St Martin with Kids: Beaches and Family Planning

St Martin with kids works well if you choose the right coast and accept that a hire car is close to essential. The calmest, most child-friendly beaches are the sheltered ones: Grand Case and Anse Marcel on the French side’s Caribbean-facing coast, Le Galion on the French side’s Atlantic coast but reef-protected inside the nature reserve, and Simpson Bay and Great Bay on the Dutch side; the standout family outings are Loterie Farm and Pinel Island, both on the French side, and the areas to avoid with small children are the surf beaches and the airport fence at Maho. Below are bases, transport, activities and beach notes, with the side of the island named for every place.

Choosing a family base

• Orient Bay (French side): a long beach with loungers, water sports, a village with supermarket and bakery, and restaurants within walking distance. Trade winds make the water choppier than the west coast, and the southern end, near the former Club Orient, is clothing-optional.
• Grand Case (French side): calm bay water, a roped swimming area noted by Frommer’s, and restaurants on foot. The beach is narrow and evening parking is difficult.
• Terres Basses (French side): villas with pools and space, and three quiet beaches with drop-offs and reported undertow, better for walking than for small children’s swimming. No shops or walkable restaurants; a car for every outing.
• Anse Marcel (French side): a sheltered cove with shallow water, self-contained and quiet, with limited dining.
• Simpson Bay (Dutch side): minutes from the airport, calm beach, widest choice of restaurants and boat trips. Busy and noisy in the evening.
• Dawn Beach (Dutch side): resort-style accommodation on the sunrise coast. More wave action, so better for older children.

For the full comparison of areas, including noise and transport, see where to stay in St Martin.

Do you need a car?

Yes, for almost every family base. Princess Juliana airport on the Dutch side states there is no direct public bus from the terminal and that taxis are fixed-fare and cash only. Child seats must be requested when booking a hire car and are not guaranteed in high season. The island is small but traffic around Simpson Bay and Marigot is slow, and the road to Anse Marcel and the Pic Paradis approach to Loterie Farm are steep. If you stay in Grand Case, Orient Bay or Simpson Bay you can manage a few days without driving, but beach-hopping needs wheels.

St Martin with kids: the activities that work

Loterie Farm (French side)

Loterie Farm is a private nature reserve on the slopes of Pic Paradis above Rambaud. Its site lists zip lines and obstacle courses, a Jungle Kids adventure park for younger children, guided hikes, a pool with cabana bookings and the Jungle Room restaurant serving lunch and dinner from midday. As of September 2026 it publishes a Wednesday-to-Sunday schedule for the September to November low season, so check opening days and age or height limits for the courses before you go; these were not published on the pages we read.

Pinel Island (French side)

Pinel is a small islet inside the Reserve Naturelle, reached by a five-minute boat from the Cul-de-Sac jetty on the northeast coast. Boats shuttle through the day with no booking (confirm the last return before you cross), there is a snorkel trail starting at the landing jetty, and two beach restaurants. The lagoon-facing beach is shallow and calm, which makes it one of the better swimming spots for young children, but there is no running water and no shade beyond what the restaurants rent. Full detail, including reserve rules and what to bring, is in our Pinel Island day trip guide.

The Butterfly Farm: closed

The Butterfly Farm near Quartier d’Orleans on the French side was a fixture of older family itineraries. It has been closed since Hurricane Irma destroyed it in September 2017, according to its sister operation in Aruba, and older guides still listing it should be ignored.

Maho Beach plane-watching (Dutch side)

Watching aircraft land over Maho Beach is a genuine spectacle for older children, and the Tourism Bureau notes beach bars positioned for the view. Keep children well back from the runway fence: jet blast from departing aircraft is a real hazard, and this is not a swimming beach for small children.

Boat days and snorkelling

Simpson Bay marinas on the Dutch side are the main departure point for day sails and snorkel trips, many of them heading to the reserve or to Tintamarre. The Man of War Shoal Marine Park on the Dutch side requires dive tags for divers according to the Nature Foundation. Choose a calm-water day for younger children; Atlantic-side trips are rougher in winter.

Beach notes for families

• Calmest water: Grand Case, Anse Marcel and Le Galion (all French side, Le Galion inside the reserve and reef-protected); Simpson Bay Beach and Great Bay in Philipsburg (Dutch side).
• Fun but supervise closely: Orient Bay (French side) for wind and water sports; Mullet Bay (Dutch side), calm most of the time with occasional waves according to the Tourism Bureau.
• Not for small children: Cupecoy (Dutch side) with steep drop-offs and swells; Baie Rouge and Baie Longue (French side, Terres Basses) where undertow is reported; Guana Bay and Dawn Beach (Dutch side) in winter swells.
• Shade and facilities: Orient Bay and Grand Case have rentals and food; Happy Bay, Baie aux Prunes and Baie Longue have none, so bring water and a shade tent.

Practicalities

Sun is strong year-round; the Saint-Martin tourist office warns about manchineel trees on some beaches, whose sap and fruit are toxic, and about dengue, so pack repellent. Tap water on the French side comes from desalination and bottled water is widely sold. Pharmacies exist on both sides, but the hospitals are in Marigot (French side) and Cay Hill (Dutch side), so keep both sides’ emergency numbers to hand. Naturism is practised at the southern end of Orient Bay and parts of Cupecoy and Baie Rouge; if that matters, choose other beaches.

To plan St Martin with kids in one line: base on a sheltered beach, hire a car with seats booked in advance, put Loterie Farm and Pinel on the list, check what is open if you travel in September or October, and save the surf beaches for the teenagers.