Stunning St Martin Beaches You Won’t Want to Miss

St Martin or Sint Maarten is home to 39 beaches each with unique attributes. The beaches are all public and accessible either through a dirt road or through a private resort. It can be difficult to find the beaches and you will sometimes need to go through gates to get there manned by security guards. Just tell them where you are heading and they will let you know whether you are in the right place.

To save you time and energy, I have put together a list of beaches you won’t want to miss when you are visiting Saint Martin. Hope you find this resource helpful for planning your trip to the Caribbean. Also don’t forget, we can help you with planning your next trip to Saint Martin or anywhere else in the Caribbean. Reach out to us today for a free customized quote.

Planning a trip to Saint Martin? Be sure to check out our article: Top Things to do with Kids in Saint Martin.

Beaches on the Dutch side of St. Martin

Great Bay Beach

Running along the heart of Philipsburg is Great Bay Beach one of St. Martin’s best known and most popular beaches. For better or worse this is certainly what many would consider your quintessential Saint Martin beach if such a thing exists (that’s a whole other topic).

Cruise ships dock here and it can get more crowded with a spring-break type vibe when ships are docked. There is a boardwalk that runs along Great Bay Beach and many shops, restaurants and bars are located nearby so there are tons of great options.

On Great Bay Beach there are vendors offering lounge chair rentals sometimes as part of a package deal that includes the two chairs, drinks, wifi and access to restrooms. Many of these will offer chairs and an umbrella for free with purchase of lunch and drinks. The areas past where the boardwalk ends tend to be the quietest so keep walking if you’re looking for a more tranquil atmosphere.

Where to eat at Great Bay Beach

There are plenty of great options to eat at Great Bay. While the beach front restaurants are wonderful to enjoy a meal and/or a drink, keep your nose out for some authentic local barbecue setups. These typically have one person manning the grill and serving customers at a small countertop.

Some other good options on Great Bay Beach include:

Lazy Lizard Beach Bar & Grill: Located right on the beach Lazy Lizard offers American fare with a twist. It’s a great spot for those with dietary restrictions which may be harder to accommodate elsewhere on the island. They offer lounge chair and umbrella rentals with a bucket of beer or non-alcoholic drinks for $20.

Kalua Beach Bar & Restaurant: Kalua Beach Bar & Restaurant is an Asian fusion spot located right on the boardwalk. They also have 2 for 1 happy hours from 4-6PM and karaoke nights.

Little Bay Beach

Located across the way from Great Bay beach, Little Bay Beach does not get as much of the cruise ship crowd. To get to Little Bay Beach you can park at the entrance to Divi Beach Resort (the spots on your left before you would go through the gate). From there you walk down the hill (it’s not terribly steep but is certainly a hill so just be prepared). The views from the top overlooking Great Bay Beach are incredible and worth a trip to Little Bay if only for that reason. The entrance to the beach is straight through the resort breezeway.

Little Bay does have some gentle waves and a bit of a drop off and as such I would consider it a bit less child friendly than it’s sister beach Great Bay if you’re traveling with less experienced swimmers. Still I would consider it a great beach to check out.

There are lounge chairs available for rent from Divi Beach Resort or walk down a little ways for another vendor with chairs for rent. There is also a bar right on the beach that can sometime be noisy with music and guest entertainment. Right off the beach there are great areas for snorkeling with lots of fish and coral.

Where to eat at Little Bay Beach

Pure Ocean Restaurant: Located in the Divi Resort but open to all, Pure Ocean Restaurant serves fantastic food with amazing views over Little Bay Beach.

Mullet Bay

Running alongside Saint Martin’s only 18-hole golf course is Mullet Bay. It is near Maho Beach and known for being a bit calmer both in terms of atmosphere and the water. It is very popular with tourist and locals alike and a favorite beach on Saint Martin for many. There are chair and umbrellas available for rent for about $15 per day. If you’re traveling with children head for the south end of Mullet Bay where you will find a cove with areas shaded by sea grape trees that is perfect for smaller children.

Where to eat in Mullet Bay:

Da Waterhole : Located right on the beach, Da Waterhole is known for its ribs and chicken. Some guests report having slow service here so be aware before you go.

Little Jerusalem SXM Little Jerusalem SXM boasts the best shawarma in St. Martin. The food is an incredible value and it attracts very loyal repeat customers.

Maho Beach

If you have done any amount of research on things to do in Saint Martin you have likely seen pictures of the airplanes from Princess Juliana International Airport flying low over Maho Beach. The beach is public and completely free so do not fall into the trap of purchasing a tour. The beach itself can be pretty crowded and the wind gusts can be very strong as the planes are landing so be sure to secure any loose items. A few words of caution – if you have young children the wind and noise may be too overwhelming.

Where to eat near Maho Beach:

Tortuga Maho: Tortuga Maho has both amazing views and food. It is not a beach bar per se though it is on the beach. If you want to see the airplanes but skip the party vibe this is a great spot to eat while overlooking the beach. Tortuga Maho can be tricky to find but is well worth it. Find their menu here.

Sunset Beach Bar: With a mixed bag of reviews, Sunset Beach Bar does have prime real estate right on Maho Beach. It’s your typical beach bar and a great spot to watch the planes overhead. If your looking for a convenience spot for a drink or bite to eat this is an option but it isn’t somewhere we would recommend going out of your way to find. Basically it’s one you should know about but if you’re willing to forgo a little bit of convenience try another spot.

Mr Papaya’s Juice-Bar-Crepes-Desert: If you are looking for some healthier options check out Mr Papaya’s. There are a variety of smoothies and sandwiches.

Beaches on the French side of St. Martin

On the French side of Saint Martin you will find beaches that on the whole tend to be more secluded and laid back than the Dutch side of the island.

Friar’s Bay Beach

Located on the French side of the island, Friar’s Beach is one of the few places on the French side of the island that was not impacted by Hurricane Irma. Friar’s Bay Beach is a wonderful option for families because it is protected from wind and has more gentle water.

Where to eat at Friar’s Bay Beach

Friars Beach Cafe: serves guests French fare and has beach chairs and umbrellas available for rent. On Sundays there is live music until 9PM.

Nettle Bay

Nettle Bay or “Baie Nettlé” in French was especially hard hit by Hurricane Irma and many areas are still in the process of being rebuilt. Many restaurants and bars are still closed in this area of the island but it is beautiful none the less.

Nettle Bay is unique in that it has beaches on both the calm lagoon and Caribbean side. You can find beautiful views from Nettle Bay looking out onto the nearby island of Anguilla. The lagoon side of course has no tide and is shallow for quite a ways so it’s great for families and/or swimmers.

Nettle Bay has plenty of water sport options such as kite surfing and water skiing. Be aware that if you’re going to the beach side a lot of the area has a rocky bottom with just a smaller section of beach with ideal conditions. The entrance to the beach can be hard to find among the apartments and hotels that line the area. Look for signs for Layla’s Beach Bar and Ma Ti Beach to get there.

Where to eat in Nettle Bay

Mezza Luna: located directly on the beach, Mezza Luna serves Italian/Mediterrean options for lunch and dinner. They also offer takeout and have terrific pizza if you need something to go. The restaurant is located in a temporary building right in front of the original location which was devastated by Hurricane Irma.

Hommage Hotel: The Hommage Hotel has a beach bar that is worth checking out and they have a terrific Sunday brunch.

Orient Bay

Orient Bay is a beautiful tucked away beach that has been largely rebuilt after Hurricane Irma. It tends to have an older “hippy” type crowd and a nude section so be aware of that. You can still find remnants here of a hotel that was destroyed. Waves can be stronger here so it may not be the best option for those traveling with young children. You can find lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent from “Orient All Natural” at about $6-$7 an item (look for the yellow umbrellas).

Where to eat in Orient Bay

Le String Beach Bar and Restaurant: Serving excellent French fare, Le String Beach Bar is a wonderful option for breakfast, lunch and/or drinks on Orient Bay. If you’re going here on a weekend it’s recommended that you get reservations. If you’re going during the day you can also rent beach chairs and umbrellas for here for a package deal of $20 with drinks.

Long Bay

Long Bay can be challenging to find but is worth the effort. You will need to go through a security gate for a private community in order to get there. After leaving your vehicle in the public parking you will walk down a dirt path to get to the beach. You will want to bring anything you need at the beach as there aren’t options for chair/umbrella rentals or restaurants nearby. Rocks can also make it difficult to swim in some areas. Oh and nudity is prohibited to here so keep your clothes on. Once you get past these hurtles you will be able to enjoy quiet stretches of absolutely gorgeous beach with amazing views in a high end area of the island.

Where to eat in Long Bay

Options are very limited in Long Bay so it is recommended that you bring along whatever you will need for this excursion.

Le Galion

Le Galion is a horseshoe-shaped beach that well known for being one of the best spots on the island for families. It is located near the Butterfly Farm so combine these two destinations for a fun family outing. There are water sports available from a vendor like wind surfing. Le Galion was severely impacted by Hurricane Irma and has not been completely built back so if you’re heading here there won’t be options for dining/restrooms. It is still an incredible beach; however, and many would argue one of the best on the island especially if you are traveling with young children.

Where to eat: Bring your own picnic to Le Galion since there are not food vendors nearby.

Red Bay (Baie Rogue)

Red Bay gets its name from the reddish colored sand along its shores. It is one of the most popular beaches on the French side of the island and is striking. There is a rock cave that you can pass through to get to another even more secluded part of the beach For parking look for the entrance to Terres Basses.

Lovers’ Beach

This beach gets its name from the fact that it can only accommodate two visitors at a time. It is on Chemin des Douaniers and can be difficult to find but if you’re looking for an isolated romantic spot in Saint Martin this one is hard to beat.

Anse Marcel

Anse Marcel is a sheltered and protected cove with calm waters and stunning views. It is close to Port Lonvilliers on the northern end of Saint Martin. You may chance upon sea turtles here. Definitely don’t miss this one.

Petites Cayes

Roughly a 30-minute walk from Anse Marcel, Petites Cayes is a nature lovers dream and often deserted.