Cupecoy Beach, St. Maarten: Sandstone Cliffs and the Sunset
A beach that changes size with the season, under carved cliffs at the island's western tip.
Why Go
Cupecoy is the strangest beach on the island and the best one for a sunset. The coast here is soft sandstone, wind- and wave-carved into overhangs and small caves, and the sand at the foot of it comes and goes — some months there is a wide beach beneath the cliffs, others barely a strip. It faces west at the far end of the Dutch side, so the light in the late afternoon is the reason most people come. It is not the beach for a lazy family day: the entry is down steps, the water can be rough, and there is a real undertow.
The Experience
The area is really two things stacked together. At sea level is the beach itself, reached by steps down from the road, with the cliffs behind and pockets of sand between rock spurs — walk along and you find small separate coves rather than one continuous stretch. Above, on the clifftop, are the condominium towers and a marina complex, which is where the restaurants, the shops and most of the residents are. That gives Cupecoy an odd character for St. Maarten: a developed, slightly polished neighbourhood sitting directly on top of a wild and often deserted beach. It has a long-standing clothing-optional tradition at the quieter ends. The French border is a couple of minutes away and the airport is five, so this corner is convenient in a way its isolation does not suggest. That combination — a wild shore, a short drive to everything, and a west-facing aspect nowhere else on this coast has — is why people who know the island come back here for the last evening of a trip rather than the first.
What to Try
Come for the late afternoon and stay for the sunset, which is the single best reason to be here. Eat on the clifftop: French Cocotte and Ginger 2 are the sit-down dinners, Big Cee's Waterfront Dining and Mama Pizza Cupecoy handle the informal end, Living Room SXM and Bar Code are the evening, and Stevez Bar is the uncomplicated drink. Carrefour Express at Cupecoy is the supermarket, which matters if you are staying in one of the apartments. Explore the coves rather than settling on the first patch of sand — David's Hole and the smaller pockets along the cliff are the interesting part, and they are a short scramble apart. Baie Rouge, just over the French border, is the next beach along and worth combining. SXM Flying Dress does the photographs if that is the trip you are on.
Insider Tip
Check the sand before you commit to a beach day. Cupecoy genuinely loses and regains its beach with the season and the swell, and there are months when the pretty crescent in the photographs is simply not there. Look down from the road before carrying anything down the steps. And take the undertow seriously — this is an exposed west-facing shore with a steep entry and no lifeguard, and it is not the beach to swim at alone or after a long lunch.
The Practical Stuff
Cupecoy is about five minutes from Princess Juliana airport, ten from Maho and Simpson Bay, and a couple of minutes from the French border, which is open with no formalities. Parking is along the road above the beach and is free; the descent is by steps and is not accessible for anyone with mobility difficulties. There are no facilities on the sand at all — no shade, no shacks, no lifeguard — so bring water and an umbrella. The restaurants and shops are all on the clifftop above. Hurricane season runs roughly June to November, and this west-facing coast is exposed enough that the cliffs and the beach visibly change from year to year.
Common Questions
Is there sand at Cupecoy Beach?
Sometimes. The beach genuinely comes and goes with the season and the swell — some months there is a broad crescent under the cliffs, others barely a strip. Look down from the road before carrying your things down the steps.
Is Cupecoy a nudist beach?
It has a long-standing clothing-optional tradition, concentrated at the quieter ends and among the coves rather than across the whole beach. It is informal rather than designated.
Is Cupecoy safe for swimming?
Treat it with respect. It faces west and open water, the entry is steep, the shore break can be strong and there is a real undertow, with no lifeguard. Calm days are fine; rough ones are not, and it is not a beach to swim alone.
How do you get down to Cupecoy Beach?
By steps from the road above, where parking is free. There is no vehicle access to the sand and no accessible route down, which is part of why the beach stays quiet.
How far is Cupecoy from the airport?
About five minutes from Princess Juliana, ten from Maho and Simpson Bay, and a couple of minutes from the open French border.
Are there facilities at Cupecoy Beach?
None on the sand — no shade, no bar, no lifeguard. The restaurants, bars and the supermarket are all on the clifftop above, so bring water and shade down with you.
Pair It With
- Cupecoy Beach — The cliffs and the light, late in the day.
- French Cocotte Guide — Dinner on the clifftop after the sun goes.
- Baie Rouge beach — The next beach along, just over the border.
