9 Day Activity-Packed St. Martin + Saba Itinerary
Each Caribbean island has its own unique offerings. Saba is a small island with less than 2,000 residents and is an outdoor paradise for hikers and divers. St. Martin has a European flare, amazing food, and is home to some incredible beaches. You must fly into St. Martin to get to Saba, so why not combine the two for the best of both worlds? Here’s our 9-day St. Martin + Saba itinerary to help you start planning.
* Some of the links in this post contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All recommendations are from first-hand experience that I feel will deliver value to you! Thank you for your continued support.
FOLLOW & SHARE WITH A FRIEND!
DAY 1: TRAVEL DAY TO SABA
Forget the car rental. The roads are incredibly windy. Hire a taxi. We pre-arranged a taxi with our hotel.
Dinner: After a quick check-in at the hotel, we enjoyed some delicious tacos (served only on Thursdays) at Chez Bubba Bistro. Ask Duco, the bartender, to make you one of his famous gin and tonics.
Overnight: Queen’s Hotel. Read our full review.
DAY 2: SNORKEL WITH SEA SABA
12:45 pm: After a lazy morning of sleeping in and eating breakfast, we got picked up by Sea Saba and were driven to the harbor. The boat took us out, and we snorkeled for about an hour and saw so many turtles! Back to the harbor around 3:15 pm.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
6 pm Dinner: Hideaway. Order the tuna tataki and have some local Saba Spice as a nightcap. Delicious!
Overnight: Queen’s Hotel.
DAY 3: HIKE THE SANDY CRUZ TRAIL
9:30 am: Take advantage of one of the many hiking trails coursing through Saba. Our favorite was the Sandy Cruz Trail. If you time it right, you can even see the little planes land on the short runway.
5:30 pm: Enjoy happy hour gin and tonics at the hotel’s rooftop bar.
Breakfast/Dinner: At the hotel.
6:30 pm: Book the Bird’s Nest for a truly special dinner at the hotel. You will be dining suspended in old mango trees. A very unique experience and is one of my top things to do in Saba.
Overnight: Queen’s Hotel
DAY 4: TRANSFER DAY TO ST. MARTIN
11:30 am: 12-minute flight with Winair back to Sint Maarten (SXM). There’s a French and a Dutch side to this island. Don’t miss my comparison article if you are still deciding between the two.
2 pm: Checked in at the hotel and enjoyed time in our private pool.
5 pm Dinner: Grabbed a baguette, truffle cheese, charcuterie, and some Champagne at the grocery store, Le Petit Casino, and enjoyed a relaxed dinner al fresco on our room’s deck.
Overnight: Karibuni Boutique Hotel. Read our full review.
DAY 5: PETITE CLEF + BAIE ROUGE
11 am: We took the hotel’s complimentary kayaks and headed out to Petite Clef to snorkel around the island. Fantastic morning!Â
2:30 pm: On our way to Baie Rouge Beach, we stopped at Chez Fernand for a French pastry. When the waters are calm, snorkeling from Baie Rouge Beach can be great along the rocks on the right.Â
7:30 pm Dinner: Takeout pizza from Papadan. Best pizza on the island!
Overnight: Karibuni Boutique Hotel
DAY 6: PINEL ISLAND + LA VILLA HIBISCUS
Breakfast: At the villa.
7 pm Dinner: Enjoy dinner at one of the most acclaimed restaurants on the island, La Villa Hibiscus. This is the Caribbean’s ultimate gourmet dining experience.
Overnight: Karibuni Boutique HotelÂ
DAY 7: LITTLE DIVI + PHILIPSBURG + MAHO
12 – 1 pm: We enjoyed wonderful snorkeling at Little Divi Bay Beach Resort. You can snorkel over a sunken airplane, helicopter, and submarine. A pretty unique experience.
1:30 pm: Next stop was the colorful Dutch town of Philipsburg. We stopped at Gulmohar’s and picked up some hard-to-find rum bottles.Â
2:30 pm: Maho Beach for some plane-watching. This is one of the top things to do in St. Martin, especially for first-timers. The planes literally buzz right over your head as you stand on the beach.
8 pm Dinner: Takeout from Hercule for some great local Caribbean food. Order the curry chicken.
Overnight: Karibuni Boutique Hotel
DAY 8: LE SENTIER DES FROUSSARDS HIKE
10 am – 1:30 pm: We hiked a fantastic coastal trail called Le Sentier des Froussards. Work off those rum punches!Â
6:30 Dinner: Takeout from Chez Karim for some delicious shawarmas.
Overnight: Karibuni Boutique Hotel
DAY 9: FLY BACK HOME
12:30 pm: Dropped the rental car right off at the airport.
3:30 pm: Flight back home.
Breakfast: One last fantastic breakfast at the hotel.
Lunch/Dinner: At airport lounges and plane ride.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS ST. MARTIN + SABA ITINERARY
- Beach lovers
- Snorkeling & hiking enthusiasts
- FoodiesÂ
BEST TIME TO VISIT ST. MARTIN + SABA
- Avoid June – November, which is hurricane season. Those months have more rain.
- February and March have the least amount of rainfall.
- Mid-December – April: The weather is great but airline/hotel prices are high.
ACCOMMODATIONS
- Queen’s Hotel in Saba (3 nights)
- Karibuni Boutique Hotel in St. Martin (5 nights)
AIRLINES & LOUNGES
American Airlines
- We had a layover flying into SXM at CLT and then a layover in MIA flying back. Total flight times ranged around 7 hours from the United States.
Winair
- We booked a direct 12-minute flight from SXM to Saba and back.
Airline Lounges
- MIA and CLT both have Amex Centurion Lounges, but they are quite PACKED.
CAR RENTAL & HOW TO GET AROUND
- Hire a taxi to get around Saba. The roads are very windy.
- If you want to explore St. Martin, I strongly recommend renting a car. We only use Kenny’s Car Rental. I highly recommend them.
TOUR OPERATORS
- Snorkeling tour with Sea Saba
LUNCH/DINNER RESERVATIONS
- La Villa Hibiscus. They have won multiple culinary awards. You will need to book in advance.
WHAT I WOULD HAVE CHANGED
- I would have added one more day to Saba to enjoy either more snorkeling or another hiking trail.
- St. Martin has so much more to offer. We only scratched the surface, so more days would allow for more activities. We actually went back to St. Martin for a second time (which we rarely do), and I’ll include that itinerary soon. Stay tuned.
RELATED CONTENT
Pic Paradis: Ultimate Guide to Hiking St. Martin’s Highest PeakÂ
St. Martin has several fantastic hikes across its...
Things to Do in St. Martin: 18 Reasons to Make The Island Your Next Vacation
I rarely go to the same destination twice until I...
La Villa Hibiscus in St. Martin: Review of the Caribbean’s Ultimate Gourmet Experience
You go to the Caribbean for the gorgeous beach and warmer...
Snorkeler’s Review: Top St. Martin/St. Maarten Snorkeling Sites
Alright, we can all admit it. Saint Martin is an...
Karibuni Boutique Hotel: Honest Review on What to ExpectÂ
If you landed on this page, you have likely decided to...
Sint Maarten vs. Saint Martin: Which Side of the Island is Best
Sint Maarten vs. Saint Martin … one beautiful Caribbean...
REACH OUT, FOLLOW, OR SHARE THIS POST WITH A FRIEND!
Questions about our St. Martin + Saba itinerary?
Let me know in the comments below!
0 Comments