Cupecoy & Mullet Bay, Sint Maarten
Cupecoy is where the Dutch side ends: the last neighbourhood before the French border, on the island's western tip, about ten minutes from the airport. It is also where St Maarten builds upward. Cliff-top condo towers, a gated marina village and a wave of new high-rise projects have made this corner the island's condo capital — if you want a modern apartment with an ocean view and building amenities, this is where the inventory is.
Mullet Bay sits on the isthmus just east of it: a famous beach, the island's only golf course, and a large tract of land whose next chapter is one of St Maarten's most-watched stories.
Off-Plan · 2027 Ocean Blue Residence
98-residence new build on Rhine Road: studios to four-bedrooms, pool, gym, cafés and 24-hour security. Anticipated completion December 2027.
From~$380,000 View the development →The high-rise corner of the island
Most of St Maarten is low-rise. Cupecoy is the exception, and deliberately so: along Rhine Road you'll find The Cliff's twelve storeys above 100 metres of private beach, the Porto Cupecoy marina village with its shops and restaurants, and the roughly 20-storey twin towers of Fourteen at Mullet Bay next to the golf course. More is coming — several new towers are under construction between the lagoon and the coast, Ocean Blue Residence among them.
The honest flip side: this is an area that is actively being built. Some streets live next to construction sites, and that has caused real friction with residents in parts of the neighbourhood. If a specific unit interests you, we will tell you plainly what is being built around it and for how long.
Two beaches, two characters
Cupecoy Beach is the scenic one: a string of small sandy coves under golden sandstone cliffs, reached by steps cut into the rock, with caves shaped by the sea and some of the island's best sunsets. Facilities on the sand are minimal, which is part of its charm; its far western end is the island's informally clothing-optional stretch.
Mullet Bay Beach, one bay east, is widely called the most beautiful beach on the island — a long palm-backed sweep of sand flanked by the golf course, popular with residents and visitors alike, with beach bars and loungers. And its status is settled: a July 2026 court ruling confirmed that the beach belongs to the public and could never legally have been sold as private property.
Mullet Bay — the golf course and the land
The 18-hole Mullet Bay Golf Course, opened in 1971, is the island's only course. It once anchored the Mullet Bay Resort, one of the island's first large resorts, destroyed by Hurricane Luis in 1995 — the course kept playing, and the roughly 67-hectare property around it has sat mostly undeveloped since. In 2026 its owner commissioned a new masterplan for the whole area, and the eventual redevelopment of Mullet Bay is one of the biggest open questions on the Dutch side. For Cupecoy owners, what happens next door matters — it is a story we follow closely.
Who Cupecoy suits
Condo buyers who want new construction, building amenities and lock-and-leave ownership; buyers who like restaurants, casinos and nightlife within walking distance; and rental investors — the area draws both vacation renters and a steady stream of medical students from the American University of the Caribbean, whose campus is in the neighbourhood. It is not villa country, and it is not sleepy: for gated hillside calm, look at Indigo Bay instead.
Prices at Cupecoy & Mullet Bay
The spread is wide because the stock runs from student studios to super-penthouses. As a rough orientation from what local brokers currently list: studios from under $200,000 in the simpler complexes to around $310,000 in new builds, one-bedrooms from roughly $380,000 to $690,000, two-bedrooms from the mid-$400,000s to about $1 million, and three-bedrooms up to $1.75 million — with trophy penthouses well beyond that. New off-plan projects open lower: Ocean Blue starts around $380,000.
Frequently asked
Is Cupecoy on the Dutch or French side?
Dutch side — the last Dutch neighbourhood before the French Lowlands. The border crossing is minutes away and has no checks, so the French side's beaches and restaurants are effectively part of daily life here.
Is Mullet Bay Beach open to the public?
Yes. A July 2026 court ruling confirmed that Sint Maarten's beaches, Mullet Bay included, are held for public use and cannot be sold as private property.
Is there a golf course in St Maarten?
One — the 18-hole Mullet Bay Golf Course, opened in 1971, is the island's only course. It sits between Cupecoy and Maho.
Can foreigners buy property in Cupecoy?
Yes — there are no restrictions on foreign buyers on the Dutch side; the transfer runs through a notary. See our buying guide.