A September 2004 trip to Eastern Caribbean by ToniDay
Quote: A wonderfully paced voyage roundtrip from the New York area that avoided the hassle of flying to Florida.
Hotel
Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 17, 2004
Story/Tip
They also offer a number of shore excursions such as a guided tour on jet ski, parasailing and guided kayak tour.
I took the kayak tour with an 8 year old and a 12 year old. The kayaking was in a sheltered bay and went along the coast. The guide provided us with a history of the area and we made a secluded beach landing. It was a nice 90 minute outing, and left us with plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the beach.
For the best beach on the island, take a regular taxi for $8.00 per person to Orient Beach. I recommend that you have the driver take you down the dirt road and drop you off near the "nude" beach area. This is a less crowded area on the beach, and there are some great little beach shacks with lounge chairs, umbrellas, cold drinks and fresh seafood. Andy and Cheryl's is one of my favorites. They are actually transplants from the Northeast but have been living in St. Maarten for 20 years. You can also parasail and rent jet skis. This is one of the most affordable areas to do this at $40.00.
If you are so inclined, just walk across the rock jetty area, and you will be at the Nude Beach.
The other beautiful beach close to the ship is Sapphire Beach. There is a full facility hotel on site and this beach is far less crowded than Magen's Bay. The views here are also beautiful with the island of St John and the BVIs off in the distance. It is also a short walk from the beach to the marina where you can rent jet skis for $60.00.
I also recommend going to the Bacardi factory. You can catch the ferry that departs from the pier next to where the ship docks. It runs every 30 minutes and costs 25 cents each way. Catch a taxi on the other side to the factory for about $3.00 per person. The tour is free and includes a nice museum with an area where you can send a video postcard to your friends back home. They also have a souvenir shop and tasting room.
Back in town, check out Senor Frogs about a block from the ship terminal. Typical Senor Frogs, always ice cold beer and a lot of fun.
ToniDay Levittown, New York