Active Little Bay Beach Day Itinerary for Cruise Visitors – Fort Amsterdam, UnderSXM & Padel
At only a five minutes taxi ride from the St. Maarten cruise pier, you find gorgeous Little Bay Beach. This beach gives you many opportunities to have an active St. Maarten beach day, with still a full half day of swimming at the beach left! Here is an travel plan for a full, active day at this historical peninsula within a stonethrow of the St. Maarten cruise port.
Start with a sandwich at Fort Amsterdam Café at Divi Little Bay resort, before you climb the namesake fort. After a five minute hike, it will present you with a commanding view of your cruise ship. Brown Pelicans are prone to fly by all the time, as this is a famous nesting spot of the national bird of St. Maarten. Explanatory panels will explain you about the history of the fort and its cannons. It also has a great view of Philipsburg, the port it once protected.
Should you be a sports fanatic, consider to book a court for some games at SXM Padel right across the street of Little Bay Beach. This most active padel court of the Caribbean holds international tournaments and receives some of the greatest players in the world.
Whether you went lobbing a ball or spent additional time delving into St. Maarten history on top of the fort, it is now time for a plunge into the pristine blue waters of this scenic seashore. It is home to UnderSXM, the largest underwater sculpture park in the Caribbean with over 300 statues depicting elements of St. Maarten history and its cultural events like Carnival. Aqua Mania Adventures has boat tours to this great snorkeling area, located about 50 meters off the beach.
For lunch, both Gizmo’s Bar & Grill and Pure Ocean seafood restaurant are at your disposal at the beach.
Should you have done all above in a timely fashion, you can linger as long as you want on the beach. Resort Day Passes are available including beach chairs and fun water toys for kids.
If you are not ready to lay down your towel yet, book a wave runner at the Aqua Mania Adventures booth for additional thrills.
Wave Runner (30 minutes)
Wave Runner (60 minutes)
If you want to add further exercise to this day, know that it is possible to walk from the cruise port to Divi too, along the Philipsburg boardwalk and Front Street. This will take you between 30 and 40 minutes. If you desire a taxi for the way back, Divi Little Bay has them ready in abundance at its reception.
For more excursion tips, see our other ideas how to spend a cruise day on St. Maarten!
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