Bus to mullet and walk to Maho?

Has anyone done this? Is the bus close to the port? What tips can anyone give me? Is there a good map available for the walk? How arduous is the walk...hills etc?

I may have more questions but this looks like a great way to save some $$ and do exactly what we would like to do for the day.

Is the snorkeling any good at either place...hubby loves to snorkel and I actually am beginning to really like it myself!

My family of 5 did this last month and it felt like an adventure. It ended up being so easy.

You get off the boat and start walking toward gates to exit the port. You will see signs saying, "This way to Phillipsburg." When you exit the gates, you turn left and walk along the sidewalk. Every so often, you will see another reassuring sign that you are headed to Phillipsburg. You will end up at this tourist looking area that has shops. I bought a Diet Coke here. You need to cross this little bridge and you need to keep going toward the beach area. You will come across upscale stores along the beachfront. Everyone wants to rent you chairs and umbrellas. You need to cut through an alley to Front Street (more stores) and then cut through another alley to Back Street. This walk from the ship to Back Street takes at least 15 minutes, but it is worth it. I needed the exercise and it is not hard at all. No hills; it is just hot (thus the need for a coke).

On Back Street, I immediately found a van with "BUS" on its license plate. I told the driver I needed to get to Mullet Bay and he was thrilled. He changed out his cardboard sign to say "Mullet Bay/Maho" and off we went. We verified that the cost was $2 per person and he agreed. The bus ride takes about 30 minutes. The bus drops you right off at Mullet Bay which is gorgeous. Two chairs and an umbrella cost $15 in total. We didn't want to leave. While there, you will see planes arriving, so you get the sense where Maho is.

A couple of times, I needed reassurance that I was headed in the right direction. People are so friendly and don't mind helping you. Front Street and Back Street are parallel to each other. You will pass Maho on the way to Mullet Bay.

We had to leave Mullet Bay, so the kids could see Maho. You head back to the parking lot and to the road. Turn right and up ahead, you will see a white building that is a golf shop. When you get to the golf shop, turn right and walk toward the Pharmacy. Keep walking and you will pass a casino. Then you will see Maho beach on the right. This walk takes about 10-12 minutes. Taxis will stop you and ask if you need a ride. We wanted to walk, but we did ask them where Maho was (just to be sure). They pointed us in the right direction, so I felt very comfortable.

When you are ready to leave Maho, just retrace your steps to the main road. A "BUS" was just sitting there. We asked him if he could take us back to Phillipsburg and we took off.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the great info

Fantastic! Thank you for this information--we will likely do the same thing next month. :)

Sent from my iPad using Forums

This totally made my decision for what to do in st maartin. I would much rather do it on my own than be on someone else's schedule. Thank you!!!

While we took a cab to Mullet, I can only comment on the walk from Mullet to Maho. It's about 15 minutes and super easy!!! There's no getting lost on this one trust me. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have a complete review of our day and how we did it, listed in my signature line. There's TONS of pictures.

While we took a cab to Mullet, I can only comment on the walk from Mullet to Maho. It's about 15 minutes and super easy!!! There's no getting lost on this one trust me. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

I have a complete review of our day and how we did it, listed in my signature line. There's TONS of pictures.

 

I LOVE your reviews. They have been incredibly helpful..so a BIG thank you is in order!!

I LOVE your reviews. They have been incredibly helpful..so a BIG thank you is in order!!

No problem at all. I enjoy doing the reviews and helping others out.

The walk is incredibly easy. When you walk out of the beach area into the driveway, you simply follow the road out. There's grass along the side and an area you can see where people walk clear of traffic. You are walking right along the entrance road by the golf course. Once you come out to the regular street, there's a sidewalk. You keep going (which is toward you right) and walk along the little shops up and down the road and it will bring you right to Maho. I didn't count, but it only seemed like maybe 2 blocks??? Super easy. When I look at the map I gave, it almost makes it look like a longer walk than it actually seems. :)

very helpful information everyone thank you.

Do you need exact change or are bills ok for the bus?

What's the main road the bus go on? Is it AIRPORT RD? Is that where I can catch the bus back to Phillipsburg?

I am planning to take bus to Marigot first, then back to Mullet Bay then to Maho beach then back to Phillipsburg. Anyone did this? I read about the bus switch.

Can anyone tell me the current cost for bus to Marigot and how about if it's halfway to swtich bus at that KFC? I read $1.5? Is it still the same?

Thx

Is there Snorkeling at mullet?

Is there Snorkeling at mullet?

The snorkeling at Mullet is not great but there are fish over by the rocks. I ve never found the off beach snorkeling very good anywhere on the island.

Is there Snorkeling at mullet?

Since it's a sandy bottom type of beach, the snorkeling isn't really one of the factors to visit this place. Yes, you will see some fish (as you would at any beach no matter what). You will see a few more over by the rocky area and you will see (well we did) tons of spiny sea urchins.

The wall

Has anyone ever hit alot of traffic coming back from Mayo or Mullet beach? And is it easy to get a taxi to Phillipsburg? thanks

Can someone verify, how bus are the buses to Maho / Mullet? And anyone taken to Marigot? I am hoping to take bus to Marigot, then to Mullet then back to Phillipsburg...

Are buses $2? And if you do the half way..1.30???

Thanks

Has anyone ever hit alot of traffic coming back from Mayo or Mullet beach? And is it easy to get a taxi to Phillipsburg? thanks

There are not that many taxis waiting at Mullet at all like they are at Maho Beach. You can walk (15 mins.) to Maho from Mullet beach.

There are plenty of taxis at Maho waiting to take people back to Philipsburg, you will hear many people say, taxi anyone, so no need to worry,

There used to be only 1 bridge, the Causeway Bridge. Since they built the Simpson Bay bridge there isn't much traffic going back to Philipsburg at all, but you never know. I would still allow 1 1/2- 2 hours from Maho back to Philipsburg to be on the safe side, I wouldn't want to be a pier runner.

Can someone verify, how bus are the buses to Maho / Mullet? And anyone taken to Marigot? I am hoping to take bus to Marigot, then to Mullet then back to Phillipsburg...

 

Are buses $2? And if you do the half way..1.30???

 

Thanks

The bus from Philipsburg to Marigot is still $2. From the pier, you need to walk into town (15-20 mins.) and catch the bus (minivans) on Back St. which is in back of the Court House. Their license plate will indicate (BUS) and there will be a sign in the window indicating Marigot.

You would have to take 2 buses from Marigot and change at Cole Bay to get to either Mullet or Maho, sorry, can't help you there.

You'll have no problem taking a bus back from Maho to Philipsburg, give yourself at least 2 hours when returning back to Philipsburg.

The bus from Philipsburg to Marigot is still $2. From the pier, you need to walk into town (15-20 mins.) and catch the bus (minivans) on Back St. which is in back of the Court House. Their license plate will indicate (BUS) and there will be a sign in the window indicating Marigot.

 

You would have to take 2 buses from Marigot and change at Cole Bay to get to either Mullet or Maho, sorry, can't help you there.

 

You'll have no problem taking a bus back from Maho to Philipsburg, give yourself at least 2 hours when returning back to Philipsburg.

Where does the bus pick up at Maho beach? Right at the beach or do I have to go somewhere?

Where does the bus pick up at Maho beach? Right at the beach or do I have to go somewhere?

When your getting off the bus at Maho, ask the driver where to stand exactly to catch the bus back to Philipsburg. I remember we just stood by the road, walking left from the beach and flagged a bus (minivans) back. It is very easy and you can ask any of the taxi drivers where to catch the bus.

It has been a few years since we have taken the bus back from Maho to Philipsburg. We now go to Maho either by taxi or take Bernard's tour #2 which we prefer to spend our beach time at Orient Beach and then head over to Maho for a while with their tour.

Is there fresh water showers at Mullet Bay and or Maho

Both Mullet and Maho do not have any showers. Maho does have a faucet that is near the surfboard, going down the step to the beach, where you can rinse off sand from your feet.

Is there fresh water showers at Mullet Bay and or Maho

No there are not any showers there. There's not even a restroom (it's a porta potty at mullet). If you stay over at sunset at maho they have restrooms, but no showers. They do have a garden hose to use right as you go up to the sundeck to wash off with.

We did the bus into Marigold, easy, after short walk, and took a taxi to Mullet bay , even easier. I wanted to ride the bus back from maho and it took a bit to find a bus.....all taxis stopping every few minutes. You can not see the plates that say bus lol

My hubby was cussing me while we were walking and a bus pulled up to us lol @ 2 bucks . EZ and cheap. No taxi driver could ( or would) tell us about the bus stop bc I kept asking for the bus. Maybe we just had bad luck with the taxi crew. But I am going to try it again now that I am an expert. hahaha

We did the bus into Marigold, easy, after short walk, and took a taxi to Mullet bay , even easier. I wanted to ride the bus back from maho and it took a bit to find a bus.....all taxis stopping every few minutes. You can not see the plates that say bus lol

My hubby was cussing me while we were walking and a bus pulled up to us lol @ 2 bucks . EZ and cheap. No taxi driver could ( or would) tell us about the bus stop bc I kept asking for the bus. Maybe we just had bad luck with the taxi crew. But I am going to try it again now that I am an expert. hahaha

So where does the bus run from Maho beach? since I am planning to take bus to Mullet bay first and walk back..I am guessing the bus doesn't run along the road at the beach when the runway backs to?

Can someone verify, how bus are the buses to Maho / Mullet? And anyone taken to Marigot? I am hoping to take bus to Marigot, then to Mullet then back to Phillipsburg...

 

Are buses $2? And if you do the half way..1.30???

 

Thanks

Don't know what the 1.30 means, but many bus rides are $2. Including Philipsburg to Marigot.

As noted before, you'll need two bus rides to get to Maho from Marigot.

First bus is from Marigot to Cole Bay (bus will say Philipsburg or an abbreviation), tell the driver that you want to transfer to a bus to Maho and he should help you get off at the right spot. It would be just before the roundabout before the bus heads up over Cole Bay Hill.

Then you walk down the road a bit to in front of the KFC and catch a bus coming from over the hill for the rest of the way to Maho/Mullet. I believe that each ride will be $2.

gary