Philipsburg St Maarten

Philipsburg is the capital of Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and sits on the southern coast of Saint Martin island between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. The island lies in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the northeastern Caribbean, approximately 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico. Ships dock at the cruise piers and it is mainly a port of call on Caribbean voyages, though it can serve as a turnaround port for some cruises.

Philipsburg was founded around 1733 by Scotsman John Philips to centralize trade in the islands. Two forts, Fort Amsterdam and Fort Willem, were built in the 17th and 18th century. The town soon became a major port and center of international shipping trade, with the two historic fortifications guarding the waterfront. Since 1648, the island has been divided roughly 60 to 40 between France on the northern part and the Dutch on the southern part. In 1939, Sint Maarten was declared a duty-free port, which helped boost its economy.

The setting of the town is distinctive. Philipsburg is located on a narrow stretch of land between the Great Salt Pond and Great Bay. The area has a tropical savanna climate and is drier than most of the northeastern Caribbean due to a rain shadow from the island's mountains. The driest months run from January to July, while the wettest period runs from September to November, when hurricanes can strike the island. The town feels compact and walkable. Colourful buildings house lodgings, restaurants, and markets for tourists, and a boardwalk was built in 2006 between the town and the beach to serve its growing cruise clientele.

Shopping draws many cruise visitors to the waterfront. Front Street offers a wide array of duty-free shops selling everything from perfume and liquor to photographic equipment. The town also hosts historic monuments and buildings such as St. Martin of Tours' Church, Foga Salt Factory, and official buildings including the Rinkhouse and Courthouse. For those interested in local history, salt was a significant export during the 17th and 18th centuries, and today a Salt-pickers Monument on Walter A. Nisbeth Road commemorates the difficult lives of those who worked the salt pans.

Beyond shopping and history, the island offers beaches and outdoor activities. Great Bay Beach is popular for cruise guests thanks to its location about 10 minutes from the port, calm water, soft sand and laid-back atmosphere. Maho Beach is famous for its location at the end of Princess Juliana International Airport's runway, where crowds gather in the shallows to watch huge jets roar overhead at striking closeness.