Introducing Philipsburg

Philipsburg, Dutch Sint Maarten’s principal town (and often simply referred to as ‘Town’), is centered on a long, narrow stretch of land that separates Great Salt Pond from Great Bay. There are some older buildings mixed among the new, but overall the town is far more commercial than quaint. Most of the action is along Frontstreet, the bayfront road, which is lined with boutiques, jewelry shops, restaurants, casinos and duty-free shops selling everything from Danish porcelain to Japanese cameras and electronics.

Four streets run east to west, and numerous narrow lanes (called steegjes) connect them north to south. Frontstreet has one-way traffic that moves in an easterly direction, and Backstreet has one-way traffic heading west. The north side of Philipsburg is sometimes referred to as Pondfill, as much of this area is reclaimed land. Parking is extremely limited and there are always twenty cars vying for a place to pull over. It’s best to stop along the interior and walk up to Frontstreet.