Choosing St. Maarten private tours around the destination
St. Maarten private tours make the destination the main decision: a local motorboat trip with beaches, lagoon and a Maho stop, a yacht outing to Anguilla, or a charter to St. Barth. These are distinct journeys with different starts, equipment and border formalities. The local outing takes four hours; the cross-island charters each list seven and a half hours. Choose the coastline you want to explore before comparing the group price.
The island itself has two administrations. Sint Maarten is the southern country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Saint-Martin is the French northern territory. A drive between them differs from a boat journey to a neighbouring island. That matters when organising the journey from your accommodation to Cul-de-Sac or Anse Marcel and preparing documents for a day abroad. The arrival and transport guide covers the road journey.
Private boat trips
Choose by group size and included equipment. Each price covers the private group.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private St. Barth boat trip
- Captain
- Snorkeling equipment
- Full open bar
Private trip for up to 8 people, priced per group.
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Private boat outing with underwater scooter
- Open bar
- Snacks
- Underwater scooter
Private outing for up to 10 people, priced per group.
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Private motorboat day trip
- A local professional captain
- A cooler box available
- Ice cubes
Private motorboat trip for up to 7 people, priced per group.
Check availability →Private boats and neighbouring islands
Choose between the local motorboat with cooler and ice, the Anguilla yacht with snacks, or the St. Barth charter with water equipment.
A private boat around St. Maarten
The local option uses a semi-rigid motorboat for up to seven people, starting in Cul-de-Sac on the French side. Its four-hour outing combines beaches, lagoon and a stop at Maho. A local professional captain is included, together with a cooler box and ice cubes. Food, drinks and towels are separate, so this suits a group that wants a shorter boat outing and is happy to bring its own refreshments. It is the motorboat choice in this comparison rather than a sailing excursion.
Maho brings the airport coastline into the route. On shore, jetblast can be life-threatening, especially during take-off; stay away from the airport fence and follow local warnings. A stop at Maho is a destination feature, not a reason to seek exposure to aircraft engines. For the differences between the island’s beach settings, use the beach guide before deciding how much of the day you want to spend on the water.
The group price recorded in November 2026 is USD 814 for up to seven people. That is the boat outing’s group price. The cooler and ice provide storage for the refreshments you bring; drinks and food remain your own arrangements. This distinction is useful for a group deciding between a shorter local trip and the longer charters with snacks supplied.
Anguilla by private yacht
The Anguilla yacht departs from the marina at Anse Marcel and lists seven and a half hours for a private group of up to ten people. Its included refreshments are an open bar and snacks, with an underwater scooter also included. The recorded group price is USD 1,900. This option suits a larger group whose priority is Anguilla and a private yacht setting rather than a short circuit of St. Maarten’s own coast.
Transport to the meeting point is separate. Build the road journey to Anse Marcel into the day, particularly when staying on the southern side. The marina departure is part of the practical difference from public Anguilla trips, which have their own departure arrangements. The Anguilla day-trip guide explains the public alternatives and the distinction between an organised outing and independent travel by ferry.
A day trip to St. Barth from Anse Marcel
The St. Barth charter also starts at Anse Marcel, with seven and a half hours listed for up to eight people. The group price is USD 2,000. A captain and fuel surcharge are included, along with snacks, a full open bar, snorkelling equipment, a paddleboard and a large floating mat. Lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off, and gratuities are separate. It fits a group choosing St. Barth specifically and wanting the listed water equipment as part of its private boat day.
The difference from the Anguilla yacht is therefore more than the destination name. St. Barth has its own entry arrangements, the capacity is smaller, and the included equipment differs. Keep the lunch arrangement in the plan even though snacks are supplied. Independent ferries provide another way to reach St. Barth from St. Martin, but they are transport services with their own check-in and entry procedures, rather than this private charter experience.
Travel documents and additional fees
Anguilla and St. Barth involve entry into another territory. Carry passports for the journey and resolve nationality-specific visa requirements before choosing a cross-border itinerary. Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy are outside the Schengen area. The open land border on St. Martin does not remove the entry conditions for an onward sea journey. Check the booking once for the documents and additional entry or port fees applicable to your selected charter.
Keep the quoted group price separate from your complete day budget. For St. Barth, lunch and the hotel journey sit outside the listed charter inclusions; for Anguilla, reaching the meeting point is separate. The local motorboat has a different arrangement, with your own drinks and food. Payments ashore also depend on location: the southern currency is XCG and the northern currency is EUR. USD are widely used, but acceptance and exchange terms depend on the business.
Private charter or a public sailing trip?
A private boat is a concrete choice of group capacity, destination and equipment. It suits people who want their party together on one of these particular itineraries. A public sailing trip can suit a solo visitor or a couple who want to join other passengers and purchase individual places. The catamaran and sailing page covers that style of outing, while the excursion overview brings the land and water choices together.
Weather remains part of a boat day whichever format you choose. December to May is the comparatively drier season, while June to November is wetter; this describes a seasonal pattern rather than the conditions on your departure. Leave room in the wider visit for land sightseeing and use current marine and official weather advice. A charter’s duration describes the listed outing, so keep transfers to its marina separate when organising the rest of your day.
Questions about your visit
How many people can join the local motorboat?
The local four-hour outing takes up to seven people. Its group price is USD 814, with a captain, cooler and ice; food and drinks are separate.
Which charter takes up to ten people?
The Anguilla yacht takes up to ten people for a listed seven and a half hours from Anse Marcel. The group price is USD 1,900, including snacks, an open bar and an underwater scooter.
What does the St. Barth group price include?
USD 2,000 covers a group of up to eight, with captain, fuel surcharge, snacks, full open bar, snorkelling equipment, paddleboard and floating mat. Lunch and hotel transfers are separate.
Are the departure points the same?
The local motorboat starts in Cul-de-Sac. The seven-and-a-half-hour Anguilla and St. Barth charters start at the marina in Anse Marcel. Road travel to the marina belongs in your day plan.