Public beaches near cruise port?

Considering a spring break cruise with a stop in St. Maarten. What public beach options are there within walking or bussing distance from the cruise port.

We would be 2 seniors, 1 adult and 1 six year old. Just want a clean beach to swim and play in the surf, nothing fancy required.

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The ship docks on the Dutch side and you have to take a ferry over to the mainland where there is a stretch of beach or you can take a taxi to the French side to Orient Bay. Be sure to set a pickup time with the driver to be sure to make it back on time as there can be traffic backups. Last time we left Orient Beach earlier to stop at the beach next to the airport where the planes fly over. That was quite a phenomenon.

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You can walk from the cruise terminal to the beach in Philipsburg - lots of chair/umbrella rentals, but there have been pollution issues, especially after heavy rains, and little likelihood of any surf.

If you like moderate surf, you could taxi up to Dawn Beach for about $6 per - 15 or minute ride; good restaurant, chair and umbrella rentals.

You mentioned having two seniors so ferry may be better option which is why I never mentioned walking as it will also be hot. Ferry ride is scenic. That beach near dock is man-made.

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You mentioned having two seniors so ferry may be better option which is why I never mentioned walking as it will also be hot. Ferry ride is scenic. That beach near dock is man-made.

 

 

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I like the beach and the boardwalk at Great Bay beach which is the town beach referred to here but like another poster mentioned the ongoing water pollution issues are concerning to me as well and they have kept me out of the water here since I first read about them in 2007.

We have mixed feelings about a good answer for the OP. Great Bay is certainly the easiest beach to access and one can simply take the water taxi from the port over to the beach (not sure walking is the best thing with a child). But those that stay on St Maarten (and we have done this a few times) often avoid Great Bay because it is not always the cleanest beach and many believe (and this is open to debate) that the water in that bay is sometimes polluted (especially after rain).

Without a doubt, we think the best beach on the island to take a 6 year old (and seniors who might have difficulty getting in and out of the water) is called Le Galion (a bit closer to the port then the famed Orient Beach). But Le Galion can only be accessed by taxi or private vehicle. This beach is clean, has a decent beach bar/cafe, and has very sheltered waters with an extremely gentle slop (easy to get in and out). The drop off is also very slight (you have to walk out hundreds of feet to get to really deep water) which makes it perfect for small children. In fact, this is the same beach used by many local schools...when they decide to take the children for a beach outing.

Hank

There is a long going thread called Great Bay Pollution- What is it like now? a search away here on cc. (There are others as well that will come up) For those interested, I believe that there are links to articles and mention of people's first hand experiences regarding the pollution concerns at Great Bay Beach. This may helpprovide some onsight and info on the subject.

The ship docks on the Dutch side and you have to take a ferry over to the mainland where there is a stretch of beach or you can take a taxi to the French side to Orient Bay. Be sure to set a pickup time with the driver to be sure to make it back on time as there can be traffic backups. Last time we left Orient Beach earlier to stop at the beach next to the airport where the planes fly over. That was quite a phenomenon.

 

 

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What do you mean by the mainland? How far is the ferry from the port? How far from the ferry drop off to the beach? Any memory of how much they ferry costs?

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You can walk from the cruise terminal to the beach in Philipsburg - lots of chair/umbrella rentals, but there have been pollution issues, especially after heavy rains, and little likelihood of any surf.

 

If you like moderate surf, you could taxi up to Dawn Beach for about $6 per - 15 or minute ride; good restaurant, chair and umbrella rentals.

How far is the walk? My parents will be 67 and 77, so not spry, but not infirm, either.

By using the word "surf" I definitely didn't mean we needed big waves to actually surf on or anything like that, LOL. Just that it be a regular beach with sand that slopes down towards a spot where the waves wash ashore.

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Ferry is about 10 minutes or less and round trip approx $6. Drops you right on the boardwalk by the beach. I personally do not like that beach. I have cruised there several times and was always lucky to find the same taxi driver #86 Mr. Maccow, an older, very reasonable and polite gentleman. The dock is connected to downtown but was easier to refer to it as mainland since my focus was the ferry.

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What do you mean by the mainland? How far is the ferry from the port? How far from the ferry drop off to the beach? Any memory of how much they ferry costs?

 

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The ferry is around 500' from the ship, stay to your left for the entrance to the ferry. Cost is $ 6.00 p/p and you can ride all day and the ferry dropoff is right on the beach. You dock in St. Maarten and the beach is called Great Bay, you will be able to rent chairs from the many vendors.

How far is the walk? My parents will be 67 and 77, so not spry, but not infirm, either.

 

By using the word "surf" I definitely didn't mean we needed big waves to actually surf on or anything like that, LOL. Just that it be a regular beach with sand that slopes down towards a spot where the waves wash ashore.

 

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Probably a 20 minute walk - if it is a hot day, the water shuttle ($6 or $7 for all day) is a good idea. If you really want to swim in calm water, Le Galion is good, for real variety - including areas with partial/full nudity- go to Orient Bay, if some surf is a plus - Dawn Beach. You might want to google St. Maarten/Martin beaches.

Probably a 20 minute walk - if it is a hot day, the water shuttle ($6 or $7 for all day) is a good idea. If you really want to swim in calm water, Le Galion is good, for real variety - including areas with partial/full nudity- go to Orient Bay, if some surf is a plus - Dawn Beach. You might want to google St. Maarten/Martin beaches.

Had to smile at one of the posts. I am 68, and routinely go out for 10 mile power walks (for weight control). Walking is not so much an issue of age as it is conditioning. At any rate, it is no more then a mile to get into Phillipsburg (a little further to be in the center) and we actually like the walk. But having seen many fellow cruisers wait 10 minutes for an elevator to go down one floor...we always hesitate to recommend walking :).

Also regarding the pollution (if it exists) of Great Bay, we are not necessarily talking about the kind of pollution you can see or smell. We are talking about more serious pollution which can potentially make one ill. It is difficult to get an accurate assessment of the current situation since, like any resort island, the government tends to promote the good and hide the bad. Personally, we will swim in Great Bay unless there has been recent rains....but this is just our personal thing....and may or may not be the right approach. When we stay on the island (as opposed to visiting on a cruise) we do not even consider Great Bay since we have a car and there are many better spots.

Hank

Considering a spring break cruise with a stop in St. Maarten. What public beach options are there within walking or bussing distance from the cruise port.

 

We would be 2 seniors, 1 adult and 1 six year old. Just want a clean beach to swim and play in the surf, nothing fancy required.

 

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The beaches most often visited by bus are Maho AKA the plane beach and Mullet which is a lovely Caribbean beach and a favorite of the islanders.

The beaches most often visited by bus are Maho AKA the plane beach and Mullet which is a lovely Caribbean beach and a favorite of the islanders.

So there is public transportation near the port?

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All day Water Taxi has been $7 for several years.

(click)

gary

So there is public transportation near the port?

 

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I believe the closest bus stop is about a 15 min walk. It's on Back St in the town of Phillipsburg.

So there is public transportation near the port?

 

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Plenty of cabs as you exit the Welcome Center.

I believe the closest bus stop is about a 15 min walk. It's on Back St in the town of Phillipsburg.

Thanks!

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All day Water Taxi has been $7 for several years.

 

(click)

 

gary

Great, thanks!

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Plenty of cabs as you exit the Welcome Center.

I would really prefer something withing walking distance or accessible by public transit.

Plenty of cabs as you exit the Welcome Center.

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