Belair, St. Maarten: The Hillside Above Little Bay

Why Go

Belair is the hillside between Philipsburg and Little Bay, close enough to walk into town from parts of it and far enough up to be quiet at night. It is residential first — houses stepping down the slope, a few small businesses, no strip of any kind — with a sheltered beach at the bottom and one of the better views on the Dutch side from the top. People stay here for the combination of being near the capital and not being in it.

The Experience

The area climbs from the western end of Great Bay up over the ridge toward Little Bay and Fort Amsterdam's peninsula. The roads are steep and narrow, the houses mostly modern, and the whole thing is unremarkable to drive through and pleasant to be in. Little Bay itself is a small protected beach with the resort on it, calm enough to swim any day the rest of the island is choppy, and the path out to the ruins of Fort Amsterdam starts from that end. Above, the road over the ridge gives the panorama across Philipsburg, the salt pond and the cruise pier — the view most people photograph from a tour bus without knowing they could have driven up themselves. The trade-off of the position is straightforward: you are close enough to the capital to be there in five minutes and far enough above it that the cruise crowds, the traffic and the Front Street noise are somebody else's problem. On days when four ships are alongside, that distinction is worth a great deal more than it sounds.

What to Try

Dive, because that is what this corner is genuinely good for: Dive Sint Maarten and the operation at Pure Ocean both work from Little Bay, and the sheltered water means they go out on days the windward coast is unusable. Under SXM covers the same water differently. Eat at Mix at Oceans or the Pure Ocean beachside dining for the sit-down version, the Shack at Pure Ocean for the informal one, and Gingerbread Cafe or Granny's Galley for the everyday. The Coconut & Fresh Juice place is the morning. On the water, JBoogies Boating Tours and St Maarten Deep Sea Fishing Charters run out of this side, and the SXM Padel Club is behind the hill. Spirit of St. Maarten and the Lucky Shopping Center cover the practical errands, and Super Optician is the one to know if something breaks. The other thing worth doing from here is simply walking down into Philipsburg in the early morning, before the ships land and while the boardwalk still belongs to the town — it takes about fifteen minutes downhill and you will want a taxi back up.

Insider Tip

Walk out to Fort Amsterdam from Little Bay. The ruins sit on the peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay, the path takes about fifteen minutes from the beach, and you get the oldest Dutch fort in the Caribbean plus a view down onto both bays — for nothing, and usually alone. Go early, because there is no shade on the point and the climb is short but steep.

The Practical Stuff

Belair is about five minutes from Philipsburg, fifteen to twenty from Princess Juliana airport and ten from Cole Bay. You want a car — the hill is steep enough that walking up it in the heat is unpleasant, even though the distance into town is short. Parking is free and easy throughout. Little Bay beach is public, as all Sint Maarten beaches are, with resort facilities alongside. There is no nightlife here and few shops; Philipsburg is five minutes down the hill for the first and Cole Bay ten minutes west for the second. Hurricane season runs roughly June to November, and Little Bay's sheltered position is why boats and swimmers both favour it.

Common Questions

Where is Belair in St. Maarten?

On the hillside between Philipsburg and Little Bay, at the western end of Great Bay. It is about five minutes from the capital and fifteen to twenty from Princess Juliana airport.

Is Little Bay good for swimming?

Yes — it is small, sheltered and calm even when the rest of the coast is choppy, which is why the dive operations are based there and why it suits families.

Can you walk to Fort Amsterdam?

Yes, from Little Bay beach, in about fifteen minutes. It is the oldest Dutch fort in the Caribbean, the path is short but steep, and there is no shade on the point.

Is Belair a good place to stay?

It suits anyone who wants to be near Philipsburg without being in it — quiet at night, a sheltered beach at the bottom of the hill, and a car for everything else. There is no nightlife and few shops.

Do you need a car in Belair?

Effectively yes. The distance into Philipsburg is short but the hill is steep, and the shops and restaurants are spread between the capital and Cole Bay.

Where is the view over Philipsburg?

From the road over the ridge above Belair, looking down across the town, the salt pond and the cruise pier. It costs nothing and most visitors only ever see it from a tour bus.

Pair It With

Dive Sint Maarten Guide — Sheltered water that works when the coast does not.
The Shack at Pure Ocean Divi Little Bay — Lunch at the bottom of the hill.
JBoogies Boating Tours St. Maarten Guide — Getting on the water from the quiet side.