One St. Maarten / St. Martin Day Cruise Visit Itinerary “Fortresses & History Hop”
Sieges & Struggles
In their attempts to conquer the gold of the Spanish main and to keep pirates out, European powers built many fortresses in the Caribbean. Both sides of St. Maarten / St. Martin also had their fair share of strongholds, with Fort Amsterdam in Philipsburg and Fort Louis being the most famous ones still standing today. Uniquely, great power struggles even led to a division of the island in 1648 that is still in place – be it with an open border for centuries.
But St. Maarten / St. Martin history had commenced well before the advent of Dutch and French. Arawak tribes like the Taino lived on the island and called the island “Soualiga”, island of salt.
Below travel plan for your day at port of call St. Maarten serves to immerse you into thousands of years of island history. Enjoy your high paced history tour!
Historical Island Tour
Start your day plan with a guided tour of historic hotspots including attention for island geology, Arawak history and nature. This tour departs at Chesterfields next to the port at 8.30 (starting times can be adapted to later ship arrivals) and visits historical must-sees like Amuseum Naturalis, Fort St. Louis, Emilio Wilson park and the Concordia Border Monument.
Enjoy lunch at the Philipsburg Boardwalk after your return at Chesterfields (or ask the driver to drop you off directly). As a history buff, open-air museum Walter Plantz square will appeal: this modern and fun square is wholly built in traditional building style. Beach club The Pier can provide you a sumptuous lunch. You might also consider a short dip into the Caribbean at Great Bay Beach here. The square is equipped with showers for public use.
From Walter Plantz square, it’s a 20 minute walk to historic Fort Amsterdam with commanding views over Philipsburg and your cruise ship – a great moment for a photo of the vessel that has guided you here. The area is a famous breeding ground for the national bird, the brown pelican that you will see here in abundance.
Either walk back to Philipsburg or take a taxi from the fort at Divi Little Bay Resort as the afternoon can be hot. If you still have time left before your ship’s departure, pay a visit to the Heritage Museum (free of charge). From here, it is only 15 minutes of walking back to the cruise port.
If you want a more balanced beach and history day, see our other activities on offer or our overview of other itineraries.
Back to VISIT St Maarten / St Martin Main Page
Back to VISIT St Maarten / St Martin Blog Page
General Information About St. Maarten / St. Martin Page