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Orient Bay, Saint Martin

Travel guide · One island, two countries: beaches, planes and great food

Travelling to Saint Martin

The island shared by France and the Netherlands: planes skimming Maho Beach, the shops of Philipsburg, the market in Marigot and the beach at Orient Bay. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from December to May
  • Where to eat: a lolo (barbecue shack) in Grand Case
Photo: Clavius66 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Saint Martin in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Saint Martin are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).
  • To eat like a local: a lolo (barbecue shack) in Grand Case. Don’t leave without trying: Grilled ribs, Accras, Johnnycakes.

Saint Martin in November

You can go, with a few caveats: hurricane season. Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

  • November

    Hurricane season

    Hurricanes can form from June to November; August, September and October are the riskiest months. There are almost always days of heavy rain and humid heat.

    What to do: Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

November is one of the months when people search most for travelling to Saint Martin: book early. More destinations for November

When to travel to Saint Martin

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Saint Martin are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with strong warnings
  9. Sep with strong warnings
  10. Oct with strong warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in February · where to travel in March · where to travel in April

  • from June to November

    Hurricane season

    Hurricanes can form from June to November; August, September and October are the riskiest months. There are almost always days of heavy rain and humid heat.

    What to do: Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

    Best time: December to April

  • September, October

    Peak hurricane season

    September and October are the months with the highest risk of storms, and some hotels close.

    What to do: The best time is December to April, dry and sunny.

What to see in Saint Martin

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Philipsburg

    Philipsburg

    The Dutch capital, with its shopping street, a beachfront boardwalk and a cruise port.

    • Front Street
    • Boardwalk
    • Fort Amsterdam
    • Courthouse
    Philipsburg guide
  • Marigot

    Marigot

    The French capital, with a market, a marina and Fort Louis above the bay.

    • Fort Louis
    • Marigot market
    • Marina Royale
    • Grand Case
    Marigot guide
  • Maho Beach

    Maho Beach

    The beach where planes land almost skimming the bathers.

    • Landings
    • Beach bar
    • Mullet Bay
    • Cupecoy Beach
    Maho Beach guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Philipsburg

From Marigot

From Maho Beach

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Saint Martin

To eat like a local: a lolo (barbecue shack) in Grand Case, and order grilled ribs or accras. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Grilled ribs

    At the lolos of Grand Case.

  • Accras

    Saltfish fritters.

  • Johnnycakes

    Fried bread rolls.

  • Lobster

    Grilled.

  • Creole-style fish

    With tomato and peppers.

  • Guavaberry

    The island’s liqueur.

The typical dish of Saint Martin, at home

Salt cod accras
Photo: Fanny Schertzer · CC BY-SA 3.0

Salt cod accras

Salt cod fritters with herbs and chilli: the appetiser at every party on the French side of Saint Martin and across the Antilles, and a fixture at the lolos of Grand Case.

  • Serves 6
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 300 g desalted salt cod
  • 250 g flour
  • 1 sachet of baking powder
  • 250 ml water or milk
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Parsley, thyme and 1 chilli
  • Oil for frying

How to make it at home

  1. Poach the cod in water for 5 minutes, drain and flake it.
  2. Finely chop the spring onion, garlic, herbs and chilli.
  3. Mix the flour with the baking powder and water until you have a thick batter, then add the cod and the chopped herbs.
  4. Leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Fry spoonfuls of batter in hot oil until golden, and drain.

The trick: If you’re using salt cod, soak it for 24 hours, changing the water several times.

Curious facts about Saint Martin

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It’s one of the smallest islands in the world divided between two countries.
  • Legend has it the border was settled by a race between a Frenchman and a Dutchman.
  • At Maho Beach planes land just a few metres above the sand.
  • Grand Case bills itself as the culinary capital of the Caribbean.
  • The euro, the guilder and, everywhere, the dollar are used.
  • Saint Martin’s Day, 11 November, is celebrated by both sides.

Traditions of Saint Martin

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • April Philipsburg Carnival

    The big carnival on the Dutch side.

  • February Marigot Carnival

    On the French side.

  • 11 November Saint Martin’s Day

    A celebration on both sides.

  • March Heineken Regatta

    A sailing regatta.

What not to do in Saint Martin

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t stand behind the planes at Maho Beach: the jet blast is dangerous.
  • Don’t leave anything in the car.
  • Don’t forget the sunscreen.
  • Don’t walk through deserted areas at night.
  • Remember that French is spoken on the French side.
  • Don’t leave without having dinner at a lolo in Grand Case.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Saint Martin

What people search for most before travelling to Saint Martin.

What’s the best time to travel to Saint Martin?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Saint Martin are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (hurricane season).

What to see in Saint Martin in a week?

The essentials of Saint Martin: Philipsburg, Marigot and Maho Beach. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Saint Martin?

Grilled ribs, Accras, Johnnycakes, Lobster, Creole-style fish, Guavaberry. To eat like a local: a lolo (barbecue shack) in Grand Case.

What is the typical dish of Saint Martin?

Salt cod accras. Salt cod fritters with herbs and chilli: the appetiser at every party on the French side of Saint Martin and across the Antilles, and a fixture at the lolos of Grand Case.

What should you not do in Saint Martin?

Don’t stand behind the planes at Maho Beach: the jet blast is dangerous. Don’t leave anything in the car. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Is it worth travelling to Saint Martin in November?

You can go, with a few caveats: hurricane season. Book with free cancellation, take out travel insurance that covers weather events and check the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts a few days before you go.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Clavius66 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Philipsburg, Clavius66 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Marigot, Darwinek at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Maho Beach, Aldo Bidini (GFDL 1.2).