"Airplane landing beach" at St-Maarten

[alexx]

Hi all

We are booked for a 7 nights eastern from oct. 14th and are searchig infos to plan our cruise.

I have seen several pictures and videos of airplanes landing at the airport of St-Maarten and passing just a few feets over Maho beach.

Is some of you have ever gone to this beach to see the airplanes?

If yes, how can we go to Maho beach and where is it situated in relation to the ship?

Many thanks in advance for your answers

alexx

 

[mommasita]

Looking forward to the answer to this. THis is something that interests me as well...

So a big

 

[perdidobay]

Here is the thread that shows the plane videos and tells about the beach
Be sure to read all the replys to the original post...
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=737033&highlight=747+video

 

[saltwater taffy]

Numerous pictures of planes landing over the beach are available on
www.airliners.net

 

[natdencro]

We spent a great 6 hrs at Maho Beach in March. We took a taxi from the ship to the beach - which took about 20mins. There is a great bar/bbq which gets very busy around lunchtime when the large planes (including Jumbos)start arriving. There is a notice board where it lists the times of flight arrivals for that day. We saw lots of planes, while sipping our Corona's and lazing on the beautiful beach on sun-beds under a parasol. For those of you who are interested in planes (like hubby) it is a really great opportunity to see these "monsters" arriving at close range. Not really a day for small children though: The beach dips quickly into the sea and the sand is very soft and you can sink into it very quickly near the water. There are plenty of nice shops near the beach too.

Just a word of warning: DONT leave the beach later than 2hrs before the ship is due to leave, as there is a bridge on route back which opens mid afternoon. It is not unknown for people to miss their ships, having left too late to get back to the ship.

This day was a highlight of our cruise............and would certainly recommend it. Be sure to take sun lotion though, as it can get very hot there, and there are only limited parasols available. For 2 beds/cushions and parasol we paid $14. Well worth it in our opinion.

Got LOADS of great photos too. Have fun. Nat

 

[mommasita]

Great, Thanks Nat

This is exactly what I was looking for....One question? You say not young ones...Mine are 6 and 9 and airplane crazy...I worked many years for the airlines...Do you think it would be too much for those ages? I would love to do this, but not if it is not age appropriate for them...

thanks again..

 

[chasbos]

Your kids will love the area around the Maho! We spent a week there last December and our kids were 12, 10, 8 & 5. The afternoons are the most active for "big" planes landing and taking off (we really liked being blown away by the take off's) Also, my kids swam every day and did not have a problem with the depth. Yes, there are areas where it drops off quickly but they had a lot of fun all week.

The big planes are the main attraction but we also liked watching the puddle jumpers come in as they wobble all over the place with the wind! It is also fun to watch them land right before a 747 because they have to get out of the way very quickly!

It is a good day to spend in St. Maarten and yes beware of the bridge that has to go up! It is a set time every day so ask the taxi when they drop you off at the Maho. There is also a little Ice Cream place just across the street from the Maho and there is a Subway on that strip and a grocery store - so you would be set for food and drinks if you did not want to bring them yourself off the ship.

 

[mommasita]

Your kids will love the area around the Maho! We spent a week there last December and our kids were 12, 10, 8 & 5. The afternoons are the most active for "big" planes landing and taking off (we really liked being blown away by the take off's) Also, my kids swam every day and did not have a problem with the depth. Yes, there are areas where it drops off quickly but they had a lot of fun all week.

The big planes are the main attraction but we also liked watching the puddle jumpers come in as they wobble all over the place with the wind! It is also fun to watch them land right before a 747 because they have to get out of the way very quickly!

It is a good day to spend in St. Maarten and yes beware of the bridge that has to go up! It is a set time every day so ask the taxi when they drop you off at the Maho. There is also a little Ice Cream place just across the street from the Maho and there is a Subway on that strip and a grocery store - so you would be set for food and drinks if you did not want to bring them yourself off the ship.

Great...ThankYou....I will show these sites to my kids..They will love it..

 

[natdencro]

Yes, pretty sure your children would enjoy it: just thought very young children wouldnt be interested and may not like the loud noiseses the planes make. Like all beaches, you have to watch little folk when they close to the sea, but its a really lovely beach. Just another point to mention........... there is a large notice by the bar ....."topless women drink for free"!!! Yes, there were several "displaying their wares", but thankfully for all the other visitors I declined.haha. Nat.

 

[mommasita]

Yes, pretty sure your children would enjoy it: just thought very young children wouldnt be interested and may not like the loud noiseses the planes make. Like all beaches, you have to watch little folk when they close to the sea, but its a really lovely beach. Just another point to mention........... there is a large notice by the bar ....."topless women drink for free"!!! Yes, there were several "displaying their wares", but thankfully for all the other visitors I declined.haha. Nat.

I will definitely do the same as you..

 

[Kati]

Hi from Germany,

I will visit St. Maarten on 27.11.05 (during a cruise) and I will visit the Sunset Beach Bar, too. How many airplanes are landing during a day? I would like to spent a half day there. Is it o.k.? And how much is a taxi from the cruise port to Maho Bay?

Thank you for your answers.

Katharina

 

[castlegazer]

Oh my God!!!!

How much noise is there? Would my young children be freaked out? (I know you can't answer that for me - but would you take wee ones under 5 there?)

 

[chasbos]

The noise is not unbearable. My kids were 5, 8, 10 & 12 when we spent a week at the Maho back in Dec 2003.

We spent every day at the beach and watched many a plane land and take off! It was a great and the kids loved it.

You will likely never see planes taking off that up close anywhere else.