shore excursion recommendations?

[tinsoldier]

Hi

 

We are looking for any recommendations for shore excursions in San Juan and St Maarten. The only P&O excursions that look interesting in San Juan is the Rainforest Drive. I am very keen to see the Planes at Maho Beach in St Maarten but there seems to only be one suitable P&O excursion which is also a boat ride. I like the idea of listening to the air traffic control broadcasts in the Sunset Beach Bar but I guess we won't get to hear that if we're on the P&O excursion?

 

I was wondering if anyone has been on either of these and/or can recommend any local tours.

 

Thanks

 

Brendan

[Host Sharon]

Hi Brendan

 

Take a look at the ports section of the site and you might find more info. I did a private tour in St Maarten to Marigot, a beach and the butterfly farm but no planes!

[supered1]

It's a few years ago now that we did a private tour with Bernard's Tours in St Maarten. It was excellent. We were lucky to have Bernard drive us for part of the journey in an eight seater, think a Mercedes mini bus. He was a most interesting man and the tour included, beach for couple of hours, the airport beach,, market for shopping and rum punch on board. Cost, 40$ each. Hope this helps

[tinsoldier]

Thanks Sharon and Supered1. I like the look of Bernards tours - think we might give that a go

[LondonTowner]

We have also done a tour with Bernard in St Maarten. At the last minute our captain swapped the port of call, so it meant we arrived a day or two later. Bernard has a desk at the cruise terminal. We explained what had happened at the desk.

 

The tour for that day had already left, but we were put into a very comfortable Mercedes car to catch up with the tour at the first stop. We then transferred to a modern, air conditioned mini bus to join 5 other people on the tour.

 

We were impressed and would recommend them. Alternatively, if you don't want to pre book you can always find an excursion in the cruise terminal.

[CCFC]

Its $8 to Maho beach by taxi, plenty of them available. There wasn't any air traffic control playing at Sunset Bar when we went, a large chalk board with arrival times was there along with a man with a megaphone walking up and down the beach telling you what planes were landing. I would suggest trying the bar at the other end of the beach as its half the price of Sunset bar and not as busy.

 

 

A short video taken last December at Maho

[groovechick]

Hi

 

We are looking for any recommendations for shore excursions in San Juan and St Maarten. The only P&O excursions that look interesting in San Juan is the Rainforest Drive. I am very keen to see the Planes at Maho Beach in St Maarten but there seems to only be one suitable P&O excursion which is also a boat ride. I like the idea of listening to the air traffic control broadcasts in the Sunset Beach Bar but I guess we won't get to hear that if we're on the P&O excursion?

 

I was wondering if anyone has been on either of these and/or can recommend any local tours.

 

Thanks

 

Brendan

 

I would highly recommend Twin Island Tours. We did a tour with them - comfortable modern car with air con, cooler of drinks included in price, covered both sides of the island, stop off at a viewing point, an hour or so at the beach at Orient Bay, shopping/lunch stop in Marigot, then on to Maho Bay with about 1 1/2 hours to view the planes. We didn't find the Sunset Bar particularly expensive and the food was excellent.

[davenew]

Thanks Sharon and Supered1. I like the look of Bernards tours - think we might give that a go

 

We've used them twice and are brilliant. If you do book, try and go with "the Mailman" - he's brilliant. And the rum punch is deceptive :D