orient & maho? transportation?

cruising on freedom to StM in july with the wife & 2 teenage boys (17 & 19). We ALL want to see the jets at maho but I also want to check out orient beach and maybe some other stuff in the area. Should we take a taxi? bus? I also looked at a tour through viator that hits both places but is over $40pp for what sounds like is just transportation and is considered a 1/2 day tour. then again, I may end up spending that if we have a few taxi rides anyways so I am conflicted.

Renting a car is out (i'm a dedicated vacation boozebag and the wife doesnt drive rentals).

Any tips or suggestions?

oreint beach worth seeing (reading about weather damage)?

thanks

I would suggest that anyone that hasn't visited Orient should do it at least once to see what it is all about. (We visit regularly)

I've done this calculation before based on what I saw as current taxi rates at the time, but I keep hearing that rates may increase just a bit in the near future.

From the Cruise Facility to Orient for four should cost about $28, a bit less if you fill a taxi with additional persons, perhaps only $6 per person.

Orient to Maho is an unknown, but I would suggest about $40 for the four of you.

Maho back to the Cruise Facility should be about $36, or perhaps $32 if you share a ride.

gary

p.s. Orient Beach is fine.

thanks for the info. we have been to StM a bunch of times and have never traveled far from the port. Glad to hear orient is ok. the wife has left it all up to me so I suppose I gotta keep researching transportation options.

Is there more over there to see?

Anything that "cant" be missed?

so now the wife says she wants to skip orient but doesnt want to miss maho.

so new question is is there anything near or on way to maho worth checking out in the am then heading to maho for lunch, drinks & jets

I wouldn't spend the entire day at Maho. :(

You've got at least a couple options.

You could head towards Maho, but stop at Simpson Bay Beach and spend some time at karakter before you continue over, or you could start off at Mullet Bay Beach, which is just past Maho, spend some time there and then make your way back to Maho.

gary

p.s. I believe that Mullet would be cheaper. :)

I wouldn't spend the entire day at Maho. :(

 

You've got at least a couple options.

 

You could head towards Maho, but stop at Simpson Bay Beach and spend some time at karakter before you continue over, or you could start off at Mullet Bay Beach, which is just past Maho, spend some time there and then make your way back to Maho.

 

gary

 

p.s. I believe that Mullet would be cheaper. :)

thanks for the advice. i didnt think there would be enough to entertain us at maho for the day either but she doesnt want to drive all over the island.

You're driving now?

gary

You're driving now?

 

gary

nope. i meant it as riding along in a cab/bus.

Me and the boys are looking into a jet ski tour in the am to fill some time before heading to maho. something not too long but guided to see some cool stuff.

i guess i should change thread title to "what to do before heading to maho"

Can you walk from mullet to maho?

How much is a can from port to mullet? Can from maho back to port?

Any decent public transportation that's cheaper?

Finally, any beaches you can just walk to from port? Or take a cheap water taxi to?

Can you walk from mullet to maho?

 

How much is a can from port to mullet? Can from maho back to port?

 

Any decent public transportation that's cheaper?

 

Finally, any beaches you can just walk to from port? Or take a cheap water taxi to?

from what i have read:

Yes, you can walk from mullet to maho in 15 mins and theres a casino resort and golf course between them.

cheapest transportation is the bus but you have to take water taxi to main shopping area and catch bus near courthouse.

yes, there are beaches along the main drag where the water taxis drop you off and we have gone to the far end and rented jet skis there before. my wife refuses to do this again because we were bombarded with peddlers and beggars last time there.

I am really leaning to just talking her into the tour that hits orient then maho and renting skis at orient but we wanted more of a jet ski "tour"

I wouldn't spend the entire day at Maho. :(

 

:)

I agree with Gary. I wouldn't spend the entire day at Maho.

Our first and second time there was one of the most enjoyable islands ever.

Both times I rented a car, went to Orient then to Margot for the atmosphere then to Maho and back to the ship.

Lots of funny stories, got blocked in in a parking lot in Margot and three of us picked up the front of a small car and moved it so we could get to Maho. Walked the nude beach nude so I could say I did it. It was amazing, laughed the whole time. Maho is fun for an hour maybe two.

Ok, after a long story we are going back in December. I think I am going to rent a car and go back to Margot, Maho and try and find something new besides Orient.

Knowing you are not renting a car I would take a taxi to margot, then to Maho and finally back to the ship.

Hope all that helps!

I agree with Gary. I wouldn't spend the entire day at Maho.

Our first and second time there was one of the most enjoyable islands ever.

Both times I rented a car, went to Orient then to Margot for the atmosphere then to Maho and back to the ship.

Lots of funny stories, got blocked in in a parking lot in Margot and three of us picked up the front of a small car and moved it so we could get to Maho. Walked the nude beach nude so I could say I did it. It was amazing, laughed the whole time. Maho is fun for an hour maybe two.

Ok, after a long story we are going back in December. I think I am going to rent a car and go back to Margot, Maho and try and find something new besides Orient.

Knowing you are not renting a car I would take a taxi to margot, then to Maho and finally back to the ship.

 

Hope all that helps!

thanks. So who did you rent the car from? she is starting to budge on the idea of renting:D

thanks. So who did you rent the car from? she is starting to budge on the idea of renting:D

After your opening comment in this thread, I hope that she is driving. :)

I will refer you to a post that I made here back in 2007.

gary

After your opening comment in this thread, I hope that she is driving. :)

 

I will refer you to a post that I made here back in 2007.

 

gary

thanks. yes, the prob is i have to talk her into driving. i will navigate;)

thanks. So who did you rent the car from? she is starting to budge on the idea of renting:D

I just made a reservation with hertz. 100 for the day. But after talking to the DW who lately is becoming real boring she doesn't want to do much so so now the plan is taxi to Maho-Sunset Bar-planes then taxi to Downtown Phillips-burg which we never really did because we were always to busy doing all the other fun things. I have to agree with her since we did it twice I thought I would try something different.

All that said if you are a little adventuresome rent the car and go on your own. The roads are few and simple. I did Hertz because the rental office is a 5 minute walk from the ship.

Can you walk from mullet to maho?

 

How much is a can from port to mullet? Can from maho back to port?

 

Any decent public transportation that's cheaper?

 

Finally, any beaches you can just walk to from port? Or take a cheap water taxi to?

we took the water taxi (maybe $5 pp round trip?) across to the beach that is right there. it was perfect - with shopping, drinks, etc just behind there, and rentals if you want a chair/umbrella.

we took the water taxi (maybe $5 pp round trip?) across to the beach that is right there. it was perfect - with shopping, drinks, etc just behind there, and rentals if you want a chair/umbrella.

I believe that the Water Taxi is still $7 for an all-day pass, not just one round trip.

(click)

I agree that Great Bay Beach is very nice with all that it offers, and the shopping on Frontstreet is second to none, BUT, I have serious concerns about the water quality in Great Bay, re: pollution.

gary

I would book a tour with Bernard Tours. You will get your beach time at Orient, a little shopping time in the French capitol Marigot and then on to see the planes land at Maho. All for a very reasonable price and you will be back in plenty of time to do more shopping in Phillipsburg.

No driving for you, a very informative and interesting tour and for cheaper than you could taxi....sounds like a win-win to me....:D

We have been 4 times with Bernard now because it's so great!

I hope you have a wonderful trip !

I would book a tour with Bernard Tours. You will get your beach time at Orient, a little shopping time in the French capitol Marigot and then on to see the planes land at Maho. All for a very reasonable price and you will be back in plenty of time to do more shopping in Phillipsburg.

 

No driving for you, a very informative and interesting tour and for cheaper than you could taxi....sounds like a win-win to me....:D

 

We have been 4 times with Bernard now because it's so great!

 

I hope you have a wonderful trip !

Thanks! 9 days away for me!

what makes me nervous about bernards is a lot of people say they spent too much time shopping and didnt get to see jets, which is our priority (teenage boys & i'm very juvenile).

Was that Tour#1 or #2 with Bernards?

Thanks! 9 days away for me!

what makes me nervous about bernards is a lot of people say they spent too much time shopping and didnt get to see jets, which is our priority (teenage boys & i'm very juvenile).

We were only in Marigot for about 30 min, the rest of the time we were either at the beach, seeing some of the beautiful sites or at Maho to see the planes. We are not shoppers so I would have never taken this tour so many times if it was a shopping tour.....LOL

Bernard and his guys know when the big planes come in so we have always been there for Air France, which is one of the big girls. And sometimes the traffic is a bear, so we were always glad to not have to worry about getting back to the ship.

Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just wanted you to know our tours have not been about shoppinh....:D

I hope you and your family have a wonderful trip!!

we were only in marigot for about 30 min, the rest of the time we were either at the beach, seeing some of the beautiful sites or at maho to see the planes. We are not shoppers so i would have never taken this tour so many times if it was a shopping tour.....lol

 

bernard and his guys know when the big planes come in so we have always been there for air france, which is one of the big girls. And sometimes the traffic is a bear, so we were always glad to not have to worry about getting back to the ship.

 

Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just wanted you to know our tours have not been about shoppinh....:d

 

i hope you and your family have a wonderful trip!!

thanks!!!