Please help out a Nervous Newbie -- Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Family of 5 going to Philipsburg on cruise in December. We are not very adventurous people and are easily entertained by people-watching, shopping, etc. We'll have 1 young kid (8) who will most probably get tired after 4-5 hours. Our budget is VERY VERY tight; like doesn't exist. :) We'd like to spend $50 bucks or less for all of us, if possible.

Here's what I'm thinking after reading these boards and doing a little research --

After the crowds get off the ship, we'll take our time getting off and walk to Front Street (20 minutes?) and do some shopping, people-watching, etc. From there, it sounds like it's easy to find Great Bay Beach. (Is this beach free?) We'll probably walk there -- stick our feet in the water, play a little bit. Is it correct that the beach is free just to hang out? But if we want we can get hooked up with a few chairs and umbrellas for $20-30? Maybe we'll stay an hour or 2.

From there we'll either take a water taxi back to the port (are these easy to find if we didn't take one there to begin with?) and get back on the boat or . . .

What I'd like to do is take a driving tour around the island -- just to really "see" what the island is like -- don't really need a tour guide with history and all that -- but would like to kids to feel like they saw some "sights" -- how can we accomplish this in an hour or so? I understand there are $2 buses on Back Street (true?) Can we hop on a bus and get a "tour" or do we need to take a real tour to see parts of the island? If we do take a bus, will it end up taking us back to the place we started? WHat's the time frame?

I probably don't want to spend more than 4-5 hours off the ship. Is this do-able?

I'm clueless on how this all works, so feel free to tell me if this is a stupid plan or fill me in on what I'm not thinking about.

Thanks.:D

It's intelligent to get some advice.

It should take maybe 20 minutes to walk to/from the dock to Philipsburg.

Great Bay beach is free and it's right there. Maybe 30 seconds from Front St.

It's a small island so you should have plenty of time.

The buses are designed to get real people from one place to another. Not to say the driver couldn't be persuaded to give you a tour, but you'd better make sure he doesn't charge you the "tourist" price, i.e. about 10x what the islanders pay. (Always settle on price BEFORE you get in a vehicle with anyone in tourist areas). You'd probably be better off just to go with a taxi, they only cost $7 a person or so for common routes.

You will see a good variety of scenery in the harbor: the beach, and lots of hills. The rest of the island is variations on that theme. If you have a taxi take you to Orient or Maho or whatever and return you will see a pretty good section of the island - as I said it's not that huge.

Lard G:

Thanks for the reply. Good advice to negotiate the price before getting in!

Questions for you or anyone --

If we decide NOT to take the taxi or bus and just stay close to downtown, the harbor and the Great Bay Beach area ON FOOT -- is there something there that we should look for or do? Any landmarks or anything? If we stay in the downtown area, is there anything other than shopping and dining to do around there?

Is it safe to wander the streets around downtown during the day?

Thanks.

Family of 5 going to Philipsburg on cruise in December. We are not very adventurous people and are easily entertained by people-watching, shopping, etc. We'll have 1 young kid (8) who will most probably get tired after 4-5 hours. Our budget is VERY VERY tight; like doesn't exist. :) We'd like to spend $50 bucks or less for all of us, if possible.

 

Here's what I'm thinking after reading these boards and doing a little research --

 

After the crowds get off the ship, we'll take our time getting off and walk to Front Street (20 minutes?) and do some shopping, people-watching, etc. From there, it sounds like it's easy to find Great Bay Beach. (Is this beach free?) We'll probably walk there -- stick our feet in the water, play a little bit. Is it correct that the beach is free just to hang out? But if we want we can get hooked up with a few chairs and umbrellas for $20-30? Maybe we'll stay an hour or 2.

 

From there we'll either take a water taxi back to the port (are these easy to find if we didn't take one there to begin with?) and get back on the boat or . . .

 

What I'd like to do is take a driving tour around the island -- just to really "see" what the island is like -- don't really need a tour guide with history and all that -- but would like to kids to feel like they saw some "sights" -- how can we accomplish this in an hour or so? I understand there are $2 buses on Back Street (true?) Can we hop on a bus and get a "tour" or do we need to take a real tour to see parts of the island? If we do take a bus, will it end up taking us back to the place we started? WHat's the time frame?

 

I probably don't want to spend more than 4-5 hours off the ship. Is this do-able?

 

I'm clueless on how this all works, so feel free to tell me if this is a stupid plan or fill me in on what I'm not thinking about.

 

Thanks.:D

I like saving Phillipsburg for last because then I am close to the ship. Also I don't swim in Great Bay Beach as I am concerned with the Water quality at this beach and twice this fall when tested it failed water quality tests again. Whenever there has been heavy rain this is a beach to skip but it's really difficult to keep up and know just when the "swimmable" window is especially for cruisers IMHO.

Since 5 hours is enough for your outing I would suggest walking over to Back St and catching the bus to the beautiful Mullet Bay beach and then walk the 15 minutes to Maho and watch the planes coming and going and then taxiing back to the ship or bussing back to Phillipsburg. From town you can walk along the boardwalk and then back to the ship or take the water taxi or even a land taxi back to the ship.

Is your 8 year old a "he". If yes than he should enjoy the

planes landing at Maho-Beach, that's great fun and you can also look at the people there. The beach there is also free (except when using chairs and umbrellas). Much more information you'll find in this branch, as there are dozens of threads about Maho-Beach.

And best of all you can reach it by bus from backstreet for 2 bucks each, so a round-trip would cost you at most 20 US-Dollars(it might be that kids are cheaper); right where you got off the bus (at a small roundabout) only 50 meters from the beach, there is a small supermarket where you can buy big bottles of water or softdrinks to save some money. And it's also there where you will wait for a bus taking you back to Philipsburg. Just look at the licenceplate saying "Bus" and the cartboard sign behind the window telling you the distination and then just wave; there are no "real" busstops.

The bus should take about 30 min each way, but count with double the time (especially on your way back) as traffic can be very slow at a time.

When we went last time, we took the water taxi, it is cheap & went to Phillipsburg, then we did some shopping, there is a market. The water at that beach is apparently polluted. This time we are going to do the water taxi & shopping again, but the ship has a cheap short tour for $27 ea around the island, so that is what we might do.

When we went last time, we took the water taxi, it is cheap & went to Phillipsburg, then we did some shopping, there is a market. The water at that beach is apparently polluted. This time we are going to do the water taxi & shopping again, but the ship has a cheap short tour for $27 ea around the island, so that is what we might do.

Just read what OP wrote and then think about your recommendation:

"Family of 5 going to Philipsburg on cruise in December. We are not very adventurous people and are easily entertained by people-watching, shopping, etc. We'll have 1 young kid (8) who will most probably get tired after 4-5 hours. Our budget is VERY VERY tight; like doesn't exist. :) We'd like to spend $50 bucks or less for all of us, if possible."

Is your 8 year old a "he". If yes than he should enjoy the

planes landing at Maho-Beach, that's great fun and you can also look at the people there. The beach there is also free (except when using chairs and umbrellas). Much more information you'll find in this branch, as there are dozens of threads about Maho-Beach.

 

And best of all you can reach it by bus from backstreet for 2 bucks each, so a round-trip would cost you at most 20 US-Dollars(it might be that kids are cheaper); right where you got off the bus (at a small roundabout) only 50 meters from the beach, there is a small supermarket where you can buy big bottles of water or softdrinks to save some money. And it's also there where you will wait for a bus taking you back to Philipsburg. Just look at the licenceplate saying "Bus" and the cartboard sign behind the window telling you the distination and then just wave; there are no "real" busstops.

 

The bus should take about 30 min each way, but count with double the time (especially on your way back) as traffic can be very slow at a time.

I have girls and they all love Maho. My twin DD's were 10 the first time they went. Not sure why you only think that if the OP's 8 year old is a " he" they should "enjoy" Maho. Girls grow up to be pilots to!

Is your 8 year old a "he". If yes than he should enjoy the

planes landing at Maho-Beach, that's great fun and you can also look at the people there. The beach there is also free (except when using chairs and umbrellas). Much more information you'll find in this branch, as there are dozens of threads about Maho-Beach.

 

And best of all you can reach it by bus from backstreet for 2 bucks each, so a round-trip would cost you at most 20 US-Dollars(it might be that kids are cheaper); right where you got off the bus (at a small roundabout) only 50 meters from the beach, there is a small supermarket where you can buy big bottles of water or softdrinks to save some money. And it's also there where you will wait for a bus taking you back to Philipsburg. Just look at the licenceplate saying "Bus" and the cartboard sign behind the window telling you the distination and then just wave; there are no "real" busstops.

 

The bus should take about 30 min each way, but count with double the time (especially on your way back) as traffic can be very slow at a time.

I have to agree with Karysa. As many times as we have been to Maho, we have seen children whether they are males or females, 3 yrs old and up, love seeing the planes land and take off at the airport.

Taking the water taxi from the Pier to Town and back is great -- fun little boat trip in itself. You have the option of a one way ticket or an all day pass.

The beach is free and you should be able to get two lounge chairs and an umbrella and bucket of beer/water/soda - 6 bottles all together for about $20.

Just politely tell the beach vendors - no thank you and eventually they will stop offering to sell you stuff.

A stroll around the town doesn't take long and lets you stretch your legs a bit and maybe stop for an ice cream.

You could easily (depending on your time in port) go back on board the ship for lunch and take the water taxi back to town again.

We generally leave the ship around 9:30 - water taxi to beach, get couple of loungers and relax there for a couple hours, then we walk around town and head back to the ship around 1:00 for a quick bite and either enjoy the pool area on the ship (nice and quiet on a port day) or simply enjoy a nap,:D

Enjoy your cruise. St. Maarten can have horrible afternoon traffic so if you do decide to venture away from town please be sure to allow a LOT of time to get back before you are due back on board.

Great Bay Beach is right there and free unless you rent chairs & umbrellas! On such a limited budget you'll be happy to have this option. :)

LuLu