Sunset cruise from Simpson Bay

The sunset boats board at Simpson Bay, beside the big inland lagoon that the French-Dutch border cuts across, and most head out along the coast for the sunset itself rather than circling the lagoon. The short version is about an hour and a half on a catamaran, leaving in the late afternoon, with rum punch, beer and light snacks. A longer evening trip of around three hours adds a buffet dinner and a full bar along the harbour and coast.

Shoes come off once you are aboard. The lagoon itself is sheltered water, with two small islands (Grand Ilet on the French side, Little Key on the Dutch) and protected red mangroves at Mullet Pond. It is not a place to swim, though, because runoff keeps its bacteria levels high.