St Martin, Antilles Françaises

Getting Around

To get around St. Martin / St. Maarten, the best and most common way to do so is a renting a car. The island being small compared to some other Caribbean destinations (like Martinique), almost any mean of navigating between the French and Dutch sides of the island is manageable.

Car rental in St. Martin – St. Maarten

Having a car in St. Martin allows more mobility, but you should be aware that traffic can be pretty heinous on both sides of the island, especially around tourists haunts like Marigot, Philipsburg and Grand Case. There are a lot of bikes and mopeds, sometimes not respecting the driving laws, so be careful when driving in Marigot, Philipsburg or in any city on the island.

The majority of car rental agencies are located nearby Princess Juliana International Airport. Clients regularly complain about mechanical difficulties and billing irregularities with local companies, which is why we recommend renting from one of the US-based firms :

  • Hertz, located on Airport Rd, tel. +1 721-545-4541
  • Sixt, located in L’Espérance Airport, tel. 01 44 38 55 55
  • Avis, situated in Simpson Bay (Princess Juliana Airport), tel. +1 800-331-1084
  • Budget, situated on Airport Rd, tel. +1 721-545-2316
  • Green Motion, 102 Airport Rd in Simpson Bay, tel. +1 721-545-2062

If you happen to rent a car in a local car rental company in St. Maarten/St Martin, we suggest you take photos the day you pick up the car and email them to you to make sure there is a proof of the date those photos were taken, as some recent travelers complained the company charged them for marks that were already on the car when they picked it up.

Renting a scooter in St. Maarten / St Martin

If you are feeling adventurous or just want to avoid traffic, you might want to use a scooter, as they make island traffic more manageable. But we advise you to do so only if you have experienced maneuvering one before. You can rent scoters in one of the companies located nearby Princess Juliana International Airport.

Taxi in St. Maarten / St Martin

Taxis are a great transportation at night, especially if you plan on going out. You should know the large majority of them are unmetered. Therefore, you should agree on a fare before entering the cab. Normal fares are $12 USD to get from the airport to Philipsburg or Marigot and about $20 or $30 USD to get from the airport to Dawn Beach.

Renting a boat in St. Maarten/ St Martin

Renting a boat is a very good idea if you want to discover different beaches on the same day in an original way, and avoid traffic. You can rent luxurious boats on the website www.getmyboat.com, offering a very wide range of boats. Luxury Yacht Charters also covers all of the Caribbean region, and is able to provide very high quality service. You can also go to one of the rental boats companies on the island. We recommend :

  • Caribbean MultiHulls, in the Marina Royale. Tel. +1 888 801 8272
  • Martin Yacht Charters, in the Marina Fort Louis, Baie de Marigot. Tel. +590 590 29 28 85
  • Private Yacht Charter, at Oyster Pond Great House Marina. Tel. +59 0690 835 305