Philipsburg Excursions
Mullet Bay, Philipsburg © St Maarten Tourist Bureau
Beaches
Dutch St Maarten’s prime popular beach resorts extend as a
series of sandy bays from Philipsburg along the southwest coast of
the island, reaching a grand finale at the great spread of Simpson
Bay, site of the international airport. From the headland at the
western end of Great Bay stretches the secluded beach of Cay Bay,
famed for being the spot where Dutchman Peter Stuyvesant was
injured in battle against the Spanish. This quiet beach can only be
reached by dirt road or a horse trail. Further west towards the
airport is Simpson Bay Lagoon, surrounded by resort developments.
There is a series of good beaches with fine white sand: Maho
Bay is St Maarten’s largest beach resort, well developed with
facilities, a casino and its popular Sunset Bar. Mullet Bay,
with its gentle surf and shady stretch of palm trees, is usually
the most crowded beach. Cupecoy is favoured by nudists, and has
dramatic sandstone cliffs and caves.
