Caribbean · Territory
Sint Maarten: Travel Guide & Requirements
· Saint-Martin
Sint Maarten is a territory in Caribbean with its capital in Philipsburg. It has a population of 43,923 (#205 in the world) and covers 34 km². The official languages are English, French and Dutch. The currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG, ƒ).
Where is Sint Maarten? Map of Sint Maarten
Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Sint Maarten lies east of the US Virgin Islands.
- Region
- Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.0333° N, 63.05° W
- Neighbours
- 1 — see list
- Coastline
- 59 km
- Sint Maarten
- Neighbours
- Capital
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Sint Maarten
- Passport
A passport valid for your whole stay (check the rules of the governing country).
- Travel advice
Safe to visit — US and UK advice.
Before you go
9 things to know before you travel to Sint Maarten
- Safety: Yes — Sint Maarten is generally safe to visit: the US State Department rates Sint Maarten Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”).
- Best time to go: December to April — when daytime highs in Philipsburg are around 26–27°C.
- Money: the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) — 1 US dollar is about 1.7995 ANG.
- Plugs: type A and B, 120 V / 127 V / 220 V, 60 Hz — mixed voltage: check the socket before you plug in. Dual-voltage chargers (100–240 V) work everywhere.
- Emergency numbers: Police 911, Ambulance 912, Fire 919.
- Language: English, French and Dutch are official.
- Driving: on the right.
- Time zone: UTC-4 in Philipsburg.
- Capital: Philipsburg. About 43,923 people live in Sint Maarten.
Key facts
Sint Maarten at a glance
Languages spoken: English (official) 67.5%, Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch (official) 4.2%, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 2.2%, French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 est.)
Geography & history
About Sint Maarten
Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and …
Read the full history
Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded African slavery on the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; the practice was not abolished in the Dutch half until 1863. The island's economy declined until 1939 when it became a free port; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded beginning in the 1950s. In 1954, Sint Maarten and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the Netherlands Antilles. In a 2000 referendum, the citizens of Sint Maarten voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, effective in 2010. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Location
Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Sint Maarten lies east of the US Virgin Islands
Climate
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Terrain
low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin
Highest point
250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m
Natural resources
fish, salt
Natural hazards
subject to hurricanes from July to November
National symbols
brown pelican, yellow sage (flower)
Safety
Is Sint Maarten safe to visit?
Yes — Sint Maarten is generally safe to visit: the US State Department rates Sint Maarten Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”).
US State DepartmentSources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Sint Maarten
The best time to visit Sint Maarten is December to April, when daytime highs in Philipsburg are around 26–27°C. May to July and November are also a good time to go. September is the warmest month (29°C by day), February the coldest (25°C at night), and October the wettest with about 108 mm of rain.
- Jan26°C25°C
- Feb26°C25°C
- Mar26°C25°C
- Apr27°C26°C
- May28°C27°C
- Jun28°C27°C
- Jul29°C28°C
- Aug29°C28°C
- Sep29°C28°C
- Oct29°C28°C
- Nov28°C27°C
- Dec27°C26°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Sint Maarten
Plugs & sockets
120 V / 127 V / 220 V, 60 Hz · Mixed voltage: check the socket before you plug in. Dual-voltage chargers (100–240 V) work everywhere.
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Currency · 26 October 2026
Netherlands Antillean guilder exchange rates today
Sint Maarten uses the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG, ƒ). One US dollar buys 1.7995 ANG; over the last 30 days the ANG has lost 0.0% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in ANG
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Sint Maarten ranks
How Sint Maarten compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Sint Maarten
1 airports and airfields — 1 large, 0 medium and 0 small, plus 0 heliports. 1 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Sint Maarten borders 1 country along 16 km of land borders. Coastline: 59 km.
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Philipsburg (1,327)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
tourism, light industry
Export partners
Antigua & Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023)
Top exports
scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023)
Frequently asked questions about Sint Maarten
What do I need to travel to Sint Maarten?
Where is Sint Maarten?
What is the capital of Sint Maarten?
What language is spoken in Sint Maarten?
What currency does Sint Maarten use?
What is the calling code of Sint Maarten?
Which countries border Sint Maarten?
Is Sint Maarten safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Sint Maarten?
What plug type does Sint Maarten use?
How many airports does Sint Maarten have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.