What to Expect
Philipsburg, on the Dutch side, is where the cruise pier sits. Front Street — 800 meters of jewelry stores, electronics, and souvenir shops — runs parallel to the Great Bay Beach, which begins within walking distance. The French side (Saint-Martin) is a 25–30 minute drive or taxi ride over the border. Orient Bay on the French side is the island's most famous beach. Grand Case, also French, is the gourmet restaurant district and a genuinely worthwhile destination for lunch.
Getting Around
Taxis have a fixed rate board posted at the pier taxi stand. Philipsburg is walkable. Grand Case on the French side: $15 one way. Orient Bay: $25 round trip per person. Water taxis from the Philipsburg boardwalk to nearby beaches: $8–12 each way. Some ships anchor off Great Bay and tender in — tender time adds 20 minutes each direction, which compresses the schedule for a French-side day trip.
Tipping and Currency
Dutch side accepts USD freely. French side officially uses euros but USD is widely accepted at roughly $1.15–1.20. Tip 15% at restaurants — some French-side establishments include service in the bill, so check before adding more. Dutch-side taxi drivers expect 10–15%.
What to Eat
The French side has the best food in the Eastern Caribbean. Grand Case — a 2 km strip of restaurants on the French side — has earned its reputation as the gourmet capital of the Caribbean. Lolos (open-air BBQ stands on Grand Case beach) are the local option: grilled chicken, ribs, and whole fish with rice and plantains for $15–25. Sit-down Grand Case restaurants start at $30–50 per head. For a port day, come for lunch — dinner service doesn't get going until 7pm.
Beaches
Orient Bay is the island's flagship beach: clear water, a reef just offshore for snorkeling, and multiple beach clubs. Chair rental at Kakao Beach or Kontiki runs $10–20 per day. Cupecoy Beach (Dutch side, west) is smaller, backed by dramatic limestone cliffs, and quieter than Orient Bay. Maho Beach, next to the airport, is famous for planes landing 50 feet overhead — legitimately exciting but the beach itself is narrow and the jet blast is intense.
Shopping
Front Street in Philipsburg has Dutch tax-free pricing on imported spirits and electronics — prices on liquor are legitimately lower than home. Guavaberry, a local Dutch-side liqueur made from the native guavaberry fruit, is available at the Guavaberry Emporium and worth the $20 for a bottle. Gold and silver jewelry shops on Front Street are numerous; prices are negotiable.
Traveling with Kids
Orient Bay works for families with children who can swim. Mullet Bay on the Dutch side (10 minutes from Philipsburg) has calm, shallow water with no beach club infrastructure — bring everything you need. Maho Beach for the plane-watching is reliably exciting for older children, though the backwash from jet exhaust is intense enough that it's not suitable for very small children near the runway end.