St. Maarten & St. Martin tour: Both islands in one day

Planes landing meters overhead at Maho Beach

A full-day tour of St. Maarten and St. Martin covering both the Dutch and French sides, with stops at Orient Beach, the iguana farm, Marigot's capital shops, Fort St. Louis overlooking Anguilla, and Maho Beach for plane-spotting. The tour runs about six hours with a live English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, bottled water included, and hotel or ship dropoff at the end.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Fort St. Louis30m
2. Orient Bay Beach1h

Explore St.Maarten and St.Martin highlights

• Start tour at 9 am
• Reef photo shoot (10 mins)
• Iguana park photo shoot (10 mins)
• Visit Orient Bay Beach (1 hr)
• Visit Marigot and Fort St. Louis (30 mins)
• Border Monument photo shoot (10 mins)
• Planespotting at Maho Beach (2 hrs)
• End tour with drop-off options

The experience

The day starts at 9 am and moves through both nations without backtracking. You'll spend an hour at Orient Beach, one of the island's most visited stretches of sand, then cross into the French side to browse Marigot's shops and catch the view from Fort St. Louis before hitting the border monument. The real draw is Maho Beach, where planes descend so close overhead you can read their fuselage numbers. Two hours there gives you time to watch multiple landings and take photos from the runway-adjacent beach.

Transport is air-conditioned throughout, with water provided. The itinerary also includes quick stops at the iguana farm and a photo point at Cole Bay Hill with the St. Maarten flag. Dropoff happens at your hotel, the cruise ship, or downtown Philipsburg, so you can spend the rest of your day however you want. A minimum of four people is required for the tour to run.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with private transportation.
• bottled water.
• live English-speaking guide.
• hotel, cruise ship or downtown Philipsburg dropoff.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (1 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Red Rose Island Tours

Is this one for you?The two-hour block at Maho Beach is the centerpiece. If you want plane-spotting photos and time to actually watch the landings instead of rushing through, this tour builds the day around it. The pace is steady but not rushed, with an hour at Orient Beach and a half-hour in Marigot, so you're not sprinting between stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Orient Beach like, and how much time do you spend there?

Orient Beach is one of St. Martin's most famous beaches and the tour includes a full hour there, giving you time to swim, walk the sand or just sit and watch the water.

Can I really see planes landing at Maho Beach, or is it just a viewpoint?

Maho Beach sits directly under the flight path to Princess Juliana International Airport: planes land and take off just meters overhead, and the tour allocates two hours there specifically for plane-spotting and photos.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation, or is pickup included?

Pickup is included. The tour provides air-conditioned transport throughout the day and drops you at your hotel, cruise ship, or downtown Philipsburg at the end.

What's the difference between the Dutch side and the French side on this tour?

You'll explore both Sint Maarten (Dutch) and Saint Martin (French) in one day, crossing the border and visiting Marigot's shops and Fort St. Louis on the French side, plus beaches and attractions on both.

How long is the full tour, and what time does it end?

The tour runs about six hours, starting at 9 am, so you'll be back by mid-afternoon with time to explore on your own or rest before dinner.