Help for our day in St Maarten

[Gaynors]

A few years ago we rented a car and went to both Le Galion and Mullet Bay and stopped at Serrafina's :D. Le Gallion was very quiet and peaceful with natural shade. There were very few people there (until the school busses arrived).. we also went there first from the ship so it was still probably about 10 am.. The water was very shallow and calm. We stopped by Orient Beach just to see what it looked like ...very beautiful but crowded..

 

At Mullet Bay the water was beautiful but deep (normal drop off from shore) and much more rough. The beach was also much more crowded (but by the time we got there it was 1pm.

 

We are headed back this Thanksgiving Day and have rented a car again. Was looking to try some other beaches was thinking maybe Grand Case or Long Bay. Has anyone tried either of them?

Edited September 25, 2015 by Gaynors

[Karysa]

A few years ago we rented a car and went to both Le Galion and Mullet Bay and stopped at Serrafina's :D. Le Gallion was very quiet and peaceful with natural shade. There were very few people there (until the school busses arrived).. we also went there first from the ship so it was still probably about 10 am.. The water was very shallow and calm. We stopped by Orient Beach just to see what it looked like ...very beautiful but crowded..

 

At Mullet Bay the water was beautiful but deep (normal drop off from shore) and much more rough. The beach was also much more crowded (but by the time we got there it was 1pm.

 

We are headed back this Thanksgiving Day and have rented a car again. Was looking to try some other beaches was thinking maybe Grand Case or Long Bay. Has anyone tried either of them?

 

 

I find Long Bay difficult to get to now since Le Samana resort has it blocked off and you have to go around. I think that the water is awesome. Getting in the water can get tricky as there are so many large rocks. The best spot to get in is by the resort.

 

Grand Case beach is very nice and so practical if you want to have lunch at or near the beach. One of my favorite restaurants on the island has chairs and umbrellas for free for guests buying lunch either on the beach or at their restaurant. There is a large free lot to park in right across from the beach.

[Gaynors]

I find Long Bay difficult to get to now since Le Samana resort has it blocked off and you have to go around. I think that the water is awesome. Getting in the water can get tricky as there are so many large rocks. The best spot to get in is by the resort.

 

Grand Case beach is very nice and so practical if you want to have lunch at or near the beach. One of my favorite restaurants on the island has chairs and umbrellas for free for guests buying lunch either on the beach or at their restaurant. There is a large free lot to park in right across from the beach.

 

So there isn't any free parking at Long Bay? Do they have the beach access areas marked?

 

We totally skipped the Grand Case area last time so that may work best for us. Do you mind telling me the name of the restaurant? Also, do they have public beach access at Grand Case?

 

TIA

[Karysa]

So there isn't any free parking at Long Bay? Do they have the beach access areas marked?

 

We totally skipped the Grand Case area last time so that may work best for us. Do you mind telling me the name of the restaurant? Also, do they have public beach access at Grand Case?

 

TIA

 

I hope that someone else will help you out here with Long Bay as I find it confusing.

 

From the main road that circles the island until say 5 years ago Long Bay beach or Baie Longe was easily reached. Now that access is controlled and the public is not welcome so you would need to go in and out by using a different entrance road. If you come and go from Marigot it might not be that big of a deal but if you come from the Simpson Bay Area there is a lot of back tracking involved and it deters people. I know to enter Plumb beach or Baie Prune which is next to Long we enter at Baie Rouge now and we used to enter at the Long Baie road to get to Prune years ago. At the Baie Rouge entrance this summer there was a guard who told us do not take the road to the left and "no pictures" until you get to the beach. There used to be a booth with a automatic gate and no security in the day time. Perhaps Donald Trump purchasing the mega villa on Baie Prune has something to do with this change.

 

I'm really not sure how to access Long anymore but there was a parking lot that required a long walk to access the water at the best part which was in front of La Samana resort. We walked the other side of the beach to the point by Baie Longe before and the guard dogs for the villas were intimidating for us and quite honestly it's a lovely walk but there were SO many large rocks to navigate I would not felt comfortable swimming on that side of the beach. There is nothing on Baie Longe beside La Samana Resort and multi-million dollar villas.

 

There is free parking in the lot by the bridge at the North end of restaurant row street across from the water in Grand Case. There is public access to the beach in several places so no trouble there.

 

I'm spoiled now so Le Soleil is my go to spot in Grand Case. They are on TA so you can look them up and decide if it's a place that you would like to try. A special tart ( like a thin pizza but so not like that :) ) and a shepherd salad shared between the two of us is plenty and they are now 1:1 US $ to euros.

[Karysa]

I hope that someone else will help you out here with Long Bay as I find it confusing.

 

From the main road that circles the island until say 5 years ago Long Bay beach or Baie Longe was easily reached. Now that access is controlled and the public is not welcome so you would need to go in and out by using a different entrance road. If you come and go from Marigot it might not be that big of a deal but if you come from the Simpson Bay Area there is a lot of back tracking involved and it deters people. I know to enter Plumb beach or Baie Prune which is next to Long we enter at Baie Rouge now and we used to enter at the Long Baie road to get to Prune years ago. At the Baie Rouge entrance this summer there was a guard who told us do not take the road to the left and "no pictures" until you get to the beach. There used to be a booth with a automatic gate and no security in the day time. Perhaps Donald Trump purchasing the mega villa on Baie Prune has something to do with this change.

 

I'm really not sure how to access Long anymore but there was a parking lot that required a long walk to access the water at the best part which was in front of La Samana resort. We walked the other side of the beach to the point by Baie Longe before and the guard dogs for the villas were intimidating for us and quite honestly it's a lovely walk but there were SO many large rocks to navigate I would not felt comfortable swimming on that side of the beach. There is nothing on Baie Longe beside La Samana Resort and multi-million dollar villas.

 

There is free parking in the lot by the bridge at the North end of restaurant row street across from the water in Grand Case. There is public access to the beach in several places so no trouble there.

 

I'm spoiled now so Le Soleil is my go to spot in Grand Case. They are on TA so you can look them up and decide if it's a place that you would like to try. A special tart ( like a thin pizza but so not like that :) ) and a shepherd salad shared between the two of us is plenty and they are now 1:1 US $ to euros.

 

DH just told me that to get to Baie Long now you would go the same way as I told you for Baie Prune and just keep going and the parking lot will be on the right in 3 minutes via car and the path to the beach is right there. Go to the left for the best access to the water at least that was the best years ago. :)

[mexico8]

I would go to Marigot/Serafina's first and to the beach after that. It takes 20 minutes to walk to the bus and the taxi ride from the pier to Marigot should take about 25 minutes so I think taxi is the way to go. Leaving from Nettle Bay to go back to the ship is also better as you will avoid the traffic in Marigot.

 

Our ship is docked from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17th. We would like to see as much of the two sides of the Island as possible and spend a half hour or so at Maho Beach to see the planes land.

 

Do you know how much a taxi would charge for a 4 or 5 hour tour as above? Thanks for any info. We are not beach people but would like to see the Dutch and French sides and Maho Beach without lying on a beach or going in the water.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

Wendy

[l2f]

Are water shoes needed at Mullet or LeGalion?

 

LeGalion - how much is a taxi, and I have read sometimes it is hard to get one back to port. If the taxi don't come back for you. So if you need to walk to Orient to catch one, can you provide some help on how to get there.

 

Thanks

[Fighterone]

Our ship is docked from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17th. We would like to see as much of the two sides of the Island as possible and spend a half hour or so at Maho Beach to see the planes land.

 

Do you know how much a taxi would charge for a 4 or 5 hour tour as above? Thanks for any info. We are not beach people but would like to see the Dutch and French sides and Maho Beach without lying on a beach or going in the water.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

Wendy

 

We will be there the last Sunday in November and are considering taking Bernards tour but certainly wondering if we could hire a cab for a 4 hour tour instead. I did a tour with Bernards in 2010 and loved it but I hear it's not as great now. Your thoughts please?

[Dreamworks941]

Highly recommend tour with Captain Bob on speed boat visiting a variety of beach sites? Just returned home and had an amazing time.

[khardest]

Highly recommend tour with Captain Bob on speed boat visiting a variety of beach sites? Just returned home and had an amazing time.

Hi Did you guys book thru the cruise ship?

[Karysa]

Our ship is docked from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17th. We would like to see as much of the two sides of the Island as possible and spend a half hour or so at Maho Beach to see the planes land.

 

Do you know how much a taxi would charge for a 4 or 5 hour tour as above? Thanks for any info. We are not beach people but would like to see the Dutch and French sides and Maho Beach without lying on a beach or going in the water.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

Wendy

 

 

Sorry I have no idea but hopefully someone else can help you. We rent a car.:)

[Karysa]

Are water shoes needed at Mullet or LeGalion?

 

LeGalion - how much is a taxi, and I have read sometimes it is hard to get one back to port. If the taxi don't come back for you. So if you need to walk to Orient to catch one, can you provide some help on how to get there.

 

Thanks

 

No I have never worn or thought that I needed water shoes at either mullet or LeGalion. They both have sandy bottoms.:)

 

I think about $10 pp Each way to Mullet and $8 pp to Le Galion.

 

I recently read for the first time BTW that there were taxis waiting for folks in the afternoon at Mullet. :)

Rosie's can call you one or just walk toward Maho and get one at the Pharmacy right at the end of the road out of Mullet that leads to the road to Maho. It's the road that you would have come in on.

 

For LeGalion the restaurant will call one for customers for sure. Again in a pinch just walk to the main road which will be the road that you came in on. It's the road that goes to Orient and it's 330 yds from LeGalion so it's not far. If it's getting late then catch a taxi that's on its way to Orient as they may fill up at Orient and you might not get a seat by the time it comes past you on the road out.

Edited October 4, 2015 by Karysa

[Dreamworks941]

We did not book through the cruise ship. Found a post here on cruise critic. Searched google and read great reviews on it. Contacted and booked. They were Prompt to return emails. Soualiga Destinations Boat Tours Capt. Bob (bcass1111@gmail.com)

[l2f]

No I have never worn or thought that I needed water shoes at either mullet or LeGalion. They both have sandy bottoms.:)

 

I think about $10 pp Each way to Mullet and $8 pp to Le Galion.

 

I recently read for the first time BTW that there were taxis waiting for folks in the afternoon at Mullet. :)

Rosie's can call you one or just walk toward Maho and get one at the Pharmacy right at the end of the road out of Mullet that leads to the road to Maho. It's the road that you would have come in on.

 

For LeGalion the restaurant will call one for customers for sure. Again in a pinch just walk to the main road which will be the road that you came in on. It's the road that goes to Orient and it's 330 yds from LeGalion so it's not far. If it's getting late then catch a taxi that's on its way to Orient as they may fill up at Orient and you might not get a seat by the time it comes past you on the road out.

 

Thanks Karysa

[gtaylor]

Our ship is docked from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17th. We would like to see as much of the two sides of the Island as possible and spend a half hour or so at Maho Beach to see the planes land.

 

Do you know how much a taxi would charge for a 4 or 5 hour tour as above? Thanks for any info. We are not beach people but would like to see the Dutch and French sides and Maho Beach without lying on a beach or going in the water.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

Wendy

 

The official taxi association has a list of island tours posted on their website, with pricing.

 

Perhaps something there appeals to you?

 

gary

[mexico8]

[quote name='gtaylor']The official taxi association has a list of [URL="http://taxistmaarten.com/st-maarten-tours/"]island tours [/URL]posted on their website, with pricing.

Perhaps something there appeals to you?

gary[/QUOTE]

Thank you Gary for the info. I have sent them an e-mail. Exactly what I was looking for.

Wendy