Flights to Philipsburg

Landing at Princess Juliana

Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) sits beside Simpson Bay, with the end of its runway just behind Maho Beach. The drive to Philipsburg takes 20 to 30 minutes, longer at busy times when traffic builds around Simpson Bay and Cole Bay. Taxis use set fares, and a hire car is useful for exploring both sides of the island. Sint Maarten uses the Caribbean guilder, but most prices are shown in US dollars. The island is four hours behind the UK in winter, and driving is on the right.

Front Street and Great Bay

Philipsburg sits on a narrow strip of land between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. Front Street runs the length of the town with duty-free jewellery, electronics and spirits shops, while the boardwalk along Great Bay beach has bars, sunloungers and water sports. The white Courthouse on Wathey Square dates from 1793, and the ruins of Fort Amsterdam look over the bay from the headland to the west. The cruise pier at the eastern end brings large numbers of day visitors.

Two nations, one island

The island is shared between Dutch Sint Maarten in the south and French Saint-Martin in the north, with no border checks between them. Marigot, the French capital, is around 30 minutes away and has a waterfront market and Fort Louis above the harbour. Grand Case is known for its restaurants, and Orient Bay on the east coast has a long beach. Euros are used on the French side. Ferries and short flights reach Anguilla, St Barts and Saba.

Weather and the hurricane season

Highs stay around 29 to 31°C all year, with December to April the driest and busiest period. The hurricane season runs from June to November, and the island was badly damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017, though most hotels and attractions have since reopened. At Maho Beach, planes pass low over the sand as they land, but jet blast from departing aircraft is dangerous, so keep back from the fence. English is widely spoken on both sides.

Planning to hop over to Anguilla or St Barts? Call 020 7871 4545 and we'll look at the options.