St Maarten and Kids

Our kids will be 10.5 and 6.5 years when we travel.

What do you recommend we do in st Maarten? A beach (and which one), a specific site to see, a specific tour?

We are not too adventurous so not into scuba diving and such.

Our kids will be 10.5 and 6.5 years when we travel.

 

What do you recommend we do in st Maarten?

For educational purposes, nothing beats the topless women at Orient Beach. If I'd seen it when I was 10.5 I'd have been married 6.5 times by now.

Orient Beach is really fine for children. The area around Club Orient is the hard core nude section. On the opposite end of Orient Beach some topless but not much ... if that sort of thing is a problem.

An excursion booked thru your ship to Orient beach might be the one to consider. It's a beautiful beach and the children would have a great time in the water. :)

LuLu

Our kids will be 10.5 and 6.5 years when we travel.

 

What do you recommend we do in st Maarten? A beach (and which one), a specific site to see, a specific tour?

 

We are not too adventurous so not into scuba diving and such.

I would suggest that you look into the Playstation that Aquamania runs. It's an old catamaran turned into a water jungle gym with rope swings and slides ect. Before or after that taxi to Maho beach for some plane watching.

I would suggest that you look into the Playstation that Aquamania runs. It's an old catamaran turned into a water jungle gym with rope swings and slides ect. Before or after that taxi to Maho beach for some plane watching.

Thank you. Never heard of this but my older one would love it. My younger one is just learning swimming so a bit too advanced for her. Is this something you swim to from the beach (i.e. so dh could take Ds and I'd stay with DD) or is it more of a boat that takes us to it?

Thanks for the other suggestions but think we'll skip orient beach because of nudity.

Thank you. Never heard of this but my older one would love it. My younger one is just learning swimming so a bit too advanced for her. Is this something you swim to from the beach (i.e. so dh could take Ds and I'd stay with DD) or is it more of a boat that takes us to it?

 

Thanks for the other suggestions but think we'll skip orient beach because of nudity.

I agree that you should skip Orient Beach, but not necessarily for the nudity. If your youngest is just learning to swim, the surf at Orient Beach is going to be way too rough. I would recommend Maho Beach for the jets, Great Bay Beach for the convenience to the cruise ports & shopping or Little Bay Beach for a more remote getaway. All of these are on the Dutch side of the island, and have minimal surf.

Thank you. Never heard of this but my older one would love it. My younger one is just learning swimming so a bit too advanced for her. Is this something you swim to from the beach (i.e. so dh could take Ds and I'd stay with DD) or is it more of a boat that takes us to it?

 

Thanks for the other suggestions but think we'll skip orient beach because of nudity.

I watched people on this a few years ago and saw paddle boats being used to get people out to the Playstation and parents were free at the time. I am not sure but I would think that lifejackets would be provided but you should check on that.

I would not recommend swimming in great bay the town beach as the pollution issues have not been rectified as of yet.

I would not recommend swimming in great bay the town beach as the pollution issues have not been rectified as of yet.

Still??? Lovely. Well, strike that from the recommended list, then. :(

Still??? Lovely. Well, strike that from the recommended list, then. :(

Unfortunately yes. Hopefully they will get it together and fix it soon though.:)

Unfortunately yes. Hopefully they will get it together and fix it soon though.:)

I've heard the same comment about Great Bay Beach. A shame about the pollution.

What beach is the Playstation located?

I've heard the same comment about Great Bay Beach. A shame about the pollution.

 

What beach is the Playstation located?

I picked up a brochure from Aquamania and they call the beach Pelican Beach. Ask the driver to take you to the Simpson Bay Marina if you go. There are no children on the brochure wearing lifejackets but neither is the paddle boarder or the kayaker.

Having a child who is a new swimmer I'd recommend Le Galion beach (french side). It is protected by a reef so is very calm, and you can walk in really far without getting too deep. It's also very close to a butterfly farm if that's something you are into.

Having a child who is a new swimmer I'd recommend Le Galion beach (french side). It is protected by a reef so is very calm, and you can walk in really far without getting too deep. It's also very close to a butterfly farm if that's something you are into.

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I reinforce all that was mention above. Le Gallion beach is gorgeous, no waves, only one small beach restaurant, no crowds* I've been there only once but I plan a visit on our next cruise to st maarten <3 we met a few teenagers there , they were jumping off a structure on the side of the bay that looked like an Olympic pool (Google pics) so that was fun for my husband and our 5yr old daughter I enjoyed hiking around the rocks and off course the beach.

The taxi ride was fun, not as bumpy as going with a toddler to coki beach, st Thomas so that's GOOD ;)

Another for Le Galion beach. We went there by taxi when our children were 2 and 5. Perfect place for families.

Another vote for Le Galion. The restaurant is closed one day a week, so check your day in port.

Tropical Wave / Chez Pat is closed on Mondays from May through December 15th.

The rest of the year they are open seven days a week.

(click)

gary

Tropical Wave / Chez Pat is closed on Mondays from May through December 15th.

 

The rest of the year they are open seven days a week.

 

(click)

 

gary

Thanks for the info. We'll be there on a Thursday, but it'll be April so guess they are open anyways.

And thanks for the picture link. Water does look pretty calm. Hopefully my older one won't get bored (but we'll bring stuff to play with on the beach)

I think I read that it's hard to catch a taxi back from Le Galion?

At drop off we arranged a time for our taxi to be back and get us, worked out perfect. If not, I'm sure the people that works on the restaurant would find one ;)

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I reinforce all that was mention above. Le Gallion beach is gorgeous, no waves, only one small beach restaurant, no crowds* I've been there only once but I plan a visit on our next cruise to st maarten <3 we met a few teenagers there , they were jumping off a structure on the side of the bay that looked like an Olympic pool (Google pics) so that was fun for my husband and our 5yr old daughter I enjoyed hiking around the rocks and off course the beach.

The taxi ride was fun, not as bumpy as going with a toddler to coki beach, st Thomas so that's GOOD ;)

I was at Le Gallion 2 weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon and there were of more than 200 people there including a truck piping out music for a party. Often during the week days in the summer its used by camps and families as well because its such a great beach for kids.

Anyone done Bernard's Tour with kids? I'm thinking either Le Gallion as recommended on here, but I've also heard really good thing about their tours. I believe tour #2 stops at a beach (although not my first pick as I believe it's Orient beach). As a reminder, our kids will be 10.5 and 6.5 years so am not sure if a tour would bore them.

How much should a taxi be from cruise port to/ from Le Galliin beach?