Beaches Within Walking Distance from Ship?

[Bandit236]

Can anyone tell me if there are beaches within talking distance from where you get off the ship. We just want a place to relax for a few hours and enjoy the sun. Also, we would need a bar/restaurant near the beach. Thanks

[Palioye]

Here is a map that shows beaches on the island.

 

http://sint-maarten.net/St-Maarten-Beaches/stmaarten_Beaches.html

 

I'm looking for a beach to take the kids 9,7 and 2 too as well would love some details about some good beaches.

[Karysa]

Can anyone tell me if there are beaches within talking distance from where you get off the ship. We just want a place to relax for a few hours and enjoy the sun. Also, we would need a bar/restaurant near the beach. Thanks

 

No beach within walking distance that I would feel safe swimming in. A taxi to Little Bay would cost 2 people $20 return. It's a decent beach for a couple hours and has the facilities that you are looking for.

[akeasley]

If you take the water taxi from the ship to the pier, there is a beach right there that is totally safe to swim at and rent chairs and umbrellas.

[Karysa]

If you take the water taxi from the ship to the pier, there is a beach right there that is totally safe to swim at and rent chairs and umbrellas.

 

Unfortunately, great Bay Beach actually has documented pollution issues.

[akeasley]

Pollution issues???....spare me. It's a totally safe beach...was just swimming in the water two weeks ago and was fine.

[Karysa]

Pollution issues???....spare me. It's a totally safe beach...was just swimming in the water two weeks ago and was fine.

 

There have been ongoing pollution issues at this beach for years. You can do a search on this board on Great Bay Beach Pollution if you would like more information on the subject.

[OCruisers]

Can anyone tell me if there are beaches within talking distance from where you get off the ship. We just want a place to relax for a few hours and enjoy the sun. Also, we would need a bar/restaurant near the beach. Thanks

 

Great Bay Beach is right there with LOTS of restaruats & bars.

 

Seems all you really want is a beach to relax and enjoy the sun.

There was a problem with pollution from the salt pools. The lastest says Great Bay Beach is now safe for swimming. No matter to you since you only want a nice place to sit on the beach and/or at beach bar.

 

Have a great time in St. Maarten! :D

 

~~~~

[Karysa]

Great Bay Beach is right there with LOTS of restaruats & bars.

 

Seems all you really want is a beach to relax and enjoy the sun.

There was a problem with pollution from the salt pools. The lastest says Great Bay Beach is now safe for swimming. No matter to you since you only want a nice place to sit on the beach and/or at beach bar.

 

Have a great time in St. Maarten! :D

 

~~~~

 

I will try to post a link to the latest article that I have come across on this issue.

 

http://www.todaysxm.com/2012/11/08/great-bay-water-quality-worrisome/

[Karysa]

I will try to post a link to the latest article that I have come across on this issue.

 

http://www.todaysxm.com/2012/11/08/great-bay-water-quality-worrisome/

 

Ok it worked. Thanks to the Nature Foundation for fighting the fight on this issue and others.

[gtaylor]

Great Bay Beach is right there with LOTS of restaruats & bars.

 

Seems all you really want is a beach to relax and enjoy the sun.

There was a problem with pollution from the salt pools. The lastest says Great Bay Beach is now safe for swimming. No matter to you since you only want a nice place to sit on the beach and/or at beach bar.

 

Have a great time in St. Maarten! :D

 

~~~~

You were corrected here the last time that you posted this misinformation about pollution in Great Bay.

 

You were asked to provide your source and you never responded. Would you care to do so now?

 

There is / was / and will be a problem with polluted waters entering Great Bay from The Salt Pond, via overflow into The Fresh Pond and then into Great Bay, until there is a vast improvement in St. Maarten's infrastructure.

 

That said, there is a separate, worse, problem with the continued flow of raw sewage into Great Bay through the

, and very little has been done to alleviate that problem.

 

Please watch the linked video and read this thread and then correct me if I am wrong.

 

gary

 

p.s. Thanks karysa, I've been away.

[Spurs Fans]

Perhaps some folk like swimming in raw sewage! If you do, then Great Bay is for you.

[waterdave]

I have swam and will swim there. Its on par with beaches in florida and california, its just not crystal blue caribbean.

 

There is high bacteria etc in the great bay when there is flooding conditions and they have to pump the salt ponds out into the bay, and open the closest pond to the sea by digging a temporary canal with a backhoe (near great bay hotel at the other end). So following periods of heavy rain is a bad time to go there.

 

And i will not to debunk the idea of being cautious about swimming in possibly contanimated water, but then you would also caution in this case against using cruise ship pools and Jacuzzis that have thousands of people rotating through them....

 

I think that readers here should know that great bay beach is not the best water, but i dont think they should be made to feel its a contamination hazard and to avoid it at all costs.

[Karysa]

I have swam and will swim there. Its on par with beaches in florida and california, its just not crystal blue caribbean.

 

There is high bacteria etc in the great bay when there is flooding conditions and they have to pump the salt ponds out into the bay, and open the closest pond to the sea by digging a temporary canal with a backhoe (near great bay hotel at the other end). So following periods of heavy rain is a bad time to go there.

 

And i will not to debunk the idea of being cautious about swimming in possibly contanimated water, but then you would also caution in this case against using cruise ship pools and Jacuzzis that have thousands of people rotating through them....

 

I think that readers here should know that great bay beach is not the best water, but i dont think they should be made to feel its a contamination hazard and to avoid it at all costs.

 

Whether people who are aware of the pollution concerns at Great Bay beach choose to swim there is that persons prerogative. This information is published in the local papers and if the locals are made aware of it I feel that the visitors have that same right.

[waterdave]

Whether people who are aware of the pollution concerns at Great Bay beach choose to swim there is that persons prerogative. This information is published in the local papers and if the locals are made aware of it I feel that the visitors have that same right.

 

Ok, just noticing that every time anyone on saint martin forum mentions swimming in great bay, you will write about 3 or 4 posts in that thread repeating about a pollution concern, linking to studies (done right next to the storm drainage canal between the marinas), so it seems more of a personal crusade against this beach then just simply making people aware :)

[gtaylor]

Perhaps because there IS a documented pollution concern in Great Bay?

 

gary

 

p.s. And since you live there you would know that the Rolandus Canal IS NOT a storm drainage canal, but drains everything from Sucker Garden on down into Great Bay.

 

Have you ever bothered to follow any of my links to videos and articles?

[waterdave]

Umm gary, again it seems like a vendetta against the beach here- The "study" you refer to again was taken at the mouth of a drainage canal at the very corner of the bay that even has a long breakwater separating it from the swimming part of the beach. i commend your vigilance, and your opinion is valued by me as well others, its just every time someone mentions swimming in Great bay (which thousands of people do partake in every week) they are hit with a barrage of warning posts by two posters. It kind of "pollutes" the thread about nearby to the port beaches because once you say it and anyone disagrees it becomes another of the same long debates... The Nature foundation has NOT advised that the entire great bay beach is unsafe. The health and hygiene department also checks quality levels. Just like in California and florida. I did read a letter to the editor in thedailyherald online about pollution too but you authored it ;)

 

I do think the op was asking about beaches close to the ship so i will leave it at that.

[Karysa]

Umm gary, again it seems like a vendetta against the beach here- The "study" you refer to again was taken at the mouth of a drainage canal at the very corner of the bay that even has a long breakwater separating it from the swimming part of the beach. i commend your vigilance, and your opinion is valued by me as well others, its just every time someone mentions swimming in Great bay (which thousands of people do partake in every week) they are hit with a barrage of warning posts by two posters. It kind of "pollutes" the thread about nearby to the port beaches because once you say it and anyone disagrees it becomes another of the same long debates... The Nature foundation has NOT advised that the entire great bay beach is unsafe. The health and hygiene department also checks quality levels. Just like in California and florida. I did read a letter to the editor in thedailyherald online about pollution too but you authored it ;)

 

I do think the op was asking about beaches close to the ship so i will leave it at that.

 

Most of the "thousands of people" who "partake" in swimming in Great Bay "every week" are visitors, mostly cruisers who are unaware of the documented pollution concerns.

 

I believe that the Government of St. Maarten should post the water testing information at the beach and let swimmers make up their own minds up as to whether they want to go in the water or not.

 

If a healthy adult takes in a mouthful of that water they will most likely be ok, but an adult with a chronic illness or a young child may not be. Education is the point for me. It's a buyer beware, sorta thing to me.

 

In March of 2010 we were on our connector flight to Charlotte, N.C. and my then 14 year olds were chatting with a whole group of teens who live on the island and were going to Charlotte for a swim meet. They got talking about the new floating swimming pool out in the ocean near the LOLO's in Grand Case, St. Martin. Since this group lived on the Dutch side of the island my girls asked them if they were going to get something like that over on the Dutch side where they lived. They said that there were only two places near town that would be calm enough, the Divi Resort Beach, but "It's private" and Great Bay and "There's no way that were swimming in that gross water".

 

I happen to be a little concerned when an island resident posts about how visitors should not be provided with information about documented pollution concerns at a beach on the island. My concern grows exponentially higher when said beach is dotted with local beach bars, local restaurants and local shops.

 

For the record two of our faviorite island restaurants are the Ocean Lounge and Chesterfields which are basically around the boardwalk, and stopping to shop on Front and Back St IS a must for us even when only visiting the island for a day. No one that I am aware of has discouraged anyone from shopping in town or spending the day on the BEACH at Great Bay or visiting the shops, bars or restaurants on the boardwalk.

 

There are documented pollution concerns about the water and the bottom line is that people have the right to be informed and make decisions accordingly.

 

 

 

PS ( little bay ( divi beach) IS a public beach like all of the islands beaches)

[Arubalisa]

PS ( little bay ( divi beach) IS a public beach like all of the islands beaches)

At Little Bay are there any facilities- rest rooms, chaise rental ?

 

Does the Divi sell any sort of day pass or food vouchers?

 

Would we take a taxi to the Divi and then walk down the beach? How much would a taxi be from the cruise terminal to Little Bay?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Karysa]

At Little Bay are there any facilities- rest rooms, chaise rental ?

 

Does the Divi sell any sort of day pass or food vouchers?

 

Would we take a taxi to the Divi and then walk down the beach? How much would a taxi be from the cruise terminal to Little Bay?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

You can take a taxi right to the resort. If you go just with 2 people the cost of a taxi is $10 each way total. No day passes but there is a restaurant and beach bar and you can rent loungers. Washroom and outdoor showers are also available.

 

Ps thanks for all of your help over on the Aruba board:)

[Vettebuf]

Our ship will be stopping in Sint Maarten in April and I'm wondering how the beach at Little Bay compares to Orient, Baie Rouge, Mullet, Dawn, and Maho beaches. We stayed at Royal Islander Club La Plage for a week in September and really enjoyed those beaches.

 

Or should we just plan on going to Grand Case for the beach there and the lolos?

[Karysa]

Our ship will be stopping in Sint Maarten in April and I'm wondering how the beach at Little Bay compares to Orient, Baie Rouge, Mullet, Dawn, and Maho beaches. We stayed at Royal Islander Club La Plage for a week in September and really enjoyed those beaches.

 

Or should we just plan on going to Grand Case for the beach there and the lolos?

 

Grand Case all the way but I prefer Calmos Cafe, Sunset Cafe and Le Soleil to the LOLO's.

 

Little Bay is alright for 1/2 a day max IMO, not the softest sand but pretty view and relatively calm water.

[Vettebuf]

Thanks for the beach info, Karysa. And thanks for the tips on the restaurants.