Dutch in the south, French in the north — St. Maarten is a unique slice of Europe in the middle of the Caribbean. Ships dock on the Dutch side of the island at the colorful harbor city of Philipsburg. Step off the pier and the rhythm of Front Street takes over. Waterfront restaurants and beach bars in pastel façades line the Great Bay Boardwalk, where toes-in-the-sand dining and frozen guavaberry coladas set the pace. 

Be sure to stroll down Old Street, a tiny pedestrian-only promenade between Front and Back Streets, where gingerbread-style homes and grand verandas overlook the cobblestoned paths. Stop in an open-air café for crepes, chocolates, and other island delicacies like St. Maarten’s famous guavaberry (not to be confused with guava), and its national beverage, guavaberry liqueur.

Adventure hides just beyond the souvenir stalls at the world’s steepest zip line — a near-vertical 1,050-foot plunge from Sentry Hill, the island’s highest point. The Soualiga Sky Explorer chairlift gets you there, gliding over jungle canopy with panoramic views stretching to Saba and St. Barts.

If your pulse prefers altitude-free adrenaline, Maho Beach delivers another kind of thrill. Here, jetliners skim the surf so low, you’ll feel the engine rush as they land at Princess Juliana International Airport. It’s an island rite of passage for anyone with a camera or a sense of humor.

For something more très chic, cross the border to the French side for sophisticated bistros in Marigot, or linger closer to port on Orient Bay Beach, where windsurfers, cafés, and Champagne buckets share the shoreline. 

Back in Philipsburg, sample spiced rum or slip into the calm of Little Bay Beach for a quieter finale. When the sun melts behind the harbor, St. Maarten leaves its mark: half adventure, half indulgence, entirely unforgettable.