The famous “Airplane” Maho Beach is a must if you stop at St. Marteen during your Caribbean cruise. Airplane watching is a very popular activity at Maho Beach… for good reason. There is no entry cost and it is open to the public. Maho Beach is located directly under the flight path of airplanes landing at the Princess Juliana International Airport which accounts for one unique experience!! This is literally the ONLY place on earth to have this experience. Directly behind the beach is where airplanes will take off and land which means there are two experiences you will get. These include watching airplanes land and take off.
Airplanes can fly at altitudes less than 100 feet above you. During our time on the beach, the airplanes felt so close! I found myself ducking as the airplanes approached. As soon as we arrived on the beach, we started seeing the planes fly overhead. Planes of various sizes flew across the entire time we were on the beach. We googled flight plans for the Princess Juliana International Airport so we would know when bigger planes were coming… which consistently was later in the evening.
Keep those cameras ready for the plane’s landing but be prepared to hold onto all your things (and your loved ones) during take-off. The blast from the jet taking off will literally knock you over. The carnage left behind on the beach because of a plane taking off is somewhat comical. However, we add a note of seriousness to caution you when standing behind jets taking off. Firstly, sand is going to fly EVERYWHERE. Be mindful of your eyes during this time. Take off your hats, sunglasses, and anything not secured to your body… you will lose them. You may fall during the blast as it is that powerful! Lastly, please be respectful of the area. If there are signs cautioning you to not engage in certain behaviors, please do not engage in those behaviors. One of these is standing on the guardrail or fence of the airport. Not only is this extremely dangerous, but it is disrespectful to the citizens and workers who live there. With all that being said, this is an amazing experience to feel how powerful the blast from a jet can be. It is something that can only be experienced and not described! I recommend standing to the side, which is what I did, as you can still feel the powerful blast without all the force. More adventurous like Justin? Stand directly in the jet blast to experience all of it’s power!
We visited during March of 2022, which is considered the “off-season” for St. Marteen. What is off-season? Off-season is the time of year when there are fewer tourists at that destination. December-March is the official off-season in the area and a wonderful time to book your cruise. The experience of airplane watching was beyond anything we expected… and we were pumped about this excursion. That might actually be the understatement of the century as I couldn’t sleep due to excitement the night before. In addition to the unique experience is the gorgeous beach. The crystal clear waters and the soft white sands make for a perfect beach day. However, the waters were rough. We suggest not attempting to sit on the beach as it is relatively impossible to avoid the water. We put our towels down in an attempt to airplane watch and we were still getting hit by waves even when sitting close to the road. A fabulous place to airplane watch is Sunset Beach Bar. More details to follow.
How to Get There
This excursion was at the top of our bucket list but we wanted a cheaper way to experience it. Excursions were expensive and so was transportation via water taxis or taxi cars. Then, after some extensive searching, I learned about the local buses. Don’t worry about doing any searching because you have found all the answers you need for using the local buses. Local transportation is a wonderful way to experience the island culture. The best part? Local transportation cost us $2.00 a person! Once you are docked, we highly recommend getting off the ship as soon as possible. Bypass all of the people wanting to sell you things like taxi rides. Those are beyond expensive, and you have a cheaper option. Walk past all the shops as you head toward Phillipsburg. This should be around a 15-minute walk from the cruise port. To get to Phillipsburg, walk past the St. Marteen sign and exit the cruise port. Walk down the sidewalk to your left and continue into the town. You are looking for the Coliseum Princess Casino which is a bit of a walk. It is near where you will meet the bus and so we highly suggest downloading a google map to help you find it easier. We downloaded a map before we left and it was relatively easy to find! Buses can pick you up anywhere; however, this is a common stop. You can flag down these buses and let the driver know where you desire to go.
Now, this experience can be somewhat scary as the buses do not look like public transportation. The buses are minibusses and small multi-passenger vans. We can assure you that this is not only safe but efficient! Look for the marker in the window that says MAHO. On the return, you will look for PHILLIPSBURG signs to take you back to this area to walk back to the cruise port. The locals were super nice and helpful! The ride to Maho Beach will be about 30 minutes. Your driver will be picking up other locals and dropping them off during your trip. This is normal! You will make it to your destination. While back in Phillipsburg, check out some of the local shops to get some cheap souvenirs and coconuts to drink!
We loved our time using the local transportation. We still talk about how unique of an experience this was! We truly felt like a local because we traveled with the locals.
Where to Eat: Sunset Beach Bar
Sunset Beach Bar is a must during your visit to Maho Beach. Amazing food and views? You seriously cannot beat it. You can catch great views of planes incoming while also munching on some great food. You should check out the pizza options which all have unique names related to airplanes.
Timing Arrival and Departure
Since you are visiting via cruise ship, it’s important to keep a few things in mind regarding timing… you don’t want to miss that ship! as noted, we highly recommend that you get off the hip as soon as you dock as this will give you plenty of time for this excursion. Another important thing to note is the time you should leave. Considering the 30-minute drive back and the 15-minute walk back, we highly suggest leaving between 2-2.5 hours before the time you need to be back on the ship.
We hope this helps you plan your time in St. Marteen during your next Caribbean vacation! Maho Beach is a destination you will be talking about for years to come! Please reach out to us via Instagram for any follow-up questions you have about this amazing excursion. Safe travels y’all!- Justin & Caitlin