Sint Maarten: Fort Amsterdam Peninsula
The Dutch side also has a fort that used to protect the access to the harbor of the nearby capital city of Philipsburg. The fort sits on the far end of a narrow peninsula jutting out to sea. Access to the fort is restricted, but you can still get great views of the harbor with all the giant ships, the fort itself and the fortified walls. The fort was the first fortification built by the Dutch in the Caribbean in 1631. The fort is also known as the best place on the island to see the Sint Maarten’s national bird – the brown pelican. Really massive pelicans do their fish hunting and flying along the fort walls using air thermals.
