Transportation in St. Maarten

Ok, I'll admit, I'm getting SERIOUSLY frustrated trying to figure out how to get where we want to go in this island without spending a small fortune in the process. We want to go to either Orient or Le Galion in the morning, then go to Maho in the afternoon to watch the planes, then head back to the ship. However, I cannot find hardly any info on the bus routes no matter where I look, and the cabs are crazy expensive, and sounds like it can be iffy getting a ride back to the port from Le Galion. I know we could rent a car, however, I HATE, HATE HATE driving, and do not want to be stuck doing it somewhere I'm unfamiliar with, especially hearing about how atrocious traffic can be here. Not my idea of a relaxing day. I'm getting so frustrated trying to find transportation information, I'm about ready to say heck with it and stay on the ship here rather than stressing about finding transportation where we want to go. Somebody please help!

WOW!

Sorry that you're so frustrated, but I've only noticed one post from you asking about transportation, and that was just an hour ago.

To directly answer your question, there is no 'bus route' that goes to le Galion or Orient.

There is not even a real bus 'system' on the island. It is a combination of independent drivers that determine their own schedules and to a large extent their own routes.

There are published routes and fares, but none go to Orient. Le Galion is adjacent.

It might be possible to pay a driver to divert to the beach, but it's not on any published route.

Personally, I don't find the taxi rates so bad.

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That doesn't show an Orient/Maho fare because it is non standard. I've posted here before an estimate of what it might be, but not right now -- it's late.

Consider going to Mullet Bay Beach instead of Orient/Galion, and you could do that by bus, or taxi.

gary

Here is what I believe to be the current bus route/fare sheet published by island government.

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gary

Thank you SOOO much for the helpful reply :). I've been searching on a few other search engines and tried a few sites specifically for St. Maarten before posting on here. I also tried the search function on here as well, but wasn't able to bring up much. I've seen people sometimes get chastised for not doing " searches", so I didn't want to be "that person" lol:p:D. I considered Mullet Bay, but we decided we wanted to experience both sides of the island.

Thank you SOOO much for the helpful reply :). I've been searching on a few other search engines and tried a few sites specifically for St. Maarten before posting on here. I also tried the search function on here as well, but wasn't able to bring up much. I've seen people sometimes get chastised for not doing " searches", so I didn't want to be "that person" lol:p:D. I considered Mullet Bay, but we decided we wanted to experience both sides of the island.

If you're just visiting a beach on the French side, it would be very difficult to determine that you are in France other than some of the signage is in French as well as English.

If you wanted to experience 'French St. Martin' you would need to visit Grand Case or Marigot.

I just did a simple search here, with the target 'bus orient' and your question was answered twice in the first 6 result items.

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gary

Ok, I'll admit, I'm getting SERIOUSLY frustrated trying to figure out how to get where we want to go in this island without spending a small fortune in the process. We want to go to either Orient or Le Galion in the morning, then go to Maho in the afternoon to watch the planes, then head back to the ship. However, I cannot find hardly any info on the bus routes no matter where I look, and the cabs are crazy expensive, and sounds like it can be iffy getting a ride back to the port from Le Galion. I know we could rent a car, however, I HATE, HATE HATE driving, and do not want to be stuck doing it somewhere I'm unfamiliar with, especially hearing about how atrocious traffic can be here. Not my idea of a relaxing day. I'm getting so frustrated trying to find transportation information, I'm about ready to say heck with it and stay on the ship here rather than stressing about finding transportation where we want to go. Somebody please help!

Orient, Maho back to ship is a frequent topic on this board. Unless you find a way of doing this route via boat I am afraid that much of your day will be spent in a car and in congested traffic especially if you are going during high season with many vacationers and ships visiting the island.

These two places are popular, interesting and quite far apart. The drive from Maho to he port in the afternoon can be brutal.

In the end of May at around 1 pm my DH and DD were stuck in traffic between the airport and Simpson Bay. It was so bad that my DD got out of the car and ran to the shop she needed to return something to 800 meters (1/2 mile) away and got out from the store and my DH had not made it that far. Since they had a plane to catch this was a very stressful time for them. Luckily the rest of our group had checked all the bags so they just had to check in and go through 2 check points and security. They got through security about 10 minutes prior to boarding being announced. It's not always like this BUT it happens and neither DD or DH saw any reason for it nor did they hear sirens or see Emergency vehichles.

If not being stuck in traffic is important to you then Orient, Maho back to Philipsburg may leave a bad taste in your mouth irregardless of what mode of transportation you choose.

I find on cc that if people plan a day that is successfully carried out they share it with others. Perhaps the opposite is true as well. If folks choose to go to on a route that has well documented congestion issues and they get stuck in traffic they may be less inclined to admit that they wasted their only day on the island and instead decide to chalk it up to experience and choose better the next time that they are in port.

My DH almost missed the plane home and the next direct flight was 5 days from then. :eek: He most certainly has learned his lesson.:)

If you're just visiting a beach on the French side, it would be very difficult to determine that you are in France other than some of the signage is in French as well as English.

 

If you wanted to experience 'French St. Martin' you would need to visit Grand Case or Marigot.

 

I just did a simple search here, with the target 'bus orient' and your question was answered twice in the first 6 result items.

 

(click)

 

gary

Thank you for all he help and input. I really appreicate it. I've just been panicking because I'm way behind on my planning due to trying to plan two cruises 3 months apart from each other. I still have three more ports to try to figure out! :eek:

Orient, Maho back to ship is a frequent topic on this board. Unless you find a way of doing this route via boat I am afraid that much of your day will be spent in a car and in congested traffic especially if you are going during high season with many vacationers and ships visiting the island.

 

These two places are popular, interesting and quite far apart. The drive from Maho to he port in the afternoon can be brutal.

 

In the end of May at around 1 pm my DH and DD were stuck in traffic between the airport and Simpson Bay. It was so bad that my DD got out of the car and ran to the shop she needed to return something to 800 meters (1/2 mile) away and got out from the store and my DH had not made it that far. Since they had a plane to catch this was a very stressful time for them. Luckily the rest of our group had checked all the bags so they just had to check in and go through 2 check points and security. They got through security about 10 minutes prior to boarding being announced. It's not always like this BUT it happens and neither DD or DH saw any reason for it nor did they hear sirens or see Emergency vehichles.

 

If not being stuck in traffic is important to you then Orient, Maho back to Philipsburg may leave a bad taste in your mouth irregardless of what mode of transportation you choose.

 

I find on cc that if people plan a day that is successfully carried out they share it with others. Perhaps the opposite is true as well. If folks choose to go to on a route that has well documented congestion issues and they get stuck in traffic they may be less inclined to admit that they wasted their only day on the island and instead decide to chalk it up to experience and choose better the next time that they are in port.

 

My DH almost missed the plane home and the next direct flight was 5 days from then. :eek: He most certainly has learned his lesson.:)

We will be there in September, and from what I've seen on the port schedule, we will be the only ship in port that day, so I'm hoping that will help a little with traffic. I really didn't want to spend the entire day at Maho, so that's why I'm looking at either Le Galion or Orient. I really need a beach with relatively calm waters for my mom, I don't think she could handle waves very well. Maybe I will do Maho first and then go to the other side in the afternoon. I will have to see if I can find out the plane schedule for the day we are going to be there ahead of time. It looks like even though I was hoping to avoid spending so much on transportation, it looks like taxis may be our best bet for getting around. Does anybody know if it can be difficult getting taxis back from Le Galion?

Yes, it appears that you are the only ship on September 7th. That should help.

Le Galion is probably the only beach on the island with dependably calm waters.

Yes, it can be difficult to get a taxi from le Galion. Make arrangements with the driver that takes you there or with the beach vendor at Chez Pat.

Waters at Mullet are often calm, and waters at Orient in front of the Club Orient Resort are often calm, but you can't count on it.

The air traffic really picks up around mid-day and later. There will be a lot of island-hoppers and such earlier, perhaps a 757, but the good stuff comes later.

gary

I will definitely make arrangements with the driver, and then may also see if the vendor will be willing to call a taxi just in case our driver doesn't show back up. It sounds like it might be difficult to visit both places we want to see due to traffic issues. I would probably give us ATLEAST a couple of hours to get back to the ship no matter where we end up at the end of the day. Do you happen to know if there is a way I can look up the plane schedule for that particular day a week or so ahead of time? Our day is pretty much going to revolve around what's going on at Maho.

Yes, it appears that you are the only ship on September 7th. That should help.

 

Le Galion is probably the only beach on the island with dependably calm waters.

 

Yes, it can be difficult to get a taxi from le Galion. Make arrangements with the driver that takes you there or with the beach vendor at Chez Pat.

 

Waters at Mullet are often calm, and waters at Orient in front of the Club Orient Resort are often calm, but you can't count on it.

 

The air traffic really picks up around mid-day and later. There will be a lot of island-hoppers and such earlier, perhaps a 757, but the good stuff comes later.

 

gary

Gary, September 7th looks like a Monday this year. From what I've read Chez Pat and facilities are closed on Mondays in September. Of course Orient-Maho is still an option but I don't think Le Gallion-Maho would work on that day for the OP.

Good catch. ;)

gary

Thank you Karysa for this very valuable advice! I stupidly assumed all beaches were open 7 day a week, especially of a cruise ship was in port, and didn't even think to search for a schedule. Looks like it's back to the drawing board lol. Looks like we may do Orient, so I might look more into gtaylor's suggestion for Mullet Bay, or possibly even Marigot. If we do Marigot, the bus may be more feasible.

Marigot doesn't really have a beach.

I think the closest would be Nettle Bay Beach in Sandy Ground, but you'd have to walk or taxi.

gary

Ok, for some reason I was thinking there was one there. I've been looking at so many, it's hard for me to keep them straight anymore lol. This island really seems to have a lot to offer as far as beaches go, is just hard to decide which ones to visit. For us restaurants, umbrellas and restrooms are very important,which is what has drawn me to orient and le galion. Thank you again for all your advice and sharing your knowledge with me :)

Ok, for some reason I was thinking there was one there. I've been looking at so many, it's hard for me to keep them straight anymore lol. This island really seems to have a lot to offer as far as beaches go, is just hard to decide which ones to visit. For us restaurants, umbrellas and restrooms are very important,which is what has drawn me to orient and le galion. Thank you again for all your advice and sharing your knowledge with me :)

Perhaps you should just decide to go to Orient and be done with it.

Transportation is relatively inexpensive, and even during the re-construction there will be 10 or so bar/restaurants open and available.

Those that will be open are a little more on the expensive side that our favorite, Orange Fever, which will be closed, but maybe just go for it.

That said, the most calm water will be closest to Club Orient.

That is the clothing OPTIONAL property there, and they offer the chair/umbrella rentals and two eating spots, Papagayo's and The Perch.

Right on the edge of the topless/optional divide for the sections of the beach is Pedro's. They offer chair rentals on both 'sides'.

The Perch has better bathroom facilities than Pedro's. :)

gary

Thank you Karysa for this very valuable advice! I stupidly assumed all beaches were open 7 day a week, especially of a cruise ship was in port, and didn't even think to search for a schedule. Looks like it's back to the drawing board lol. Looks like we may do Orient, so I might look more into gtaylor's suggestion for Mullet Bay, or possibly even Marigot. If we do Marigot, the bus may be more feasible.

Le Galion beach will be open on Sept 7 th. it's the facilities that will be closed. For someone beach hopping a stop when it's quieter might be just what they are looking for.

Just an FYI on Mullet. The washroom is a port-o-potty. If that's not a deal breaker then Mullet-Maho is the best combo for someone with Maho on their must see IMO.

Most shops in Marigot close from 1-3 ish for siesta so keep that in mind.

There are a couple of highly rated beach bars in the Nettle Bay area. I have never been. My sister has and spoke highly of her tIme there. To me this area of the island is run down and even her pictures of the beach which she thought was nice really can't compare at all to a beach like Mullet. I want to try one of these beach bars on my next visit. Hopefully I can convince DH. This area of the island really does nothing for him. It's a "drive by" area on route to better beaches to him. We are vacationing on the island in the summer and I will once again put Nettle Bay on my list and if we get there I will report back on my experience.

I think for what you are looking for you should just go to Divi Resort at Little Bay. It's nice for a couple of hours. Not the finest sand but really pretty views on a calm bay with decent facilities and a taxi stand on site. Since Little Bay is on the way (ish) to or from Maho and you mentioned not wanting to spend your day in traffic congestion then this beach would be a good tick all the boxes :D beach for you.

Ok, for some reason I was thinking there was one there. I've been looking at so many, it's hard for me to keep them straight anymore lol. This island really seems to have a lot to offer as far as beaches go, is just hard to decide which ones to visit. For us restaurants, umbrellas and restrooms are very important,which is what has drawn me to orient and le galion. Thank you again for all your advice and sharing your knowledge with me :)

Technically there is a beach in Marigot within a 15 minute walk to the center of the town where the shopping and restaurants are. It's at the Hotel Beach Plaza. I have read reviews of it from guests staying there but never from anyone on cruisecritic. All beaches on the island are public but I am not sure how you would reach this one by land. The pictures do not make me want to go there that is for certain.

Thank you both fo all your help! It really had been a tremendous relief to me to be able to find people with such a wealth of knowledge about this island. I will run both Orient and Little Bay by my Mom and sister and see what they would like to do. I appreciate everything vey much :D

Does anyone here know about any 'hidden' beaches? Something where not many tourists go. I've read about several places like this but cannot remember if they were on one of the other islands we'll be stopping at. We're okay with town areas but since we'll be in a new & beautiful area, I figured I'd check here first.

Does anyone here know about any 'hidden' beaches? Something where not many tourists go. I've read about several places like this but cannot remember if they were on one of the other islands we'll be stopping at. We're okay with town areas but since we'll be in a new & beautiful area, I figured I'd check here first.

Yes, there are several 'hidden' beaches, most not really hidden at all, but not visited by cruisers because they can be difficult to get to without a car.

They are visited by some 'tourists' as well, but more often by locals and 'travelers' who are staying on the island and have their own car.

Just wandering around the island in my mind I would mention (clockwise from P'Burg and the Cruise Facility):

Cupecoy, Baie Longe, Baie Prune, Baie Rouge, Friar's, Happy, possibly Grand Case (especially at Grand Case Beach Club), Anse Marcel, and Guana.

Google them and see if any pique your interest.

gary

Thank you for the awesome suggestions gtaylor! I've looked for a few on Google Maps but there were clouds in the way of some ;)

Then you've seen the locations, but actually search Google for the beach itself that you might be interested in.

You should find lots of information about each of them, and you'll know where they are on the island.

Most are fairly off the beaten track, so having a car or a dedicated taxi is probably required.

The local bus wouldn't get you to any of them.

If you decide to visit via taxi, make sure that you have arrangements for a specific pickup time, and DON'T pay anything until you've been picked up and transported to your destination.

Sometimes drivers just don't show up if they have a better fare when you're 'scheduled' for your return.

gary

p.s. I have photos of most of these in my PhotoBucket albums.

Does anyone here know about any 'hidden' beaches? Something where not many tourists go. I've read about several places like this but cannot remember if they were on one of the other islands we'll be stopping at. We're okay with town areas but since we'll be in a new & beautiful area, I figured I'd check here first.

Is no washroom or chairs/umbrella rentals and no food or drinks available an option?

Yes, there are several 'hidden' beaches, most not really hidden at all, but not visited by cruisers because they can be difficult to get to without a car.

 

They are visited by some 'tourists' as well, but more often by locals and 'travelers' who are staying on the island and have their own car.

 

Just wandering around the island in my mind I would mention (clockwise from P'Burg and the Cruise Facility):

 

Cupecoy, Baie Longe, Baie Prune, Baie Rouge, Friar's, Happy, possibly Grand Case (especially at Grand Case Beach Club), Anse Marcel, and Guana.

 

Google them and see if any pique your interest.

 

gary

Gary, have you been to Anse Marcel since the RIU took over at the Raddison? The only empty spots there are those unfortunate restaurants now that an all-inclusive resort has moved in. We went in May. What a disappointment. I loved this beach but all you could see was chairs and umbrellas. This is definitely a touristy beach now. When folks stay at AI's they tend to STAY at AI's.:D

Also can you swim at Guana Bay. I have seen it before but it offered zero appeal to me.

Simpson Bay is a long beach and there are parts that have very few tourists. One could definitely get the best of both worlds at this beach, quiet and peaceful and within a 10 minute beach walk you have lunch and washroom facilities.