Quick water taxi/Moho question

[Thebox]

Not at all familiar with this port. Does it make a difference (in distance/price) whether we leave to go to Moho from the pier or where the water taxi leaves you off downtown? Didn't know which location put us closest to Moho. Assume I can grab a public bus from either location? Know I can grab a cab from either place.

 

Thanks for your help!

[gtaylor]

Taxi to Maho would be the same price from either the Cruise Facility or downtown. The difference in distance is negligible.

 

(click)

 

The bus does not run near the Cruise Facility, you have to get downtown and to Back Street to catch the bus.

 

gary

[CleoV]

Agreed; it's only about a 15 minute walk into town from the pier (maybe 25 now that you have to go around, since the direct route is closed due to construction), but in terms of a taxi ride it's pretty much the same.

[Thebox]

Exactly the info I needed. Appreciate your help

[Iamthesea]

We have previously taken the water taxi, and then taxi's to Orient Beach and have also walked from the ship a short distance and shopped in town. The following was our experience last week while trying to find bus station to catch a bus to Maho. :rolleyes:

 

We walked from the cruise ship to downtown. Took about 20 or so minutes in flip flops. The sidewalks were torn up, and lots of loud heavy traffic from construction vehicles. Hot and very humid. I still have stone bruises on the bottoms of my feet. :(

 

Once we got into town, we walked for what seemed like forever to find the post office and courthouse area. Had to ask for directions, twice. When we finally did find the bus stop, we were told that the buses do not go to Maho, only Marigot. I don't know if it was because of the new construction and extra traffic (5 ships in town), or what, but we did not see a bus/van with Maho on it, either.

 

We ended up flagging down a very nice man with a private tour service. Nice large blue van. The driver, Michael took us to Maho where we stayed a short time watching the planes come in, and then he took us on a tour through Marigot and then straight back to the ship. The traffic was horrendous! We were on the road much longer than we wished to be, and because of that, we felt like it was not a good idea to stay and shop in Marigot. Afraid we would miss the ship.

 

Michael was a very nice man who is raising his three children and one grandson by himself. He wanted to charge us $90 to do the tour, but once we told him that we only had $75 cash, he said that would be fine. We felt badly about not bringing anymore money, but we had expected to only pay $2 pp for bus transportation each segment of our trip.

 

There were only two of us, so if you have more, the price would be less pp. We felt the fare was a good deal, especially since I didn't have to walk back to the ship once we were back in town. Micahel got us back to the ship at the exact time he said he would.

 

If you would like the full name of our driver, and contact info, I can post it. I asked for his card when we were getting out of his van. Told him about Cruise Critic, and he had never heard of it. He seemed pleased that I wanted to share his service on a website. His typical tour last 3 hours so that he can pick his children up from school. In our case, he called his girlfriend to do so since we were stuck in traffic.

 

Had we to do all over again, we would have taken a taxi or called a private van to take us off from the ship. Worth every penny!

[gtaylor]

<snip>

Once we got into town, we walked for what seemed like forever to find the post office and courthouse area. Had to ask for directions, twice. When we finally did find the bus stop, we were told that the buses do not go to Maho, only Marigot. I don't know if it was because of the new construction and extra traffic (5 ships in town), or what, but we did not see a bus/van with Maho on it, either.

 

We ended up flagging down a very nice man with a private tour service. <snip>

 

I'm certainly glad that everything worked out for you, but ...

 

There are multiple bus stops along Back Street, with one directly behind the Courthouse. I'm not sure why you were looking for the Post Office.

 

I'm not sure where you found your bus stop, but you should have seen buses with Marigot, Maho, Mullet, Orleans, French Quarter, etc. passing by, many with abbreviated versions of those stops. Even during the heaviest of construction buses were running.

 

Most serious in my mind is the 'flagging down a very nice man' action.

 

I have mentioned here before the dangers of grabbing transportation anywhere outside of the designated tour/taxi stops, and using only designated, properly licensed, vehicles and services.

 

A bus has a license plate reading BUS999 or such, a taxi - TAXI999. A licensed tour operator - T 9999.

 

Just flagging someone down, or being approached by a driver on the street could signal danger.

 

From the local newspaper, The Daily Herald, recently:

 

Gypsy Taxi Bandits

 

PHILIPSBURG--Judge Monique Keppels meted out life sentences to two men who had become known as the "gypsy taxi bandits," in a dejected atmosphere at the Courthouse on Wednesday.

The Court found the two men responsible for eight crimes involving aggravated manslaughter, rape and theft, theft with violence and severe mistreatment, all committed between February 13 and March 4. In less than three weeks no fewer than three persons fell victim and lost their lives to the two men who had posed as gypsy taxi drivers.

 

Gypsy Hit and Run

 

POINTE BLANCHE--Police found and arrested a person they believe was involved in a hit-and-run on Wednesday.

The driver, reportedly a gypsy taxi driver, had made a U-turn near Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise facility and collided with a scooter rider around 2:30pm.

 

French-side Gypsy

 

MARIGOT--Gendarmes in collaboration with Police aux Frontières (PAF) officers confiscated five unregulated taxis and detained six persons residing on the territory illegally, during a control Tuesday between 6:00 and 9:00am.

The vehicles used as gypsy taxis were found to be not registered as legal means of transportation of persons, and the drivers had no authority from the Collectivité to conduct a profession as taxi driver. Moreover, the drivers had no driving licences in their possession.

 

I'm not trying to invoke panic, but stay smart out there.

 

gary

[Iamthesea]

Because someone said it was behind the Post Office and Courthouse in a review that I read here.

 

We did find the bus stop behind the courthouse. That's where we were told that the buses do not go to Maho. Because we could not find a bus that said Maho, we asked a local woman - nicely dressed, that had just come out of a shop. She pointed out the taxi drivers, instead. That's when we found our guy, and yes, he was an offical tourguide.

 

Micahel told us about all the crime on the island and said that their government was in the process of changing the car tags so that rental cars could not be distinguished among others. This would help prevent tourist from being robbed.