7 Best Sights in St. Martin and St. Maarten

A protected nature reserve, this kid-friendly island is a five-minute ferry ride from French Cul de Sac (about €12 per person round-trip). The ferry runs every half hour from midmorning until 4 pm. The water is clear and shallow, and the shore is sheltered. Snorkelers can swim a trail between both coasts of this pencil-shape speck in the ocean. You can rent equipment on the island. There are two restaurants, Karibuni and Yellow Beach; both offer great service, with cocktail tables in the water. Chairs and umbrellas can be rented for about €25 for two. It can get busy on Sunday. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: snorkeling; sunning; swimming.

Despite its occasional use by snorkelers, divers, kayakers, and boating enthusiasts, Little Bay isn't usually crowded. It does boast panoramic views of neighboring islands St. Eustatius (Statia) and Saba, and arriving and departing cruise ships. The beach is on the same peninsula as Fort Amsterdam and accessible via the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, and most beachgoers are hotel guests. Amenities: food and drink at the resort; parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Along this skinny stripe of a beach bordering the culinary village of Grand Case, the old-style gingerbread architecture sometimes peeps out between the bustling restaurants and boutiques. The sea is usually quite calm, and there are tons of fun lunch options from bistros to beachside grills (called lolos). Several of the restaurants rent chairs and umbrellas; some include their use for lunch patrons. The main street, nicknamed "Restaurant Row" is where some of the best restaurants on the island can be found. In between there is a bit of shopping—for beach necessities but also for handicrafts and beach couture. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

This quiet, occasionally rocky cove close to Marigot has beach grills and bars, with chaises and umbrellas, usually calm waters, and a lovely view of Anguilla. 978 Beach Lounge, open daily for lunch and (weather permitting) dinner, has a cool jazzy vibe. It's the best place to be on the full moon, with music, dancing, and a bonfire, but you can get lunch, beach chairs, and umbrellas anytime. Friar's Bay Beach Café is a French bistro on the sand, open from breakfast to sunset. To get to the beach, take National Road 7 from Marigot, go toward Grand Case to the Morne Valois hill, and turn left on the dead-end road at the sign. Note the last 200 yards of road to the beach is dirt and quite bumpy. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.

This bustling white-sand beach curves around Philipsburg just behind Front Street, making it easy to find. Here you'll find boutiques, eateries, a pleasant boardwalk, and rental chairs and umbrellas. Often busy with cruise-ship passengers, the beach is best west of Captain Hodge Pier or around Antoine Restaurant. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

Not many people know about this romantic, hidden gem. Happy Bay has powdery sand and stunning views of Anguilla. The snorkeling is also good. To get here, turn onto the rather rutted dead-end road to Baie des Péres (Friar's Bay). The beach itself, which is clothing-optional, is a 10- to 15-minute easy hike from the northernmost beach bar on Friar's Bay. Amenities: food and drink; toilets (only at adjacent Friar's Bay). Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming; walking.

A coral reef borders this quiet, naturally well-protected beach, part of the French side's nature reserve. The water is calm, clear, and quite shallow, so it's a paradise for young kids. Kiteboarders and windsurfers like the trade winds at the far end of the beach and will find the beach satisfactory if they don't need those "services." On Sunday there still may be some groups picnicking and partying, but during the week Le Galion is a rather desolate place better avoided. Amenities: parking. Best for: small children; swimming; windsurfing.