The buses depart at back street (one of the 2 main streets in Philipsburg). Rodael ingored my email and car booking request made from their website. The island has no human occupants, but has been inhabited in the past. Airplane traffic is light (only one big plane when we were there), but Maho is still fun and the bars are up and running. But eventually the tide came in so close that there was nothing else for it but to pack up and move on. Currently, we are unable to provide international travel restriction information for Saint Martin relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19). There are great sites to visit and memories to make. And even if it happens, the island has plenty of attractions which helps spread out the masses. 9. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Your email address will not be published. For a cruise port that used to have as many as 6 cruise ships docked on weekdays before hurricane Irma, it may sound like a slow recovery. The fare is 2 to 3 US dollar. It is a large cruise facility that can accomodate several mega cruise ships. Leisure Car rental provides clean and well-maintained vehicles in all categories. Amenities include a restaurant with outdoor seating and beach lounges with umbrellas. Should I visit Marigot on the french side or just spend time on the Dutch side for shopping and maybe a little beach time? It is famous for being adjacent to the Princess Juliana International Airport, and is a popular site for tourists and planewatchers, who visit the beach to watch aircraft on final approach landing at the airport, passing only a short distance above their heads. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Want more tales from the Caribbean? Heres a list of a few more suggestion in Phillipsburg: Dont Miss: Cruise Lines Departing From Mobile Alabama. Theres plenty of shopping just nearby. Because of this vibrant but peaceful history the island shows two beautiful and diverse faces and personalities. Many, many thanks for all the expert help! After Hurricane Irma in 2017, St. Maarten suffered significant damage that its still working to recover from. Other popular beaches are not within walking distance, but if you are willing to take a taxi we can recommend Dawn beach, Mullet Bay Beach or Orient Beach. Kids 3 and under are free and it is cheaper than taking a cab if you wish to go downtown for shopping. The drive from the cruise port to Maho Beach is about 10 minutes. Rome2rio makes travelling from St Maarten Airport (SXM) to Port de Galisbay easy. By clicking I Agree, you accept our privacy policy. . Couples sat with suitcases drank their last cocktails in paradise before they headed off to the airport, and groups of friends whod just arrived were already on their fourth or fifth cocktail as music pounded from the speakers. However, you must leave the airport (which requires going through immigration) and take a cab to get to the ferry port . We are looking to go to the beach to watch the planes land. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. There are TWO throughfares to get you from the port to the airport.The short route will take approximately 45 and MUST cross a DRAWBRIDGE that opens DAILY around 8 0r 9 for traffic in and out of the Bay/Lagoon..small boats to mega yachts.IF that bridge is opened BEFORE you cross you will have an additional 1/2hr to an hr wait..depending on boat traffic.that time of year can be busy because lots of yachts are wintered there. The water taxi is wheelchair accessible. The sun was scorching hot and getting into the cool water melted away the crazy sweaty energy of the beach bar. It features a large pool, restaurants and large picnic-play grounds. However, you can take the ferry to Anguilla then take the ferry to St. Martin. Find a booth (see picture) to buy a ticket. The processing time for the application takes about 12 hours to process, so make sure you do it a day or two before your flight to ensure its approved in time. You are free to walk, but you can also take the water taxi or a regular taxi. You easily can get to the port by taxi, or water taxi (from the town centre). The Dutch call their part of the island Sint Maarten and its capital is Philipsburg. It will likely take half an hour from Philipsburg to Marigot, but one time it took us closer to an hour. For full information, please see mydisclaimerhere. TAke a cab and you will have time to spare. See map above for its exact location. Shopping: at the cruise terminal or in town Transportation: Taxis at the cruise terminal Watertaxi available to get you from the cruise terminal to town Beach: Great Bay Beach is the main beach in town. if your (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Cookie Policy - However US dollar are widely accepted. Mere steps from where the cruise ships dock in Philipsburg is the extremely popular St. Maarten 12 Metre Challenge, which gives normal folk the thrill of racing in an actual Americas Cup regatta. The Airplane Beach in St Maarten is not what I was expecting. The cutest little streets youll ever want to explore are here, plus white sand beaches that bow to the more liberal European culture. Regardless of your choice, you should include the places below on your sightseeing list: Insider tip: If you are booking a tour, make sure its organized in small groups, cruise ship friendly, and guarantees your return to the ship! Between 1946 and 1950, it was the base for the airline Compagnie Arienne Antillaise, which flew planes from the island's 500m airstrip (no longer existent.). Many more are coming and cruise life is getting back to normal. $45/Adult. Why You Should Use Public Transportation to Maho Beach from the Cruise Port Alow more time to return as traffic tends to back-up coming into Phillipsburg. ', 'Should I book online before I travel? The walk is 100-200 meters long , and in case you have difficulty in walking, there is a small trolley that can take you there for free. To get from St Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach, youll need to take a taxi. For the latest travel status, we recommend checking the official page for Saint Martin. The new year started with the return of Disney Cruises, Marella Celebration and Royal Caribbeans massive Harmony of the Seas on January 2. Find all the transport options for your trip from St Maarten Airport (SXM) to Port de Galisbay right here. For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full, Can you walk from the cruise ship docking port the the famous airport. The cruise port was visited by 6,8 million cruise tourists in 2008-2009, 7,9M (2014-2015) and 1,5M (2015-2016). If you are planning to go to the beach than youll find that most beach beds nowadays come with wi-fi access. There were so many people that the waitstaff were ran off their feet, carrying gigantic trays from table to table and struggling to keep up with all the orders. It is located in the heart of the downtown capital Philipsburg and is about 3km from the cruise port. Great Bay Beach, a long boardwalk and shopping on Front Street run side by side. Travel down Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard with a transfer thats easy to count on, choosing between a modest sedan or a spacious chartered bus to see the vibrant culture of the Arawak people, or consider one of many meet-and-greet services ranging from luxury limousines perfect for arriving to beachside resort restaurants in brilliant fashion, or go with a casual local personal driver who can offer the natives perspective of surrounding landmarks as well as exotic natural flora. The port facilities for cruises to St. Maarten offer helpful amenities like ATMs, shops, a tourist information desk, taxi and rental car information, and restaurants if youre hungry right when you get off the cruise ship. Marigot to Grand Case should take 15 minutes, but here as well it can sometimes take longer. Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is an adults-only, 5 star luxury all-inclusive resort which features direct access to spectacular Maho Beach. Total cost to go and come back from the Sint Maarten cruise terminal (Philipsburg) to "airplane beach" (Maho Beach): $5.00 USD Total time: approximately 30 minutes to go and 30 minutes to return FINAL TIP: Just make sure you return with lots of time before your ship leaves! The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 1h 10m. Some of these are: Note: Make sure you have a valid drivers license that complies with the tour operators policies.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',132,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-132{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. To be able to handle the world's largest cruise vessels , Port San Juan invested ~USD 8 million in building a 3rd dock. You cant miss it. Each airplane came in so low over the sand that it felt as if you could almost reach out and touch them as they rumbled onwards to the tarmac across the road. 3. Hungry and thirsty when we arrived, we sat on the covered decking of the Sunset Beach Bar (check out their live webcam of the planes landing if youre curious), and ordered fries and drinks. The French side draw bridge will open at 8:15 A.M. Hopefully you will already have been at the airport one hour before the Dutch side bridge opens. In my blog, I share with you my insider tips & knowledge and about cruise ports, shore excursions, cruise destinations, and crew life onboard a cruise ship! . . Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers. Theres two more on the Dutch side you should visit, if you have the time, and at least 5 more on the French side. Both beach bars on the beach are up and running for some time. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88299225', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise ship landing in St Martin on 16th Jan 2018. Tintamarre Island is an uninhabited island which has been recognized as an important bird area. For the most part, we stayed out of the crowds but still appreciated the landings at an angle. About 300 kilometers east of Puerto Rico in the northeast part of the Caribbean lies St. Maarten, a cruise community favorite destination. It is a small island divided between two countries France and the Kingdom of Netherlands. Large dock and cruise terminal available: 1 mile from Philipsburg Tender dock available right in town. Aside from the great climate Sint Maarten is known for its shopping! This is where you catch the watertaxi to the centre of Philipsburg. It's famous because if you're there at the right time, and if you've got the right spot on the beach, planes will fly . 4. You might have already sensed from my description that this beach is not my kind of place. You can access this beach by walking. Upon getting off the ship, a hundred meters further, youll spot Harbour Point Village a lively area full of duty-free shops, jewelry stores, market stalls, bars, and a restaurant. Your email address will not be published. The southern part measures 44 km2 / 17 m2 and is Dutch. You can read more in our cookie notice more information I agree. There are a few shops in the new cruise terminal. Some tours include beach time, so make sure you bring proper clothing. Finally we decided on a spot at the very far end, clear of the runway but close enough that we could make a run for it if we desperately wanted to be under the pathway of a jumbo jet. And lastly, retire ashore with sunset views from the dramatic cannons of Fort Amsterdam, finally grabbing a bite from the port-side ambiance of Chesterfields Restaurant & Bar. All you have to do is to provide the tour operator with the ship name, arrival, and departure time upon booking a tour. Its about a half-hour walk to get from the Philipsburg pier to the center of town. For the latest travel status, please check the official page for Saint Martin. Visit also our cruise guides to St Thomas, San Juan, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia,Falmouth, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Labadee, Bermuda, Barbadosif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_10',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); 25 Top Shore Excursion Packing List Items, What to Pack for a Cruise Top 50 Cruise Essentials. . How to get from St Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach in one day. Most ships will dock when they make St. Martin their port of call and therefore the following information is based on ships docking at the cruise terminal. St. Lucia Key West San Juan Curacao Aruba Barbados. Do Not Sell My Personal Information -, Fodor's may use your email address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers. Creditcards are accepted at mosts shops. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. !as they posed for group photos. La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel, St Martin Photo courtesy of Rene Cicero.St Maarten cruise terminal. Related Post:Best Snorkel Locations in the Caribbean. They also have 3 hour sightseeing tours for $90. As the Caribbean is known to be tropical climate and some prefer to skip the walk, there is multiple types of transport available to get to "town", as St Maarteners call it lovingly. Sometimes ships drop anchor in the bay in front of Philipsburg and tender people to shore. I hope my article gave you an insight into the best of St Maarten/Saint-Martin. At its Great Bay is the Port of St. Maarten, a main gateway for experiencing the few blocks of historic city nearby. Starting in 2007, they made a lasting impression with their customers. Creole Rock is a small island nestled in a protected marine reserve. The Guava berry Emporium is located on Front Street in Phillipsburg in an old townhouse, you cant miss the big liquor bottle at the entrance. Both the Dutch side and French side of the island have so much to offer in the way of beaches. Nowadays, the island reflects a blend of two cultures and mentalities that learned to live, work, and grow together. For more information about COVID-19 protocols, please visit www.stmaartenupdates.com. Now, any day can be a 12K kind of day. St. Martin is great for any tourist! How far away is the airport from the docking piers in st. marrten. Although the distance between St Maarten cruise port and the Airplane Beach isn't particularly far, there is almost always traffic to contend with. In the height of the season they often open the Dutch side bridge at 9 AM and 9:30 AM which really backs up the traffic. St. Maarten's cruise port is within an easy 5 to 10 minute walking distance to Philipsburg. The waters surrounding St. Maarten make for some great snorkeling adventures. There's no physical border or customs checkpoint between the two sides. Amongst many others, ships of Carnival Cruises, MSC Cruises, P&O, Royal Caribbean, TUI and Windstar have the island in their itineraries. In total there are thirteen beaches to visit during your cruise stay. With just a couple square miles of beachfront blocks, exploring the downtown area of Philipsburg can be an especially easy thing for those looking to get to know the day. Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. 1 mile from the cruise terminal. Anyone have a suggestion as to an airline flying to San Juan? Its just not a good idea. Just watch the video below filmed on January 11, 2017. This island is an extremely popular stopping point for cruise ships, and whenever we ported here there were at least three other ships parked up at the same time, although none of them were anywhere near full capacity. #1. St Maarten port is one of the fastest-growing Caribbean cruise ports and the leading cruise port in the Eastern Caribbean. . Below is the list of the main Philipsburg attractions: See the list of the best Philipsburg toursif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'adventourbegins_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-adventourbegins_com-banner-1-0'); rel="sponsored nofollow noopener", Check out St Maarten/St Martin beach tours and activities.
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