. An open bar, snacks, water, flotation gear, and a small group of up to 20 are included.

“Tour was great, crew was very attentive and personable. The kids loved the beach stop. The tour provided informative knowledge about St Maartin”

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4.Speed Boat & Snorkeling Tour Pinel & Tintamarre Islands for CRUISE SHIP GUESTS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 133 reviews · from $139

Set out from Philipsburg with Captain Flint Boat Charters for six hours of fast island-hopping. You’ll snorkel with turtles at Tintamarre, see fish at Creole Rock, eat lunch on Pinel Island, cruise past French and Dutch landmarks, and watch planes land near Maho Beach. The boat carries snorkel gear, floats, lunch, beer, soda, and water.

“We loved our trip with Captain Frankie and DJ B! Our favorites: loved seeing so much of the island in the speedboat, learning the island history and the different Danish and French government policies, amazing snorkeling at Creole Cove (soooooooo many fish), snorkeling with turtles (beautiful), bbq lunch at Skubi’s, watching airplanes land and take off right above us at famous St Maarten airport, swimming in the stunning Caribbean Sea. Captain Frankie is a wonderful captain - and both he and First Mate DJ B were so friendly, knowledgable, safe AND fun. We would absolutely come back do this trip again and highly recommend. Highlight of our trip.”

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5.Snorkeling and Speed Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 99 reviews · from $129

Set out from Cole Bay on a speedboat with a captain such as Nick, Anthony, or Jean-Franco, then snorkel at Creole Rock, swim near Tintamarre, visit Pinel and Grand Case, and watch planes at Maho Beach. Gear, floats, drinks, and a shore-excursion guarantee are included, though lunch and the $6 marine park fee cost extra.

“We have done a number of cruises in the Caribbean and Europe and this was hands down THE best shore tour we have ever done. Super fun with a mix of speed thrills and natural beauty. Our 10 year old son had a blast at the front of the boat going over the waves. The lunch was yummy and the waters were crystal clear for swimming and snorkelling. I would recommend this for anyone that seeks adventure. Not for the faint hearted. Thanks for a brilliant day!”

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