oyster pond and iguana farm questions?? Plz help

[justinr77]

We are planning on going to the iguana farm in St. Maarten and are trying to figure out when it opens or if it is just wild iguanas that come there to feed and its always open. Any info at all on this stop would be great. We will be taking a taxi there and then back to shop at Philipsburg before heading to Maho Beach to watch the planes. We debated on getting a rental car but it looks like the cost would be almost the same so we decided not to hastle with the car rental. Also I'm almost sure the iguana farm is at the oyster pond area. Is this true? Thanks sooo much for any info you can give me to help plan my trip. :D:rolleyes:

[Karysa]

We are planning on going to the iguana farm in St. Maarten and are trying to figure out when it opens or if it is just wild iguanas that come there to feed and its always open. Any info at all on this stop would be great. We will be taking a taxi there and then back to shop at Philipsburg before heading to Maho Beach to watch the planes. We debated on getting a rental car but it looks like the cost would be almost the same so we decided not to hastle with the car rental. Also I'm almost sure the iguana farm is at the oyster pond area. Is this true? Thanks sooo much for any info you can give me to help plan my trip. :D:rolleyes:

 

I have never heard of an Iguana Farm on St. Maarten. Butterfly Farm yes but never an Iguana Farm. I have heard that one of the tour guides takes guests to a beach that has iguanas. Could this possibly be what you are referencing?

[gtaylor]

We are planning on going to the iguana farm in St. Maarten and are trying to figure out when it opens or if it is just wild iguanas that come there to feed and its always open. Any info at all on this stop would be great. We will be taking a taxi there and then back to shop at Philipsburg before heading to Maho Beach to watch the planes. We debated on getting a rental car but it looks like the cost would be almost the same so we decided not to hastle with the car rental. Also I'm almost sure the iguana farm is at the oyster pond area. Is this true? Thanks sooo much for any info you can give me to help plan my trip. :D:rolleyes:

 

Well, I've now done some research on this Iguana Farm.

 

It seems that it is a budding attraction that may not be quite ready for prime time, but several tours now mention a visit here. It doesn't seem to be fully developed yet, just a bunch of iguanas and ducks running around, but they may be rebuilding a bar/restaurant on the property.

 

You're correct that it is in the Oyster Pond area, but don't confuse it with the Iguana Bar at Oyster Pond near Captain Oliver's.

 

Take a look at this Google Earth shot. (Here's a map view.)

 

(click)

 

I believe that the Iguana Farm is on the road from Philipsburg to Oyster Pond, just off to the left directly at the spot that the road from Philipsburg makes a dramatic 90 degree turn to the right. Continue straight instead of making that turn, but veer to the left, not straight ahead, as you exit the main road.

 

All that said, I expect that the taxi drivers will have (or soon will) discovered where the Iguana Farm is located.

 

gary

[justinr77]

gtaylor, I looked all over online and couldn't find any info. Thanks for taking the time to look at it for me. We are thinking about going straight there as soon as we come into port and then maybe hitting up Marigot Bay area before heading to Maho beach for the majority of the day. I think my daughter will love seeing the iguanas and hands down I want to see Maho beach and want to get there by 11ish when the action picks up. Between the two stops we are looking to kill a little time at 1 more place so if you can think of anything better than Marigot Bay I'm open for suggestions. We will be docking at 7 am on a Sat. Kind of thought about swinging by Orient beach for an hour or two just to check it out but didn't really want my 5 yr old looking at a sausage fest although the topless women wouldn't have been a big deal to my wife and I. Anyways if anyone has any thoughts on something better than Marigot Bay or somthing worth seeing in Marigot Bay that would be awesome! Thanks again for the input that I have already recieved to help me plan my trip. Can't wait! 11 more days!!!!

[gtaylor]

What is it that you want to see in "Marigot Bay"?

 

gary

[Karysa]

We are planning on going to the iguana farm in St. Maarten and are trying to figure out when it opens or if it is just wild iguanas that come there to feed and its always open. Any info at all on this stop would be great. We will be taking a taxi there and then back to shop at Philipsburg before heading to Maho Beach to watch the planes. We debated on getting a rental car but it looks like the cost would be almost the same so we decided not to hastle with the car rental. Also I'm almost sure the iguana farm is at the oyster pond area. Is this true? Thanks sooo much for any info you can give me to help plan my trip. :D:rolleyes:

 

If you are going to St. Thomas perhaps a visit to Sapphire Beach where there are lots of Iguanas would be something that you would be interested in. There is no charge to visit this beach and we saw some very large and scarey looking iguanas.

[justinr77]

What is it that you want to see in "Marigot Bay"?

 

gary

 

Hey Gary, To be honest I'm not really sure. Just shopping and looking around. I'm up for suggestions if you have any. Or we could even go to Philipsburg do to the shopping. After looking online that might be a better option for us. The only big thing we really want to do there is to go see the planes land at Maho Beach. And maybe over to see the iguanas. I think my daughter will love that. In St. Thomas we are going to Coki beach to do some scuba diving off the beach there so we won't be able to check out the iguanas there.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I was there on a stop n November 2012. It was a big gravel parking lot, a couple picnic tables and in the corner was a little pond where the Iguanas came to drink and eat. More ducks than anything else.

 

I didn't care for it as iguanas are pest in my area and I blast them off my trees with a pellet gun. I am about sick of em lol, but if its something you are not used to, it would be a cool stop.

 

--

For the PETA and ALF folks who are shocked that I blast them. The iguanas are not native to my area and are taking over the burrows of the native owls. Owls are beneficial, invasive reptiles are not.

[gtaylor]

Hey Gary, To be honest I'm not really sure. Just shopping and looking around. I'm up for suggestions if you have any. Or we could even go to Philipsburg do to the shopping. After looking online that might be a better option for us. The only big thing we really want to do there is to go see the planes land at Maho Beach. And maybe over to see the iguanas. I think my daughter will love that. In St. Thomas we are going to Coki beach to do some scuba diving off the beach there so we won't be able to check out the iguanas there.

 

I was already away on a cruise when you posted this follow-up, so no response, but we'd love to know what you did and how it all worked out for you.

 

gary

[KSCPA]

We just got back---there are 2 tours I know of that go there and much more. Bernards and Noels---you can read up on those tours....Bernard and Noel are good friends and actually started the Iguana farm idea---and a private land owner has established this place based on there thoughts...We saw much construction going on---new landscape---cages being set up---All types of fruit trees----It was really nice--The tour guides bring Romane lettuce and you get to feed them --It is FREE now but Noel said it may not be for much longer. Both tours also stop by the pond where a native shows folks all kinds of sea life---very interesting---we held all types of sea creatures---it was cool!! Marigot is the place to go for shopping---much cheaper than by the port!! The tour also stops by Maho where the planes were---rough water to swim in but cool for a half hour stop!! Book a tour---go to French and Dutch sides!!!

[KSCPA]

Hey Gary, To be honest I'm not really sure. Just shopping and looking around. I'm up for suggestions if you have any. Or we could even go to Philipsburg do to the shopping. After looking online that might be a better option for us. The only big thing we really want to do there is to go see the planes land at Maho Beach. And maybe over to see the iguanas. I think my daughter will love that. In St. Thomas we are going to Coki beach to do some scuba diving off the beach there so we won't be able to check out the iguanas there.

 

Coki Beach was wonderful----and you will see iguanas there---just walk up the stairs at Coral World---you don't have to go in Coral World to see them---Bring your snorkel gear and fish food---Great snorkeling there!! Watch the vendors---a bit pushy---get a smoothie from the shop all the way on the end of the shops!! Water is a buck there---everyone else will charge you 2 bucks!! Get the local bus to Coki---It was 2 bucks---but about a 15 minute walk to get there----I heard a taxi cost 18 bucks for 2.

[gtaylor]

We had been recommending Coki Beach, St. Thomas, based upon our earlier visits, but for the last two visits it was so overcrowded that I can no longer do so.

 

gary

[KSCPA]

Not crowded when we were there---must be dependent on how many cruise ships are there at the time.....we had a blast----If you are into snorkeling its the place to go in St Thomas!!:cool: