Although most hotels on St. Maarten have tantalising swimming pools on their property, nothing compares to the beach and with nearly 40 stretches of sand to choose from, you can't go wrong on St. Maarten. The beaches on the Dutch side tend to be more conservative and usually cater to North American visitors, whereas the French side is considered very European with topless sunbathing and some completely nude beaches. The Atlantic coast can be breezy, while the west side of the island is usually serene.