Travelers recommend Sunset Beach Bar for the best views. Good to know, ya know.). The taxis on (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The island of six, our family of six would stay a week at. We had a good but slightly expensive meal at the Rainbow restaurant with fantastic views. You can choose to go parasailing, jet skiing, on water . Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. Fondly known as the Friendly Island, St Maarten is unique in that it is the smallest landmass divided between two nations in the world. No. Our cruise came in late in the day and Shore Excursioneer worked with our schedule to arrange a late excursion. Just taking a walk to look at the incredible yachts docked here would be fun. We've done a lot of ship based excursions but this was the best. Port Philipsburg (locode ANPHI) is the country's principal port and largest city, with population around 2,000. Gale from Georgia. And the area directly in the path to the runway was naturally where people gravitated towards; everyone needs the money shot of themselves with an airplane zooming low behind. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88316489', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise port to go to Maho beach. I had 6 port stops on this cruise, and this was by far the worst of the tours we took. you can check the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? However with ideal conditions it would be a very nice place to relax. Visitors who take a 20-minute hike from Cole Bay Hill will reach Cove Bay, located between Cole Bay and Little Bay. . Otherwise, look for signs at the mall pointing toward the $5 water taxi. . Still plenty of evidence of devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017. My teenage son loves airplanes so we are going to see the planes. Following pick-up from the cruise port at Philipsburg, transfer to Orient Beach to discover the longest beach in St. Maarten. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because they sent another driver (although they blamed me for being late- which was not the case). Note that the beaches are not wheelchair accessible due to the sand. Nassau is a beach-lover's dream port, with options for every kind of toes-in-the-sand experiencefrom a walk-to beach to one curated specifically for tourists. Im not impressed, it doesnt present itself as somewhere Id like to return to. A security guard happened to ask us if we needed help and gave us new directions, otherwise we would have missed our tour. One of the most exhilarating tours in St. Maarten. I also just read about the city bus, so we might do that unless you advise against it. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded. If you want to go with a regular taxi, what the ride to intake around 15 minutes from the port to the beach along the Lagoon Highway. Simpson Bay Beach is a long half-moon of white sand located by a fishing village. I always do my own thing on islands and have agreat time. The beach is great for swimming but at times can be rough so definitely one has to be cautious with children. The best beach near the St. Maarten cruise port is just a quick walk or taxi ride away. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features. The only construction I see on the island is the resort hotel being built next to the Casino on Maho Beach. Know that the waves are strong here too. This island is an extremely popular stopping point for cruise ships, and whenever we ported here there were at least three other ships parked up at the same time, although none of them were anywhere near full capacity. It is able to dock seven cruise ships at one time. If you would rather walk there, it's only a 15-minute walk down the boardwalk, and you can enjoy music and some local bars and restaurants along the way. Punctual pick up, good beach afternoon seeing planes overhead at Maho beach. Vote. :), You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. The island only has one major road. House of religious articles Both beaches were great and we can scratch Maho off our bucket list. I was a little too close to the water, however, and got completely drenched by an incoming wave. One price ($7) will do you for the day and you'll get a great view of the harbor. We would love to go back and do this again. Numerous restaurants line the boardwalk; many more restaurants plus plenty of shopping lie only one block over on Philipsburgs popular Front Street. Back on the van, more rum punch, and were off to the Dutch side again. Taxis may not be waiting on your return, but your friendly local Maho beach bar (I would highly recommend Guy's) should be able to call one for you. Travel by water taxi is about 5 minutes and via taxi (car) about 8 minutes via Walter A Nisbeth Road. Complimentary refreshments are included! It lies right in from of the city of Philipsburg. Air-conditioned, fully licensed, and insured transportation! Required fields are marked *. Its longer and broader than Great Bay Beach. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Can you take a water taxi to Maho Beach from cruise port? The Caribe's helped too! Want more tales from the Caribbean? A five-hour shore excursion with transportation to Orient Bay and Maho Beach will start at $40 per person. p.s. Bonaire, but at this point I just wanted to have something solid that I didn't have to worry about, so I booked a water taxi through the cruise line. Our entire family seemed to get an endless supply of pop, water and beer on this tour. Drenched, full of sand, I was laughing as Tom helped me back up. Located about 20 minutes by taxi from the cruise terminal, this white sand beach is surrounded by lush green landscape. . . :), I just rent a car, stay for awhile then off for some exploding. . CONTACT US. . . The Orient beach was gorgeous! You didn't ask, but I would only go to Maho beach if I really wanted to see airplanes. Thanks so much. There is only the water taxi to Philipsburg. Taxi Service and Tours in St.Martin - St.Maarten. Rick, our driver and guide, was very informative and had a good sense of humour, pointing out places of interest and explaining the history behind them as well as the history of the island. We had a group of 6 and everyone enjoyed it. It takes about 20 minutes to arrive at this location. . Your local operator has your booking noted. By Staying Focused, January 14, 2018 in St. Martin/St. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-111089564', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St Martin are independent operators who generally are very friendly and professional. The sun was scorching hot and getting into the cool water melted away the crazy sweaty energy of the beach bar. How to: Ferry To St. John from Cruise Ship Docks (St. Thomas) Direction: St. Thomas to St. John # 1: Choose a Departure Time There are two ferry routes that connect St. Thomas and St. John. The city is dirty, messy, hot & humid, and this is January. What Are The Pros & Cons of Living In Curacao, What Are The Pros & Cons of Living In Bonaire, Living In Aruba (Pros & Cons Fully Explained), Living In St Eustatius ( Pros & Cons Fully Explained), Living In St Maarten (Pros & Cons Fully Explained), Living In Saba Island (Pros & Cons Fully Explained), St Maarten Vs St Martin (Which Is Better For A Vacation), St Thomas vs St Maarten ( Which Island Is Better To Visit). The very handsome french pharmacist asks about his symptoms and gives me a box of liquid packets. This is your ticket to the beach and back; the taxi will drop you in the car park close to Maho Beach, and taxi vans regularly take passengers back from the exact same spot. As they were taking us over, they mentioned that you could walk about 10 minutes to this point on the beach that was marked with an orange marker, and then drift snorkel back to the drop off point. Tom is getting sicker, and Im out of Mucinex. . A good trip and great value. Pic Paradis (Peak Paradise) Tours & Tickets, Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Spots in St. Maarten, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort Tours & Tickets. (At the end nearest the car park is also, FYI, a public bathroom. We want to watch the planes land at Maho Beach. . Can you take a water taxi to Maho Beach from cruise port? Maho Beach is usually a favorite of visitors to the island and it is a tiny beach. (There are 6 cruise ships docked in St. Maarten today.) You want to cancel at any time, for any reason, before or after your arrival. Thank you SOOOOO much for the great information. Air-conditioned, fully licensed, and insured transportation, Round-trip transportation from your cruise ship terminal, Bilingual certified local excursion guides, narrated, Complimentary refreshments - 1 (water, soft drinks, beer, and Guavaberry liqueur), Return to cruise port (with optional drop-off in Philipsburg or Marigot, downtown is about a 15-minute walk back to the pier or 4 minutes by water taxi, p/p $7.00usd cost is not included), Drivers and guides are trained in first aid. Late afternoon traffic can be a complete gridlock going thru Simpson Bay. Special Event: Q&A with Rudi Schreiner, President, Co-Founder & Co-Owner - AmaWaterways River Cruises, Q&A with Avoya Travel: Learn How to Turn Your Passion into Success by Becoming an Independent Travel Advisor. I searched first but didnt find anything specifically on this. Powered by Invision Community. See the famous plane spotting at Maho Beach! Second, our guide must have been filling in since it was so busy, because although he was very nice, he sometimes was kind of guessing throughout the day. Remember especially if you are traveling via taxi or bus to give yourself ample time to get to your cruise ship. Please arrive with a printed copy of your eticket or digital copy if applicable. Any tours of the island for those spending a day? The driver was informative, fun and very accommodating to our needs. In this post we will explore the top 5 beaches to visit if you are in St Maarten on a cruise. That first driver was pleasant and very knowledgeable but we weren't with him for long. Anyone with an interest in diving might consider either Little Bay or Kim Sha beaches. Orient Beach was not as grand as we were hoping. I would then like to walk to a beach. Some people go as part of their private tour. This area Id return to, the beach, the hotels, and many restaurants offer lots to do. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. . It is larger than Maho beach and it a good option for beginner snorkeling as you can see fishes near the shoreline. English-speaking certified driver and guide! Im thinking they should at least sink the boats it could eventually become a good snorkel spot? Two kids parasailed for $80.00 (not sure if that's good or not, they just wanted to try it). The Airplane Beach in St Maarten is not what I was expecting. The resort is located about 25 minutes from your cruise port. $341 - $620. I would not do the bus if you have limited time available. Unlike the not-so-long-ago days of haggling a price with your taxi driver, prices are set, and after paying for your return taxi, youll be given a wrist band in the style of a package holiday. The idea of renting a car puts an entirely different perspective on your visit. Its small. The water taxis stop at a few beaches and popular downtown areas. Recommended Posts. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent and local foods can be found at Rosies Snack Bar. About $20-30 per person. As a result, it is hugely popular with visitors taking photos and videos. Thanks very much for all the helpful tips. Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of. St Maartens cruise port is in the capital city- Philipsburg which has space for a whole load of cruise ships to dock at once. Maho Beach. He was knowledgeable about both parts of the island. My impression of the island overall is better now that Ive seen it all. Spot the rabelo boats on the r, I tried to make a post with a tonne of pictures bu. . Alternatively, there are water taxis available from the cruise terminal for only USD$7 round trip. They are also used as methods of touring the island, these water taxis stop at nearby beaches and near popular shopping centers. First timer - want to rent a large villa - so many questions. :). . Fancy schmancy train station filled with all the a, Over the rooftops I'm definitely not sure that's what I want to do. Panama City, Panama. We really need to evaluate our plan for St. Maarten. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! You can hang out at the beach or sit at the restaurant. From town a water taxi makes a quick journey back to the ship for a small fee. I had the pleasure of going on this tour last week (July 5, 2016) while on my cruise vacation with RCCL. The tour took longer than expected but was still able to get to the ship on time. Fun way to see both the Dutch and French sides of the Island. The beach isnt very wide, and today its completely full. . Maarten Followers Staying Focused 134 December 28, 2014 #1 Posted January 14, 2018 I'm was told about a. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. We drive through Phillipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side of the island. . Get forecasts each morning for every major island. Currency and use of debit cards on the Dutch side? Great Bay Beach is the closest beach to the cruise terminal in St Maarten. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. From light lunches to classics like seafood terrine and lobster thermidor, Antoine's offers outdoor . You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. I got bored and went into the casino where he parked and won his tip. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84536363', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Renting a car is usually much cheaper and it's what we would do. Please advise in advance if any guests have collapsible wheelchairs or walkers so transportation can be arranged. Great day. The sky might have been blue by then, but the sea was ragingly choppy and the tide swept me off my feet several times before I could even think about getting further out into the water. St Maarten is a beautiful island and we saw some spectacular panoramic views. Mullet Bay looks the closest but I have heard it is easier to get a return taxi to the cruise port from Maho. Option 1 - Water Taxi If you only have one day in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, there are several options to get to Great Bay Beach, but a Water Taxi is the easiest. I will be traveling alone and was concerned about the cost of a taxi round trip. Read on for further details about St Maartens beautiful beaches with contributions from a native of the island. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! We rented a jet ski and had a great time on it. More rum punch and we were back on our way through Simpson Bay. The bus must have been designed for school kids because it was very cramped. Saw your question and wondered if you found where to take a bus to Maho? . Supposedly they provide a hot dog type lunch. Maho Beach in St. Maarten - A Must See Beaches Getting To Maho Beach From The Cruise Port As such there is little vegetation. The tours was amazing. I guess its the American in me that expects this should be at least in the process of being cleaned up but I dont see any work being done. Does anyone know about this and what it may be called? Otherwise, look for signs at the mall pointing toward the $5 water taxi. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Guests will be at Maho Beach in time to see the planes come in for a landing. We love to swim there after the cruisers are gone! Anyone who walks around the Philipsburg waterfront won't find much else to see other than the beach, boardwalk, shops and restaurants. He would to top a house and say "this is a nice house", "thus is a funeral home", "this is horses next to water". There is a snorkeling day with Sougoula Tours I went on last month and we boated to the same spot and saw a KLM flight land at the end of our beach tour (which was great BTW). Orient Bay is a fairly quick drive by taxi, rental car or excursion bus from Philipsburg. | 0 comments What Is the Best Currency For St MaartenLiving In The Caribbean (Pros & Cons Fully Explained) You may also likeLeave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. The place where we stopped charged $10 for 2 chairs and an umbrella but everyone received a complimentary drink. The taxi drivers wouldn't take us until we had more people in the taxi van so we waited FOREVER until a few people who also wanted to go to 7 Mile Beach came along. BTW, for what it is worth, the beach is just fine. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88317462', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise ship pier. A certified PADI dive shop is located at the center of the beach. Wish our guide gave more information about the wonderful island. Stop: 4 hours. We drove around the entire island with stops at various lookup points, with stops on Orient Beach and Maho Beach. Does anyone know how long the drive to Maho Beach in St. Maarten is from the cruise port? . We were on the fence about it but I'm convinced a taxi is the way to go. This is a popular spot to catch great views of Simpson Bay. Maarten. Maho beach was everything it was advertised with the planes. Another One Day Trip Report with Pictures Apr 26, 2023. That was very silly of me. You should be able to walk it in 20 minutes or so, if so inclined. It will cost around $6 per person. Easy to do.:). Our driver was a perfect '10'. Our tour guide was fun, informative and friendly. Which beaches have the least chance of seaweed? The waves are too strong here for snorkeling, so eventually we got bored and went elsewhere. The only thing that separates the beach from the runway is a narrow tarmac road and a wire fence, on which signs are tacked, warning people to stay back because of blasts from the jets. The island was discovered by the Europeans in the . Will they not want to give us a ride? The price for an entire day is $7 per person at the time of this writing. Thanks! Would anyone happen to know if Maho is walking distance from AUC? If you're searching for something unique or adventurous, search again. The water taxi can bring you to a stop that gets to to other water taxi routes. We are going to be there next month and are planing on doing the bus thing too. Report inappropriate content emory2001 Orlando, FL Level Contributor 343 posts 30 reviews 25 helpful votes 4. 3) Le Galion Beach 4) Maho Beach to see a plane come in 5) Phillipsburg stop before heading back to the ship. Large Anse is the best beach near to Grenada cruise port. Also how much a cab might be (round trip) and best time to see jets land? Learn about the culture and history of the island from your guide while enjoying complimentary beer, water and soda. At the end closest to the beach, screens displayed the timings of the next planes to land on the landing strip to the right. Our (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? We were there twenty minutes early and saw no guides. Is parking an issue at Maho Beach? . Hawkers in front of the cafes will sometimes offer them for free to visitors who buy food and beverages. One of the most exhilarating tours in St. Maarten: The Maho + Orient Beach Bum Lifestyle, offers four and a half hours of sun, sea and absolute fun on two of the most popular beaches on the island! English-speaking certified driver and guide! Therefore, be sure to gauge return time to the ship properly as there can be traffic jams on afternoons from this beach back to the port. I had previously had an image of a fairly peaceful wide open white sandy paradise with crystal clear water, palm trees, and every now and again, an airplane zooming low overhead. WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME! My scheduled tour was set to depart at 10AM, however my cruise arrived at 10AM. Easy to reach customer service if needed", "I always book with ShoreExcursioneer. Advanced warning about Orientthere is a nude side! Clothing is optional because it is secluded and located by the French St. Martin border. Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of runway 10 due to the short runway length of 2,180 metres (7,152 ft ) resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at minimal altitude.