St Martin/Sint Maarten help

Will be in St Maarten/Sint Maaten two visits in the next year. I would like to not repeat what we see on either trip. The first trip will be Dec 27, 2016 on the Conquest. The next will be June 24, 2017 on the Fascination. On the first trip it looks like a total of 8 ships :eek: will be in port. We have never been to St Martin before. Would like to see the usual Maho beach one trip. Would like to see Dutch side one visit, French the other. What will be the most economical way to make use of our time? Car rental? Tour? Bus? Taxi. If car rental, should we rent on the day with 8 ships, or the day that I believe only has two?

Is Maho close to the French side and should see with the French? What stuff is to not be missed on Dutch side besides laying on a beach some where?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me. This is a lot of work planning what to do at so many ports!

Hard to respond without having more a sense of what you would enjoy seeing. I am a history nut and am happy visiting the small museums on both sides and touring the remains of forts such as Fort Amsterdam on the peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay and Fort Louis, which stands above Marigot. There is some decent snorkeling especially if you take a boat trip to get to the snorkel area - but even with snorkeling there are choices - do you want to see turtles and not much else, are the fish you see more important than looking for some decent corals and sponges?