ATV riding in St Maarten: Maho Beach & coastal tour

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Free cancellation

1/6

Duration3h 30m

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Ride the coast, cross the border, watch jets land at Maho

A 3.5-hour ATV or UTV tour in St Maarten where you operate the vehicle yourself, riding from Philipsburg through Simpson Bay and Cole Bay to Marigot on the French side, then to Maho Beach to watch planes land low over the runway. The tour includes a professional guide in English or Spanish, a tutorial on operating the ATV or UTV, helmet and fuel, and ends with beach chair and umbrella access at Great Bay Beach.

3h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

UTV/ATV Coastal and Island Tour

Cruise through Philipsburg capital
Ride near Little Bay coast
Stop at Cole Bay Hill viewpoint
Cruise through Cole Bay village
Pass through French side border
Stop at Marigot waterfront
Drive alongside Princess Juliana Airport
Stop at Maho Beach for plane views
Pass through Simpson Bay area
Relax at Great Bay Beach

The Experience

You arrive at the cruise port and head straight to the ATV staging area for an 8:30 AM check-in. A guide walks you through the controls and safety basics—how to handle the throttle, brakes and turns on the terrain you'll cover. Then you mount your own ATV or UTV (single or double seating, depending on your booking) and follow the guide out onto the island roads. The vehicle is yours to operate for the next three and a half hours, so the pace and the handling are entirely in your hands.

The route starts in Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side, where you ride past the Great Bay Beach and the cruise port itself, then head toward Simpson Bay Lagoon—one of the largest inland lagoons in the Caribbean, split down the middle by the border between the Dutch and French sides. You pass through Cole Bay village and cross into French Saint Martin at the Concordia Monument, which marks the 300-year-old treaty that divided the island. Marigot, the French capital, sits on the waterfront with colonial houses and markets; you stop there to walk around if you want. Then comes the famous part: Maho Beach, where the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport ends just behind the sand. Planes land and take off at low altitude over the water—the spectacle is real enough that it made it into Microsoft Flight Simulator. You'll see the jets come in and hear them depart while you're on the beach.

After Maho, you ride back along the coast past Mullet Bay and through Simpson Bay again, then return to Philipsburg and Great Bay Beach. Your guide brings you to the Rum & Reggae Beach Bar, where beach chairs and umbrellas are waiting for you—both included. You can swim, relax, or grab food and drinks at your own cost before heading back to the ship. The whole outing is timed so you're back with plenty of time before departure.

What’s included

Professional guide leading the group in English or Spanish.
in-depth tutorial on operating the ATV or UTV before departure.
helmet and fuel for your vehicle.
beach chair and umbrella at Great Bay Beach at the end of the tour.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by The Jeep Plug

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to drive yourself across both sides of the island and have a specific reason to be back at the ship by mid-afternoon—the fixed 3.5-hour window and the cruise-port timing mean you're not negotiating your return or watching the clock. If you've never ridden an ATV, the tutorial and guide-led pace mean you're not figuring it out alone on unfamiliar roads.