Dawn Beach
This beach located on the east side of St. Maarten isn't named the way it is for nothing - it's the perfect place on the island to watch the sunrise. As the first blazing rays of the sun reflect off the sparkling water and begin to heat up the white sand, you'll be enjoying the views of far off St. Barths.
Perhaps unfortunately, this beach has been going through some changes of late. Development of resorts and other properties along the coast at Dawn Beach have taken away some of the former charm and feeling of it being 'off the beaten path'. The one bright side of this is that there are now some amenities and services available along the beach. Numerous bars and restaurants, located primarily towards the northern end, offer food and drinks to enhance your day in the sun.
Dawn beach is a great place to snorkel. A large coral reef just off shore hosts many fish and other mobile sea life, and of course the coral itself is a site all of it's own.