ISLAND HOT SPOTS
The fun doesn’t stop when te suns sets on St. Maarten/St. Martin
By Alita Singh
From sizzling casinos and lively beach bars to clubs where you can dance your shoes off, St. Maarten/St. Martin abounds with ways to entertain you until the sun comes up again. Here’s a taste of some of the island’s must-visit entertainment venues.
A good spot to start off is Da Waterhole on Mullet Bay Beach. This beach restaurant and bar morph seamlessly from a daytime eatery to a sundown hot spot. Lounge on the beach as music wafts over you or dance with the sand between your toes.
A little way up from the beach is 3 Amigos in Maho. This is a lively spot with music, drinks, nibbles, and so much fun you may want to make it one of your home-away-from-home addresses.
Just across the street, Lady Luck lives in Casino Royale at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa. Raise the stakes in this casino, which spans over 21,000 square feet, with the largest gaming and entertainment options on the island. Take your winnings and treat your honey at one of the top-rated restaurants, bars, and lounges above or next door or across the street in Maho Village.
Want to test out your vocal cords? Then your destination must be Topper’s Restaurant & Bar in Cole Bay. This is the No. 1 place for undiscovered pop stars to get a cheer. In between tracks, enjoy a meal from Topper’s extensive menu or have the bartender mix up a craft cocktail. There’s also delicious made-on-the-spot ice cream.
AMAsterdam on Front Street has many layers. Grab a chilled beer when taking a break from exploring Philipsburg or join the after-work crowd for some Dutch Caribbean–style socializing. Enjoy the music and a variety of beers as well as cheeses, Dutch snacks, and more.
Take a seat at the Dutch Blonde Beach Bar and Restaurant in the windmill on the Boardwalk in Philipsburg. Sip a local, award-winning beer and channel your inner Houdini in one of the island’s only escape rooms.
The Rusty Parrot has been designed to resemble a wrecked ship on the shore of Great Bay, but it’s an interactive entertainment venue that takes you back to the days when pirates roamed the sea. On deck you’ll enjoy cocktails, nibbles, and music, along with views of Philipsburg and the peninsula of Fort Amsterdam.
Located on Kim Sha Beach, Buccaneer Beach Bar is the place where visitors and locals alike come together to enjoy a tiki-style island bar, great food, live music, fireballs on the beach, and breathtaking sunsets.
Some folks say “Happy Hour” was invented on St. Maarten/St. Martin. True or not, the fun starts around 4 p.m. daily with drink specials and good eats.
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