Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten is only 37 square miles, but it is one of the best Caribbean destinations out there. The gorgeous turquoise water allows for plenty of deep sea diving excursions. Most of the tourists will head out for an afternoon to go on a sea turtle diving expedition. You can also snorkel for some unique seashells and you can even keep some of them.

ATV tours
If you would like to make the most of your vacation on this small island, here are some of the things you need to do. First, book an ATV tour. The ATV tours are a lot of fun because you can speed along the beaches with your friends or family members. You can also drive through some tropical trails and view some exotic plant life.

Sailing
A private sailing tour is a must, but it is pretty expensive. However, you will have the opportunity to sail all around the island and most tours allow for some time to do some scuba diving and they will even take you out to lunch at small local restaurants. They will even teach you the basics about sailing so you can try driving the sailboat on your own.

Power Catamaran
A catamaran tour is another fun thing to do if you head to Sint Maarten. A power catamaran usually holds about 10 people and it will take you all around the island so you can do some exploring. You also get the opportunity to do some shopping and stop for a nice lunch on the island. The small French village of Marigot is nice to stop for a quick lunch and a fun shopping adventure. The catamaran tour normally begins at Simpson Bay lagoon. The Simpson Bay lagoon is where several of the cruise lines stop in the Caribbean.

If you take a catamaran tour, it normally lasts all day. You will have the opportunity to do some snorkeling and swimming, which is a lot of fun for your kids. One thing you will love about taking a catamaran tour is that you get to go to your own private picnic spot on the Tintemar Island where you can do some sunbathing. Tintemar Island is also great because you can have a nice spa treatment in the volcanic mud on the island.

Snorkeling
As you can see, snorkeling is a big draw to the island. Almost every tour offers snorkeling excursions because the water is absolutely gorgeous and there are several things to see in the water like sea turtles and exotic fish. Most of the snorkeling excursions that are offered will take you to 3 different locations. Tintamar Island, Pinal Island, and Green Key are the most popular snorkeling places. You can even hand feel some of the fish and swim among the coral reef. Green Key is where you will be able to view an ancient lighthouse.

Swimming
Another attractive feature of Sint Maarten are the beautiful white sand beaches. The beaches are not only beautiful to sunbathe on, the sandstone cliffs define them and create your own private oasis on this one of a kind island.

The tourist season for Sint Maarten is December through April. It is usually cooler and the humidity is not as intense which is why a lot of travelers head to Sint Maarten during this time of year. If you want to get the best deals out there, you should go during the off season, although many of the shops close up early during this time of year so you may not be able to do some good shopping and eat at the popular restaurants.