Maho Beach

[tortoisegirl]

Hi there! We're planning a Fall 2010 RCI Eastern Caribbean cruise, and very excited. First time post here; I've been lurking awhile.

 

I have some Maho Beach questions. We're huge aviation nuts so a full day while in port is a must-do on our list. The cruise we have chosen was picked just based on ports and that we wanted a big new boat (Liberty of the Seas). Also have ports of San Juan and Labadee--perfect! Wanting to do the Canopy Tour in San Juan but that's it that is a must-see for us.

 

We're planning to bring some beverages, rent chairs and maybe an umbrella, and spend most of the day at Maho minus extra time ot get back to the boat.

 

1. Can you rent snorkel equipment? Approximate cost? Is it clean and in good condition? My fiance really wants to try snorkeling. I don't like it so it would just be for him. I'd rather not have to buy and lug it around, even if it was cheaper to do so, as long as it's easy to rent and clean enough.

 

2. Can I get more information about the bus you can take from town to the beach area? I saw another thread about it but I'm quite the planner. If there was some sort of bus route map or web link that would be awesome. We wouldn't mind a bus at all to save the cab fare money for buying lunch.

 

3. Can you walk up to the bar and get a free glass of water, or should I plan to either buy bottled water or bring my own? Planning to stay there awhile and I would rather not lug a bunch of stuff. I have been to the Sunset Beach Bar website and their lunch menu sounds yummy.

 

4. How are the restroom facilities? Is it the typical beach wet sandy mess, or there some clean restaurant ones non-swimmers can use (I won't go in the water). Are there beach showers?

 

5. Should we bring towels from the boat or are rentals available?

 

6. Is there some shopping within walking distance of Maho Beach if I want a break from the sand&sun? Indoor or shaded?

 

If anyone has a good map of the area that is labeled with names of businesses & locations that would be awesome. Excuse our ignorance as we are first time cruisers and not big beach goers typically. If it wasn't for the planes we wouldn't be going to Maho.

 

Thanks in advance!

[dna1990]

Just returned, but we only stopped at Maho for a brief time as part of Bernard's Tour (great by the way).

 

So I am hoping others will reply with more concrete details - but I would say it is not geared to be a 'beach' hangout. Yes, the Sunset Bar is nice, food smelled good, plenty of drinks, discounts for topless gals - the whole experience. There did appear to be a small shopping 'village' down the road from Sunset, but we turned around and continued onto Marigot.

 

There were no chairs, umbrellas, etc on the beach. The sand is somewhat narrow from the water line to the road. The road traffic would make for a non-relaxing beach layout day, in my opinion.

 

There is a hotel opposite of Sunset bar, maybe it has better accomodations.

 

The daily plane schedule is posted at Sunset, so check that out. They also play the local tower frequency, so you hear approach calls.

 

My opinion (again based on a 30 minute visit) - would be to come in th afternoon and treat it as a 'bar day'. Sit at the bar and watch the smaller planes, take pics, etc. If a bigger one comes in, you can walk out onto the sand, etc. Leave the snorkling and beach stuff to another stop.

 

Traffic back to the ship is known to be very intense during peak season, not sure what it may be in the fall for you. But ask your driver on the way over, as to when to leave - in order to make it back to the pier in plenty of time. Or better yet - ask/hire them to come back for you at a specified time.

 

We only saw one 737 take off (still neat) and two smaller ATR types land. But we there in the morning time. The main reason for stopping in the AM, was traffic concerns.

[The Big Booper]

The only reason to go to Maho is to watch the planes zoom in overhead at 20-30 feet above your heads. The big jets come in early afternoon and if you are lucky a Corsair from Paris will be on the schedule. This is the only operation still flying the big 747s which need the whole runway and frequently come in barely 10-12 feet high. The newer planes come in much higher, say 40-60 feet, and are not as spectacular.

 

The beach is narrow and varies considerably based on tides, time of year, etc.

 

Make sure you check the right website. The old owners were kicked out for various reasons, tax evasion, etc. If the website says re-opening soon then you are looking at the prior management.

[Willbcruisin]

I agree with the other posters. We LOVE Maho but it is for the bar, the food at Sunset and the planes. For sure not a beach day.

 

We actually watched people get blown right down the beach when the planes take off!! I have never seen anything like that in my life.

 

Always bring bottled water and towels from the ship. Chair and umbrella rentals are available at other beaches but we did not see any at Maho.

 

You may want to rethink and maybe go to Orient but make time for the planes in the afternoon at Maho. Maho for sure should not be missed but is not a beach day type of beach.

 

Give yourself enough time as well as traffic gets very busy! That's why we always go with Bernard as he gets us back to the ship in plenty of time!

 

You could always check with Bernards Tours and if you book a private tour he can accomodate whatever you would like and advise you as well.

 

We also went there onboard Liberty! She's a gorgeous ship and we loved the itinerary as well!

 

Enjoy your cruise and the beautiful Island of St Martin/St Maarten

[tortoisegirl]

Very helpful--thanks everyone! We were planning to get off the ship first thing in the morning, and leave a few hours before the ship leaves so we have time. I think you have convinced me that a stop at Orient Beach as well is a must-do.

 

I have a feeling my fiance will tire of snorkeling after about an hour, but I want to make sure he has the opportunity! Our other stops are San Juan and Labadee. We want to do the Canopy Tour and the Bacardi tour in San Juan, so there goes that entire day (short time in port). I have heard the snorkeling in Labadee is not so great.

 

I shouldn't get that much sun, so getting the umbrella at Orient and then staying under the bar at Maho sounds good. We just want to soak in the airport and airplane atmosphere at Maho. I wouldn't be surprised if my fiance would rush through Orient just go to to Maho! He's a bigger plane nut than I am (we're both in the industry and went to an aviation college where we met). This will be our honeymoon, so we're making it extra special! Even waiting a full year to have a bigger budget.

 

If there was at least snorkel rentals we'd just do Maho as we wouldn't care too much. I might look into the local hotels that you can get a day pass to; then we'd have the chairs/towels/snorkels and good bathrooms (sorry I'm a girl and I like a clean bathroom!). We have from 9am-6pm if we get in on time, thankfully.

 

So glad to hear Liberty is a good choice. It was surprising with the itenerary we wanted it got limited down to that one ship, but we had been looking at that class of ships anyways. My fiance's first cruise and my second one so I've been doing all the planning with his comments of must-sees.

 

I will bring my own water. I did see the new Sunset Bar & Grill website linked on another thread (I didn't want to take over that one!); thank you for ensuring that.

 

We do not want to take a tour at St. Martin, but thank you for the suggestion. I have heard great things about Bernard on many posts here!

 

Thanks again. Looking forward to chatting with you all again soon.

 

Further questions:

 

Should we take the bus to Orient for a couple hours, and then St. Martin for lunch and airplanes, maybe hit up some shopping, and head back to the boat at about 3pm for a 6pm departure?

 

Or, try and find a hotel within walking distance of the Sunset Bar & Grill and get a day pass? Suggestions?

 

Is there enough seating at the bar midday at Maho? Does it vary on the day of the week? Assuming with a cruise ship in port it would be more crowded, or are there cruise ships everyday?

 

How about bathrooms at both Orient and Maho?

 

Anyone know the price for a soda at Maho? Free refills? Can you take it out onto the sand or does the glass have to stay at the bar?

[tortoisegirl]

One more thing: I keep reading reviews that Maho is good for swimming. How far does Maho extend? Could they be saying that further up or down from the Sunset Bar & Grill and runway area is good?

[tortoisegirl]

And this page says umbrellas and loungers available? http://www.sint-maarten.net/St-Maarten-Beaches/MahoBay.html

[tortoisegirl]

Looks like Mullet Bay is a good option to walk to from Maho (10-15 min?), and we'd just bring a snorkel with us. Not stay there too long because apparently the bathrooms and bad and there isn't much else there in the way of services/food/drinks. That would fill the need to snorkel without complicating the transportation (looks like we could buy one for $15 at home and have him practice before we go, and leave it there to make space). I bet a rental at Orient or similar would cost that much anyways and this one would be new and clean. One isn't much to carry I guess.

 

I really want to avoid Orient since we want to focus on airplanes, and only a little snorkeling. I took the 360 tour at Maho from the Sunset Bar & Grill website and that really looks fine for me to spend the day between renting a chair & umbrella for the sand, and sitting at the bar. We'd just get up to see the planed as we wouldn't sit right under the runway. Thanks for the ideas!

 

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

 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g147346-i222-k2274657-Planes_at_Maho_Snorkeling_at_Mullet_Bay-St_Maarten_St_Martin.html

[The Big Booper]

If you do both Orient and Maho then the bus is not good.

 

First, there is no bus service to Orient, you would have to walk a long distance from the highway to the beach and even with the moon road finally being paved:D it is a long hike. And you have to do it twice.

 

A group cab from the pier to Orient will run you $6 pp. The dispatchers pack the large van-cabs to get the low rate. You would probably not get a low rate to go from Orient to Maho, I would guess $25 for two people unless you get more riders.

 

I have never been to Mullet so can't comment on that.

[The Big Booper]

The best Maho picture ever!

 

[MCManders99]

Never been to St Martin, going in December aboard Freedom of the seas. DH and I are renting a motorcycle and touring the island. Where is Maho Beach? DH is a corporate Jet pilot and I think he will get a kick outta this. At least to visit for a few hours.

[The Big Booper]

The best Maho picture ever!

 

 

Where did my pic go? It came from the old SBB website.:(

[The Big Booper]

[The Big Booper]

Never been to St Martin, going in December aboard Freedom of the seas. DH and I are renting a motorcycle and touring the island. Where is Maho Beach? DH is a corporate Jet pilot and I think he will get a kick outta this. At least to visit for a few hours.

 

 

Maho Beach is at the lower left corner of the map.

[mizLORInj]

IMO, as a fellow aviation enthusiast, Maho is a must. The beach and water are pristine and we rented chairs ($5!) when we were there 2 years ago. If Carnival hadn't changed our itin on our upcoming cruise, removing St. Maarten, the plan was to shop a bit, head to Maho for afternoon and burgers at Sunset (you can use their bathroom while on the beach), taxi back to ship. the planes so close overhead and the perfect beach and water is unsurpassed! The bar has a chalkboard with the flight arrival schedule that afternoon. Even if only one or two heavies, it's still so cool!

[can'twaittacruise]

This is our favorite port

The first time we took the bus to Maho we could not find a bus. Finally I asked inside a store. First problem, I was looking for a bus, not a van. Once we knew that we needed to find a van it was a lot easier. Walk from the pier towards town. Don't stop at the first cross street where all the people/stores will be, walk down one more block. Turn left. There will be some bus stop signs on the right side of the street. Look for a bus marked Mullet Bay. Keep in mind, these are old vans with sometimes handmade paper signs on the dash. The bus system consists of privately owned vehicles but at a cost of about $2.00 a person for a thirty minute or less ride to Maho it is worth it. We’ve taken it three times now and wouldn’t consider anything else. There doesn’t seem to be any schedule but many locals depend on the bus to get to work in the morning. We try to wait until at least 10:00 am.

 

We got off past the airport terminal, in front of a small grocery store. (I think it is Maho Food Express) Let the driver know while you are passing the airport where you want to stop. Be sure to ask the driver exactly where to stand to catch a return bus. We bought some beer ($1.25 each - you may need a bottle opener). You can get water, snacks, and sodas also. We walked a block to the beach. There are two bars at the beach. The Sunset is at the far end.

Drank the beer on the beach and then visited the Sunset bar for a sandwich and more. Seating does get crowded but we’ve always be able to find something. No idea on the cost of sodas, would really doubt that you could get a free refill. Restrooms were fine. No sand. Didn’t see any showers since it is really a restroom for the bar. You would need to take your own towel if you needed one.

Best time for planes start after 11:30. Watch how long it takes to get to the beach from the time you get into the bus and double the time for your return trip back to town.

 

We like going to Maho so much that we are planning a vacation next spring to stay at Burgeaux Bay. We looked at the property in May when we were there on our last cruise. Got there by taking the bus, grocery store stop for liquid refreshments, walked past the beach and bar, and walked another ten minutes to the house where we want to stay. Located it all on Google Earth to help us know where to go.

[bgsimp]

This is a link to a video showing one of the planes coming in. It's pretty cool & will show you just how close the big planes get !! :eek:

 

http://www.mypointless.com/2009/04/plane-landing-at-st-maarten.html

[The Big Booper]

One of my favorite videos, back from when KLM flew the large 747s. Only Corsair still uses these beasts.

 

Freezing the image shows how CLOSE the wheels are to the beach and fence as the plane passes overhead.

[rcacace]

This is a link to a video showing one of the planes coming in. It's pretty cool & will show you just how close the big planes get !! :eek:

 

http://www.mypointless.com/2009/04/plane-landing-at-st-maarten.html

 

That's about the lowest plane I've ever see at Maho. Anyone know what type it was?

The ones we usually see are like this one.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/42871/2567610740103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

[bgsimp]

I'm not sure which one is in the video. This is a picture I took of Air France when we were there in May.

They said the really big ones usually come in on Sunday & this was Saturday.

 

[Kikkycat]

That's about the lowest plane I've ever see at Maho. Anyone know what type it was?

The ones we usually see are like this one.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/42871/2567610740103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

The one in the video is definitely a 747. You can see the hump above the cockpit area.

[psakid]

That's about the lowest plane I've ever see at Maho. Anyone know what type it was?

The ones we usually see are like this one.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/42871/2567610740103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

KLM Boeing 747-400.

 

The stretched second deck 'hump' and winglets (wing tips are bent for fuel economy). Probably from AMS (Amsterdam) or maybe Dutch Antillies (Aruba, Curacao).

[KLMMD11]

well I guess I need to jump into this conversation, Maho Beach is an aviation paradise!

 

I will be on the next sailing of the Freedom of the Seas 6/28 and a week from Thursday will be spending the entire day at Maho.....

 

This will be my first time seeing the KLM MD11 land.......YEAH!

 

I have been one of those people who stand at the back of the engines of a 757 departing and have been blown down the hill to the water.......awesome expirence BUT NOTE: the sand inbeds itself into your skin and takes a very long time to scrub out!

Currently only Corsair from Paris flies the 747, however for winter KLM is going back to the 747.

 

Sunset has very good food and they don't overprice anything.....

facilities are the same as any bar here in the USA and are for everyone.

you can sit and then run out for the planes, everyone has always been very cool there! I did see them renting beach chairs the last time I was there as well.

 

well I think I could go on and on on this topic and bore everyone to death so I'll end now........good luck to all the spotters!

 

Jon

[The Big Booper]

Why is KLM going back to the 747 in the winter? Is this a permanent change or just seasonal?

[KLMMD11]

seasonal, winter + more vacationers = more seats, hense the 747-400? :)

thats all good for me as my Nov cruise will afford me my first 747 landing!

 

Jon