Philipsburg: What Is Actually There

The shape of the town

Philipsburg sits on a narrow strip between Great Bay and the salt pond behind it, which is why it is essentially two long streets.

Front Street is the shopping — duty-free jewellery, watches, electronics, liquor and perfume, running the length of the town. Back Street behind it is more local and less polished.

The boardwalk runs along Great Bay beach, one street down from Front Street, with bars and restaurants facing the water and chairs on the sand.

That is the town. It takes an hour to walk properly and rather longer to shop.

The salt pond

The Great Salt Pond behind the town is the reason Philipsburg exists at all.

Salt was the island's industry for two centuries before tourism, and the town grew on the strip between the pond and the sea to work it. It is worth knowing while you are walking down a street of jewellers — this was a working salt town far longer than it has been anything else.

Cruise days change everything

This is the single most useful thing to know.

With three or four ships in, Front Street is packed from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, the shops are busy, the boardwalk restaurants have queues, and the beach chairs go early.

With one ship or none, it is a quiet, pleasant, slightly faded Caribbean town where you can walk down the middle of the street.

If your schedule is flexible, check what is in port. We will know, and it genuinely changes whether this is a good day out.

Getting there from a ship

The terminal is at Pointe Blanche, about 10 minutes by road.

Walk the boardwalk in 25 to 30 minutes, which is pleasant in the morning and hot at midday. Water taxi across Great Bay in a few minutes for a small fare, which is what most people do and is the better option.

By car if you are combining it with somewhere else, though for Philipsburg alone the water taxi is easier.

Great Bay beach

The beach along the boardwalk is perfectly good — sand, calm water, chairs and umbrellas for hire, and every bar in the town a few steps behind you.

It is not the best beach on the island and it does not pretend to be. What it is, is the easiest: no drive, no parking, and a restaurant whenever you want one. On a short port call that combination is hard to beat.

Practical

Currency — US dollars everywhere. Cards widely accepted.

Parking is limited and the streets are narrow. If you are driving in, expect to park at the edges and walk.

Front Street is partly pedestrianised, so drop-offs happen at the ends.

Lunch is better one street down on the boardwalk than on Front Street, and better again in Marigot if you have the time to get there.

The alternative

If what you want is a town to wander rather than duty-free shopping, Marigot on the French side is the better one — quieter, prettier and with considerably better food. It is 30 minutes away.