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Can you still watch planes at Maho Beach?

The beach is not that crowded, and there's plenty of room. No, there's not a steady stream of planes. As far as incoming and outgoing planes, keep in mind that they only go in one direction. In other words, if they are taking off over Maho beach, they will not be landing over Maho beach.



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This is one of the few places in the world where aircraft can be viewed in their flight path just outside the end of the runway. Watching airliners pass over the beach is such a popular activity that daily arrivals and departures airline timetables are displayed on a board in most bars and restaurants on the beach.

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Maho Beach on the Dutch side of St. Maarten is the best vantage point to watch planes land at Princess Juliana International Airport (aka Maho Beach Airport). There are just a few yards between the edge of the beach and the edge of the runway–only a two-lane road separates them.

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Maho Beach is unusually close to the threshold of a runway and is directly under the flight path, resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at altitudes of less than 100 feet (30 m) above ground level.

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Maho Beach, which is world-famous for its location at the very end of Princess Juliana International Airport's runway, is one of the most unusual beaches on the island of St. Martin. It's a delight for tourists who love watching planes take off and land just above their heads.

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The ferry will take you to Cruz Bay on St. John where you can rent a vehicle or grab a taxi to Maho Bay, which is 5.5 miles northeast. Be aware the taxis only take cash. There is no entry fee to get onto the beach and the vendors there take both cash and credit card.

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At this time, there is no cost or entry fee for Maho Beach; however, that is subject to change without advanced notice.

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The best way to get from St Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach without a pre-booked excursion, is to take a taxi. The journey is way too long to walk, and costs around $15-20 per person depending on how many are in the car. Leave the piers and head to the right, where there's a row of taxis waiting to leave.

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The island's weather is pleasant year-round, but these are times when rain showers are less likely. Summer and early fall are not good for a vacation; many hotels close in this offseason and there's a chance of hurricanes. Also avoid visiting in winter and early spring (mid-December to April) if you can.

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Jet streams, which are a system of air currents that circle the Earth many miles above the planet's surface, are another reason why aircraft don't fly over the Pacific Ocean. Due to Earth's rotation, these air currents often move from West to East.

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Most flights are intended to spend as little time as possible over water, since storms are more common over the ocean than on land. An aircraft would not be safe to fly over the Pacific Ocean due to the stormy weather and frequent lightning strikes that occur there.

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I had heard it's a 10 minute walk to town and a $3 shuttle to Maho. Otherwise it's a $20-30 taxi to Maho. I considered taking the water taxi to the shuttle. It's just $7 for a round trip ticket.

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The eastern shoreline runs out to the point separating Little Maho from Maho Bay Beach. You'll be snorkeling in shallow water – between 3' and 10' deep.

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Here's the deal with the Maho, planes landing arent so bad, their on top of you before you hear a thing and its over before you realize it and its pretty cool to watch. After 4 or 5 pm traffic is down to almost nil. Planes taking off are much noisier and it can be deafening.

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Maho Beach is famed as the spot to go if you like watching planes roar overhead, but it also offers snorkeling, swimming, watersports, and world-class beach bars. St. Maarten's western shore beach offers the excitement of planes flying overhead so low you'll feel like you can touch them.

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The family-friendly Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and the adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort in St. Maarten, the Dutch-side of the dual-island nation, have rebuilt and renovated after Hurricane Irma pummeled the dual-nation island nearly two years ago.

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Scotland's windswept island of Barra has the only airport in the world where scheduled flights land on a beach. Get a pilot's-eye-view of touchdown on this unique runway.

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