Anchoring in St. Martin: Best Spots & Tips for Cruisers

Are you arriving in St. Martin / St. Maarten by boat for the first time and wondering where to go first, or where the best anchoring in St. Martin is? It can be confusing with two different countries on one island, and a lagoon with bridges to pass through to get to calm waters.

It’s easy to end up somewhere rolly or full of boat wakes if you’re not careful.

After visiting the island 4 different times on sailboats, and spending more than 5 months here over the last 4 years, we have come to know this island well.

We have favorite anchorages for various reasons. Whether you need to get boat work done, go grocery shopping, or want to relax and get away from it all, SXM has it all.

Spoiler alert: our favorite anchorage of all is Grand Case!

If you are new to sailing in the Eastern Caribbean, or if St. Martin is your next stop, this is what I wish we knew before heading here for the first time. 

I break down the pros and cons of every major anchorage, which ones we do not recommend (at least in a monohull) and let you know the best anchorages for getting boat work done, grocery provisioning, and pure relaxation.

SXM Anchoring Rules & What to Know First

Clearing Into St. Martin or St. Maarten

As soon as possible after you anchor, you’ll need to clear into St. Martin or St. Maarten:

Anchoring Fees

Anchoring Restricted Zones 🚫

Some areas have anchoring restrictions, including:

Anchoring in the Lagoon

To access the lagoon with your sailboat, you’ll need to pass through either:

Once inside, conditions are generally calm, though expect:

St. Martin Anchoring Cliff Notes:

Map of Anchorages in St. Martin

Best Anchorages in St. Martin

The French side of St. Martin offers a mix of protected bays, floating bars in anchorages (yes!) and more exposed beach anchorages that we don’t venture out to in our monohull sailboat.

Marigot Bay Anchorage

Quick Overview

Marigot Bay is one of the best anchorages in St. Martin for easy anchoring, easy access to grocery stores, restaurants, and into the lagoon. It’s an ideal first stop when arriving, especially if you want a straightforward place to anchor before exploring further.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: Available (We have never used them, and they are largely not recommended by fellow cruisers).
• Anchoring: Best option – large anchorage with plenty of space
• Depth: ~ 7-20 feet (varies; check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: E to ESE; It can become swelly with a northerly wind component

What It’s Like

Marigot Bay is a busy but practical anchorage with easy access to everything you need. 

This is our favorite first stop when we arrive in St. Martin as it’s a nice big open anchorage and close to a lot of things. You can dinghy into downtown Marigot for groceries and restaurants, or head into the lagoon to reach places like Cole Bay.

One thing we have learned is not to anchor near the (unmarked) channel that goes into the lagoon. It is heavy with tour boat traffic during the day and they create a lot of wakes.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Easy access to provisioning, restaurants, and marine stores
• Great first stop when arriving in St. Martin
• Spacious anchorage with room to maneuver

Cons:

• Longer dinghy rides to some areas inside the lagoon
• Can get swelly with northerly winds
• Not the most scenic anchorage

Things to Do Nearby

• Visit downtown Marigot (markets, bakeries, and shops)
• Hike up to Fort St. Louis for views over the bay
• Visit beach bars on Nettle Bay

Would We Anchor Here Again?

Absolutely! We’ve anchored in Marigot Bay several times and consistently find it to be one of the easiest places to drop the hook in St. Martin. There’s plenty of space, and it’s simple to arrive and depart. On our most recent visit, we discovered Bamboo Beach Bar in Nettle Bay, which is definitely worth a stop.

French Side Lagoon Anchorage

Quick Overview

The French side of the lagoon is one of the best anchorages in St. Martin for calm conditions and easy access to marine services. With flat water and protection from swell, it’s a great, and free!, option if you’re looking for a comfortable place to stay while working on your boat or provisioning. 

We also love the shorter dinghy rides from inside the Lagoon for accessing marine supply and grocery stores from inside the lagoon.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: Private mooring balls available. We have friends who have used and liked them. 
• Anchoring: Best option: south of Sandy Ground Bridge, between Mount Fortune (“Witch’s Tit”) and Explorer Island
• Depth: ~7–10 feet (can be as shallow as ~6 feet in the channel; check charts carefully and go slow)
• Wind Protection: Excellent. Very well protected inside the lagoon.

What It’s Like

The French side of the lagoon is one of the most practical places to anchor in St. Martin. It’s quieter and more protected than anchorages outside the lagoon, making it ideal for longer stays or boat projects.

There are debates about whether or not it is safe to run your watermaker in here. We never have; instead we buy water from either Ile Marine or Island Water World using our 5-gallon water jugs. However, we do have friends who do use their watermaker here.

One of my favorite features of this anchorage is how close it is to Explorer Island. It’s a tiny island in the lagoon populated by goats, chickens and iguanas. It’s a great place for dog walks and even has a small floating dinghy dock. I’ve included it on the map above.

While the anchorage area is smaller than Marigot Bay, we’ve always been able to find space to anchor here.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Free anchorage
• Flat calm water with excellent protection
• Easy access to marine stores, groceries, and restaurants
• Short dinghy rides compared to outside anchorages
• Close to Explorer Island for dog walks

Cons:

• Can get crowded
• Shallow channel (requires attention)
• Frequent airplane noise from Princess Juliana Airport

Things to Do Nearby

• Easy access to marine stores, grocery stores, and restaurants on both sides of the lagoon
• Walk your dog on Explorer Island 

Our Experience

We’ve anchored on the French side of the lagoon every time we’ve visited St. Martin by sailboat. The flat calm water and short dinghy rides make it an easy and comfortable place to stay, especially for boat projects, dog walks, and meeting up with friends.

We actually moved into the Lagoon earlier than planned in 2026 for its calm waters due to incoming weather with a large surge we noticed on PredictWind. 3 sailboats in Marigot Bay ended up on the shoreline (I believe they are still there 😔) with many other boats up all night on anchor watch that night.

Grand Case Anchorage

Quick Overview

Ooooh Grand Case!! This is one of my favorite anchorages in St. Martin. We love its smaller island town vibe… and the floating bar right in the anchorage. This is a must stop. 

We actually didn’t come to Grand Case our first year in St. Martin, and now feel like we totally missed out.

It’s a great place to anchor with family and friends visiting with their great restaurants and beautiful beaches all within easy reach.

They even have a nice centrally located (and often crowded) dinghy dock for easy access to shore.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: Daytime only mooring balls at Rocher Creole (great for snorkeling)  
• Anchoring: Large anchorage with good sandy holding
• Depth: ~10–20 feet (check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: Good in E to ESE winds; can get swelly and choppy with any northerly component

What It’s Like

Grand Case is where we go when we want to step away from boat projects and actually enjoy the island. It’s less about convenience and more about the experience with good food, beach time, and a slower pace.

There is a small beach near the Grand Case Beach Club that Mangaux loves running on for his morning outing. We love it just as much for floating around during our afternoon beach outing!

The nearest large grocery store (the biggest Super U on the island) is about a 1-mile walk or short bus ride away, but there are smaller markets and plenty of restaurants nearby, so you definitely won’t go hungry.

My favorite feature here is the floating bar, Balaou, where you can swim, float on rafts, and hang out with friends and have a drink or two.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Small town vacation vibe
• Easy beach access 
• Lots of great restaurants

Cons:

• No large grocery store within easy walking distance
• Can get choppy and swelly with northerly winds
• Not near marine supply stores if anything breaks

Things to Do Nearby

• Short sail to Tintamarre
• Float with your cocktail at Balaou
• Great snorkeling and beaches

Is This Our Favorite Anchorage?

Yes! After visiting Grand Case for the first time, we couldn’t figure out why we skipped it on our first visit here. It’s quieter than Marigot and Simpson Bay, with less tour boat traffic, a more relaxed vibe, and some of the best sunsets we’ve seen in St. Martin.

Tintamarre Anchorage

Quick Overview

Tintamarre is an uninhabited island on the French side of St. Martin and a popular stop for day trips and catamaran tours. It’s best known for its beautiful beach and clear water, but it’s more of a daytime anchorage unless you plan ahead for an overnight stay.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: Available (recommended)
• Anchoring: Not technically allowed, though some boats still do
• Depth: Varies around mooring field (check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: Limited, so it can be quite rolly depending on swell

What It’s Like

Tintamarre is stunning, tucked-away anchorage. However, it is not quiet. It gets busy during the day with tour boats and charter cats coming over from St. Martin and St. Barth’s. 

The water is amazingly crystal clear and the beautiful beach is one of the nicest in the area, which is why so many tours stop here. 

Unfortunately, the anchorage can be surprisingly rolly when the swell wraps around the island. The day we were there, it was so rolly that we spent our entire time on the beach, then headed back to Grand Case late afternoon.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Beautiful, clear water and long sandy beach
• Easy to access from Grand Case
• Mooring balls available

Cons:

• Can be very rolly with limited protection from swell
• Busy with tour boats during the day
• Limited shade on the beach

Things to Do Nearby

• Dinghy to shore and spend the day at the beach
• Snorkeling in clear water
• No facilities (no restaurants, groceries, or services)

Is it Worth It?

We came over in the morning from Grand Case, grabbed a mooring ball, and spent the entire day at the beach. As I mentioned, it was really rolly on the boat, so we didn’t spend much time onboard, but the beach made it worth it. We headed back to Grand Case in the late afternoon rather than staying overnight.

Orient Bay Anchorage

Quick Overview

Orient Bay is one of the most popular beaches on the French side of St. Martin, but it’s not somewhere we’d choose to anchor our monohull. While you’ll often see a few boats anchored here, the bay is exposed and can get uncomfortably rolly.

If you’re coming to the beach, we’d recommend arriving by car, taxi, or bus instead.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: None
• Anchoring: Sandy bottom
• Depth: Varies (check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: Very limited; exposed to swell 

What It’s Like

Orient Bay is famous for its long white sand beach, beach bars, restaurants, and watersports. It’s a fantastic place to spend the day ashore, but the anchorage itself doesn’t offer much protection.

Most of the boats we’ve seen here appeared to be making a short daytime stop rather than staying overnight. If the swell picks up, it can quickly become an uncomfortable place to be.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Beautiful beach
• Lots of restaurants and beach bars
• Great for swimming and watersports

Cons:

• Very exposed anchorage
• Can become rolly quickly
• Not somewhere we’d choose to spend the night

Things to Do Nearby

• Spend the day on Orient Bay Beach
• Enjoy the beach clubs and restaurants
• Try paddleboarding, kiteboarding, or other watersports

Our Take?

We’ve visited Orient Bay several times by land and absolutely understand why it’s one of the island’s most popular beaches. 

The water is beautiful and there’s always plenty going on. However, every time we’ve looked out at the boats anchored offshore, we’ve been glad we weren’t one of them. 

We decided not to take our monohull here as there are far more comfortable places to anchor around St. Martin. 

Best Anchorages in St. Maarten (Dutch Side)

We like anchoring on the Dutch side of St. Maarten (yes, even with the fees) for ease of access to their well-stocked and many marine parts stores. They have the best burgers on the island (at Tap & Still) too.

Simpson Bay Anchorage

Quick Overview

Simpson Bay is a convenient anchorage on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, especially if you’re waiting to transit the Simpson Bay Bridge or want quick access to Customs & Immigration after arriving. 

While it’s close to restaurants, grocery stores, and marinas, it’s also one of the rolly anchorages on the island, so we prefer either Marigot Bay or heading through the bridge into the lagoon.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: There are mooring balls for the local boats, however, there are no transient balls available to my knowledge
• Anchoring: Large anchorage with sandy holding
• Depth: ~10–20 feet (check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: Limited; can become rolly with swell

What It’s Like

Simpson Bay sits just outside the Simpson Bay Bridge, on the southwest side of the island, making it a popular first stop for boats arriving on the Dutch side. It’s an easy place to anchor while waiting for a bridge opening or completing customs clearance, which is right next to the bridge.

Because it’s exposed to swell, though, many cruisers only stay here for a night or two before moving into the lagoon or over to Marigot Bay.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Convenient for clearing into St. Maarten
• Close to restaurants, grocery stores, and marinas
• Great beach and beach bars
• Easy access to the Simpson Bay Bridge

Cons:

• Can be quite rolly
• Busy with boat traffic
• Many cruisers move elsewhere after arriving

Things to Do Nearby

• Explore Simpson Bay restaurants and bars
• Stock up at nearby grocery stores
• Check in with Customs and Immigration

Do We Anchor Here?

No, we’ve never anchored in Simpson Bay ourselves, but we’ve passed through the anchorage several times on our way into and out of the lagoon. Friends of ours have stayed here in both a catamaran and a monohull, and both eventually moved fairly quickly: one to Marigot Bay and the other through the bridge into the lagoon. They found the anchorage too rolly for a comfortable stay.

If you’re waiting for the bridge, or planning a short stop, Simpson Bay makes sense. For anything longer, we personally choose one of the more protected anchorages around the island.

Dutch Side Lagoon Anchorage

Quick Overview

The Dutch side of Simpson Bay Lagoon offers the same flat calm water as the French side, but with easy access to the marine businesses, chandleries, boatyards, and restaurants around Simpson Bay and Cole Bay.

If your to-do list includes boat projects, repairs, or provisioning, this is one of the most convenient places to anchor in St. Maarten. 

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: Private moorings throughout the lagoon. We used one just off the docks of Lagoon Marina, and saw 0.0 feet under our keel! 😯Watch out for depths.
• Anchoring: Several designated anchoring areas (check current charts before anchoring and avoid being in front of the airport runway)
• Depth: Generally 8–15 feet (varies by location)
• Wind Protection: Excellent. Flat calm conditions inside the lagoon.

What It’s Like

The Dutch side of the lagoon feels a little busier than the French side, with marinas, boatyards, sail lofts, marine stores, and restaurants lining the shoreline. 

It isn’t the prettiest anchorage on the island, but if you need to stock up on boat parts or tackle a few maintenance projects, you’ll probably appreciate being close to everything.

We anchored here before and after getting hauled out in Cole Bay for some repair work. It was nice not to deal with bridge schedules on haul out and splash days.

One big advantage of the Dutch side is accessibility. While the French side is reached through the Sandy Ground Bridge, which only opens twice a day, it is about 30 feet wide, and has a shallow channel leading to the anchorage. 

The Dutch side is much easier to reach. If you’re sailing a wider catamaran or a deeper-draft boat, entering through the Simpson Bay Bridge and continuing under the Causeway Bridge is often the less stressful option.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Excellent protection from wind and swell
• Easy access to marine stores, boatyards, and repair services
• Close to grocery stores and restaurants
• Easier access for wider catamarans and deeper-draft boats

Cons:

• Anchoring fees
• Busier than the French side of the lagoon
• More commercial and industrial feel
• More dinghy and commercial boat traffic

Things to Do Nearby

• Stock up on boat parts at Budget Marine, Island Water World, and other marine suppliers
• Walk to grocery stores and restaurants around Simpson Bay and Cole Bay
• Go to Kim Sha beach
• Visit the bars and restaurants along the waterfront

Would We Anchor Here Again?

We would, if we needed to be close to the Dutch-side services. Otherwise, we would move to the French side of the lagoon where it is free.

We’ve spent plenty of time here by dinghy visiting friends, shopping for boat parts, and working on projects, and there’s no denying how convenient it is. 

Now, if we were cruising on a larger catamaran or a deeper-draft boat, I could see us spending more time on the Dutch side. The approach through Simpson Bay Bridge is much less intimidating than squeezing through Sandy Ground Bridge, and you avoid the shallow entrance channel on the French side altogether.

Great Bay / Philipsburg Anchorage

Quick Overview

Great Bay is a convenient anchorage on the Dutch side of St. Maarten if you want easy access to downtown, be near the cruise ship facilities, or you are having boat work done at Bobby’s Marina. While it’s a practical stop for provisioning or boat work, it’s also one of the busiest and most exposed anchorages on the island. We haven’t anchored here ourselves on our monohull, as we’ve always anchored somewhere more protected and less rolly.

Anchoring Details

• Mooring Balls: None
• Anchoring: Large anchorage with generally good holding
• Depth: ~10–20 feet (check charts on approach)
• Wind Protection: Limited. Exposed to swell, particularly with southerly conditions.

What It’s Like

Philipsburg is the heart of the cruise ship industry in St. Maarten. On cruise ship days, the waterfront comes alive with thousands of visitors, shops, restaurants, and tour operators. It’s a fun place to check out if you’re looking for duty-free shopping or a lively downtown atmosphere.

The anchorage itself, however, is much more exposed than others around the island. Because it’s open to swell, many cruisers only stop here if they have a specific reason, such as visiting town, arranging boat work, or waiting for weather.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Easy access to downtown Philipsburg
• Close to grocery stores, restaurants, and shopping
• Convenient if you’re using Bobby’s Marina or nearby boat services

Cons:

• Can be very rolly
• Busy cruise ship and tourist area
• Little protection from swell
• Harbor fees apply on the Dutch side

Things to Do Nearby

• Explore downtown Philipsburg
• Shop along Front Street
• Relax on Great Bay Beach
• Visit Bobby’s Marina and nearby marine services

Would We Anchor Here?

Probably not, even in a catamaran.

We’ve visited Philipsburg several times by land and have enjoyed walking around town, but it’s not somewhere we’d choose to anchor our boat. Between the cruise ship traffic and the exposed conditions, there are simply more comfortable and cruiser-friendly places to stay around St. Martin.

When to Choose a Marina in St. Maarten Instead?

While we generally prefer anchoring in St. Martin, there are times when staying in a marina simply makes more sense.

If you’re leaving your boat to go out of town, tackling major boat projects, hauling out, or have crew flying in and out, a marina can make life much easier. Having shore power, water, and secure docks is hard to beat when you’re not just out enjoying the island.

During our time in St. Martin, we stayed at Lagoon Marina and hauled our boat at IMM Boatyard, both in Cole Bay. There are several marinas and boatyards around Simpson Bay Lagoon, each with their own advantages depending on whether you’re looking for a short stay or more extensive repairs.

If you’re trying to decide between anchoring and staying in a marina, here are a few general guidelines:

Where Should You Anchor in St. Martin (Best Spots by Situation)

If someone asked us where we’d spend a month anchoring in St. Martin, we’d probably split our time between the French side of the lagoon and/or Marigot Bay for boat projects and access to French grocery stores and bakeries, and Grand Case when we enjoy beach outings, swimming and just relaxing.

We enjoy sailing to St. Martin each year, hopping around to different anchorages and being able to find boat parts to fix the inevitable things that have broken during the cruising season. I love that you can get easy access to boat parts and provisioning within the lagoon, then sail to Grand Case and relax and unwind, all on one island.

Articles Related to Sailing in St. Martin / St. Maarten

• Sailing to St. Martin: A Complete Guide for Cruisers
• Clearing Into St. Maarten by Boat: Customs, Fees and What to Expect for Both Sides
• How to Get Around in St. Maarten
• Entering Simpson Bay Lagoon: Bridges, Fees and What to Expect
• Anchoring in St. Martin: Best Spots & Tips for Cruisers
• Grocery Stores in St. Martin: A Complete Shopping Guide