Your ship docks in St. Maarten and you have just 8 hours (or less)!  What do you do?

There’s so much to do while in St. Maarten and your time is limited, so a little planning will go a long way towards making the most of your visit.  And since you can count on us to help, we’ve narrowed down your choices and have chosen our top five must-do picks for your stop in St. Maarten.

Known for being one of the most sought after vacation spots in the world, St. Maarten, with its white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, is nothing short of spectacular.

1. Race to the finish line onboard an American Cup Yacht the America’s Cup Regatta.  Depart from Bobby’s Marina in Great Bay for three-hour sail on either the Dennis Conner’s Stars and Stripes boat, the Canada II or the True North boat, but please keep in mind this excursion is only for those 12 years of age or older.

2. For those cruising with children, the Butterfly Farm on the French side of the island (St. Martin) is sure to be a hit.  There you’ll be taken on a guided tour outlining a butterfly’s life cycle.  And for your convenience, there’s a cafe where you can break for lunch or grab a colorful souvenir at the gift shop.

3. If you’re looking to find some treasures to take home, head on over to the Harbor Point Village.  There are plenty of shops and vendors to keep you entertained all afternoon, but the best deals can be found on Black Street.

4. Dawn Beach, located 5 miles north on the eastern coast, will please almost any beach bum. Snorkeling, restaurants, bars and shops all make this beach a sandy favorite.  Best of all, all the beaches on the one mile stretch remain public despite the many newly built resorts on this beach.

5. Dine with sharks, turtles, tarpon and lobster at Captain Oliver’s in Oyster Pond.  They have a wide selection of shellfish and specialties.  May we suggest the Stuffed Antillean Crab, it gets rave reviews daily.

Bonus: Aviation takes flight at Maho Beach.  Located 8 miles west of the port along the southwestern coast of the Dutch side of the island, is a popular destination conveniently located near the airport. Beach goers can sit and relax as planes take off and land directly over head.  No, you can’t touch the plane as it flies by, it only seems that way.

To see more on these top 5 picks along with other things to eat, drink and do in St. Maarten/St. Martin check out our Port Guide to St. Maarten Page.  Been to St. Maarten/St. Martin? What’s on your must do list?

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Tags: America's Cup Regatta, Butterfly Farm, Captain Oliver's, Dawn Beach, Harbor Point Village, Saint Martin

This entry was posted on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 11:12 AM and is filed under cruise travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.