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 on the island of St. Martin is famous for being next to the international airport, right at the end of the runway! Maho Beach is wonderful, a unique spot for thrill seekers.
Maho Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world, as it finds itself at the end of the runway of St Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport (sxm) laying the scene for many vacation videos and selfies that went viral of planes landing and departing at the adjacent Dutch side airport.
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.
This phenomenon has made Sint Maarten a popular spot for both Caribbean vacationers and aviation enthusiasts who come to witness the Maho Beach plane landings. Now, you might be thinking that a beach so close to the airport would be a drag once the spectacle has worn off.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Located on the island's southwest tip, Cupecoy is a set of three beaches surrounded by limestone cliffs. It's also the last beach on the Dutch side before crossing the northern French border.
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.
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.
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.
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.