#1 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Dawn Beach
Philipsburg
~15.16 miles from Gustavia city center
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Dawn Beach is a fine beach of sugar white powdery sand facing the East side of Sint Maarten. The name says it all: early risers may enjoy spectacular views of sunrise with St. Barths in the distance. Snorkeling is absolutely incredible. The coral reef is a bit off the shore, so you'll have first have to swim to get to the best snorkeling spots. The surf can sometimes be a little challenging, so for very young children or toddlers Dawn Beach is not always an ideal beach. It all depends on the weather !
It is a little hard to get here. The road that leads up and over the hills to the coast is a bit bumpy and windy, but the special driving experience is well worth it:
Since summer 2005, Dawn Beach started to catch up with other popular beaches, such as Orient Bay. The beach is getting more and more developed, and is currently undergoing a significant change. Before, it was a secluded, quiet and lightly serviced beach. Now, beach condo projects and other new developments are popping up, and the beach lost of its tranquility and laid back atmosphere. However, it all depends where you are at the beach. More to the middle of the bay, you can still enjoy fabulous views over to St Barths, and a quiet spot on the powdery white sand, see here:
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#2 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Museum of Sint Maarten
Philipsburg
~15.18 miles from Gustavia city center
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Museum devoted to the regional history from prehistoric times to the present.
The history of the Caribbean is filled with stories of colonial imperialism where islands changed hands form country to country. St. Maarten was no ace in the imperial holdings, but had its share of skirmishes and smoky gun battles, which caused the island to change hands many times between the Spanish, Dutch and French powers. The old stone forts which guard many of the islands inlets is proof of the islands turbulent past.
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#3 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Downtown Oyster Pond (Neighborhood)
Philipsburg
~15.40 miles from Gustavia city center
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#4 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
University of St. Martin
Philipsburg
~15.51 miles from Gustavia city center
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The University of St. Martin (USM) is a university in Philipsburg, Netherlands Antilles founded in 1989. It has about 400 full-time and part-time students, and more than 275 alumni. Its president is Josianne Fleming Artsen.
USM was established in 1989 by the Honorable Dr. Albert Claudius Wathey and the Honorable Ambassador Dr. Hushang Ansary as an annex of Johnson and Wales University. Its facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Lenny in 1999, but the university was rebuilt. Its peach and white buildings overlook the Great Salt Pond in picturesque Philipsburg.
USM plans to build additional classrooms and dormitories. USM continues to develop programs and partnerships with other education institutions in the region and around the world such as Florida A&M University (FAMU), l’Université de Paris XII: Val-de-Marne, Florida Metropolitan University, Florida State University (FSU), University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Johnson & Wales University (JWU), Berkeley College, Pace University, University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Halifax, Canada.
USM, in cooperation with the University of the Virgin Islands, offers students the opportunity to obtain an Associate of Science in Computer Science and Master of Arts in Education and Business Administration, while through MSVU, USM students can obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Through its Adult Enrichment Program (AEP), USM offers an English as a Second Language program, General Equivalency Diploma, and College Preparatory Program.
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#5 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Fort Amsterdam
Philipsburg
~15.91 miles from Gustavia city center
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Fort Amsterdam (subsequently named Fort James, Fort Willem Hendrick, Fort James (again), Fort William, Fort Anne and Fort George) was a fort on the southern tip of Manhattan that was the administrative headquarters for the Dutch and then British rule of New York from 1625 until being torn down in 1790 after the American Revolution.
The construction of the fort marked the official founding date of New York City as recognized by the Seal of New York City.
Guns at the fort formed the original battery that is today called Battery Park (New York).
In October 1683 what would become the first session of the New York legislature convened at the fort.
The fort was to change hands eight times in various battles including the Battle of Long Island in the American Revolution when volleys were exchanged between the fort and British emplacements on Governor's Island.
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#6 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Downtown Philipsburg (Neighborhood)
Philipsburg
~15.92 miles from Gustavia city center
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#7 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
St. Maarten Zoo
Philipsburg
~16.21 miles from Gustavia city center
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Attraction type: Zoo
http://sxmzoo.networkidl.net/
sxmzoo@MEGATROPIC.com
Address: PO Box 531 Philipsburg
St. Maarten/St. Martin
Tel: 599 543 2030
Fax: 599 543 2030
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#8 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Coconut Grove Beach
Cul de Sac
~16.53 miles from Gustavia city center
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Le Galion is part of St Martin´s Nature Marine Reserve. It's sometimes called "Baby Beach" and "Coconut Grove". Le Galion is surrounded by a coral reef, making the shallow water calm and good for snorkeling. Locals flock to this beach claiming the north end to be the most clear water on the whole island. Trade winds swooping across the Atlantic make this a popular spot for surfing, kite-boarding and windsurfing. There are loungers for rent. You'll also find picnic tables, restaurants and shops along the beach.
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#9 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Tintamarre Beach
~17.58 miles from Gustavia city center
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An 80 acre island that once had it's own king, navy, and airline. True! "Situated to the East
of the Orleans quarter of St.Martin, at a distance of approximately three quarters of a league,
it could be about two and a half leagues around: there is still woodland on this island and the land is
very clean to take the air and also for cotton plants.
The coastline of this island is the most abundant in fish in the surrounding area, and you can also
find there many masonry stones and stones out of which limestone [lime?] can be made.
" Letter of October, 1764: Current state of the islands of St.Martin and Saint Barthelemy
signed by Auguste Descoudrelles Governor of French St Martin from 1763 to 1785. Ile Tintamarre,
often known locally as "Flat Island", seemingly has had three periods of at least transitory activity.
The first was in the 18th century when, after the French had retrieved it from the English,
who had held it for some 40 years, it. had approximately 150 inhabitants.
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#10 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Orient Bay Beach
Cul de Sac
~17.66 miles from Gustavia city center
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St Maarten has 36 beaches. Here is what locals have to say about Orient Bay:
This is one of our better known and busier beaches, because it is a clothing optional beach (mostly in front of the naturist resort Club Orient, located at the end of the beach). More in the middle of the beach you will find the local hangout with restaurants and live bands playing great music. Get a tan while you eat local lobster and learn to dance the merengue. After lunch rent a jetski, go parasailing or participate in a local hobie cat race. Snorkeling equipment is also available at a couple of places.
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#11 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Pinel Beach
Cul de Sac
~17.97 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to Pinel Beach
Pinel Island lies in Orient Bay, access is via boats that run from Cul de Sac. Some of the watersport concessions on Orient Beach also will drop you off on Pinel Is.and return at a set time to pick you up.
There are beautiful sandy beaches on the island and it is also worth to take some hiking shoes and hike to the two deserted beaches on the opposite side.
There is are three restaurants on the island, the Le Karabuni, who specialise in lobster (tel. 06 90 39 67 00) The Yellow Beach restaurant (tel. 06 90 33 88 33 / 05 90 77 15 00) who have a BBQ and Up on the Key (tel. 0690-77-35-47) There is also the island style Paradisio Gift Shop that specialises in beautiful pareos.
Pinel is often called St Martins best kept secret and has always been popular with locals. The main beach is not clothes optional. Although it is a different story if you hike (only a 5-10 minute walk) over to one of the deserted beaches. So, don't forget to take along some sneakers and snorkeling gear.
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#12 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Paradise Plaza
Marigot
~17.99 miles from Gustavia city center
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Paradise Casino in Dutch Sint Maarten has been a popular establishment on the island for some time now. Located close to several top restaurants and resorts, this St. Maarten casino is quite popular because of its on-site sports bar, which features ample seating and all of the big games. An in-house booking station allows players to bet on sporting events and races, and there are also hundreds of slot machines and gambling tables.
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#13 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Paradise Peak (Pic du Paradis)
Colombier
~18.29 miles from Gustavia city center
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Pic Paradis or Pic du Paradis (Paradise Peak in French) is the highest point in a chain of hills on the island of Saint Martin, an overseas collectivity of France located in the Caribbean, with an altitude of 424 metres (1,391 ft), making it the highest point on the island.
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#14 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Hollywood Casino
Marigot
~18.41 miles from Gustavia city center
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Although it regrettably lacks deliciously cheesy theming, Hollywood Casino does make some half-hearted stabs: "Oscar" door handles, movie stills (Pulp Fiction and Planet of the Apes), fake stars in the ceiling, klieg lights, Rodin-like statues, and a wall devoted to Marilyn Monroe. It offers a panoramic view of the bay, roulette, blackjack, stud-poker, Let It Ride, progressive jackpot bingo, 150 slot machines, bingo, and a high-tech Sports Book with nine screens broadcasting major events via satellite, plus nightly dancing on the Pelican Reef Terrace and island shows featuring Caribbean bands.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/stmaartenstmartin/N31517.html#ixzz0aCwpM2Ws
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#15 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Kim Sha Beach
Marigot
~18.47 miles from Gustavia city center
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#16 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Downtown Simpson Bay (Neighborhood)
Simpson Bay
~18.80 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to Downtown Simpson Bay
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#17 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Downtown Anse Marcel (Neighborhood)
Grand-Case
~19.28 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to Downtown Anse Marcel
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#18 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Marina Royale
Marigot
~19.31 miles from Gustavia city center
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#19 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Marigot Market
Marigot
~19.41 miles from Gustavia city center
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The market in Marigot takes place on the waterfront beneath Fort Saint Louis, in front of the new West Indies Mall. The chic mall is almost the opposite of the market women honored by the statue in the center of the open air market.
The market in Marigot starts with Anguilla fishermen arriving early in the morning on their colorful boats. They clean fish and sell them on the shore. Other shops in market stalls sell fish, meat, vegetables, and spices.
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#20 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Anse Marcel Beach
Grand-Case
~19.42 miles from Gustavia city center
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#21 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Downtown Grand Case (Neighborhood)
Grand-Case
~19.43 miles from Gustavia city center
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#22 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Fort St. Louis
Marigot
~19.50 miles from Gustavia city center
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Overlooking Marigot Bay on the leeward side of the island sits the imposing figure of Fort St. Louis, the largest historical monument in St.Martin. Named for the famous crusading king of France, it was originally built in 1767 to protect the settlement at Marigot from foreign invaders. The plans were sent over directly from Versailles at the order of the ill-fated French king, Louis XVI. Following the events of 1789, the fort was temporarily occupied by the Dutch to prevent the further spread of revolutionary democracy which had reached the island from Guadeloupe. Now, it no longer serves its former purpose, but the steep climb up to the summit provides a panoramic view of the island and the sea surrounding it, and the effort is well rewarded. The area is open 24/7 and there are signs explaining historical events.
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#23 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Mercure Beach
Simpson Bay
~20.11 miles from Gustavia city center
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#24 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Maho Beach
Simpson Bay
~20.25 miles from Gustavia city center
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Maho Beach is a beach situated in St Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles, on the Dutch side of the island. The place is known worldwide because of the Princess Juliana International Airport that is situated immediately adjacent to the beach.
Incoming air traffic is known to have to touch down as close as possible to the beginning of runway 10 due to the short runway length of 2,180 metres/7,152 ft, resulting in low-flying aircraft on their final approach over the beach. Due to these low flying airplanes (including large passenger airliners such as the Boeing 747), the location is very popular with plane spotters.
People standing on the beach may also be blown into the water because of the jet blast from aircraft taking off from runway 10. The beach can also experience semi-large waves which makes it popular with windsurfers and skimboarders. The local government warns that closely approaching departing aircraft can "result in serious injury and/or death." An additional fence has been added recently behind runway 10 to prevent irresponsible tourists from hanging on to the main fence surrounding the runway to be "blasted" by the aircraft engines' flow.
As of 2008, it is one of the few places in the world where one can view aircraft in their flightpath virtually just outside the end of the runway. Watching airplanes over the beach is such a popular activity that daily arrivals and departures airline timetables are displayed on a board in most bars and restaurants on the beach.
The beach itself is white sand and has little to no vegetation because of the jet blast erosion. The Caravanserai Resort, the popular Sunset Beach Bar and other restaurants/night clubs such as Bamboo Bernies and Bliss are located nearby.
On October 16, 2008, the Maho area of St. Maarten suffered a direct hit from Hurricane Omar and destroyed the Sunset Bar and Grill while also destroying Bamboo Bernies and Bliss. As of November 2009, Sunset Beach Bar and Grill and Bliss have both re-opened. Omar reduced the beach to boulders, and damaged the nearby Royal Islander Club La Plage which re-opened February 14, 2009.
It should be noted that runway 10/28 was originally runway 09/27 which was changed as a result of geomagnetic alterations since the original construction. This change occurred on November 1, 2008.
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#25 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Casino Royale
Simpson Bay
~20.31 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to Casino Royale
Playing is the main thing and you won't have to wait for "Lady Luck" to have a fantastic time at Casino Royale in St Maarten. Name your game and we've got it somewhere on our casino floor - and you won’t want to miss our many giveaways.
Casino Royale is the largest on the island of St Maarten, boasting 14,000 square feet of gaming. With 20 tables of gaming, you can choose from roulette (American and French), craps, baccarat, blackjack and poker (Three Card Poker, Let It Ride, Caribbean Poker and Texas Hold’em). The 450 slot machines include a variety of classics and modern video slots.
The casino also has a private "high-roller" area with the highest table limits on St Maarten.
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#26 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
American University of the Caribbean
Simpson Bay
~20.96 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to American University of the Caribbean
International institution of higher learning offering a medical education program, taught in English. Founded in 1978. http://www.aucmed.edu
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#27 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Atlantis World Casino
Simpson Bay
~21.04 miles from Gustavia city center
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#28 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Rouge Bay Beach
Simpson Bay
~21.41 miles from Gustavia city center
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#29 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Cupecoy Beach
Simpson Bay
~21.65 miles from Gustavia city center
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Cupecoy is Dutch St. Maarten's semi-official nude beach. Sandstone cliffs give Cupecoy beach a dramatic golden backdrop, unlike any other beach on the island. Protected from the wind, this beach is perfect for those who enjoy "baking" in the sun. Dipping in the Caribbean Sea often or just lying on the edge of the rolling surf is recommended. If you're wearing nothing but your birthday suit, be sure, at least, to wear plenty of sunscreen!
Lounge chairs, umbrellas, cold drinks, and sometimes a BBQ are available for your enjoyment. There are several new condominium projects being developed in the area and it is not clear how much longer Cupecoy Beach can be enjoyed in privacy.
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#30 of 30 Things To Do in Gustavia
Long Beach St. Maarten
Simpson Bay
~22.33 miles from Gustavia city center
Hotels Close to Long Beach St. Maarten
Address:
Located on the French side of the island St. Maarten/St. Martin
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