Phillipsburg and all of St. Maarten want to be known as a "warm and friendly" place to visit. There area's economy thrives and survives on the tourism industry, so the residents and security forces here do everything they can to make sure all guests to the area remain as safe as possible during their visit.
No matter how safe the area seems, it's always a smart idea to following are some basic safety tips:
Remember to only use authorized and official taxi services. When hiring a taxi from the airport, make sure to only get inside of a taxi that is marked.
If using a scooter while on the island, remember that wearing a helmet is mandatory here. The island enforces this rule because helmets can help prevent serious injuries in case of an accident.
There is always a risk when leaving valuables in hotel rooms, so always use the hotel's safe for items of value, and do not leave cash anywhere in the room.
When shopping in town, try to use credit cards or travelers checks as often as possible. Carrying large sums of cash can be dangerous in any city, not just Phillipsburg.
The emergency services phone number for all of St. Maarten is 9-1-1, and this number can be dialed from any local phone.