Maho Beach

[Terre]

Back from Freedom of the Seas and we went to Maho Beach. I know some of you are wondering how it looks now so here are a few pics:

 

 

 

 

The runway has also been expanded so the airplanes don't come in as low as they did.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Terre

[Tony O]

Back from Freedom of the Seas and we went to Maho Beach. I know some of you are wondering how it looks now so here are a few pics:

 

 

 

The runway has also been expanded so the airplanes don't come in as low as they did.

 

This must be recent as we were there in August and they came in pretty low .

[squiffynimrod]

 

The runway has also been expanded so the airplanes don't come in as low as they did.

 

Are you sure? The sand is gone due to hurricane/wave action and is a relatively common occurence. And the road location has not changed based on the pictures. Discussion in the destinations thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2260428

[Ocean Boy]

Hiow could they expand the runway when there is a road on one end and mountains not far from the other end?

[Havingfun2010]

Hiow could they expand the runway when there is a road on one end and mountains not far from the other end?

 

I was there last May, and the planes were landing low, and the taking off and the jet blast was still awesome. Airports just don't "extend" runways and complete the project, especially since this is the only active runway!

 

As far as the beach, it seemed more people were at the bar and not on the beach. Although the beach is nice, it's not the real reason to go.

[Ocean Boy]

I was there last May, and the planes were landing low, and the taking off and the jet blast was still awesome. Airports just don't "extend" runways and complete the project, especially since this is the only active runway!

 

As far as the beach, it seemed more people were at the bar and not on the beach. Although the beach is nice, it's not the real reason to go.

 

No kidding! There is nothing quite like being blasted by the jet wash of a 747 revving its engins for takeoff!:):):)

[Mommags123]

Wow... we were there last year and it looked very different then.... there was a lot more beach then.. now it all looks like boulders...

 

It was a steep drop off from the road to the water, but in these pictures the little spit of beach that used to be there where the chair and umbrella man was is now boulders.......

 

I hope there is still a sandy area to get to the water... we are going in July 2016....

[BillOh]

Wow... we were there last year and it looked very different then.... there was a lot more beach then.. now it all looks like boulders...

 

It was a steep drop off from the road to the water, but in these pictures the little spit of beach that used to be there where the chair and umbrella man was is now boulders.......

 

I hope there is still a sandy area to get to the water... we are going in July 2016....

 

I'll be back there in May, but may stay at Orient this time, we did get to see the KLM 747 (soon to be out of service) so we may not make it, but here is the beach area back in May of 2014.

 

[love2cruise56]

Sand or no sand I'm still going.

[Terre]

I'm not lying. We were there September 24th, and I took these pics on the day we were there. Everyone stands in the road now and waits for the airplanes. The planes do come in low, just not as low as they used to.

 

Sunset Grill is still there, but all the sand and beach area has washed away.

 

We took this tour with Bernard's and our guide said that it would wash back up eventually with the tides.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Terre

[Terre]

I was there last May, and the planes were landing low, and the taking off and the jet blast was still awesome. Airports just don't "extend" runways and complete the project, especially since this is the only active runway!

 

As far as the beach, it seemed more people were at the bar and not on the beach. Although the beach is nice, it's not the real reason to go.

 

Our guide told us the runway had been expanded, guess he's lying.

[Ocean Boy]

Our guide told us the runway had been expanded, guess he's lying.

 

I checked the website for Princess Juliana airport. The history that they provide makes no mention of a runway expansion nor does a google search bring up any information about it.

[monctonguy]

Wow, what a difference in the beach now. While I wasn't really going there for the "beach" experience it looked a lot nicer back then.

 

Headed here in April, so I defn want to visit here while docked for the day! Been on my list of places to visit for a few years now!

[14cruisegirl]

Thank you for the update and great pictures. Can I ask if you enjoyed the tour. We are thinking about doing it

But was not sure after I heard about Maho. Any information would be appreciated.

[Terre]

Thank you for the update and great pictures. Can I ask if you enjoyed the tour. We are thinking about doing it

But was not sure after I heard about Maho. Any information would be appreciated.

 

Yes, we did enjoy the tour. We spent some time at Orient Beach and went to the French side for lunch and spent some time there and stopped several places for photos. Bernard's is a good tour and our guide, the Mailman, was very good, he gives a good history lesson, but apparently was misinformed about the runway expansion.

 

If you click on either of the photos you'll open my album and go either left or right to see all of the pictures I shot on this tour.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Terre

[Terre]

Here is a shot of one of the airplanes.

 

[NASCAR Bubba]

I checked the website for Princess Juliana airport. The history that they provide makes no mention of a runway expansion nor does a google search bring up any information about it.

If you look at the darker part of the runway at the end away from the beach you can see the addition.

 

• News Releases
  
• Media
  
• Xchange
  
• Awards
  

 

Volume 1, 2013

 

 

.

 

 

 

Runway asphalt works to end in November

 

Rehabilitation project to continue through Q1 2014

 

As part of SXM Airport's ongoing runway rehabilitation project, which began March 2013, all runway asphalt works will be completed by November 2013, and the demolition of the Asphalt Plant is expected by the end of the year. Overall, the completion date of the project has been adjusted to the first quarter of 2014, when the electrical works will be finalized.

All runway works will continue to be carried out at night, between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. when there are no aircraft operations, through November 2013. After November, runway works will continue but, will not affect the aircraft operations.

Milestones:

 

• Contract Signed
  - November 20, 2012
  
• Start Date - March 13, 2013
  
• End Date Asphalt works
  – Q4 2013
  
• End Date Electrical works
  – Q1 2014
  

Main Construction Details

• Replacing entire runway asphalt
  
• Implementation of Runway Safety Area
  
• Replacement of all Runway and Taxiway lights with LED
  

 

The rehabilitation of the runway was urgently required due to the deterioration of the asphalt surface after 15 years of use. It is customary to have a major resurfacing of the runway done every 15-20 years depending on the condition of the airport pavements. The last resurfacing of the runway took place in 1997.

The new taxiway Bravo was also modified to allow large narrow body commercial aircraft better access to the parking apron and shorten the backtracking on the runway prior to take off.

The runway rehabilitation project also includes the implementation of the required Runway End Safety Area (RESA) to the West. As a continuation of its "Going Green" initiative, all halogen Runway and Taxiway lights were replaced with LED lighting.

 

 

SXM Marks

[gtaylor]

As just noted, the runway has been extended to provide for a required Runway End Safety Area, RESA.

 

This work was done on the Lagoon end of the runway, which was extended 490 feet, requiring extensive lagoon filling and a rerouting of Airport Road.

 

gary

[Ocean Boy]

It, however, does not look like the actual working area of the runway is any longer or that the touch down area is any further from the beach. Botttom line is I doubt that airplane glide paths to touch down are much different that what they have always been.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[longislandcruise]

I am going to Maho beach Dec 3 2015. If the beach got washed away from storms do you think the beach will come back in 2 months or the beach is gone for good?

 

Dennis

[Terre]

I am going to Maho beach Dec 3 2015. If the beach got washed away from storms do you think the beach will come back in 2 months or the beach is gone for good?

 

Dennis

 

Our guide said that it would come back eventually through the tides; he did not give a timeframe.

 

I'm done arguing about this. Believe it or don't believe it. I was there, I took the pictures on Sept. 24, 2015 and I'm just telling you what we were told about the runway.

[longislandcruise]

Our guide said that it would come back eventually through the tides; he did not give a timeframe.

 

I'm done arguing about this. Believe it or don't believe it. I was there, I took the pictures on Sept. 24, 2015 and I'm just telling you what we were told about the runway.

 

Im not saying i dont belive you trying to get some info on it hope beach comes back in 2 months but thanks

 

Dennis

[Karysa]

Our guide told us the runway had been expanded, guess he's lying.

 

The runway has been expanded? Did your guide tell you in which year?

[gtaylor]

The runway has been expanded? Did your guide tell you in which year?

 

Slight correction, if I may.

 

The runway has been expanded!

 

Actually it was 'extended'. :)

 

gary

[navybankerteacher]

Slight correction, if I may.

 

The runway has been expanded!

 

Actually it was 'extended'. :)

 

gary

 

And wasn't that extension into the lagoon,rather than at the Maho Beach end? I've been flying in and out of SXM for a number of years and am pretty certain that there has not been any extension at that end.