We ended up at the far end with our beach towels on the sand as we were not spending a whole daythat was perfect. Juliana Airport (SXM) Hotels near Esperance Airport (SFG) Hotels near Wallblake Airport (AXA) Tours; Add a . Great Bay Beach isnt the best beach in the Caribbean or even the best beach on St. Maarten. It. Additionally, there is a nearby fishing village by the beach, giving a tranquil vibe that is different from the vibrant nightlife of other beaches in St Maarten. The Second Lady kept saying how awful my daughters hair looked and that it wasnt professional. Anyone visiting St. Maarten by cruise ship or to stay at the resorts should consider Orient Bay Beach as another one worth visiting. Great Bay Beach is one of the closest beaches to the cruise port terminal in Philipsburg. This beachs convenience makes it a hot spot for many tourists who are looking to relax and have some fun. Beach 3 Snorkeling 4 St. Maartan Airport Tour 5 Catamaran Tour 6 4x4 Adventure 7 Dolphin Encounter 8 Butterfly Farm 9 Scuba Diving 10 Horseback Riding 11 ATV 12 Kayaking 13 Bicycle Tour 14. Its located near Maho beach, and though you can see the airplanes flying above, they are usually far away and therefore less noisy. The beach is certainly grand in Sint Maarten, and within steps from the port (unlike Cayman). From this lovely beach, you will also see beautiful mountains against the magnificent blue sky over the sea. The St Maarten cruise terminal is located in Philipsburg, the Dutch part of the island, around 1.5 mi away from the city center.It boasts an impressive infrastructure that can accommodate a large number of cruise ships simultaneously, including the worlds largest cruise ships. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'stmaartenadventure_com-banner-1','ezslot_11',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-stmaartenadventure_com-banner-1-0');Visit Little Bay Beach if youre looking for a beach thats close to the cruise port, about 7-minute cab ride. Visit this beach to enjoy a great beach break on its soft white sands and when you get hungry grab a bite at the nearby restaurants. It is generally not as interesting as the nightlife around Maho and Mullet Bay, a characteristic feature of the Dutch side, long after the U.S. military built the Princess Juliana airstrip by 1947 and development ensued in the 1960-70s. Things To Bring On A Cruise: 19 Cheap & Really Useful Cruise Items, 17 Awesome Travel Gift Ideas Your Kids Will Absolutely Love. Front Street in Philipsburg. It is often moderate from January through July. It has become a popular destination for people ready to enjoy the sun rise and set while relaxing with a cocktail. Beaches In St Maarten Near Cruise Port (The Ultimate Guide), Living In The Caribbean (Pros & Cons Fully Explained). There are street bars, rum shacks serving ice-cold beer, and restaurants serving delicious food. #2 Best Value of 7 Cruise Port Hotels in Philipsburg. The St. Martin French restaurants in Marigot are smaller and more casual. Rates are $8-10 per person one way. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Marys Boon Beach Plantation Resort & Spa. But traffic outside of the Boardwalk and Front Street is often heavy. We recommend booking Great Bay Beach tours ahead of time to secure your spot. The lush vegetation that surrounds the beach also adds to its charm. As such many individuals are fascinated with plane spotting in this area. It requires steering with your bodymovements, if you have 2 people riding you must lean in unison. There are no full restrooms but there is a port-a-potty available and usually there is a crowd on weekends. more. This beach is public, and you only need to rent chairs and umbrellas if you so wish. The islands rugged coastline features 37 beaches all around. Grab a beach chair and umbrella and enjoy your day in port at this lovely beach. One of the best beaches in St. Maarten is Mullet Bay Beach. If you've only got six hours: Dive or snorkel the second-largest coral reef in the world. Riselle Celestina for Insider. There is a large Westin resort located on this beach. It takes just a 20-minute stroll to get there, and the beach area and boardwalk. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'stmaartenadventure_com-leader-3','ezslot_8',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-stmaartenadventure_com-leader-3-0');There are also cabs to take you to different destinations if you prefer to discover the island. This beach is very popular with the locals during the weekends, but its also very tranquil and uncrowded during the weekdays. "Everything was great, except check in because there's no place to park immediately until after you check in and pay the fees for the parking lot. Logo Store; Find Your Roll Call; Meet & Mingle; Guidelines; Community Help Center; . If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Great care must be exercised as persons have died in the past due to the effects of the jet blast. Great Bay Beach is the closest beach to the cruise terminal in St Maarten. I trust that you have found this information useful if your plans are to visit a beach while on a cruise to St Maarten. It's perfect for a lazy beach day. Take a chance at the slot machines and bingo games. While the Dutch side boasts of the closest beaches to the cruise port, the French side has some of the best. Here, you could try the local cuisine and fill your appetite with the delicious food in the numerous restaurants available in the place. They can walk a hundred more feet to reach many more restaurants and the ports extensive shopping district, most of which falls along the lengthy Front Street. Orient is a community beach where people mingle, lay in the sand, watch the sunset and the adjacent hills. Having your towels on your beach loungers will reserve them for the day. The Philipsburg St. Maarten cruise port has three major attractions: the massive John Craane cruise terminal, the nearby city and Great Bay Beach right beside it. News. Due to traffic congestion on afternoons, remember to give yourself sufficient time to return to the ship. Cruise passengers get from the docks to Philipsburg via walking, taxi or an inexpensive water taxi. Some beach visitors get so close that the blast from the jet engines knock them over. Marigot in French SXM was vibrant, by then, with Palm Sunday parades that gave way to the Carnival in 1970. Mullet Bay Mullet Bay Beach Sint Maarten, NLD 1744 Mullet Bay is ideal for travellers who are looking for a lowkey beach with a relaxing ambiance. You can access this beach by walking. The right portion is where families and children would bond through a number of recreational activities, and the left-most area is the adult division of the beach meant for nude sunbathing. Alternatively, there are water taxis available from the cruise terminal for only USD$7 round trip. Dont forget to bargain with the vendors. You can either take the watertaxi right to the center of this street or walk from the cruise terminal which will take you about 20 to 30 minutes. The Philipsburg boardwalk lies between the beach and the shopping district of the city. Walk around to get the best deals on t-shirts, perfumes, cigarettes/cigars, alcohol, homeware and electronics, all duty-free. Dont be surprised to see a beach goer who wears nothing at all. Before we get started, youre going to need to check all these beach accessories. Then it climbs to a high point for the rest of the year. Here you can dine at French, Thai, and Italian restaurants. But it is one of the most convenient beaches in the Caribbean for cruise port visitors because it is within walking distance of the docks. Boutique hotel situated on Great Bay Beach in downtown Philipsburg. The island has gorgeous powdery sand beaches, charming. This beach offers chairs and umbrellas by the shore, which is perfect when youre in the mood to get a tan and bask out in the sun! 1. Lounge chairs and umbrellas are available to rent. Great Bay Beach is a cheap and easy option for your beach day in St. Maarten. A St. Maarten bus is often an SUV. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Probably the most crowded beach during the cruise season is Maho Beach watching the planes land and take off, never gets old. Not only will the beach take your breath away but also the view, including the sunsets and docked yachts, produce a postcard memory if you go on a trip in the Oyster Pond. The centuries-old liquor is a part of St. Maartens culture, there are songs and stories dedicated to the Guava Berry. Known to be a favorite spot among celebrities, this outstanding beach showcases a plethora of restaurants, hotels, and shops by the oceanfront, making it convenient for the tourists to go souvenir shopping. This is something extraordinary to write home about. Show Prices. All Rights Reserved. Great Bay Beach; St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Hence, the island of St. Maarten is one of the worlds top cruise port destinations. While it is useful to consider a rental car, bus or taxi, it is wise to avoid renting a bicycle or scooter. From there, cruise visitors can walk, take a water taxi or a taxi cab to Great Bay Beach. Marigot Marigot is the capital of the French collective of the island. Little Bay has perfect calm crystal clear waters resultant from the protection offered by the peninsula. Little Bay is located about a 10 minute drive from the cruise port. There are so many things to do around the cruise port that you will never be bored but may be pressed for time. Great Bay beach is a lovely beach to sit and relax while soaking up the sun or enjoying the view of the ocean. Explore different ways to experience this place. The best restaurants on the island are mainly concentrated in two areas. However, this laid-back Caribbean destination is also host to some amazing shopping, where you can unearth authentic souvenirs and gifts. An exclusive shore excursion to Orient Bay costs about $70 per person. Here are 10 attractions near the cruise port to make planning easier for passengers. Be sure to pack some goggles or eye protective gear with you because when the larger planes take off from the airport, watch out for sand sprays on the shore may occur. A certified PADI dive shop is located at the center of the beach. Maarten beaches. Grand Case Beach. The ride is only 10 minutes long. We left our cruise ship and headed for the water taxis -7 dollars return to the beach and back. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Atrium Beach Resort and Spa St Maarten a Ramada by Wyndham, Also See:Beaches in BermudaBest Beaches in JamaicaPhuket Beaches, Guana Bay, PhilipsburgSint Maarten, NLD 1744. Roatan, Honduras. This hidden gem is seldom crowded because its tricky to find. It has beautiful white sand beaches and is reachable by ferry or excursion boat from Simpson Bay and Marigot. Otherwise, look for signs at the mall pointing toward the $5 water taxi. 370 reviews. Anyone with an interest in good beaches might instead consider a shore excursion to one of the neighboring islands, such as Anguilla, St. Barth or Saba. These cliffs are eroded to create perfect small coves that create small secluded romantic beaches on their own. Its like a 3 min ride. When you get hungry, visit the popular Chez Raymond for grilled foods and drinks. They dont tell you how much the braids cost till the end and this lady wanted $65 for some braids she put in my sons hair but my daughters cost $25. If youre looking for a particular piece of jewelry Im sure you can find it here no doubt. The sea was crystal clear light blue and the sand v clean and there was a lovely breeze. Cupecoy is a half hour west of the port and requires a taxi or rental car to get there. Visitors will find plenty of taxis at the docks ready to take them there. Cruise Tips. Great Bay Beach is the closest beach to the cruise terminal in St Maarten. Surfing is also one of the best things to do in St Maarten; Mullet bay has northern winds, making it an excellent spot for surfers. Kim Sha beach is the place to be for party-goers who want the time of their life. Dont miss out on visiting the different souvenir shops where you could snag some trinkets and memorabilia to remember your Caribbean Trip here in Great Bay Beach. Right around the corner was the bar which was basically a guy pouring mixed drinks and coolers with beer, soda and waters. September and November historically have the highest rainfall and are the riskiest months to go there. Sint Maarten as called by the Dutch and St. Martin by the French, is a 37 sq mile island that features all the charm of the Caribbean. I think you can also walk around to the beach instead of the water taxi. Some excursion operators quote prices as low as $15 per person for a transfer from the cruise port to Maho Beach. 96% of travelers recommend this experience. These Are The Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love! . What Costs Are Involved In Visiting Orient Bay Beach. If you are planning an upcoming cruise for St Maarten or the rest of the Caribbean, I have an awesome product recommendation that can save you money. Sonesta Ocean Point Resort- All Inclusive Adults Only, The Villas at Simpson Bay Beach Resort and Marina, Atrium Beach Resort and Spa St Maarten a Ramada by Wyndham, Sonesta Maho Beach All Inclusive Resort Casino & Spa, Marys Boon Beach Plantation Resort & Spa, 35 Best Places to Visit in August in the USA, 35 Best Places to Visit in July in the USA, 35 Best Places to Visit in June in the USA, 35 Best Places to Visit in May in the USA. St.Barths is only 30 minutes away from this beach, and we suggest you take a side trip there to complete your ultimate Caribbean vacation. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. The walk is about 10 minutes, goes three fourths of a mile and is not difficult on a warm day. Where they want to go often includes Philipsburg itself. Anyone who walks around the Philipsburg waterfront wont find much else to see other than the beach, boardwalk, shops and restaurants. St. Barth is frequented by the rich and famous. Youll still see some damage even along the boardwalk of Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Divi Little Bay Beach Resort. Heres a list of a few more suggestion in Phillipsburg: Top 6 Car Rentals in St. Maarten Cruise Port. Shops and food along the boardwalk. As a result, it is hugely popular with visitors taking photos and videos. A cruise visitor who is thinking about a car rental might do so for visits to the less-populated French side of the island, especially the quaint city of Marigot. 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