Best excursions on st maarten with kids?? Help!

We are torn here due to the nudity on the beaches...we obviously won't take our kids to those spots so my question is this....WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO ON ST MARTEEN WITH 2 KIDS UNDER 11? Anyone been to Buccaneer Beach??!!

We are torn here due to the nudity on the beaches...we obviously won't take our kids to those spots so my question is this....WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO ON ST MARTEEN WITH 2 KIDS UNDER 11? Anyone been to Buccaneer Beach??!!

If you look on X's website I think there are about 12,000 Excursions centered around play/swim/kiss/feed the Dolphins in St Martin ??

Instead of the Celebrity board you might have better luck searching the St. Maarten board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93 :cool:

One of the simplest ways to enjoy St. Martin is the Phillipsburg beach. This is just swimming beach - no reef for snorkeling but a great beach and super convenient for a family with kids.

You can take the water taxi from the pier area - buy a rt wrist band. Get off at the pier on the center of the beach.

You'll be greeted by friendly sales men who want to sell you two chairs and a bucket of beer for $20. You can usually talk them down to $15. Once they have seated you on the beach chairs they will bring you your "bucket of Beer" but you can probably also swap it out for virgin daquiris or the like. The guy that seat you will serve as you beach butler for the day and check in on you, bring a menu from one of the beach front cafes and you can order food. The kids can play and swim on the beach.

This is the Philipsburg Beach - which was built up through a dredging operation when they built the beach front boardwalk maybe about 15 to 20 years ago. Nudity is not allowed on this beach so no worries about the kids. If the kids need to use the facilities, they can go in the beach front restaurant that is supplying the beverages and food. You can usually get free wifi, but you might have to go to the restaurant for it to get a good signal.

You can also "shop" from your beach chair as sales laidies from local places will walk up and down with their wares. If they don't have what you are looking for, they will go back to their shop and get you the size/color you need.

You can google the internet for pictures to get an idea of what it is like. We have done this the last 4 times we have been in St. Martin. Kids were 11 and 13 on time, 14 and 15 1/2 the other time. And the last two times it was just me and hubby.

I would suggest googling the name of the beach and you'll see lots of pictures.

You could also taxi to Maho to watch the planes come in. Kids would love that. There's a small beach and a few rocks next to the Sunset Bar where I've seen people snorkel.

You could also taxi to Maho to watch the planes come in. Kids would love that. There's a small beach and a few rocks next to the Sunset Bar where I've seen people snorkel.

That's what we're planning to do. Assuming the airline schedules cooperate, my 5 and 6 year olds will love it!.

Mike

Only 1 end of Orient Beach is "clothing optional"...and I can guarantee it is NOT a "Playboy photo shoot" op!

As others said the beach in town is ok and not a nude beach.

With that said we have been to Orient Beach many times. One of our favorite beaches. While it is true they have a nude beach it is on the far end and not the whole beach. If you stay away from there is not much to worry about. A few times there was saw a few very old French women topless wonder past.

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Is the butterfly farm still open?...that'd be nice if it is..

There's also a tiki hut snorkel park .but maybe children are too young...

We did the "Beach Break" to Orient Beach over Christmas. The stop is well away from the clothing optional area, although there's the possibility of a teaching moment or two about cultural differences...

The town beach has the advantage of being extremely sheltered and calm; the water was pretty crazy at Orient the day we were there.

Do something a little more exciting than just go to a beach. How about http://www.rhinorides.com/ It is a blast. You can then spend the rest of the day at Maho beach and watch the planes.

You could also taxi to Maho to watch the planes come in. Kids would love that. There's a small beach and a few rocks next to the Sunset Bar where I've seen people snorkel.

This is a serious question and not an attempt to hijack this thread:

What is the attraction of watching planes land over a beach? Maybe I'm jaded as I live on the approach to both Reagan and Dulles, and flew close to 60,000 miles last year, but there's no way on earth I'd go out of my way to watch planes land on my vacation! I just want to see the plane land so I can go home...

Not sure the age limit, but the America's Cup sailboat racing is a blast.

This is a serious question and not an attempt to hijack this thread:

 

What is the attraction of watching planes land over a beach? Maybe I'm jaded as I live on the approach to both Reagan and Dulles, and flew close to 60,000 miles last year, but there's no way on earth I'd go out of my way to watch planes land on my vacation! I just want to see the plane land so I can go home...

Well....I was the same way. It's the number one exciting "approach" in the world. You Tube has many videos, under Princess Juliana airport landings. If you're there when the heavies land, it's unbelievable to be right there. We've never stood right under them (not that brave), but just being right there at the bar about 25 yards away is close enough. The planes literally are about 20 feet above your head, they're practically on the ground when they go over the beach. Believe me, when it's one of those planes from France or Dubai - it's just a thrill to see so close. The bar is so funny - they have big screens with up-to-date airline information. 1-3 p.m. is normally when the big ones land.

Just remembered the semi submersible tour from grand case...long time ago but was lots of fun..

http://www.stmaarten-info.com/item/seaworld-explorer-tour/

Hi there, we have taken our kids on a couple of boating excursions in St. Maarten, booked privately not from the cruise ship. One involved a tour of Simpson bay, some snorkel stops at a couple areas, a beach lunch and a stop to watch the planes land. The other was similar but rather than travelling around the coast of St. Maarten we went to Anguilla, again we snorkelled, had a nice beach lunch and so on. The boat was a big speed boat which was fun, our three kids loved it each time as did we. Enjoy your trip!!

That's what we're planning to do. Assuming the airline schedules cooperate, my 5 and 6 year olds will love it!.

 

Mike

On flightaware dot com you can select the airport and see incoming and departure schedules. Have used it to help determine active flight periods at SXM (Princess Julianna).

We love the planes at maho beach. It is better when the cruise ships are not in though, gets pretty crowded when they are!

Great advice. Thanks everyone....I think our best bet is the beach close to the pier.....then Maho on day 2....Fr the kids. They are 11 and 7.

On flightaware dot com you can select the airport and see incoming and departure schedules. Have used it to help determine active flight periods at SXM (Princess Julianna).

Thanks. Will check it out.

Mike

That's what we're planning to do. Assuming the airline schedules cooperate, my 5 and 6 year olds will love it!.

 

Mike

Hi Mike, We took our 5 year old to Maho last year and he LOVED it. He's already asking to go back on our next trip this fall. Just a few tips from another parent: there's NO shade, so bring extra sunscreen and swim shirts for your kids. Our little guy is a strong swimmer, but we were advised to bring his swim vest for the ocean there and they were right! The waves and undertow were big, but with the swim vest on, he had a blast playing in both.

One of the best water tours we have done there, Captain Bob Cass

We have also used Bernard, and booked catermans thru the line.

We have taken the water taxi from the port to Grand Bay right down town.

You can see what it looks like on the web cam.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrBT9MmJ4JYp0IAVeLBGOd_;_ylu=X3oDMTBydWNmY2MwBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM0BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1484953510/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.portstmaartenwebcam.com%2f/RK=0/RS=TB5dwrikiwbvojqxJIp.GOg.sWc-

We got to go from one of the restaurant's, Get Wet Beach Bar, and had our own picnic!

One of the simplest ways to enjoy St. Martin is the Phillipsburg beach. This is just swimming beach - no reef for snorkeling but a great beach and super convenient for a family with kids.

 

You can take the water taxi from the pier area - buy a rt wrist band. Get off at the pier on the center of the beach.

 

This is the Philipsburg Beach - which was built up through a dredging operation when they built the beach front boardwalk maybe about 15 to 20 years ago. Nudity is not allowed on this beach so no worries about the kids.

 

I would suggest googling the name of the beach and you'll see lots of pictures.

That beach is Great Bay and has had serious pollution issues. The sewage enters the water nearby Bobby's Marina. You can see it. No way I would go in the water at that beach. Even with a hepatitis shot....

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Been to St. Maarten three times, (one with kids) and by far our best excursion was with Bernard's tours with the kids. Kids were 14, 12 and 8 last year when we did this. This is a well known and respected operation. We did the SXM Island Tour II, which includes both Orient Beach and Maho (Airplane) beach, and a trip through Marigot the french side capital for lunch. The tour really gives you an appreciation for the island. Book independent of the cruise line.

http://www.bernardstours.com/index.html (be aware that the website plays music, if you are accessing from work :) )

SXM Island Tour II

• Pickup at the cruise pier
  
• Iguana Farm ( currently under construction until further notice)
  
• Stop at the French and Dutch border [2 mins]
  
• Brief stop at Oyster Pond over looking the island of St Barths [5-10 mins]
  
• Orient Beach where you'll be able to swim and have lunch [90-120 mins]
  
• Marigot - open market (French Capital) [30 mins]
  
• Maho Beach - see low flying planes [45 mins]
  
• Drive through Simpson Bay marina
  
• Harold Jack Hill (View of Simpson Marina,Airport & Anguilla)
  
• Return to Philipsburg depends on tour departure time; all guests will be returned in time to meet their ship's sail time.
  

By the way, I've seen topless women (twice) at the Phillipsburg beach as well, so it's not limited to certain beaches. Please do not let this make or break a decision on where to go. It's really not the issue it's made out to be. It's easy to move along the beach if needed (which I doubt will be the case since the occurrence is rare)

Dan