Need help with beach selection

[Anxious2cruise55]

Hi. We are interested in having a relaxing beach day with no solicitation to buy things, get a massage, etc. Is it possible to find such a beach in St Maarten? We plan to take a taxi from the cruise port. We are fine just putting a towel on the beach and soaking up the sun. Restaurants/bars aren't a priority. Any recommendations? Thank you!

[Hlitner]

All beaches on St Martin are public and the annoying beach vendors/solicitors apparently have a right to bother folks on any beach. However, if you adventurous enough to go to some of the more isolated beaches (such as Happy Beach) you can avoid solicitation. On the other hand, if you go to a place like Happy Beach you should not be offended by total nudity. To get to Happy Beach most will drive over to Friar's Bay (this is on the French side between Grand Case and Marigot) and park. You then hike for about 10 min through the woods to the relatively isolated Happy Beach. There is a small beach bar with lunch and some chair rentals, but I do not recall any bathrooms until you hike back to Friars.

 

Hank

[lilghallinsf]

This beach "happy" also sounds like what we looking for. Would it also allow time for you to marigot for about two hours and two to three on the beach? In other words can we do both and get back to our ship in time?

[Karysa]

Sometimes large catamaran tours stop at Happy Bay just FYI.

[Hlitner]

Sometimes large catamaran tours stop at Happy Bay just FYI.

 

We were over at Happy Bay on 3 days over 2 weeks and did have a few boat/catamarans off the coast. But in each case the folks on those boats stayed well off shore (nobody swam into the beach or tendered on small boats). Personally, we don't blame those folks for coming over to Happy since the setting is so gorgeous :) We did hear a couple of tourists (we think they were fellow Americans) really complaining to each other (in loud voices) about a few couples who were laying and walking around totally nude. We could not help but notice that one man seemed to be a real exhibitionist (not totally unheard of on St Martin) but DW remarked that if those whiners stopped staring....they might be less bothered :)

 

Hank

[twostacys]

Hank. If I got stranded at happy is there any taxi service at friars. Gonna be there late feb. used to be reports of crime on the hike but hadn't seen any recent ones opinion.

[Wandering Writer]

My husband wanted to try the beach where the planes fly low overhead to land at the airport--Sunset Beach. It was about a 20 -30 minute ride (we were there on a Sunday; no traffic so 20 minutes). The beach was really nice but small. It is flanked by a couple of bars, hotel and a casino, none of which we explored. We spent a quiet morning. No intrusions. Around eleven more people began gathering. While there are quite a few private jets landing in the a.m., the really big jets don't land until after noon. We saw a couple larger commercial planes but had to leave early to make it back for our sail away before the big ones came in. We enjoyed it and we usually don't like beaches.

[Hlitner]

Hank. If I got stranded at happy is there any taxi service at friars. Gonna be there late feb. used to be reports of crime on the hike but hadn't seen any recent ones opinion.

 

You are not going to find any taxis sitting around at Friars. However, there are two beach bars/restaurants and either of them can call you a taxi. That being said, the norm for many cruise passengers is to arrange to have their taxi come back at a specific time. Keep in mind that its a pretty expensive taxi ride out to Friars (it should be about the same fare as going to Marigot) and you need to plan on at least 30 min (each way) which can really vary depending on traffic. I cannot remember the names of the two beach bars at Friars, but the larger one (its the one on the right as you face the water) has excellent food (not cheap). This might be called the Friar's Bay Beach Club but not sure about this name. In addition, this particular bar/restaurant will let you have beach loungers and umbrellas for free (they do charge $3 if you want a plush cushion on the lounger) if you eat lunch at their facility.

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

Oops. Duplicate post deleted

[Karysa]

Hank. If I got stranded at happy is there any taxi service at friars. Gonna be there late feb. used to be reports of crime on the hike but hadn't seen any recent ones opinion.

 

You will be stranded at Happy Bay. You must walk or boat to this beach and from it.

[twostacys]

Thank you sir. I would just rent a car but I'll be drinking. So now do I just try to rent cab here then there as I go. Get off ship and get cab for a day private tour my way or arrange private tour before I get there. Probably hit several beaches depending on weather and mood. St. Martin taxi association website has been down so can't see their tour prices. Others are 250-300.

[Karysa]

Thank you sir. I would just rent a car but I'll be drinking. So now do I just try to rent cab here then there as I go. Get off ship and get cab for a day private tour my way or arrange private tour before I get there. Probably hit several beaches depending on weather and mood. St. Martin taxi association website has been down so can't see their tour prices. Others are 250-300.

 

http://www.taxistmaarten.com/