The Island, Your Way
A Shopping Day
Two towns, two currencies, two entirely different kinds of shopping — and somewhere to leave the bags between them.
Two towns, two kinds of shopping
Philipsburg is duty-free: Front Street is a long run of jewellery, watches, electronics, liquor and perfume, plus the boardwalk one street down with the bars and the beach. It exists substantially for the cruise trade, which is both its strength and its problem.
Marigot is French. Boutiques, the waterfront market, French goods you cannot get on the Dutch side, and considerably better food. It is quieter, prettier, and the shopping is smaller-scale.
Doing both in a day works well and takes about six hours with a proper lunch in between.
The order that works
Marigot first, in the morning, while the market is on and before it gets hot. Lunch there. Then Philipsburg in the afternoon, or the reverse if you are staying on the Dutch side and want Front Street before the ships fill it.
The drive between them is about 30 minutes.
Why it is worth having a driver for this
Because of the bags, and the parking.
Philipsburg parking is limited and the streets are narrow. Marigot parking on a market morning is genuinely difficult. Both are the kind of thing that turns a pleasant morning into forty minutes of circling.
And you can leave what you have bought in the car rather than carry it around the second town. On a day where the whole point is buying things, that is not a small consideration.
Practical things
Cruise days matter. With several ships in, Front Street is shoulder to shoulder from about ten to three. Check what is in port; we will know.
Front Street is one-way and pedestrianised in parts, so drop-offs happen at the ends rather than outside the shop you want.
The French side closes for lunch more than visitors expect, and some Marigot shops shut properly in the early afternoon.
Prices are not always negotiable and the ones that are, are obvious. Nobody needs to haggle over a bottle of rum.
From a ship
Philipsburg is a genuine walk from the terminal — 25 to 30 minutes along the boardwalk — or a short water taxi across Great Bay, which most people prefer.
Marigot from the terminal is 30 minutes by road and worth the trip on a market morning. See cruise port to Marigot.
What it costs
A day block per vehicle, waiting included, with the bags in the boot between towns. See driver for a day — this one wants six hours.
Questions people actually ask
Is St. Maarten actually duty free?
Yes on the Dutch side, and it is real rather than marketing — there is no sales tax on most goods, which is why Front Street is full of jewellery, watches and electronics. Whether any given item is a bargain depends on what it costs at home.
Which currency should I bring?
US dollars work everywhere on the Dutch side and almost everywhere on the French. Euros are the official currency in Marigot and you will occasionally get a better price paying in them. Cards are widely accepted in both towns.
When is the Marigot market?
The waterfront market runs on set mornings and is much bigger on those days than the rest of the week. It is worth building the day around, because on a quiet day it is a handful of stalls.
Is Philipsburg worth it on a cruise day?
Less so. With three or four ships in, Front Street is genuinely crowded and the shops are busy. If your schedule is flexible, go on a lighter day or go early.
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Checked and updated 4 September 2026.