St Martin to St Barth by Boat: The Complete Guide
Two islands, fourteen nautical miles of open water, and three ways across, private boat, public ferry, or small plane. This is the practical breakdown of what each one actually involves, where the boats pick up and drop off, and how to plan the crossing around a flight or a fixed return.
Three ways across the channel
Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin are separated by the Anguilla Channel, a fourteen-mile stretch of trade-wind ocean with no bridge and no tunnel. To cross between them you take a boat or you take a plane. There's nothing else. The choice usually comes down to how you arrived in the region, who you're traveling with, and how much you care about the time you lose getting there.
Most American visitors land at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in Sint Maarten before continuing to St Barth. From there: hire a private boat, take the public ferry, or fly a short hop on a small carrier. Each option fits a specific kind of traveler.
Private boat transfer
A speedboat from Cole Bay, Simpson Bay or Marigot to Gustavia runs about forty to fifty minutes depending on the vessel and the conditions. You don't share the boat, the schedule is yours, and there's no queue at a terminal. The driver picks you up at the airport or your hotel, drives ten minutes to the dock, and the captain pushes off when you're ready. Villa renters, yacht guests and families with kids end up on this route. It's the only option that goes "door to dock" without dead time. See the full route list.
Public ferry
Voyager and Great Bay Express run scheduled ferries between Marigot or Oyster Pond on the French side, Bobby's Marina on the Dutch side, and Gustavia. Two or three departures a day, around eighty minutes for the crossing, and you ride with a hundred-odd other passengers on an open-top catamaran. Tickets are roughly $90 to $120 each way plus port taxes. Around Christmas, New Year, Presidents' Week and Easter the ferries sell out, sometimes a week ahead. For a solo traveler with light luggage and no fixed schedule the ferry works. For a family of six on day one of a trip, it's a tax on your patience.
Small plane (SXM to SBH)
Winair, St Barth Commuter and Tradewind fly the SXM-to-SBH leg in 12 to 15 minutes. The descent into Rémy de Haenen Airport is one of the more memorable approaches in commercial aviation. Door-to-door, though, the plane is rarely faster than the boat: you go through a second airport on each end. Add 60 to 90 minutes for check-in, security, gate wait and walking. The luggage cap is the bigger problem, most carriers limit you to 30 to 40 pounds total per person. Anything heavier doesn't fly with you. Weather closes the SBH approach often enough in the afternoon that a same-day connection from a late inbound is a coin flip.
If you're carry-on only and your timing matches an open flight, the plane is fine. Otherwise the boat is faster and much easier.
How long does each option take, in minutes?
| Option | Crossing time | Door-to-door (typical) | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private speedboat | ~40 min | 60–90 min | On demand |
| Public ferry | ~80 min | 3–4 hours | 2–3 fixed times/day |
| Small plane (SXM–SBH) | ~12–15 min | 90 min–3 hours | Multiple daily, weather-dependent |
"Door-to-door" assumes you start at SXM airport or a Sint Maarten hotel and arrive at a Gustavia harbor villa. The plane is the fastest in the air but the slowest on the ground, because it adds two airports to your day.
Where the boat picks up on the St Martin side
St Martin is split between France (Saint-Martin) and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten). Private boat transfers can pick up at three main locations, depending on where you're staying.
Cole Bay (Dutch side), closest to SXM airport
Our primary St Martin dock is at 16 Welfare Rd, Cole Bay, on the Dutch side of the island. It's a 10-minute drive from Princess Juliana airport, about 15 minutes from Maho and Simpson Bay hotels, and the most efficient pickup point if you're arriving by air. The dock is right inside the lagoon, so the first few minutes of the crossing are flat-water before you head out into open ocean.
Simpson Bay
Simpson Bay sits next to SXM airport on the Dutch side and has its own marina with multiple slip options. If your hotel is in Simpson Bay, Princessa Heights, or the Maho area, picking up here saves 5–10 minutes of driving. Crossing time is essentially identical to Cole Bay since both are in the same lagoon system.
Marigot (French side)
Marigot is the capital of French Saint-Martin and home to the public ferry terminal. We can pick up here for guests staying at Anse Marcel, Grand Case, or any villa on the French side. Marigot pickup adds about 20–30 minutes of driving from SXM airport but keeps you on the French side for customs simplicity if you're coming from Europe.
Where the boat drops off in St Barth
Every boat from St Martin docks at Gustavia harbor on the west coast of Saint-Barthélemy. Gustavia is the only commercial port on the island. The harbor is small, calm, and surrounded by restaurants and shops. It's a 5-minute drive to most villas, 10–15 minutes to St Jean Beach hotels, and 20 minutes to villas on Pointe Milou or Toiny on the eastern side.
If you've booked door-to-dock service, our driver meets you at the Gustavia dock with a Mercedes van or Chevrolet Suburban, helps with luggage, and drives you straight to your villa. The handoff between boat and van takes 2–3 minutes.
Need a private boat from St Martin to St Barth?
Tell us your dates, group size and pickup point. We'll confirm a boat within hours.
WhatsApp usSXM airport to St Barth: connecting from a long-haul
This is the scenario most of our American guests are in. You land at SXM after a JFK or Miami or Charlotte red-eye, you've been awake too long, and you still have a crossing ahead of you. Send us your flight number when you book and we track the inbound on the same systems the airlines use, the dock pickup adjusts to your real arrival, not the printed schedule. Step outside arrivals, find the driver with your name on the sign, and you're in a Mercedes van within two minutes. Ten-minute drive to the dock at 16 Welfare Road, the captain meets you there, luggage stowed, push off. Forty to fifty minutes of crossing later you're tying up in Gustavia, where a second driver is already waiting. Total time from wheels-down at SXM to your villa front door is usually 75 to 90 minutes.
We have a separate guide that goes deeper on the airport connection, see SXM Airport to St Barth: How to Connect by Private Boat.
What to bring
Less than you might think. Sunscreen (reef-safe is required by law in St Barth) and a hat are the only items everyone forgets. The boats are partially shaded but the wind cuts the sun's warmth, which is how people get burned without noticing. Bring a light layer for the morning and evening crossings, the wind on the water is cooler than on land. Sunglasses go without saying. Bring your passport, you're crossing an international border between French and Dutch territory, and the dockside immigration check needs to see it. If you get seasick easily, take something an hour before you board, especially January through March when the long-period Atlantic swell rolls in.
Luggage on a private boat isn't an issue. The compartments fit suitcases, surfboards, foldable strollers, golf bags and the occasional small dog. On the public ferry, luggage rides loose on a back deck, one of the reasons we don't recommend it for anyone with checked bags worth caring about.
When to book
The high season runs December through April. Christmas Week, New Year's Eve and Presidents' Week are the tightest, book a week or two ahead if your dates fall in those windows. The rest of high season is generally fine with 48 hours of notice. From May through July and again in November, 24 hours is usually enough and same-day works most of the time. August through October is hurricane season, which means flexibility helps but availability is rarely the constraint, weather is.
The cancellation window if you change your mind is straightforward: a full week's notice is a 100% refund, 72 hours is 50%, 48 hours is 30%, and inside 24 hours is no refund. December 20 through January 7 carries a 20% holiday surcharge, applied at the time of booking. If we cancel for weather, you get a full refund or reschedule with no charge.
The weather, honestly
The crossing runs year-round and the vast majority of bookings go exactly as planned. The exceptions are weather-related and predictable. December through April brings 15 to 25 knot easterly trade winds, normal Caribbean conditions, the crossing is fine, the boat is splashy. January through March is when the long-period North Atlantic swell occasionally pushes 6 to 8 foot seas across the channel; captains slow down or adjust the route, and the crossing takes ten extra minutes. August through October is hurricane season, if a named storm is anywhere near the region we cancel and refund. The afternoon thunderstorms common from June through November are usually localized and the captain routes around them.
If the captain decides on the morning of your crossing that conditions aren't safe, you get a full reschedule or refund. We'd rather move you to a different day than put you on water you'd regret.
Side trip option: Anguilla
From either island we run private boat transfers to Anguilla. From St Martin, Anguilla is a 25-minute crossing to Blowing Point. From St Barth, it's a little over an hour direct. Some groups combine a same-day three-island trip: morning in St Barth, lunch in St Martin, afternoon in Anguilla, sunset back in St Barth. We have a dedicated guide on this, see Anguilla Private Boat Transfer: Routes, Times and Docks.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the boat from St Martin to St Barth?
About 40 minutes on a private speedboat from Cole Bay or Simpson Bay (Dutch side) to Gustavia. The public ferry takes about 80 minutes. The straight-line distance is roughly 14 nautical miles across the Anguilla Channel.
How much does the boat from St Martin to St Barth cost?
Public ferry tickets are sold per person, starting around $90–$120 each way. Private boat transfers are sold per boat, not per person, the rate covers the entire vessel, captain, crew, fuel and ground transport on both sides. Send us a message for a firm quote with your specific dates and group size.
Can I bring luggage on the boat?
Yes. Private boats handle luggage easily, the captain stows suitcases, golf bags, surfboards and strollers in dedicated storage. There's no weight limit beyond what the boat can carry, which in practice means whatever you'd bring on a flight.
Where does the boat drop off in St Barth?
All boats arrive at Gustavia harbor, the only port on the island. Our driver meets you at the dock with a van and drives you to your villa or hotel.
Is the boat from St Martin to St Barth safe?
Yes. The Anguilla Channel is a well-established crossing route operated daily by professional captains. If conditions are unsafe, the crossing is rescheduled or canceled, we don't put guests in genuinely rough seas.
Can I take the boat from SXM airport to St Barth on the same day I land?
Yes, this is the most popular scenario. Total time from landing at SXM to arriving at your St Barth villa is usually under 90 minutes. We track your flight and adjust pickup based on actual arrival.
Do I need a passport to cross from St Martin to St Barth?
Yes. Saint-Barthélemy and Sint Maarten are separate territories with separate immigration. You'll clear immigration on arrival in St Barth, just as you would on any international crossing.