The Best of Sint Maarten: The Dutch Side

This is a merger of parts 1 and 2 due to a copyright issue (and a few modifications). It's much better pieced together! Enjoy!

Welcome to more fun in the Dutch Carribean. In this episode, we will be exploring Dutch Sint Maarten. The excellent Maho Beach, for all of our plane spotting lovers, and a tour of Philipsburg and the lovely beach and eats it contains.

00:00 - 00:24 Intro
00:25 - 04:06 Maho Beach
04:07 - 06:22 Philipsburg Overview
06:23 - 09:25 Point Blanche-Back Bay Hiking Trail
09:26 - 12:30 Rainforest Adventures Zipline
12:31 - 16:45 Restaurant Recommendations
16:46 - 18:26 Parotte Ville Bird Park
18:27 - 18:55 End

A brief history of Sint Maarten / Saint Martin. The island is unique as it is one of the rare ones that is split in 2. There is the Dutch side of Sint Maarten and the French side of Saint Martin. Legend has it the island was split in half by a walking a drinking competition between a Dutch man and a French man to see who could get to the center the fastest. The French won. Dutch Sint Maarten is a popular destination for people who like to cruise, sail, and relax. It receives an average of 2 million visitors per year, many of which reach the island via cruise ships/cruising. During the time the cruise ships are in port, Philipsburg will be slammed however, on the lovely off days, you'll find that Philipsburg and really Maho Beach are your oysters.

Maho Beach is a small beach located at the tail end of SXM (Princess Juliana International Airport). Due to its location, it is an excellent spot for plane spotting with planes flying overhead during peak times apx every 15 minutes.

Located right next to Maho Beach in Sint Maarten is Sunset Bar & Grill. Overall a lovely place to watch the plane as well as an expansive bar and grill. Contains 3 bars, 1 restaurant, and plenty of seating, and is located near a shopping plaza with other food and shops. Parking is sparse.

Philipsburg is the main hub of Dutch Sint Maarten. It's where the cruise ships dock and where you'll find the quaint Dutch town. Unfortunately, it has been wrecked more than once by hurricanes but as resilient as these little islands are, they recover and move forward. Philipsburg, Sint Maarten is good to lounge on the beach, grab a quick drink, and bite. It's also a great place to shop for everything from clothes to an electronics store.

Near our Airbnb, we had direct trail access to Point Blanche-Back Bay where we had the lovely experience of butterflies everywhere, views of St Barts, sailboats, and the ability to hike around. Unfortunately like with many beaches it was littered with trash. So what did we do, pick it up while looking at beautiful views.

The Adventure park features several experiences, including the Emilio Wilson Museum, Sentry Hill zipline, flying Dutchman, sky explorer, and schooner ride. Prices vary from $52-$139 per person and some attractions will require a reservation.

Learn more about Rainforest Adventure Park here (https://rainforestadventure.com/st-ma...)

In addition to its very touristy but epic view attractions, we will go over some delightful foods that we had the pleasure of experiencing.

This includes the

St Maarten Yacht Club (https://smyc.com/), for our fancy-eating viewers

The Dutch Blonde (https://dutchblondeexperiences.com/) is for our lovers of Dutch snacks

Dany's for those seeking a truly authentic eating experience.

Then we will explore something that is for kids, adults, and anybody who loves animals... Parotte Ville Bird Park. It's a magical place where you get to interact in a beautiful sanctuary for birds. Would recommend a quick stop.

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