4-stars Hotels in Sint Maarten; 3-stars Hotels in Sint Maarten; . It is about seven miles north of the Philipsburg cruise port. coveneiet water taxi. In the morning, the beautiful beach and the clear sand captivates the vacationers to take a dip. A 15-minute taxi ride will get you to this beach. Several beaches receive far fewer crowds than Orient or Great Bay and are worth seeing for people with extra time available. Water taxis to Maho Beach from the cruise port is easy to find and cost about $20. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Princess Heights Luxury Condo Hotel. Additionally, there is a clothing optional area on this beach. The Best of St Maarten Private Sightseeing Tour 206 Recommended Bus Tours from $450.00 $382.25 per group (up to 10) Ultimate Eco and Sightseeing Tour 33 Recommended Power Boats from $95.00 per adult Sunset Champagne Cruise in St. Maarten 18 Recommended Sailing from $50.26 per adult Private St Maarten Island Sightseeing Tour 7 Adventure Tours from Show Prices. After youve gone hiking, a replenishing meal is a definite try in the famous beachside restaurants in Friars bay. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. St. Barth is frequented by the rich and famous. Discover 9 Top Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love + 5 More For Kids! The Great Bay Beach is a well-maintained destination complete with white sandy dunes and clear waters, which is why its among our top picks when it comes to the different nice beaches in St Maarten. Also Read:15 Best Cozumel Beaches You Should Experience. Things To Bring On A Cruise: 19 Cheap & Really Useful Cruise Items, 17 Awesome Travel Gift Ideas Your Kids Will Absolutely Love. Moreover, go for snorkeling and explore the underwater world. Some include Orient Bay, Red bay and Anse Marcel. The nearby amenities and close proximity to the ship make it a very popular choice for cruise guests. Report inappropriate content sxmlover Cupecoy Bay, St. Level Contributor 13,129 posts 18 reviews 50 helpful votes 9. Clear waters, beautiful horizon, and the quiet ambiance of the Grand Case Beach makes it a worthwhile destination. He is the author of four books about cruising in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riviera. 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. Therefore, depending on the time of year that you visit expect there to be a crowd. Want to have that french au naturel ambiance? "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. The high rocks block most of the wind, so its a good choice when the Caribbean trade winds are strong that day. 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. Travel to Maho beach and watch jumbo jets fly overhead to land at the nearby airport. Great Bay Beach Great Bay Beach is the closest beach to the cruise terminal in St Maarten. I've lived on St. Martin/St. 97% of travelers recommend this experience. Best for Crown Bay Cruisers: Emerald Beach (Lindbergh Bay Beach) Why go: Home to the Emerald Beach Resort, Lindbergh Bay has all the things you want in a beach, while being located close. Arrived on cruise ship having read the reviews and took the $7 water taxi as advised. So if you if you are considering a cruise for your next Caribbean vacation, check out How To Cruise For Less. Whether youre looking for a nice day out on the beach, or a day filled with fun things to do, this place is definitely enjoyable. Once we got the the beach there are people there trying to rent you lounge chairs. This beach is very popular with the locals during the weekends, but its also very tranquil and uncrowded during the weekdays. This is a very nice beach, with soft sand, and gorgeous turquoise water. Rates are $8-10 per person one way. Our Cousin is a very active- independent young man that is in a wheelchair- I think it's going to be fine, but wanted to check? Check out the video below from In The Loop Travel that shares the walk from the cruise terminal to Great Bay Beach. Enjoy swimming in the water or lazing in the sun. Youll still see some damage even along the boardwalk of Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg. Beachfront resort located on Simpson Bay in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten. You can take a taxi which charges about $6 per person to the beach. We didn't find anywhere to snorkel that had anything to see. It creates a very magical experience. Grand case beach is a clean, tourist-friendly beach that you are bound to enjoy. If this is something you would like to see and enjoy, then, by all means, visit Maho beach for this once in a lifetime experience. #2 Best Value of 7 Cruise Port Hotels in Philipsburg. $$ - $$$ Caribbean Cajun & Creole Pub, Neighborhoods Points of Interest & Landmarks. If these beaches dont meet your needs, then try any of the 24 remaining beaches you are sure to find what you are looking for. It is easy to spend the day going back and forth between the beach and shopping or dining. Orient Beach and the town of Marigot are two popular attractions on the French side of the island. St. Maartens average weather consists of warm temperatures year round that average in the mid 80s Fahrenheit. St Maarten is Dutch and to the north the French side is called St Martin. It consists of a small stretch of white sandy beach located next to the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport. 1. Visit the beach and enjoy the long crescent-shaped spread of soft white sandy beach. It is popular with hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. Maho Beach is a bucket list item for most tourists visiting St. Martin. What's the best way to see Great Bay Beach? Scott S. Bateman is a professional journalist who has traveled widely throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. Boasting a fantastic marine life and youd get a glimpse of it if you opt to try snorkeling. These are near the cruise port terminal for ease of access on the island. We recommend booking Great Bay Beach tours ahead of time to secure your spot. It features clear, calm crystalline waters with soft white sand and sprawling palm trees. It has been quite a few years since I've been to St. Maarten. 285 reviews. Swim shoes may come in handy when walking by the shore, and there may be small rocks you may encounter when walking in the waters. Its perfect for a lazy beach day. The price for an entire day is $7 per person at the time of this writing. Public bus. The sunset in Cupecoy Beach is astounding, and we suggest you spend it at the bar while waiting for the vibrant ambiance at night. Cars are available for self-driving or getting a driver instead. Even better, this white-sand, two-mile beach is right in front of Philipsburg, capital of the Dutch side of the island. Any advice about St. Maarten beaches starts with three of themGreat Bay Beach, Orient Beach and Maho Beach. One of the more interesting beaches on St. Maarten is Cupecoy because of its white sand, sandstone cliffs and small caves along the shore. Great for: Beach time, diving, snorkeling, water sports. Is this beach wheelchair friendly? Indigo Bay Beach is famous because of its quality attributes, making it popular with tourists. Snorkeling, swimming, and jet skiing are the reigning favorite things to do on Maho Beach. Great Bay Beach is one of the closest beaches to the cruise port terminal in Philipsburg. You could visit the Rouge et Noir casino near the end of the beach strip. 3. The island is also a famous spot for hiking and exploring the enthralling red cliffs scattered all throughout the area. Have in mind last taxis back to cruise port depart around 5.30-6 PM, so if your ship departs late in the evening there's no point spending 7$ pp. 1 mile away from Friars Bay Beach is a walking trail that takes you right into the heart of the open beach and the black rock formation. Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! Budget-minded walkers will go less than one mile or about 10 to 12 minutes to reach the beginning of the beach. They prob stop and ask about every 5 mins so it does get annoying. I know you will love visiting this Caribbean island as much as I do. Its worth noting that shopping on Front Street has declined in recent years because much of it has moved to the John Craane cruise terminal. Get a lounge chair and umbrella going for about $7, kick back and relax. Food and drinks All this fun with family can make you hungry. Philipsburg Cruise Port in Sint Maarten. These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The coral reefs offer snorkelers a peek into St. Maarten water inhabitants. The clear crystal waters offer the perfect chance to snorkel, especially on the rockier shores. 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. If youre looking for a particular piece of jewelry Im sure you can find it here no doubt. This course provides detail tips and techniques on how to save money while cruising onboard, onshore as well as the importance of insurance. Orient Bay Beach is excellent for water sport activities such as snorkeling and many individuals prefer it for swimming and sunbathing than Great Bay Beach. It also has the massive cruise terminal nearby. Water Shoes might be good for a day on the beach when snorkeling, get yours here. But traffic outside of the Boardwalk and Front Street is often heavy. Asked for Miguel after reading recomendations but he wasn't around so headed off to quiet end with wider beach and Sweet Andy looked after us. We rented chairs with wonderful service from Jimmy from the love boat restaurant and beach service , chair rental and service right on the beach with food and reasonably priced drinks were exceptional.. could not have asked for a more pleasant day til, Convenient swimming with shopping and restaurants. Do the taxis going from the St. Maarten cruise port to great bay beach dock at a pier or beach? 1. Great views of the cruise ships and the marina at one end and at the other end are great views of the mountains. Known to be a part of the Natural Reserve of Saint-Martin, this island is a famous snorkeling spot. The beach is about 1/3 mile long. Some beach visitors get so close that the blast from the jet engines knock them over. Is there anything near the cruise port? Walking to this beach from the cruise pier is easy and possible, and there is always the option of a water taxi. Cheap property set in the centre of the city, walking distance from beach. Drivers are sometimes aggressive when fighting through traffic. From water sports, swimming, sunbathingyoull never run out of things to do. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'stmaartenadventure_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_4',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-stmaartenadventure_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');Front Street is famous for its duty-free shopping. The best restaurants on the island are mainly concentrated in two areas. This beach is found on the Dutch side of the island towards the southwestern ends. This cruise port is huge, handling over 20,000 people at a time and up to 6 ships at once. It is a definite try if youre on a trip to the Caribbean. The extended stretch of fine white sand is great, and the swaying palm trees offer respite from the harsh sun. Clothing is optional because it is secluded and located by the French St. Martin border. It is located right at the heart of Philipsburg. The main appeal is the convenient Great Bay Beach, the long boardwalk that runs parallel to it and the shops and restaurants that line the boardwalk. There are many places to shop around and search for deals. Its longer and broader than Great Bay Beach. 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. Each offers truly unique characteristics and there's a . Didnt swim, but its safe, I was told. There is a boat that brings people over and drops them at the dock. You can take a tour of the nature reserve nearby as you explore the majestic beauty of the place. The water taxi takes you to a dock right at the public beach. A certified PADI dive shop is located at the center of the beach. "All of St. Maarten has been hit hard by a hurricane followed by a pandemic. Car rentals. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.