Dive· Sint Maarten (Dutch side)· Leeward Islands
Man of War Shoal Marine Park
17° 59.1′ N · 63° 2.9′ W
Sint Maarten's first legally protected area (2010) - 31 sq km of reefs and wrecks south of Philipsburg, including the Proselyte frigate, the Teigland and Carib Cargo wrecks and a string of moored reef sites.
Practical
Boundaries: 18°00.0'N to 17°57.0'N, 63°04.5'W to 63°01.3'W (coordinate is the centre of that box). Rules: no fishing or spearfishing anywhere in the park; no anchoring within 50 m of a mooring; do not feed, touch or take marine life; snorkelers may not use moorings. Moorings: vessels under 14 m and 30 t, one boat per mooring, max 2 hours, surface support aboard, Alpha flag flown; pass dive flags dead slow within 90 m. Private boats must register with the Nature Foundation (US$250 per vessel per calendar year, 2026) and every diver needs a dive tag bought at sintmaarten.reefsupport.org. Nature Foundation office: Fisherman's Wharf, Cole Bay, Mon-Fri 9:00 am-4:00 pm, tel +1 721-544-4267.
Best for
Wreck and reef diving off the Dutch side