Best way to get to Maho Beach from Port

[Meg783]

If your plan is to get to Maho to watch the planes, then the BEST approach would be to catch a taxi from the dispatch area at the Cruise Facility.

(click)

$18 total to zip the two of you to Maho, or less if there are other people to share the ride. Should be the same price on the return. Taxis may not be waiting on your return, but your friendly local Maho beach bar (I would highly recommend Guy's) should be able to call one for you. If not, a quick walk out to the nearby hotels will find you one. Taxi would return you to the Cruise Facility.

 

If you want to try to save a few bucks, then the bus is an option. Take a taxi or the Water Taxi to downtown Philipsburg. Should be $3 for a taxi (each way) per person or $4 for the Water Taxi ($6 round trip). You should be able to walk it in 20 minutes or so, if so inclined.

 

(click)

 

Then find Back Street. It's the next one over from Front Street, which is the one with all the jewelry stores. I would look behind the Court House for a sign labeled Bus Halte. That's where you will find the $2 bus. Look for a bus with a 'Maho' or 'Mullet Bay' or 'M'Bay' sign in the window.

 

Tell the driver Maho Beach and you pay when you get off. You'll get back on the return bus on the other side of the street from where you got off. There will be a bus by shortly, though there is no schedule as they are independent operators. The bus will drop you in Philipsburg, without an option to continue to the Cruise Facility, another $3 pp by taxi or your return ticket (wristband) on the Water Taxi.

 

gary

Hi Gary,

 

I just wanted to thank you so much for all your wonderful port tips, but specifically your directions to catch the bus to Maho Beach. The group I was with was very impressed with the ease, and cost for our day trip! With the beach closing now, I am thrilled that we had the opportunity to experience it :)

 

Thanks again,

 

Meg

[Quilting Queen]

Where did you hear the beach is closing?

 

Norine

[gtaylor]

Perhaps from this thread.

 

But be sure to read the entire discussion.

 

gary

[Meg783]

Quite the extensive April Fools joke! Serves me right for not reading the whole thing.

[StronsvilleOH]

Hi,

We were thinking about a 1-2 hour horseback ride then to Orient Beach for lunch and jet ski.

Would we have time to head to Maho for an hour of plane watching?

Our ship is in port from 8a-6p.

Or what is Mullet Beach like? Should we go there instead of Orient?

How is traffic to/from Orient? As bad as to/from Maho?

Or, should we rearrange the order? Horseback, Maho, Orient? Mullet, Maho, Horseback ride?

 

Thanks.

[Jiffymom]

we are considering renting a jeep. Go to Pinel for 2 hours, Orient a hour then to Maho with a drive thru Margot on the way. Then return to ship. This seems like one big circle to ship

is it doable.

[A6cruiser]

Here are cliff notes on how to catch the bus to Maho Beach

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ixd9qbar13wkq0u/04%20how%20to%20get%20to%20maho%20beach%20in%20st%20maarten.pdf?dl=0

[Karysa]

Hi,

We were thinking about a 1-2 hour horseback ride then to Orient Beach for lunch and jet ski.

Would we have time to head to Maho for an hour of plane watching?

Our ship is in port from 8a-6p.

Or what is Mullet Beach like? Should we go there instead of Orient?

How is traffic to/from Orient? As bad as to/from Maho?

Or, should we rearrange the order? Horseback, Maho, Orient? Mullet, Maho, Horseback ride?

 

Thanks.

 

Is your Horseback ride from the stable near LeGalion and Orient beach? I think it is called Bayside or something on that line it is beside the butterfly farm.

If horseback riding and jet skiing are important to you then Orient is the best choice in a beach as their is horseback riding very nearby and there is jet skiing rentals at Orient beach. Mullet has neither of these things and far less choices for places to eat compared to Orient unless you eat in the Maho entertainment area while walking from Mullet to Maho.

[sweenbean21]

Here are cliff notes on how to catch the bus to Maho Beach

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ixd9qbar13wkq0u/04%20how%20to%20get%20to%20maho%20beach%20in%20st%20maarten.pdf?dl=0

 

Thank you!!!

[caly603]

Hi Gary,

 

I just wanted to thank you so much for all your wonderful port tips, but specifically your directions to catch the bus to Maho Beach. The group I was with was very impressed with the ease, and cost for our day trip! With the beach closing now, I am thrilled that we had the opportunity to experience it :)

 

Thanks again,

 

Meg

 

Meg, Can you tell me what the costs are now? Gary's post is from years back and I'm sure the prices have increased.

Thanks,

Jeanine

[gtaylor]

Meg, Can you tell me what the costs are now? Gary's post is from years back and I'm sure the prices have increased.

Thanks,

Jeanine

That was Meg's last post, back in April, nearly three months ago.

 

Perhaps you should ask someone else, like maybe gary? :)

 

Without going back through the entire linked threads to see what I posted years ago, I will simply say that the bus fare from Philipsburg to the Mullet Bay/Maho area is $2 per person, each way. There have been discussions about raising the fares, but so far I believe that it hasn't happened, as the majority of the riders are locals, not tourists. Taxi rates may rise shortly, though.

 

(click)

 

gary

 

p.s. By the way, per regulations, children 3 and under and seniors are supposed to ride for free. Personally, I wouldn't take advantage of those fares if we had qualified passengers, as it is a great deal with paying the fare. :)

[caly603]

That was Meg's last post, back in April, nearly three months ago.

 

Perhaps you should ask someone else, like maybe gary? :)

 

Without going back through the entire linked threads to see what I posted years ago, I will simply say that the bus fare from Philipsburg to the Mullet Bay/Maho area is $2 per person, each way. There have been discussions about raising the fares, but so far I believe that it hasn't happened, as the majority of the riders are locals, not tourists. Taxi rates may rise shortly, though.

 

(click)

 

gary

 

p.s. By the way, per regulations, children 3 and under and seniors are supposed to ride for free. Personally, I wouldn't take advantage of those fares if we had qualified passengers, as it is a great deal with paying the fare. :)

 

Gary, Thanks for the response. I asked Meg because her trip was pretty current. I didn't realize you were up to date. Do you live in the area? I asked a couple of questions about traveling in St Martin on another thread as well. Maybe you would be able to answer them as well?

Jeanine

[gtaylor]

Gary, Thanks for the response. I asked Meg because her trip was pretty current. I didn't realize you were up to date. Do you live in the area? I asked a couple of questions about traveling in St Martin on another thread as well. Maybe you would be able to answer them as well?

Jeanine

 

caly603,

 

No, I don't live there, but I've spent over 20 cruise-related days on St. Maarten and, in addition, have stayed on the island a total of 57 weeks.

 

I don't see any posts from you other than the two in this thread.

 

gary

[caly603]

caly603,

 

No, I don't live there, but I've spent over 20 cruise-related days on St. Maarten and, in addition, have stayed on the island a total of 57 weeks.

 

I don't see any posts from you other than the two in this thread.

 

gary

 

Gary, My apologies. I must have asked in another forum. I was curious if it made sense to water taxi to the 1st beach (don't know the name), then bus to Maho so the kids can see the planes, then bus back to the beach we first stopped at to swim, shop, etc. then water taxi back to the ship. Does that sound like something we'd be able to accomplish without too much fuss?

TIA!

Jeanine

[QTPieRye]

Thanks for all of the informaton! Just to confirm.... can you take the Water Taxi from Phili to Maho Beach?

[gtaylor]

Gary, My apologies. I must have asked in another forum. I was curious if it made sense to water taxi to the 1st beach (don't know the name), then bus to Maho so the kids can see the planes, then bus back to the beach we first stopped at to swim, shop, etc. then water taxi back to the ship. Does that sound like something we'd be able to accomplish without too much fuss?

TIA!

Jeanine

That seems fine logistically as long as you are adventurous (not many cruisers take the local bus :) ), but I really don't recommend swimming at Great Bay Beach, which is the one right downtown where the Water Taxis operate. I have concerns over pollution. GREAT shopping there, though.

 

Since you want to visit Maho beach, I would suggest that you take a look at Mullet Bay Beach, the one adjacent to Maho. You would ride the same bus as to Maho but stay on just a few minutes longer. The sign in the bus window should read "Mullet/Maho" or perhaps "M'Bay/Maho" or such. Confirm as you board the bus.

 

You'd have to walk back to Maho from there, but it's a level walk that should take on the order of 15+ minutes or so unless you dawdle at the shops or ice cream store on the way.

 

gary

[gtaylor]

Thanks for all of the informaton! Just to confirm.... can you take the Water Taxi from Phili to Maho Beach?

 

No, the Water Taxi only operates within Great Bay, between the Cruise Facility and stops in downtown Philipsburg -- about a six minute ride.

 

gary

[caly603]

That seems fine logistically as long as you are adventurous (not many cruisers take the local bus :) ), but I really don't recommend swimming at Great Bay Beach, which is the one right downtown where the Water Taxis operate. I have concerns over pollution. GREAT shopping there, though.

 

Since you want to visit Maho beach, I would suggest that you take a look at Mullet Bay Beach, the one adjacent to Maho. You would ride the same bus as to Maho but stay on just a few minutes longer. The sign in the bus window should read "Mullet/Maho" or perhaps "M'Bay/Maho" or such. Confirm as you board the bus.

 

You'd have to walk back to Maho from there, but it's a level walk that should take on the order of 15+ minutes or so unless you dawdle at the shops or ice cream store on the way.

gary

 

Gary, Thank you so much! We've taken a number of buses when we've been in ports. It's kind of interesting to see the city from a bus rather than the back of a taxi. The Mullet Bay idea is a good one, now that I'm more familiar with where it is. We're coming up on 3 weeks, so time to figure it out, I guess. Ever been to St Kitts?

Jeanine

[gtaylor]

St. Kitts: Several times, twice last year on the Breeze and the Valor, and on the Valor in 2013.

 

A couple/few times prior to that.

 

gary

[Karysa]

Gary, Thank you so much! We've taken a number of buses when we've been in ports. It's kind of interesting to see the city from a bus rather than the back of a taxi. The Mullet Bay idea is a good one, now that I'm more familiar with where it is. We're coming up on 3 weeks, so time to figure it out, I guess. Ever been to St Kitts?

Jeanine

 

In St. Maarten the difference between a bus and a taxi is the price not the vehicle. They look the same. :)

[caly603]

In St. Maarten the difference between a bus and a taxi is the price not the vehicle. They look the same. :)

 

Karysa,

The buses have a sign in them, right?

[caly603]

St. Kitts: Several times, twice last year on the Breeze and the Valor, and on the Valor in 2013.

 

A couple/few times prior to that.

 

gary

Gary,

Do you "explore" the island on your own or on cruise excursions? We are looking for a good tour/beach day without paying a fortune.

thanks,

Jeanine

[gtaylor]

Check the license plate. BUS 999 or TAXI 999.

 

 

gary

[QTPieRye]

Gary, Thank you so much! We've taken a number of buses when we've been in ports. It's kind of interesting to see the city from a bus rather than the back of a taxi. The Mullet Bay idea is a good one, now that I'm more familiar with where it is. We're coming up on 3 weeks, so time to figure it out, I guess. Ever been to St Kitts?

Jeanine

 

Caly603..... be sure to let us know what you decide to do and how it worked out :) Have a great cruise!

[gtaylor]

Gary,

Do you "explore" the island on your own or on cruise excursions? We are looking for a good tour/beach day without paying a fortune.

thanks,

Jeanine

 

Years ago we did a complete island tour, booked at the pier, with Elvis when we were there with a group of 12 or 13.

 

Even earlier we were there on a Windjammer and just spent the day downtown in an upstairs bar looking out over The Clock.

 

Sometimes we just do that now.

 

A couple visits ago I booked with Beulah for her lunch time special tour for $10 and it was well worth it. It appears to gone way up to $12 now.

 

Next time we may just walk or taxi over to Palm Court Gardens.

 

gary