Getting from Phillipsburg to Maho Beach

[CoasterJoe]

Can anyone suggest the best way to get to Maho Beach from the pier? I heard something about a water taxi but I'm not sure how far that takes you.

[Quilting Queen]

If you are going to watvh the airplans land & take off just take a taxi on the dock. Sunset Bar & Grill is also at Maho Beach. The swiming is not great but you can cool off in the water. You can rent umbrellas and charis or sit at the bar/restaurant as there are tables with benches and umbrellas.

 

Usually the first plans arrive after 10:00 am, usually about 11:00. you don't have to rush off the ship but get there early to get a good seat in the bar/restaurant.

 

Norine

[Karysa]

Can anyone suggest the best way to get to Maho Beach from the pier? I heard something about a water taxi but I'm not sure how far that takes you.

 

The first poster gave you good advice. Taxi is a very easy way to and from Maho. The water taxi does not go anywhere near Maho Beach.

[Abear2]

Someone mentioned it was $30 to get there by taxi! They also said it takes about 20 minutes! Not sure if that's correct, but that's what I read!

[CoasterJoe]

Someone mentioned it was $30 to get there by taxi! They also said it takes about 20 minutes! Not sure if that's correct, but that's what I read!

 

Ouch that is a lot. Can anyone confirm this?

[propwash]

This is what has been posted in other threads;

 

[Igggy]

I'm told there is only one road from the port to the beach. Getting there and especially getting back by taxi, on time can be a challenge. Our last trip the taxi wouldn't even go there late in the morning. On our cruise in December there will be 3 ships and 14,000 passengers. Not good.

[onyx007]

I took the public bus; its not from the pier but from Back Street in Downtown Phillipsburg. They use almost the same vans like the taxi but instead of Taxi they have Bus written on their licence plate.

 

and the best thing it's just 2 Dollars each way per person !

[Life is Good Cruising]

It does take approx. 20 mins to get to Maho Beach & Sunset Bar and Grill from the pier. Once you get a taxi, (which are vans) at the pier, which is in back of the information center, the driver will try to fill up the van with additional people so it should only cost you $9 pp, one way.

 

Chairs and an umbrella are $20. Sometime the beach can be small as the tide will wash it away and the water can be a little rough with a 2 foot drop getting into the sea. Others times, the beach is much bigger and the water is nice and calm. You never know how the beach and water are until you get there.

 

There are plenty of taxis at Maho to take you back to the pier. They also built another bridge that recently opened last year that does alleviate traffic back to the ship. I would still allow at least 1 hour to get back to the ship from Maho, just in case there is traffic, construction or an accident.

 

 

Having 3 ships in port, it shouldn't be too crowded at Maho.

 

Enjoy your day at Maho!

Edited June 28, 2014 by Life is Good Cruising

[Life is Good Cruising]

I'm told there is only one road from the port to the beach. Getting there and especially getting back by taxi, on time can be a challenge. Our last trip the taxi wouldn't even go there late in the morning. On our cruise in December there will be 3 ships and 14,000 passengers. Not good.

 

 

They recently built another bridge so traffic getting back to the ship is not what is used to be like, it is much better now. Three ships are not much at all as there can be 7-8 ships in at once. You'll be fine if you want to go to Maho this time with 3 ships.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Can anyone suggest the best way to get to Maho Beach from the pier? I heard something about a water taxi but I'm not sure how far that takes you.

 

Just flag down a cab at the taxi stand right outside the port area and tell them you want to go to Maho Beach. It will run like 15 to 20 bucks a person each way and is a 45 minute ride each way but it is well worth it. It is a really scenic ride out to the beach on the main road through the area and just make sure you have a return trip to the ship and leave yourself at LEAST an hour and a half to get back to the ship. Traffic can get a little tricky at certain times. There are always cabs in the beach area looking to pick people up to go back to the ships though, just make sure you can get one to take you back to the ship in time for departure. The inbound heavies arrive in the 1300-1400 range and leave a few hours later so sometimes you miss seeing KLM/Air France/Air Caraibes leaving back out but you do see them come in to land. USAirways, United, JetBlue, American etc leave before 1500 most days and Insel Air always gives a nice show on takeoff so keep an eye out for that. All kinds of fun.

[Karysa]

Just flag down a cab at the taxi stand right outside the port area and tell them you want to go to Maho Beach. It will run like 15 to 20 bucks a person each way and is a 45 minute ride each way but it is well worth it. It is a really scenic ride out to the beach on the main road through the area and just make sure you have a return trip to the ship and leave yourself at LEAST an hour and a half to get back to the ship. Traffic can get a little tricky at certain times. There are always cabs in the beach area looking to pick people up to go back to the ships though, just make sure you can get one to take you back to the ship in time for departure. The inbound heavies arrive in the 1300-1400 range and leave a few hours later so sometimes you miss seeing KLM/Air France/Air Caraibes leaving back out but you do see them come in to land. USAirways, United, JetBlue, American etc leave before 1500 most days and Insel Air always gives a nice show on takeoff so keep an eye out for that. All kinds of fun.

 

 

Your estimated taxi rides are almost double the actual cost. Maho is an extremely popular spot with cruisers and $9 each way in a taxi shared with others is about the going rate. In the winter noon ish is a good time to start seeing the KLM and other big jets arrive and in the summer months they start coming in around 11.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Your estimated taxi rides are almost double the actual cost. Maho is an extremely popular spot with cruisers and $9 each way in a taxi shared with others is about the going rate. In the winter noon ish is a good time to start seeing the KLM and other big jets arrive and in the summer months they start coming in around 11.

 

I must've been thinking of the total cab cost and didn't divide it among two people. It's reasonable though and allows for a nice tour of the island on your way out to the beach. Clearly marked and prices posted and easy to get a cab out there anytime. I probably got out there around 1100 or so in October 2012 but since it was a Saturday in slow season, no KLM 744 came in that day. The AFR 343 and an air caraibes 332 showed up along with a bunch of 737/757/320/MD87/E190/DH8 and of course little private planes until about 2 pm. Didn't get to stay long enough to see them all take off again because we had to get a cab back to the ship but the beach itself is beautiful and the bar is a lot of fun, even for the people who came for the day but weren't into planes. The insel air MD87 put on nice shows when taking off. Not really supposed to line up and wait on the displaced threshold area and spoolup while holding the brakes anymore since the JBU plane jetblasted the fence riding girl into the concrete curb a few years ago, but they still do. Lots of people get a kick out of that. LOL. I'm not crazy enough to fence ride and they have signs everywhere warning of the dangers of being in that zone now. Lots of fun.

Edited July 6, 2014 by FlyingCruiserNJ

[newr]

I took the public bus; its not from the pier but from Back Street in Downtown Phillipsburg. They use almost the same vans like the taxi but instead of Taxi they have Bus written on their licence plate.

 

and the best thing it's just 2 Dollars each way per person !

 

Just wondering, where do you take the bus back to Phillipsburg from the beach? Is it just right at the beach or you have to go to another street to take it back?

[Life is Good Cruising]

Just wondering, where do you take the bus back to Phillipsburg from the beach? Is it just right at the beach or you have to go to another street to take it back?

 

When your getting off the bus at Maho, ask the driver exactly where to stand to catch the bus back to Philipsburg. I remember we walked a minute or two to the left of the beach and just stood by the road and flagged a bus (minivans) back to the pier. Since it's been years since we have taken the bus, we now prefer to take a taxi back to the pier.