Is Maho Beach good for swimming?

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 planes' flight path makes Maho Beach one of the island's most notable attractions, but this stretch of sand would be a lovely spot even without its low-flying attractions. In addition to plane watching, you can enjoy great swimming and snorkeling.

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The reef along this shoreline is sporadic. But the shallow water makes it easy for even novice snorkelers to enjoy seeing a wide variety of corals and fish.

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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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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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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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Maarten's northeastern shore is a well-known stretch of soft white sand offering watersports, relaxation, snorkeling, and pristine waters for wading and swimming. This beach is famed as the St. Tropez of the Caribbean and among the largest on the island.

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Friar's Bay Beach (French Side) Friar's Bay Beach is another of St. Martin's best beaches that is well-protected from winds and large surf. Because of its calm waters and wide stretches of sands, it's a top beach in St Maarten for families with young children, including those learning to snorkel.

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Galion Beach It is the favorite family beach of Saint-Martin families because its water is calm and shallow. Remember to take masks and snorkels to enjoy the beautiful seabed.

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As compared to the more popular and more heavily photographed Trunk Bay, Maho has a more laid back vibe. The bay was once full of beautiful palm trees that leaned into the ocean but since hurricane maria in 2017 nearly all of those trees are gone. Even still, Maho Bay is a jaw-dropping spot, well worth the visit.

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Amenities include pavilions to rent for your family party or wedding, as well as restrooms at the western end of the beach.

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If you want to try to see one of these creatures in their natural habitat, the best way is to join a diving or snorkeling tour around St. Maarten/St-Martin. One of the best places for turtle watching is Tintamarre Island, located just 2 miles off the North coast.

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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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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 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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Plum Bay or Baie aux Prunes beach is secluded and not so frequent a destination for tourists. Golden sands and clear turquoise water are enhanced by the peace and quiet that this beach offers. The calmer seas around this wild beach are the perfect locations for snorkeling and sometimes for surfing.

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The warmest water temperature is in September with an average around 84.9°F / 29.4°C. The coldest month is February with an average water temperature of 79°F / 26.1°C.

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Maho Beach does experience plane landings throughout the day. Many American and Canadian aircrafts fly over Maho Beach between 1 and 4 PM.

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