Dawn Beach on Sint Maarten, a perfect beach for snorkeling and relaxing

Vacation rentals in St Martin and St Maarten, located at many areas of the island: Orient Bay, Dawn Beach, Pelican Key, Cupecoy and others

Hillside view of Dawn Beach taken from the hill above the Westin

Dawn Beach from
above the Westin

Dawn Beach: a well serviced, fine beach on St. Maarten

Dawn Beach is a fine beach of sugar white powdery sand facing the East side of Sint Maarten. The name says it all: early risers may enjoy spectacular views of sunrise with St. Barth's in the distance.
This beach has become quite popular in the recent years, for its pristine white sand beach and also for facilities provided, such as beach chairs, umbrellas, snorkeling gear, bar and restaurant services. The best known spot here is actually Mr. Busby's on Dawn Beach

Accommodation tips and rentals click!

This beach is perfect for beach strolling, R & R and/or a picnic lunch. If you don´t want to bring food and drinks along with you, have a walk to Mr. Busby's, right on the beach, see restaurant section, or walk over to the waterfront restaurant at Oyster Bay Resort. Or drive to the nearby restaurants on Oyster Pond, for example to Captain Oliver's for a casual lunch.

Snorkeling is absolutely incredible. The coral reef is a bit off the shore, so you'll have first to swim to get to the best snorkeling spots. The surf can sometimes be a little challenging, so for very young children or toddlers Dawn Beach is not always an ideal beach. It all depends on the weather!

Quiet times on beautiful Dawn Beach
Quiet stroll on
pristine Dawn Beach

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beach map

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Beaches on St Maarten/St Martin

Beach Life in
St Maarten/
St Martin

Spectacular sunrise at Dawn Beach
Views of sunrise are
spectacular on Dawn Beach!

Vacation rentals
on Dawn Beach

Hope Cottage, a perfect
getaway for a couple!

The Stone House is at an
easy walk from Dawn Beach!

Villa Prana, luxury villa on
Dawn Beach near the Westin

Overlook Dawn Beach
from Villa Beach Daze

Villa Leones, a secluded
retreat for 2 people. Panoramic
view of Dawn Beach!

Villa Locator Map

With the construction of The Westin in 2005, Dawn Beach started to catch up with other popular beaches, such as Orient Bay. The beach got much more developed since and underwent some significant changes.
Before, it was a secluded, quiet and lightly serviced beach. Now, beach condo projects and other developments popped up, and the beach lost a bit of its seclusion and laid back atmosphere. However, it all depends where you are at the beach. More to the middle of the bay, you can still enjoy fabulous views over to St Barth's, and a quiet spot on the powdery white sand, see here:

Beautiful Dawn Beach with fantastic views of St. Barths in the background
Dawn Beach is still a beautiful beach,
if you go to the middle of the bay!

Despite the huge complex of The Westin at the southern end, the beach section near Mr. Busby's and Oyster Bay Resort are still just beautiful!

Hillside View of Dawn Beach and The Oyster Bay Resort
Hillside View: Dawn Beach and Coral Beach Club

Keep in mind that beaches are public on St. Maarten. So you can leave your car at the parking areas near Mr. Busby's or at Oyster Bay Resort, or drive into the parking garage at the Westin and walk the few yards to the beach from there.

Entrance of Dawn Beach at the turn to Coral
Beach Club, Oyster Bay Resort and Mr. Busby

Dawn Beach is a a great spot for snorkeling, although you have to swim a bit off shore to get to the best sites. What's also wonderful on Dawn Beach is its fantastic direct view of the remarkable, hilly skyline of St. Barth's, which is always in the background.

View when you walk to the beach at Mr. Busby's

It has become a little harder to get to this fine beach. Not because the road that leads up and over the hills to the coast is a bit bumpy and windy, but new developments such as The Westin or Coral Beach Club make it more difficult to see where to access the beach.

The beach at The Westin, view to Oyster Bay Resort
The beach at The Westin, view to Oyster Bay Resort

At the Southern end of Dawn Beach, the vast building of the Westin Hotel and Casino opened doors at Christmas 2006. Since beaches have to remain publicly accessible on St. Maarten, you can access the beach in front of the hotel through the Westin hotel and from the Northeastern beach side!

The cave at the Eastern end of Bay Rouge
View towards the Westin Resort

View of Coral Beach Club, location of Villa Triton,