What Beach Near Cruise Port?

Hi everyone!

My DH, 10 month old DD and mom are traveling on the Oasis in 11 days! We want to keep it low key and not do an excursion in St. Maarten but would like some beach time and a little shopping. I have been to St. Maarten a couple of times but have always just done the Tiki Snorkel Hut. So a couple questions...

1) Where do we get the water taxi? It is simple to get tickets and everything?

2) What beach is walkable from where the water taxi docks? I know the main beach has issues with pollution (or so I've read) so besides that one, what others are around that we can just walk to?

3) Any other suggestions for things like restaurants, shops, etc.

We do NOT want to do anything that requires a car as we won't have a car seat hence us wanting to stay close to the ship.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

 

My DH, 10 month old DD and mom are traveling on the Oasis in 11 days! We want to keep it low key and not do an excursion in St. Maarten but would like some beach time and a little shopping. I have been to St. Maarten a couple of times but have always just done the Tiki Snorkel Hut. So a couple questions...

 

1) Where do we get the water taxi? It is simple to get tickets and everything?

 

2) What beach is walkable from where the water taxi docks? I know the main beach has issues with pollution (or so I've read) so besides that one, what others are around that we can just walk to?

 

3) Any other suggestions for things like restaurants, shops, etc.

 

We do NOT want to do anything that requires a car as we won't have a car seat hence us wanting to stay close to the ship.

 

Thank you!

Where you snorkeled by the Tiki hut is Little Bay and that would be the closest beach that I would recommend swimming in. The beach in town Great Bay beach has ongoing pollution issues and as recently as a couple of months ago a poster started a thread warning others of what he experienced there. This was not news over here on the St. Maarten board where this thread ended up.

There isn't a water taxi to Litlltle beach or any other beach for that matter.

Car rental agencies have car seats available. You could check on the family board if taxi's on the island have them available as well.

LeGalion beach and the nearby butterfly farm would make for a great day with a 10 mth old in my mind.

Where you snorkeled by the Tiki hut is Little Bay and that would be the closest beach that I would recommend swimming in. The beach in town Great Bay beach has ongoing pollution issues and as recently as a couple of months ago a poster started a thread warning others of what he experienced there. This was not news over here on the St. Maarten board where this thread ended up.

 

There isn't a water taxi to Litlltle beach or any other beach for that matter.

 

Car rental agencies have car seats available. You could check on the family board if taxi's on the island have them available as well.

 

LeGalion beach and the nearby butterfly farm would make for a great day with a 10 mth old in my mind.

I should have added There isn't a water taxi to Little Bay or any other beach other than Great Bay for that matter. :)

When I get off the water taxi, where Great Bay and the shopping is, is little bay walkable from there?

When I get off the water taxi, where Great Bay and the shopping is, is little bay walkable from there?

I think its far because you have to around the bay and up the hill but people have done it. It's one if those things that's farther than it looks I think.

When I get off the water taxi, where Great Bay and the shopping is, is little bay walkable from there?

I guess it is feasible, but not exactly practical for your family.

From the Water Taxi pier in Downtown Philipsburg, it would be about 1 1/4 miles, and, as karysa mentions, there is some elevation involved and what I would call questionable sidewalks. Plus, it is likely to be quite warm, and no shade.

Just take the taxi from the Cruise Facility. It should be about $10 per person, round trip, with the infant traveling for free. Just request a taxi that has a car seat.

gary

We were just there 2 weeks ago. For 2 of us it was $5pp going to Divi Little Bay. Now we were in a van full of people, but we were the only 2 to be dropped off at Divi.

The return was $7pp and it was just us 2 in the taxi back.

When I get off the water taxi, where Great Bay and the shopping is, is little bay walkable from there?

I was just there in February. It is too far to walk. A taxi is the only way. Having said that, I would risk the taxi ride if I were you. I understand the anxiety of traveling with small children as I have 3 kids of my own. It is a short ride at low speeds.

Little Bay is a great beach for kids. I have been there 3 separate times. I prefer it over Dawn beach, Le Gallion, and Orient beach. The water was calm. There is a small convenience/grocery store at the resort. There are bathroom facilities, food, drinks, chairs, and umbrellas all at a reasonable cost. Taxis are readily available when you are ready to leave. I had our driver drop us off in town on our way back to the ship for some shopping. We took the water taxi back to the pier.

I would never let my kids swim at the town beach. It has a huge party vibe and there is the questionable water quality.

I feel so stupid with all these questions, but...

So if I take a taxi, I just ask him to take us to Divi little bay?

And once there, do you go into the hotel? Or just walk to the beach?

I feel so stupid with all these questions, but...

 

So if I take a taxi, I just ask him to take us to Divi little bay?

 

And once there, do you go into the hotel? Or just walk to the beach?

Not stupid at all! You will be dropped of at the front of the resort. Walk through to the beach me you will see a little beach hut building. Go in there and rent your umbrella and chairs. They will give you a ticket for them. You then find the beach chair dude, who will have on a shirt from the resort. He will set you up where you want to sit. You can then use the facilities. And, yes, ask the taxi to take you to Divi Little Bay resort. Have fun!

I feel so stupid with all these questions, but...

 

So if I take a taxi, I just ask him to take us to Divi little bay?

 

And once there, do you go into the hotel? Or just walk to the beach?

If you are going to take a taxi why not go to Le Galion otherwise known as baby beach because its so calm and shallow and perfect for small children?

If you are going to take a taxi why not go to Le Galion otherwise known as baby beach because its so calm and shallow and perfect for small children?

It is much further away. The OP was concerned with taking a taxi without a car seat. It is a nice beach for kids, but it is nearly as far away as Orient. Divi is a 5-10 minute taxi ride.

It is much further away. The OP was concerned with taking a taxi without a car seat. It is a nice beach for kids, but it is nearly as far away as Orient. Divi is a 5-10 minute taxi ride.

I would not put a 10 mth old in a car without a car seat so i just figured that they were going to make sure of that prior to getting in any taxi. There are seat belt laws for children on the island so wouldn't that include infants?

The water is usually calm at Little Bay but pretty much guarenteed to be calm at LeGallion and its supper shallow so you can even sit and play with a baby at the shore line. I have been to many caribbean beaches and none are as perfect to me for a baby as LeGalion is.

We are also going to St. Martin on Oasis but in February. Our daughter will be 18 months. So I will be following this thread. Do you have to pay a day rate to use the beach at divi little bay?

I would not put a 10 mth old in a car without a car seat so i just figured that they were going to make sure of that prior to getting in any taxi. There are seat belt laws for children on the island so wouldn't that include infants?

 

The water is usually calm at Little Bay but pretty much guarenteed to be calm at LeGallion and its supper shallow so you can even sit and play with a baby at the shore line. I have been to many caribbean beaches and none are as perfect to me for a baby as LeGalion is.

Agreed. I always traveled with my Gracco "bucket" car seat for my daughter, minus the base that stayed in the car. It went up to 30 lbs for the weight of the child. We traveled to the Caribbean 3 times from when DD was 7 months through 20 months. We used this car seat each time. OP stated that they won't have the car seat.

There is Baby beach in Aruba. It is very similar to Le Gallion.

We are also going to St. Martin on Oasis but in February. Our daughter will be 18 months. So I will be following this thread. Do you have to pay a day rate to use the beach at divi little bay?

There is no fee to use the beach, only to rent chairs and umbrellas.

Agreed. I always traveled with my Gracco "bucket" car seat for my daughter, minus the base that stayed in the car. It went up to 30 lbs for the weight of the child. We traveled to the Caribbean 3 times from when DD was 7 months through 20 months. We used this car seat each time. OP stated that they won't have the car seat.

 

There is Baby beach in Aruba. It is very similar to Le Gallion.

Yet in post #8 you wrote "I would risk the taxi ride if I were you" to the OP. ( meaning taxi to Little Bay without a car seat for their 10 mth old)

We are also going to St. Martin on Oasis but in February. Our daughter will be 18 months. So I will be following this thread. Do you have to pay a day rate to use the beach at divi little bay?

All beaches on the island are public. Getting to some of them ( not Little Bay or Le Galion) can be an issue though.

Yet in post #8 you wrote "I would risk the taxi ride if I were you" to the OP. ( meaning taxi to Little Bay without a car seat for their 10 mth old)

Yes. You are correct. I have 3 kids who have all cruised extensively. I have taken this particular route before by taxi. It is short and at low speeds. The OP has to make their own car seat decision. No one will stop them from NOT using one. It is not up to me. Are we to have a car seat debate now?

The OP asked for a beach close to the port that was not Great Bay They also stayed that they would not have a car seat. I simply provided information and an opinion based on their particular situation. It is not my place to be the car seat police.

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Yes. You are correct. I have 3 kids who have all cruised extensively. I have taken this particular route before by taxi. It is short and at low speeds. The OP has to make their own car seat decision. No one will stop them from NOT using one. It is not up to me. Are we to have a car seat debate now?

 

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Actually I think that we just had the car seat debate.

Actually I think that we just had the car seat debate.

Oh, I don't think so. We hardly even started! Have you seen some of the threads in the Family Cruising forum? It can get pretty brutal!

In all seriousness, it is just so hard to travel with an infant. Any way that they choose to do so has to be the decision of the parents (within reason and within the law). I have run into a LOT of resistance from cab drivers waiting for me to dutifully strap in my child. My youngest child is a small 9 year old. She uses a booster at home, but we don't take it on cruises anymore. It is just too much of a hassle.

Oh, I don't think so. We hardly even started! Have you seen some of the threads in the Family Cruising forum? It can get pretty brutal!

 

In all seriousness, it is just so hard to travel with an infant. Any way that they choose to do so has to be the decision of the parents (within reason and within the law). I have run into a LOT of resistance from cab drivers waiting for me to dutifully strap in my child. My youngest child is a small 9 year old. She uses a booster at home, but we don't take it on cruises anymore. It is just too much of a hassle.

My kids would have walked at 9 before getting strapped into a booster seat. :) Good thing they were tall and ( lets say ) sturdy at 9.

I wish someone knew with 100 percent certainty that taxis had car seats when requested. That would be a very helpful thing to know. I know that rental cars have them. To me it would be worth renting a car and driving the easy drive to LeGalion if I knew that taxis didn't have car seats. I still think its a worthwhile question to ask over on the family board. By the sounds of it, it might make for some interesting reading.:D

My kids would have walked at 9 before getting strapped into a booster seat. :) Good thing they were tall and ( lets say ) sturdy at 9.

 

 

 

I wish someone knew with 100 percent certainty that taxis had car seats when requested. That would be a very helpful thing to know. I know that rental cars have them. To me it would be worth renting a car and driving the easy drive to LeGalion if I knew that taxis didn't have car seats. I still think its a worthwhile question to ask over on the family board. By the sounds of it, it might make for some interesting reading.:D

I'm also curious to know if taxis can be requested to have a car seat. Has anyone actually had personal experience with this? I can't see bringing the car seat with me to the beach. So if they aren't available through the taxi, it does limit our options.

I'm also curious to know if taxis can be requested to have a car seat. Has anyone actually had personal experience with this? I can't see bringing the car seat with me to the beach. So if they aren't available through the taxi, it does limit our options.

The bus may be an option. I know that you can get to Maho and Mullet on the bus. They may not be the best beaches for small children with Mullet the better option. I would think that little Bay could be reached by bus as well. The bus is a 15-20 minute walk with kids from the port I would think.

So I am trying to decide which beach we should go to and I have narrowed it down to Le Galion and Divi Little Bay but after reading these post I am more confused .. It will be myself DH, DD 8, DS 5 initially I wanted to do Le Gailion but was told it could be rather hard getting a Taxi back but also I couldn't get a straight answer as to how far it is from the port. And we won't be having car seats either ? We will be there on a Tuesday if that makes a difference.

I like the idea that Divi Little Bay is so close just want to make sure it is good for kids and also what is that price of renting the chairs.

Thanks

If you are going to take a taxi why not go to Le Galion otherwise known as baby beach because its so calm and shallow and perfect for small children?