PHILIPSBURG

Town, which Philipsburg is also referred to, offers lively beach bars, night time activities on the beach promenade where you can meet visitors and locals and hang out in a friendly environment.

DINING / RESTAURANTS

Philipsburg would not be the capital of Sint Maarten if you couldn’t find great food.Town offers a variety of international cuisine and you won’t be disappointed.

Shopping Hours

Stores on Front Street open at 9:00 am until 6:00 pm from Monday to Saturday. Occasionally some stores would open on Sunday when there are several cruise ships in port.

Transportation

Taxis

Finding a taxi in Philipsburg is not a problem. Taxis are available to take you wherever and whenever you need to go.

Bus Service

You also have the option to travel via bus. In this case you will need to go to Back Street and search out a bus that is going in your direction. If you are traveling from Caravanserai/ Maho Reef/Mullet Bay/Cupecoy, then you will have to check the directional sign which is usually at the front section of a bus telling you in which direction the bus is heading in order for you to reach your destination.

Busses travel from Philipsburg to the main tourist areas namely, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, Caravansarai, Maho and Cupecoy, where one finds the majority of hotels.You can also get out at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club Shopping Center, and cross the street walking in the direction of Pelican, where you will find a number of hotels, timeshare properties and vacation villa rentals.

Essential Services

Philipsburg is the base for all major services such as notaries, law offices, banking institutions, government departments and much more. All the aforementioned are in walking distance from each other. Whether you’re an investor or a visitor, Philipsburg has something to offer everyone.

Parking

The most convenient parking lot is located in front of the Government Administration Building at the Clem Labega Square which is located across from the Windward Islands Bank. Additional parking lots have been built across from the Post Office, the Police Station and the temporary Ring Road parking area.

Philipsburg Rejuvenated

The Government embarked on a number of projects to rejuvenate the capital town of Philipsburg. Plans for beautifying

Front Street date as far back as 1999. The first part of the rejuvenation of Philipsburg entailed beach replenishment, where tons of sand were pumped from the seabed onto the Great Bay Beach.

Very few islands can boast of a beach in town, like the size of the one in Philipsburg. Since the beach replenishment, more restaurants and beach bars have opened, and there are a lot more activities for visitors to enjoy on the beach and the promenade.

From the beach replenishment followed the construction of a seaside beach promenade, then by the beautification of Front Street, Back Street and sections of two secondary streets in the town. The entire process of development and rejuvenating the city capital is all related to improving the overall visitor experience.

Beach Promenade

The beach promenade starts at Passangrahan Guesthouse near Bobby’s Marina and stretches as far as Sea Palace Hotel. The promenade has become a hive of activity. It allows one to leisurely stroll along the waterfront enjoying the ambiance of Philipsburg. One also has easy access to restaurants and main street – Front Street, where you can find all your duty free shopping experience.

Beautification Of Front Street

The first phase of the beautification of Front Street started from Passangrahan Hotel and went as far as Sea Palace Hotel. However, the beautification program continued down to the former Paper Garden Book Store. The Government recognizes that further upgrading and improvement of the tourism product is necessary if Sint Maarten wants to continue to remain one of the main tourism destinations in the Caribbean.

The upgrading of Front Street fits into the Government’s development vision policy document, “A Development Perspective for Philipsburg and the Greater Great Bay Area,” which outlines a particular framework on how the capital town should be developed.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO PHILIPSBURG – THE TOURIST CORRIDOR

In keeping with the vision of continuing to upgrade the island’s tourism infrastructure, another project that Government embarked upon was the busy thoroughfare which connects Philipsburg to the French side of the island.

Part of the Tourist Corridor beautification project has been executed. It features a running/walking track for visitors and residents. It also features specially constructed stone walls, an avenue of indigenous trees, a fishing deck, customized street lighting and much more.

The beautified area of the Tourist Corridor stretches from the Buncamper Road, Point Blanche to the Keys in Suckergarden.

HARBOUR POINT VILLAGE – AN ADDITION TO SHOPPING IN THE CAPITAL

In addition to Philipsburg is Harbour Point Village, which opened in May 2003 at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities in Point Blanche. This five acre development was designed in the traditional Caribbean flavour of architecture.

Harbour Point Village is a mini-Philipsburg – a small shopping arcade consisting of 12 shops and 12+ market stalls. Harbour Point is meant for cruise visitors who stay onboard the vessel; the individual can take a stroll into the little village which is not far from the cruise pier; or those who go on an