Which beach to visit in St. Maarten?

Which beach would you recommend to visit? We have a five year old and we did orient beach last September and loved it. We want to be able to just catch a taxi and go and be able to make it back in time to shop- which we didn't get time to do last time except at the port.

Also are there any good places to shop at- don't need jewelry or liquor just unique souvenirs?

Thanks in advance

You could still go to Orient Beach and just take a taxi back earlier than you did last time.

LuLu

Maho beach. We love watching the planes land right over our heads. Big hit with the kids too.

Which beach would you recommend to visit? We have a five year old and we did orient beach last September and loved it. We want to be able to just catch a taxi and go and be able to make it back in time to shop- which we didn't get time to do last time except at the port.

 

Also are there any good places to shop at- don't need jewelry or liquor just unique souvenirs?

 

Thanks in advance

With a five year old, Maho Beach is a great recommendation because of the planes. However, because you want to shop, there are plenty of shops along Front Street with a beach and a couple of restaurants right there.

Just got back from Carnival Valor trip there. We went to Little Bay, less than 10 min from the cruise port, $5 cab ride. There resort there is Divi Bay. It's beautiful there, and if you're a snorkeler there is excellent snorkeling.

Beach rentals are $5 for a lounger or umbrella, there's an excellent bar and restaurant and a three-level pool (with bubbler!).

With a five year old, Maho Beach is a great recommendation because of the planes. However, because you want to shop, there are plenty of shops along Front Street with a beach and a couple of restaurants right there.

LOL, who said Maho beach is just for the kids??? I wanted to go there for years and finally make it in October of 2012. One of the most fun island excursions I have ever gone on. If you like nice beaches, if you like drinking, if you like having fun and if you like to get jet blasted/buzzed by heavies coming into land all day long, go to Maho. Not to mention the cab ride on the way out there is very scenic and can be a nice island tour in itself if you get a chatty and friendly cab driver.

Notice shopping isn't on my list of things to do on a cruise though. LOL.

Winterfl I was looking at Little BAy. Did you have to pay a fee to use the pools? I would like to sit on the beach but would be nice to use the pools also. Did you buy food there as well?

Winterfl I was looking at Little BAy. Did you have to pay a fee to use the pools? I would like to sit on the beach but would be nice to use the pools also. Did you buy food there as well?

No fee to use the pools, just the loungers and/or umbrellas. There's a sign that says the pool is for registered guests only, but I asked at the poolside bar and the response was "of course you can use the pool" and no one said anything different.

While there I purchased drinks for me and my companions (excellent Mudslides) and we ate lunch at the poolside restaurant as well. Two of us had fish tacos and one had jerk chicken wings, all delish. Service was a little slow as the World Cup game was on and the restaurant was packed. According to the website there's also an indoor restaurant there, but we didn't visit it. Prices were below average for a resort (Fish Tacos $11, wings $10, both with a basket of fries) and portions were generous. The Mudslides were $8 each, again with a generous alcohol pour.

The hotel looks beautiful and well kept. I'm actually considering going there for a long weekend if I can find cheap airplane seats.

No fee to use the pools, just the loungers and/or umbrellas. There's a sign that says the pool is for registered guests only, but I asked at the poolside bar and the response was "of course you can use the pool" and no one said anything different.

 

While there I purchased drinks for me and my companions (excellent Mudslides) and we ate lunch at the poolside restaurant as well. Two of us had fish tacos and one had jerk chicken wings, all delish. Service was a little slow as the World Cup game was on and the restaurant was packed. According to the website there's also an indoor restaurant there, but we didn't visit it. Prices were below average for a resort (Fish Tacos $11, wings $10, both with a basket of fries) and portions were generous. The Mudslides were $8 each, again with a generous alcohol pour.

 

The hotel looks beautiful and well kept. I'm actually considering going there for a long weekend if I can find cheap airplane seats.

If the sign says registered guests then I think that you were fortunate to be able to use the pool but don't count on it next time.

If the sign says registered guests then I think that you were fortunate to be able to use the pool but don't count on it next time.

I agree, which is why I mentioned it.

We once spent 2 weeks on St Maarten exploring all 36 beaches on the island and had a lot of fun. There are pros and cons to various beaches, and the reality is that most cruise ship passengers only go to 1 of 4 or 5 of the beaches without having a clue about the others. So, where to take a 5 year old? And where to shop?

Without a doubt, the best beach on the island for small children (and toddlers) is called Le Galion. This is where the locals teach this children how to swim, it is where the local schools take entire classes for swimming, etc. Le Galion is located just before you get to Orient Beach, but unlike Orient,,,,Le Gailion has a very gentle slope and is sheltered from much of the winds and rough seas. When Orient is very rough, Le Galion will be as gentle as a swimming pool. Its gradual slopping sandy bottom is perfect for small children to play and swim. This beach also has a small restaurant/café with pretty decent food and they have chair rentals. Cruisers can get there with a taxi or rental car. You might want to arrange for your taxi to return and pick you up, or the restaurant will call you a taxi when you are ready to leave.

As to shopping, it is hard to beat Phillipsburg. Yes, there are other shopping areas scattered around the island, but Phillipsburg has a majority of the shops and is very convenient to cruise ship passengers. One can have a taxi drop them (on the way back from the beach) in town where they can do their shopping. When ready to return to your ship you can simply take the water taxi or, if you like long walks, you can actually walk back to the cruise port.

As to Orient, we think its a great beach as long as the wind is not blowing! When you arrive on a ship, if you notice it is a very windy day you need to understand that Orient can be quite rough and you can even get sand blasted on that beach. On those windy days, besides Le Galion we also like Mullet Bay which is protected by being on the Leeward side of the island. There are plenty of other beaches (some are wonderful and usually desserted...like Happy Bay) but many are not reasonably accessible to cruisers unless you rent a car.

Hank

Hank

Great info, Hank Hank :)! Thanks!

Which beach would you recommend to visit? We have a five year old and we did orient beach last September and loved it. We want to be able to just catch a taxi and go and be able to make it back in time to shop- which we didn't get time to do last time except at the port.

 

Also are there any good places to shop at- don't need jewelry or liquor just unique souvenirs?

 

Thanks in advance

I would suggest Maho beach because of the airplane watching. Check out this video of a 747 landing there. Not a sunny beach day, but this video shows how low the planes are when they land. Hopefully the link works...

No fee to use the pools, just the loungers and/or umbrellas. There's a sign that says the pool is for registered guests only, but I asked at the poolside bar and the response was "of course you can use the pool" and no one said anything different.

 

While there I purchased drinks for me and my companions (excellent Mudslides) and we ate lunch at the poolside restaurant as well. Two of us had fish tacos and one had jerk chicken wings, all delish. Service was a little slow as the World Cup game was on and the restaurant was packed. According to the website there's also an indoor restaurant there, but we didn't visit it. Prices were below average for a resort (Fish Tacos $11, wings $10, both with a basket of fries) and portions were generous. The Mudslides were $8 each, again with a generous alcohol pour.

 

The hotel looks beautiful and well kept. I'm actually considering going there for a long weekend if I can find cheap airplane seats.

I will quote your first line as some people just read that and in this case would get the wrong information. "No fee to use the pools, just the loungers and/or umbrellas.". The fact is that the sign says the pool is for registered guests only. Anyways, for those interested Little Bay beach is open to the public like all beaches on the island and Divi Little Bay resort welcomes guests to rent chairs and umbrellas and purchase food and drinks.

Winterfl how much was taxi fare to Little Bay and how long was the ride?

Thanks

Winterfl how much was taxi fare to Little Bay and how long was the ride?

 

Thanks

$5 a person, less than 10 minutes.

Thank you to all who responded. All great ideas, makes my decision so much harder :) I will do some more research and try to narrow it down, only 65 more days to go!

Without a doubt, the best beach on the island for small children (and toddlers) is called Le Galion. This is where the locals teach this children how to swim, it is where the local schools take entire classes for swimming, etc. Le Galion is located just before you get to Orient Beach, but unlike Orient,,,,Le Gailion has a very gentle slope and is sheltered from much of the winds and rough seas. When Orient is very rough, Le Galion will be as gentle as a swimming pool. Its gradual slopping sandy bottom is perfect for small children to play and swim. This beach also has a small restaurant/café with pretty decent food and they have chair rentals. Cruisers can get there with a taxi or rental car. You might want to arrange for your taxi to return and pick you up, or the restaurant will call you a taxi when you are ready to leave.

I have to agree with Hank. We went to Le Galion last year after it was suggested by one of the locals. We had a fabulous day. Calm water and reasonable prices and decent food at the restaurant. When the taxi dropped us off, we just told him what time to pick us up and he was there waiting for us.

Which beach would you recommend to visit? We have a five year old and we did orient beach last September and loved it. We want to be able to just catch a taxi and go and be able to make it back in time to shop- which we didn't get time to do last time except at the port.

 

Also are there any good places to shop at- don't need jewelry or liquor just unique souvenirs?

 

Thanks in advance

For a five year old, LeGalion is ideal - decent food, rest room facilities, chair and umbrella rental. For souvenir shopping on the way back, go to the open market by Back Street in the middle of Phillipsburg - two blocks in from the pier where you can catch the water taxi back to the port.

$5 a person, less than 10 minutes.

Do you have to take a water taxi back from there to the port or is this just another option? We are thinking of hiring a taxi for the day and don't want to spend extra money since we will be paying for a taxi already.

Do you have to take a water taxi back from there to the port or is this just another option? We are thinking of hiring a taxi for the day and don't want to spend extra money since we will be paying for a taxi already.

We are assuming you are speaking about Phillipsburg. The public water taxi is just like a public bus and nobody is forced to use them. In fact, you can even walk from town back to the port (it takes less then 30 min) if you please. There are also regular land taxis at various locations in town that would bring you back to the port. But if you truly hire a taxi for the entire day then your driver should wait for you until you are ready to return to the port.

Hank

Do you have to take a water taxi back from there to the port or is this just another option? We are thinking of hiring a taxi for the day and don't want to spend extra money since we will be paying for a taxi already.

You would have to take a taxi back from Little Bay to the pier or to Front St. Then from Front St you would either walk or take a water taxi back to the pier.

I found some unique souvenirs in a store right next to the Information Booth at the pier.

Do you have to take a water taxi back from there to the port or is this just another option? We are thinking of hiring a taxi for the day and don't want to spend extra money since we will be paying for a taxi already.

You can return to the port via the taxi that you hire for the day. The water taxi is indeed just another option.

Can anyone comment on the differences between Little Bay and Mullet Bay??

Can anyone comment on the differences between Little Bay and Mullet Bay??

Little Bay has 2 resorts on it. Mullet has none directly on the beach.

LB is approximately a 10 minute or less taxi ride at approximately $5 and M takes about 30 minutes at approximately $10pp eachway.

LB has a watersports booth with rentals. ( Aquamania ) No watersports rentals at M

LB has restrooms in a building. M has a port-o-potty.

Both has places to purchase food and drinks and rent chairs and umbrellas.

You can walk to Maho from M in about 15 min or less and it's easy and straight forward.

You might be able to find a taxi at Little Bay for the trip back but your chance of finding one at Mullet is slim. Calling a taxi should work out fine t both and if you don't get lucky at M just walk 7-8 minutes to the Maho strip and you will find one.

Mullet gets lots of islanders visiting it especially on the weekends. LB has more of a timeshare and cruiser crowd.

I could spend the entire day at Mullet/Maho and if I were to go to LB I would need to combo that with Philipsburg as to me it's not a beach that I would spend all day at.

Hope that helps.:)