I couldn't recommend these beaches to a cruiser and why.

Lets make a list of beaches on St. Maarten/St. Martin that we would not recommend to a cruiser and why.

I'll start : please add to it or debate it :)

Nettle Bay Lagoon side - wouldn't swim in the lagoon myself

Guana Bay- open to the Atlantic far too rough and dangerous to swim there for most

Baie Lucus- another Atlantic beach that's rough and its remote as well

Baie de L'Embouchure - hard to get a taxi back from so would recommend Orient, Dawn or LeGalion which are close to this beach instead

Explorer Island- in the lagoon and I don't recommend swimming there

Petite Cayes- too remote and far from port

Grandes Cayes- too remote and far from port

Great Bay- pollution concerns only recommend to those looking for a beach who aren't interested in swimming

I have more but I will see if others have opinions on my list or want to add to it.

I think knowing which beaches are not recommended and why is as important as knowing which ones are recommended and why.:)

Great Bay- pollution concerns only recommend to those looking for a beach who aren't interested in swimming.

Great Bay is also good for those who wish to go to a beach bar overlooking the water. :D

Great Bay is also good for those who wish to go to a beach bar overlooking the water. :D

Totally agree. :)

Maho Beach: The only reason for going there is if you enjoy watching low flying planes. The small beach area is not a good place to plan to spend the day.

Maho Beach: The only reason for going there is if you enjoy watching low flying planes. The small beach area is not a good place to plan to spend the day.

I usually recommend the nearby in walking distance Mullet in combination with Maho. It's not somewhere that I would spend more than about 90 minutes at on any given day. The timing of your visit to coincide with the large jets coming and going is also imperative to me.

Interesting list and agree with most. But the Great Bay pollution issue is totally over hyped and generally not justified. It is true that they have had some pollution issues after heavy rains (due to sewage and drain overflows) plus overflow from a nearby pond. But unless there has been significant rainfall, Great Bay is OK (DW and I have been in that water many times and can still type).

There are quite a few other beaches that we like when we stay on the island, but are a bit too far or isolated for most cruisers (which is the reason we like them when we stay on the island). If a cruiser rents a car, and has a full day in port, then all the beaches are within range. But if using taxis then one should stick to the closer beaches where it is relatively easy to find a return taxi (you should not gamble that a taxi driver will keep their promise to come back for you). Orient is the easiest beach for finding taxis and is also the most popular beach on the island. Le Galion (which we have often mentioned) does not always have taxis...but the beach bar/cafe will call a taxi (but you need to allow sufficient extra time). Maho always has some taxis..or one will appear within minutes. But we think Maho is fine for watching planes and the bars/cafes...but the beach itself sucks...and that is on the good days.

Hank

Interesting list and agree with most. But the Great Bay pollution issue is totally over hyped and generally not justified. It is true that they have had some pollution issues after heavy rains (due to sewage and drain overflows) plus overflow from a nearby pond. But unless there has been significant rainfall, Great Bay is OK (DW and I have been in that water many times and can still type).

 

There are quite a few other beaches that we like when we stay on the island, but are a bit too far or isolated for most cruisers (which is the reason we like them when we stay on the island). If a cruiser rents a car, and has a full day in port, then all the beaches are within range. But if using taxis then one should stick to the closer beaches where it is relatively easy to find a return taxi (you should not gamble that a taxi driver will keep their promise to come back for you). Orient is the easiest beach for finding taxis and is also the most popular beach on the island. Le Galion (which we have often mentioned) does not always have taxis...but the beach bar/cafe will call a taxi (but you need to allow sufficient extra time). Maho always has some taxis..or one will appear within minutes. But we think Maho is fine for watching planes and the bars/cafes...but the beach itself sucks...and that is on the good days.

 

Hank

If they used signage at Great Bay beach to indicate when it is swim able and when it is not then I would not have added it to this list.

If your car breaks down up in the north end near Petite and Grande Cayes a cruiser could be in serious risk of missing their ship. That's a pretty good reason that even with a car not all beaches should be recommended to cruisers.

Tintemare Island has 2 beaches but I would not recommend them to cruisers unless they are on an excursion. To remote.

Here's a controversial one. I really like the 2 beaches on Pinel Island but would only recommend visiting on a cruise day if the cruiser had a car parked at the Cul de sac where the ferry to the island is or by excursion. I know folks have done it but others have reported being stranded at the Cul de sac and needing to be saved by good Samaritans.

Long Bay or Baie Long - would only recommend to those with a car and a lot of time as getting there is more difficult now then it used to be

You need to pack water for this one. No public facilities are available.

Big difference if it is first time cruiser to SXM, many time cruiser to SXM, or somewhere in between.

For first time cruiser, if they wanted a beach recommendation, depending on what they are looking for in a beach, I generally would recommend Orient, Divi Little Bay, Dawn, or Mullet - Mullet only if they are going to Maho for the planes anyway and understand the traffic issues "that way." And, if they are going that way, and are interested in what it has to offer, why not hit Cupecoy too.

For any cruiser, although we go to these beaches and very much enjoy them, I would not recommend any of the Terres Basses beaches (Baie Rouge, Plum, or Long), Friar's (depends on conditions of pond and hard to predict for cruiser), Happy Bay (which we love but too hard and time consuming to get to for cruiser in my opinion) or some of others Karya listed - although if you just want a beach bar/restaurant to hang out at, there is Dreams at Nettles Bay which is great and I have to plug it for Bruno. We never would go to Nettles just to swim or snorkel.

A many time cruiser might choose to go to Baie Rouge or Happy Bay, but as a many time cruiser they would know what they were doing and would not need my recommendation in the first place.

Discussion of Grand Case Beach on the other thread was interesting to me. I have never recommended it to a cruiser, I never thought to do so I confess, but it struck me that in some ways that going to Grand Case would give you a bit of an idea (just a bit) of what Philipsburg was like 25 or more years ago when you tendered in off the ship. And, there are some great spots along the beach - like Calmos Cafe. The Rib Shack is our Lolo - I guess they are open for lunch - ??? We have never had lunch there, only dinner. I have wondered about pollution off Grand Case beach - think it can be bad, especially if there is run off from pond because of weather - but probably OK.

I would not include Nettle Bay where Dreams is on my do not recommend list. I have gone to Dreams and swam there and recommended it. I loved the drinks and vibe there. I just went in to cool off a couple of times.

I wouldn't recommend Nettle Bay on the Lagoon though.

I can see your point re possible run off at Grand Case into the beach. Never heard or read of issues there. Has it tested poorly? You would think that if it did the locals would be vocal about that. I know on the Dutch side the locals that I have spoken to do not swim at Great Bay mainly because of the pollution issues that occur there.

I really enjoy Grand Case the village and both Grand Case Beach and Petite Plage. I recommend both of these for those cruisers that like good food, avoiding crowds and for bigger groups that want different things to do.

Remember not all beaches that are reachable are safe to swim in. Guana Bay and Bay Lucas are two that come to mind.

Most cruisers do not rent a car. Therefore, even if they have visited many times some beaches, those that are rough, remote and those without facilities would not be good recommendations for them.

Would any one recommend Baie Rouge for a cruiser relying on a taxi? I have not recommended it do to conditions at times and because I personally would hesitate going there via taxi on a cruise stop.

There have been pollution issues in past with Grand Case - certainly not surprising with the town (and lots of restaurants) right on the bay. The ponds (etangs) generally are polluted - unless things have changed recently - so the run-off problem comes up when there has been a lot of rain. I have not seen anything about pollution in the bay recently - don't know. The Collectivitie does do testing and it may be findable online. We usually only swim in the water in order to snorkel and there is no snorkeling that I know of off the main Grand Case beach. We have done the swim to Creole Rock off Petit Plage ( as well as get the water sports guy at GCBC to take us over) but the biggest problem with the swim over is safety, given the boat traffic between the beach and Creole Rock.

I agree generally about not recommending Baie Rouge to cruisers because of distance from port, probable need to call for taxi unless you rent a car, and it can be rough at Baie Rouge with difficult entry into and exit from water.

Would any one recommend Baie Rouge for a cruiser relying on a taxi? I have not recommended it do to conditions at times and because I personally would hesitate going there via taxi on a cruise stop.

Bake Rouge would be a real gamble - I do not know if either of the beach shacks at Baie Rouge would, or even could, call a taxi for you - and the odds of one simply showing up when you wanted to leave are slim to none. It would only make sense going there with a rental car -and if the wind has been out of the northwest, the surf is likely to be very rough.

Bake Rouge would be a real gamble - I do not know if either of the beach shacks at Baie Rouge would, or even could, call a taxi for you - and the odds of one simply showing up when you wanted to leave are slim to none. It would only make sense going there with a rental car -and if the wind has been out of the northwest, the surf is likely to be very rough.

I feel the same way and that is why it's not on my list for cruisers who don't have a car. The beauty of a car ( and knowing the island) is if one beach is a bust you head in another direction to another beach that you know that you like.

There have been pollution issues in past with Grand Case - certainly not surprising with the town (and lots of restaurants) right on the bay. The ponds (etangs) generally are polluted - unless things have changed recently - so the run-off problem comes up when there has been a lot of rain. I have not seen anything about pollution in the bay recently - don't know. The Collectivitie does do testing and it may be findable online. We usually only swim in the water in order to snorkel and there is no snorkeling that I know of off the main Grand Case beach. We have done the swim to Creole Rock off Petit Plage ( as well as get the water sports guy at GCBC to take us over) but the biggest problem with the swim over is safety, given the boat traffic between the beach and Creole Rock.

 

I agree generally about not recommending Baie Rouge to cruisers because of distance from port, probable need to call for taxi unless you rent a car, and it can be rough at Baie Rouge with difficult entry into and exit from water.

Thanks for the info. If you read or hear of any beach that fails a pollution test please start a thread about it. I think folks should be kept informed about that and warnings should be posted at beaches when they fail a water test. If people choose to swim there then that's their business but I think that they have the right to know.

Baie Rouge can be affected a lot by the sea conditions for sure. Some beaches more than others and Maho and Baie Rouge are probably the two that change the most to me.

Anyone visit the beach by the new Indigo development? Very close to working plants and seems rough to me. I think Kokomo is the name of the beach club.

If they used signage at Great Bay beach to indicate when it is swim able and when it is not then I would not have added it to this list.

 

 

 

If your car breaks down up in the north end near Petite and Grande Cayes a cruiser could be in serious risk of missing their ship. That's a pretty good reason that even with a car not all beaches should be recommended to cruisers.

We totally agree that they should post (in public places) the water quality on every beach (not just Great Bay). As to the car breaking down....well DW and I have rented cars on several continents (when on cruises) and often driven over 100 miles from the port. In every case, if the car broke down we would have some "real issues." On the other hand, if a meteor or astroid hit me on the head this would also be a problem. Any independent travel does increase the risk of missing a ship (it has not happened to us in over 3 years on cruise ships...and hundreds of ports) but using common sense and not cutting things close will usually suffice. But we do also think in terms of a "Plan B" which is what happens if one does miss the ship.

I should add that the greater the chance of missing the ship, the earlier we start back towards the port. One basic rule of independent travel (for cruisers) is to go to your most distant point early in the day, and work yourself back towards the port as the day progresses. With a beach on an island we simply make sure to start back early enough that if something happens (like a flat tire) we still should be able to make it back by other means.

Hank

We totally agree that they should post (in public places) the water quality on every beach (not just Great Bay). As to the car breaking down....well DW and I have rented cars on several continents (when on cruises) and often driven over 100 miles from the port. In every case, if the car broke down we would have some "real issues." On the other hand, if a meteor or astroid hit me on the head this would also be a problem. Any independent travel does increase the risk of missing a ship (it has not happened to us in over 3 years on cruise ships...and hundreds of ports) but using common sense and not cutting things close will usually suffice. But we do also think in terms of a "Plan B" which is what happens if one does miss the ship.

 

I should add that the greater the chance of missing the ship, the earlier we start back towards the port. One basic rule of independent travel (for cruisers) is to go to your most distant point early in the day, and work yourself back towards the port as the day progresses. With a beach on an island we simply make sure to start back early enough that if something happens (like a flat tire) we still should be able to make it back by other means.

 

Hank

Your plan for a DIY day would work for a tour but many folks have specific things that they want to see. Seeing the big jets landing at Maho usually requires a little pre planning and timing. Also, if in Europe and your MUST see is an hour from the port and number 2 and 3 and 10 ( some ports :)) by seeing your furthest destination first you may miss the one that is most important to you. Thirdly, on St. Maarten the traffic coming from the Maho area in the afternoon WAS really bad still in the afternoons earlier this month even with the new bridge so I prefer avoiding that area in the afternoon. I guess I am saying that to me there is more to consider than simply distance from the port when you plan your day. One more thing.

Renting a car and driving to the beaches that many of us land vacationers go to (plum,rouge,even the busy but far from port anse marcel) is very different than renting a car and going to a very remote beach that most of us have only seen on a boat trip and not where I would want to find myself having a flat or other car trouble.

Signage on ALL beaches may be difficult but signage on popular beaches and a website to check the water safety and beach conditions for all beaches should be done.

Good thread...although, aside from Grand Case, I have never heard of these. Guess they typically are not recommended for tourists.

Great thread! I am looking for a beach with some waves. Not massive dangerous ones, but not the little splashy ones you often get in the Bahamas for instance.

I grew up in CA so the Pacific are the waves I am used to.

Any suggestions?

Dawn Beach (facing east)- about 15 minutes by taxi from the pier - usually has pretty good waves. There is a good beach restaurant: Mr. Busby's (who will call a taxi for your return, if there isn't one waiting) and chair and umbrella rentals. Baie Rouge ( facing north) further away on the French side, is my favorite, but can be chancy getting a taxi back.

Good thread...although, aside from Grand Case, I have never heard of these. Guess they typically are not recommended for tourists.

And the prize goes to LuCruise. :D

Most are not recommended for anyone :)

There are 36 beaches on the island but at least 1/2 are too remote or too rough to recommend for cruisers. Some folks just look at the map and want to go visit beaches. Now there is a thread indicating which the ones people who know the island would not recommend.:)

And the prize goes to LuCruise. :D

 

Most are not recommended for anyone :)

 

There are 36 beaches on the island but at least 1/2 are too remote or too rough to recommend for cruisers. Some folks just look at the map and want to go visit beaches. Now there is a thread indicating which the ones people who know the island would not recommend.:)

lol... :D

Amazing though that there are so many beaches. Who (if not living there) would have known.

lol... :D

 

Amazing though that there are so many beaches. Who (if not living there) would have known.

There are maps that list all of the 36 beaches on the Internet. I actually find that vacationers visit more beaches than the folks living there. Most people I talk to that live on the island have a couple of go to beaches/beach bars compared to people that vacation. When you live on the island you work and when you vacation you beach.:)