Event Dates
From: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
To: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Celebrate Carnival in the Caribbean in St Maarten and enjoy colourful parades over eight Days.
Celebrate Carnival in the Caribbean in St Maarten and enjoy colourful parades, spectacular pageants, Calypso competitions, energetic bands concerts and delicious carnival cuisine.
- Are you visiting for Carnival? Stay at the Holland House Beach Hotel located on Front Street with beach views, Caribbean decor and direct beach access.
St. Maarten / St.Martin
- Next Edition: Wednesday 16th April – Saturday 3rd May 2025 – Note most of the major celebrations and parades take place on the final weekend of the event.
- St. Maarten is the smallest island in the world, shared by two nations, France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- The island celebrates Carnival twice, once on the French side (during the traditional dates before Ash Wednesday) and once on the Dutch side in late April.
- Carnival on St. Maarten is the biggest event of the year and one of the island’s largest attractions.
The Carnival
- St. Maarten Carnival is officially the longest Carnival in the Caribbean, spanning eighteen days.
- The main Carnival events are held on and around April 30th, the birthday of the former Queen of The Netherlands.
- Highlights of the event include three spectacular parades and a bustling carnival village.
- Stay at the Belair Beach hotel, with direct access to a beautiful sandy beach and just a 10-minute ride to the Carnival celebrations.
The Carnival Village
- St. Maarten’s Carnival Village is a purpose-built giant circular enclosure featuring 80 different booths and a large stage.
- The booths transform into shops, bars and restaurants, selling handmade artisanal goods and toys.
- Sample some delicious Carnival dishes, including BBQ meats and Johnny Cakes.
- The Carnival village is located on Pond Island in the capital city, Philipsburg.
The Parades
- Awaiting dates – Enjoy a spectacular display of carnival colours, costumes and energy during the annual St. Maarten Carnival parades.
- Two carnival parades take place during the event, the Grand Carnival Parade and the second day parade, typically held on May 1st.
- The most significant event is the Grand Carnival Parade which lasts around 3 hours.
- Spectators line the seafront of Philipsburg from early afternoon, with many arriving hours earlier to grab the best viewing spot.
- The parade features an endless display of costumes, floats, steelpan bands, dancers, singers, and musicians who make their way through the capital’s streets.
Philipsburg
- Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side, Sint Maarten. The capital holds many cultural monuments, endless shopping options and excellent restaurants.
- It is also home to Great Bay Beach, one of the largest St Maarten beaches, the Philipsburg Boardwalk and Front Street, perfect for shopping and watching the Carnival parade.
Recommended Hotels in St.Maarten | St.Martin
We have chosen hotels the keep you close to the night life and restaurants on the island
Hilton Vacation Club, The Villas at Simpson Bay, Sonesta Ocean Point, Hilton Flamingo Beach
Where to stay close to all the gay bars
Our top 4 selections with the best rates.
The Villas Resort is our editors choice
when staying in St Maarten.
For further information and advice on
St Maarten Carnival Website
Saint Martin is a secluded slice of paradise on the Caribbean Sea divided in two, to the North, the French side, St. Martin and to the south, the Duth side, St.Maarten. You can drive from one end of the island to the next in as little as 30-45 minutes (without traffic), and explore the best things to do on St Maarten.
Secluded and popular nudist beach with lots of soft sand and tall dunes.
Cupecoy beach is a semi-private nude beack surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs and small shady caves on the Dutch side.
The gay section is to the right of the beach bar, close to the concrete steps.
Orient Bay (or “Baie Orientale” in French) beach is a must-see while you’re staying on the island of St. Martin with a superb collection of fine dine restaurants serving Caribbean-inspired haute cuisine in the village square.
Grand Case is a small town on the French side of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean famous for its long sandy beach, restaurants and bars.
1 Rhine Rd, Sint Maarten
Offering an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant, Sonesta Ocean Point Resort-All Inclusive is located in Maho Reef, 200 m from the sea. Free WiFi access is available in this resort.
The suites will provide you with a satellite TV, iPod dock and air conditioning. Featuring a bath or shower, private bathrooms also come with a hairdryer. You can enjoy sea view and pool view from the room. The resort offers 3 outdoor swimming pools and 8 restaurants as well.
37 Billy Folly Road, Sint Maarten
The Villas at Simpson Bay Resort & Marina has an unparalleled location in front of the shores of Simpson Bay. The hotel offers 5 outdoor swimming pools and sun terraces.
The Villas at Simpson Bay feature a spa, a casino and a marina. It also features the largest on site water sport facility on the island: Aqua Mania Adventures.
Airport Rd, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
Nestled on Simpson Bay in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, this hotel offers spacious suite-style accommodations with stunning views of the ocean, as well as a variety of enjoyable activities.
Hilton Vacation Club Royal Palm Sint Maarten features 2-bedroom suites with full kitchens, which include cookware and utensils. After a day at the beach, guests relax and watch cable TV.
6 Billy Folly Road, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
This hotel is located next to the Simpson Bay Beach. Offering a restaurant, infinity-edge pool and fully functional operational water sports and activity center, and three separate beaches. Free Wi-Fi is available in the business center, as well as free parking on site.
Every studio at the Hilton Vacation Club Flamingo Beach Sint Maarten offers a fully kitchen and a coffee maker. A balcony or terrace is also included in each studio. Select studios feature an ocean view.
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We have chosen hotels in Saint Martin that keep you close to all the shops, restaurants & bars
Highlights of the main parade