BEST, the VERY BEST, beach on St. Maartin?

Hi, I've been reading lots of posts about St. Maartin and am more confused now than when I started. I would like to go to a very nice beach, that has good snorkeling, some sort of amenities (restaurant, restrooms, etc) but won't be super crowded. The good news is, I think we are the only ship in port that day (Saturday, January 14, 2017). I thought about doing Shore Excusioneer excursion to Orient Beach for 2 hours, then 2 hours on Maho. Does anyone have any experience with this excursion? Or would it be better to just go to a GREAT beach, and stay there, and stay away from the crazies and noise of Maho. Does Maho live up to the hype? My 30 year old daughter wants to go there, for some reason. Me and my husband, not so much. If there is a really nice beach we can get to for a few hours, maybe we could just grab a cab to Maho around noon (as it seems that's when the big planes come in). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Maho is good in the am when all the biggest planes come in, say 9am to Noon or 1pm. Sadly, the KLM 747 no longer flies the route on a regular basis.

Hi, I've been reading lots of posts about St. Maartin and am more confused now than when I started. I would like to go to a very nice beach, that has good snorkeling, some sort of amenities (restaurant, restrooms, etc) but won't be super crowded. The good news is, I think we are the only ship in port that day (Saturday, January 14, 2017). I thought about doing Shore Excusioneer excursion to Orient Beach for 2 hours, then 2 hours on Maho. Does anyone have any experience with this excursion? Or would it be better to just go to a GREAT beach, and stay there, and stay away from the crazies and noise of Maho. Does Maho live up to the hype? My 30 year old daughter wants to go there, for some reason. Me and my husband, not so much. If there is a really nice beach we can get to for a few hours, maybe we could just grab a cab to Maho around noon (as it seems that's when the big planes come in). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

A reasonable price away from the Cruise Herds - Then Pinel Island

Taxi US$ 10.00 pp e/w including tip

Ferry US$ 10/12.00 return

2 Beds & 1 Umbrella US$ 20.00 - Will ask for US$25.00, but say you paid 20.00 last time

Recommend Yellow Beach Restaurant -

For a front row sea view position, Book your beds and day in advance +590 590 77 1500 -

Super seafood And a kid friendly beach

We just came back from our cruise and we went to Maho. We did not care for it. Very very crowded. Nice people but no chairs. We can check it off our bucket list . The planes were cool .

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Only reason to go to Maho is for the airport. Beach is relatively small and VERY crowded. we were disappointed in the beach so much so we just went to a restaurant and watched the planes land from there

Hi, I've been reading lots of posts about St. Maartin and am more confused now than when I started. I would like to go to a very nice beach, that has good snorkeling, some sort of amenities (restaurant, restrooms, etc) but won't be super crowded. The good news is, I think we are the only ship in port that day (Saturday, January 14, 2017). I thought about doing Shore Excusioneer excursion to Orient Beach for 2 hours, then 2 hours on Maho. Does anyone have any experience with this excursion? Or would it be better to just go to a GREAT beach, and stay there, and stay away from the crazies and noise of Maho. Does Maho live up to the hype? My 30 year old daughter wants to go there, for some reason. Me and my husband, not so much. If there is a really nice beach we can get to for a few hours, maybe we could just grab a cab to Maho around noon (as it seems that's when the big planes come in). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

First off NO to Great Bay beach.

2nd mornings are not best for Maho beach to see the planes.

3rd when you find a beach with everything that you asked for please share:)

We will be stopping in St. Maarten next week and plan to just take a cab over to Little Bay Beach. My sister recent spent a week at the Divi resort on Little Bay Beach and said it was wonderful. She liked the snorkeling and said the reef has a lot of new small growth on it. I will try to post a review after we get back.

Maho is good in the am when all the biggest planes come in, say 9am to Noon or 1pm. Sadly, the KLM 747 no longer flies the route on a regular basis.

Absolutely not.

The earliest that any large planes come in would be about 11:00, if the KLM flight is early.

From then until like 2:00 is a good large plane sighting time.

Your day really depends on if you have any interest in seeing the planes land, yes or no.

I think the easiest/cheapest way to enjoy the day would be grab a cab to Orient to spend the day. To best get away from the crazies, head to the Club Orient section of the beach (to the right facing the water).

You don't have to get naked, but it is quiet, no vendors, usually the calmest waters, and a bit of snorkeling right out in front over the rocks (not a real reef).

gary

My DD flew in on Westjet this past tues from Toronto. Between 3:20 and 3:50 the KLM from Amsterdam, a flight from Miami (AA I think) and then the Westjet flight from Toronto. I'm not sure about the others but the Toronto one is always scheduled for that time.

Just back from St Maarten (been there dozens of times on cruises and land vacations) and would have to say that the "best beach" depends on what a person wants. Personally we would list Maho as among the worst 2 or 3 beaches on the island! If you want to go there to watch the planes (which can be few and far between) and visit the beach bar/restaurant then its fine. But Maho is not good for the beach. If you go to Maho for the planes and the bar/restaurant...consider later moving over to nearby Mullet Bay for a real beach with decent swimming.

Great Bay (the beach right in Phillipsburg) is certainly convenient (popular with the crew) and has plenty of chairs to rent. It is a decent city beach (when the water is not polluted by rain run-off). For many, Orient is the perfect compromise. The beach is actually very attractive, sandy, clean, and has lots of facilities. It is also very convenient for cruisers because there are plenty of shared taxis running back and forth to that beach (for far less then the cost of an overpriced excursion). For those who want a quieter beach that usually has very calm seas, a gradual drop-off that makes it perfect for children, and a decent beach bar/cafe....Le Galion is a good choice.

For the more adventurous (especially if you have a rental car) there are places to escape the cruise masses. One quiet beach we like is called Happy Bay (which can be accessed by hiking over from Friars Bay. In fact, there are about 36 beaches on the island and cruisers generally populate fewer then 5. This leaves plenty of places for the island residents (to escape the cruising masses) and the few cruisers who want to get away from it all.

Hank

Just back from St Maarten (been there dozens of times on cruises and land vacations) and would have to say that the "best beach" depends on what a person wants. Personally we would list Maho as among the worst 2 or 3 beaches on the island! If you want to go there to watch the planes (which can be few and far between) and visit the beach bar/restaurant then its fine. But Maho is not good for the beach. If you go to Maho for the planes and the bar/restaurant...consider later moving over to nearby Mullet Bay for a real beach with decent swimming.

 

Great Bay (the beach right in Phillipsburg) is certainly convenient (popular with the crew) and has plenty of chairs to rent. It is a decent city beach (when the water is not polluted by rain run-off). For many, Orient is the perfect compromise. The beach is actually very attractive, sandy, clean, and has lots of facilities. It is also very convenient for cruisers because there are plenty of shared taxis running back and forth to that beach (for far less then the cost of an overpriced excursion). For those who want a quieter beach that usually has very calm seas, a gradual drop-off that makes it perfect for children, and a decent beach bar/cafe....Le Galion is a good choice.

 

For the more adventurous (especially if you have a rental car) there are places to escape the cruise masses. One quiet beach we like is called Happy Bay (which can be accessed by hiking over from Friars Bay. In fact, there are about 36 beaches on the island and cruisers generally populate fewer then 5. This leaves plenty of places for the island residents (to escape the cruising masses) and the few cruisers who want to get away from it all.

 

Hank

Recapping: very nice beach, good snorkeling, amenities such as restaurants and restrooms (and something that they didn't mention that you did which is probably important to the OP as well) easy to get to AND back from (back being key) with one ship in port on a Saturday in January, I would agree that Orient is the best choice. It's certainly not a beach that we spend very much time at if any when vacationing but it ticks all the boxes here to me. On a calm day Dawn would tick all of the boxes as well.

If the OP was not requesting a " very nice beach " then Little Bay would work.

If restrooms weren't required then Mullet would be in the running. Snorkeling by the rocks on either end can be good to some people. Happy Bay doesn't have facilities so it's out. Grand Case doesn't have much in the way of beach snorkeling so it's out. Friars might work but transportation would be the big ? there as Pinel to me as well. Happy is a nice beach with good snorkeling but the other boxes are unchecked there.

Thanks everyone for all the information. If it was just me and my husband I would definitely go to Little Bay or spend the day on Orient, but I know my daughter would be really disappointed if we didn't visit Maho Beach, it seems to be a "bucket list" type of thing. So now I'm looking at a Shoreexcusioneer trip that's $33 per person, brings us to Orient Beach for a couple of hours, then to Maho Beach and then back to the ship. Does a total of $132 (plus tip) seem like too much money for the assurance that you will get to where you need to be and see what you want to see? I think I saw cab fares posted where it would be about $120 for 4 people to get to Orient beach, Maho beach, then back to ship.

And, by the way, I misspoke about being the only ship in port that day, I was looking at the wrong day, there will be 2 ships.

Again, thanks everyone, and when I get back I will report in.

Why don't you just take a taxi to Little Bay in the AM and then around noon time head to Maho for most of the plan watching. Versus heading up to Orient and then trekking back down to Maho. Save some time on travel.

You can estimate taxi fares with this site and it's pdf matrix.

http://taxistmaarten.com/zones-rates/

 

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3rd when you find a beach with everything that you asked for please share:)

Yes - but don't share with EVERYBODY --- that information would draw enough crowds to ruin it.

Thanks everyone for all the information. If it was just me and my husband I would definitely go to Little Bay or spend the day on Orient, but I know my daughter would be really disappointed if we didn't visit Maho Beach, it seems to be a "bucket list" type of thing. So now I'm looking at a Shoreexcusioneer trip that's $33 per person, brings us to Orient Beach for a couple of hours, then to Maho Beach and then back to the ship. Does a total of $132 (plus tip) seem like too much money for the assurance that you will get to where you need to be and see what you want to see? I think I saw cab fares posted where it would be about $120 for 4 people to get to Orient beach, Maho beach, then back to ship.

And, by the way, I misspoke about being the only ship in port that day, I was looking at the wrong day, there will be 2 ships.

Again, thanks everyone, and when I get back I will report in.

Just taxi to Mullet and hope that you don't need the port-o-potty. :) Lovely beach! Then walk the 15-20 minute nice walk over to Maho and have lunch and watch the planes and then taxi back. My DD just texted me and said that she was snorkelling by the rocks at the far end of Mullet toward the condos this morning and it was good she said. I asked for details but she is at Sunset Bar and Grill at Maho for happy hour now :) lol

Also, Saturday is a big "timeshare" day so the airport and Simpson Bay area (many timeshares there) will be busy in the afternoon even though there are only 2 ships in so leave yourselves plenty of time to get back to the port.

We are also not big fans of the Maho - Orient combination for port days. While it is certainly possible, you do waste too much time going to and fro since those two beaches are somewhat far apart. Having spent weeks on the island we also should mention that there is a safety issue at Maho (often hushed-up by the local press). This is especially true for those that stand along the fence (near the road) when a jet is getting ready to take off! If there happens to be a loose stone anywhere between that jet exhaust and you...can feel like being hit by a bullet. And if you happen to get hit in the face (especially an eye) the injury can be quite serious. There are warning signs...but these are generally ignored by most visitors.

Hank

...there is a safety issue at Maho (often hushed-up by the local press). ....

 

There are warning signs...but these are generally ignored by most visitors.

 

Who are they hushing it up from? Tourists who won't read signs in front of them aren't reading the local papers, and I assume locals know anyway. :)

Who are they hushing it up from? Tourists who won't read signs in front of them aren't reading the local papers, and I assume locals know anyway. :)

I agree. It's pretty obvious that standing directly behind a jet reving its engines and taking off has an element of danger to it.

Who are they hushing it up from? Tourists who won't read signs in front of them aren't reading the local papers, and I assume locals know anyway. :)

Hushing it up?

It's more than just a local paper problem.

How about newspapers that tourists do read, like USA Today?

How about travel writers and travel agents, who do affect where tourists go, or Don't go? They should be following the local papers. And when the local paper does report something, have you ever seen it reported by other sources?

Are you aware of the broken bones and other injuries suffered while trying to 'Fly the Fence? This happens much more often than when it rarely makes it into The Daily Herald.

This is NOT the same story.

[YOUTUBE]eV21f1MZ5iU[/YOUTUBE]

Instead, we get much more of this.

gary