Little Bay (Divi) or Le Galion Beach with Kids?

Which beach would be best for kids (2-10 years old) as well as adults up to 64 years old? We need restrooms and some sort of food and drink available as well as some shade. I know a taxi to Little Bay is slightly less expensive than Le Galion. I read it could be hard to get a taxi back from Le Galion.

Also, I am confused about what Divi Little Bay offers and how you get to the beach. I know it is a hotel and they only charge for the chairs, umbrellas and optional watersports, right? Can you just walk through the lobby and go out to the beach? Does anyone have a menu for the food and drink there?

Thanks!

Which beach would be best for kids (2-10 years old) as well as adults up to 64 years old? We need restrooms and some sort of food and drink available as well as some shade. I know a taxi to Little Bay is slightly less expensive than Le Galion. I read it could be hard to get a taxi back from Le Galion.

 

Also, I am confused about what Divi Little Bay offers and how you get to the beach. I know it is a hotel and they only charge for the chairs, umbrellas and optional watersports, right? Can you just walk through the lobby and go out to the beach? Does anyone have a menu for the food and drink there?

 

Thanks!

If you agree with your driver on the fare (less going, more coming back) there will be no problem with him showing up to get you back to the ship. Le Galion is great for small children, and has the facilities.

I do not know about Divi Little Bay's policy, but I doubt they would like their lobby being treated as a public access route to the beach.

Which beach would be best for kids (2-10 years old) as well as adults up to 64 years old? We need restrooms and some sort of food and drink available as well as some shade. I know a taxi to Little Bay is slightly less expensive than Le Galion. I read it could be hard to get a taxi back from Le Galion.

 

Also, I am confused about what Divi Little Bay offers and how you get to the beach. I know it is a hotel and they only charge for the chairs, umbrellas and optional watersports, right? Can you just walk through the lobby and go out to the beach? Does anyone have a menu for the food and drink there?

 

Thanks!

I highly recommend Le Galion beach. We were just there two weeks ago and enjoyed it very much. It has all the amenities that you listed and it is perfect for children. It was a laid back day away from the crowded beaches. We had no problems with taxis. We asked our cab driver to pick us up at an agreed upon time and he was right on time.

Which beach would be best for kids (2-10 years old) as well as adults up to 64 years old? We need restrooms and some sort of food and drink available as well as some shade. I know a taxi to Little Bay is slightly less expensive than Le Galion. I read it could be hard to get a taxi back from Le Galion.

 

Also, I am confused about what Divi Little Bay offers and how you get to the beach. I know it is a hotel and they only charge for the chairs, umbrellas and optional watersports, right? Can you just walk through the lobby and go out to the beach? Does anyone have a menu for the food and drink there?

 

Thanks!

No question that Le Galion is the better choice for your group. The (forever:) ) shallow, calm and very authentic Le Galion even has some trees that provide natural shade. Now that the entire road has been paved into Le Galion I have not read of any issues of cruisers having difficulties getting taxis back from there.

Thanks so much for the replies! I figured Le Galion would be better and worth a few more $ to get to.

Is the food place there called Chez Pat/Tropical Wave? I found a website with a menu. Are the restrooms free? How much are umbrellas and chairs?

Does Le Galion have a swimming area roped off? I saw a picture of this, but they said it was for school children. Is there also a platform out in the water? What rentals are there as far as water toys? Kayaks?

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for the help!

Thanks so much for the replies! I figured Le Galion would be better and worth a few more $ to get to.

 

Is the food place there called Chez Pat/Tropical Wave? I found a website with a menu. Are the restrooms free? How much are umbrellas and chairs?

 

Does Le Galion have a swimming area roped off? I saw a picture of this, but they said it was for school children. Is there also a platform out in the water? What rentals are there as far as water toys? Kayaks?

 

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for the help!

Chairs and umbrellas were $5 Euro each ($1 Euro= $1.37 US). We rented chairs and sat under a tree. See coupon on Chez Pat's website. They rented kayaks and we also saw people windsurfing. There was a platform in the water,but I can't remember if a swimming area was roped off.

Chairs and umbrellas were $5 Euro each ($1 Euro= $1.37 US). We rented chairs and sat under a tree. See coupon on Chez Pat's website. They rented kayaks and we also saw people windsurfing. There was a platform in the water,but I can't remember if a swimming area was roped off.

Euros? Hmm. Do they take US $ too or credit cards? Thanks so much for the pricing!

We paid in US currency. We always bring plenty of dollar bills and fives with us when we travel so that we can convert as close as possible and not end up with foreign currency for change. So far we've never had problems using US cAsh on Caribbean cruises.

6 of us went in a taxi to Divi ($5 pp). $15 for 2 chairs and umbrella. Water was clear. Best snorkeling on the island. People of all ages.

Thanks so much for the replies! I figured Le Galion would be better and worth a few more $ to get to.

 

Is the food place there called Chez Pat/Tropical Wave? I found a website with a menu. Are the restrooms free? How much are umbrellas and chairs?

 

Does Le Galion have a swimming area roped off? I saw a picture of this, but they said it was for school children. Is there also a platform out in the water? What rentals are there as far as water toys? Kayaks?

 

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for the help!

I have never seen Kayaks at Le Galion. There is a floating dock but i have never seen a roped off area. The water is so calm and so shallow for a long time that a roped off area is not needed. There are no motor boats/jet skis allowed because its a nature reserve. The restrooms are free. I only go for 90 minutes or so I pick a spot under a tree and put my towel down on the sand so I can't tell you the price of chairs and umbrellas there.

I have never seen Kayaks at Le Galion. There is a floating dock but i have never seen a roped off area. The water is so calm and so shallow for a long time that a roped off area is not needed. There are no motor boats/jet skis allowed because its a nature reserve. The restrooms are free. I only go for 90 minutes or so I pick a spot under a tree and put my towel down on the sand so I can't tell you the price of chairs and umbrellas there.

Thank you for the info! I was just thinking about the idea of bringing a thin flat bed sheet for us to put down on the sand. We do not all need chairs (9 of us - 4 are kids) for sure.

I am still confused about Divi Little Bay - How do you get to the beach and how do you rent chairs/umbrellas? Do many not staying at the resort go to that beach? Are the restrooms and restaurants part of the resort?

ETA: I just found this http://www.divilittlebay.com/divilittlebay/st-maarten-water-sports.html Well it mentions visitors just above the price list.

Thank you for the info! I was just thinking about the idea of bringing a thin flat bed sheet for us to put down on the sand. We do not all need chairs (9 of us - 4 are kids) for sure.

 

I am still confused about Divi Little Bay - How do you get to the beach and how do you rent chairs/umbrellas? Do many not staying at the resort go to that beach? Are the restrooms and restaurants part of the resort?

 

ETA: I just found this http://www.divilittlebay.com/divilittlebay/st-maarten-water-sports.html Well it mentions visitors just above the price list.

It's been a few years since I went to Little Bay but we just took a taxi and from the taxi to the beach was just a couple of minutes walk and it was outside and not through a building. Aquamania opened a couple of years ago there. The main Aquamania is at the Pelican Marina in Simpson Bay. Cruisers are welcome on the beach and to rent chairs and to purchase food and drinks so if that is what you are doing there then don't feel like you are crashing the resort. A sheet for the kids will be fine at either beach in the right spot.;):)