Walkable Options

[cruzanisfun]

My DH and I will be in St. Maarten a week from Friday. We had Bernard's Tour booked but have decided to cancel that as we want a day to sleep in, drink coffee on the balcony, and just be lazy for awhile that morning without having to feel rushed to catch a tour. We are going to take his tour on our next cruise in Feb 2016.

 

So....anyway....I'm interested in going downtown. Would also like to visit Sarafina's and the market. Dumb question...but is the market in or near downtown or in a different part of St. Maarten? Can we walk to all of those places? Is Dock Maarten worth going to? It looks neat and apparently they have a good restaurant there. I assume it is within walking distance of the pier. What else is around the pier? If we wanted to visit a beach for an hour or so, what are our options considering the other places we are wanting to go?

 

Thanks so much for the help!

[Lard Greystoke]

You can walk to Phillipsburg from the ship. Downtown is right there. There's only a couple of main streets between the ocean and the Salt Pond, so it's not a huge town. There is a beach right on the ocean side of downtown.

[OCruisers]

The beach and town is right there. You'll be fine! :)

LuLu

[Karysa]

My DH and I will be in St. Maarten a week from Friday. We had Bernard's Tour booked but have decided to cancel that as we want a day to sleep in, drink coffee on the balcony, and just be lazy for awhile that morning without having to feel rushed to catch a tour. We are going to take his tour on our next cruise in Feb 2016.

 

So....anyway....I'm interested in going downtown. Would also like to visit Sarafina's and the market. Dumb question...but is the market in or near downtown or in a different part of St. Maarten? Can we walk to all of those places? Is Dock Maarten worth going to? It looks neat and apparently they have a good restaurant there. I assume it is within walking distance of the pier. What else is around the pier? If we wanted to visit a beach for an hour or so, what are our options considering the other places we are wanting to go?

 

Thanks so much for the help!

 

 

You mentioned Serafina's and the Market. For those two places you just take a taxi right from the pier to the town of Marigot. It takes about 30 minutes each way and costs less than $20 for two each way. There are great places there for lunch for all tastes and budgets.

 

I really love Chesterfield's at Doc Maarten. It has a very comfortable yaughty feel to me and is only a five minute walk or so from the pier.

 

I have never had luck with a good view from my balcony in St. Maarten. I have had views of a ship beside me and views of the working port.

 

Little Bay is a great beach to visit for an hour or so and it only takes 10 minutes from the pier and costs $10 for two by taxi each way. The view is lovely and it's not an all day beach to me but is a great beach to put in combination with something else such as you are planning.

 

There is shopping in the town of Philipsburg about a 15 minute walk from the pier. Front and Back street have everything from jewelery stores to electronic stores to souvenier and small department stores. There are great restaurant choices in town as well as on the boardwalk that is adjacent to the town beach that I personally don't swim at anymore. You can also catch the bus on Back street and take it to Maho to see the planes or Mullet for a great beach day and some people take it to Marigot and then transfer on to Grand Case. There are many options for a DIY day in St Maarten.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Karysa

[cruzanisfun]

You mentioned Serafina's and the Market. For those two places you just take a taxi right from the pier to the town of Marigot. It takes about 30 minutes each way and costs less than $20 for two each way. There are great places there for lunch for all tastes and budgets.

 

I really love Chesterfield's at Doc Maarten. It has a very comfortable yaughty feel to me and is only a five minute walk or so from the pier.

 

I have never had luck with a good view from my balcony in St. Maarten. I have had views of a ship beside me and views of the working port.

 

Little Bay is a great beach to visit for an hour or so and it only takes 10 minutes from the pier and costs $10 for two by taxi each way. The view is lovely and it's not an all day beach to me but is a great beach to put in combination with something else such as you are planning.

 

There is shopping in the town of Philipsburg about a 15 minute walk from the pier. Front and Back street have everything from jewelery stores to electronic stores to souvenier and small department stores. There are great restaurant choices in town as well as on the boardwalk that is adjacent to the town beach that I personally don't swim at anymore. You can also catch the bus on Back street and take it to Maho to see the planes or Mullet for a great beach day and some people take it to Marigot and then transfer on to Grand Case. There are many options for a DIY day in St Maarten.

 

Lots of good information! Thank you!

[Ashland]

My DH and I will be in St. Maarten a week from Friday. We had Bernard's Tour booked but have decided to cancel that as we want a day to sleep in, drink coffee on the balcony, and just be lazy for awhile that morning without having to feel rushed to catch a tour. We are going to take his tour on our next cruise in Feb 2016.

 

So....anyway....I'm interested in going downtown. Would also like to visit Sarafina's and the market. Dumb question...but is the market in or near downtown or in a different part of St. Maarten? Can we walk to all of those places? Is Dock Maarten worth going to? It looks neat and apparently they have a good restaurant there. I assume it is within walking distance of the pier. What else is around the pier? If we wanted to visit a beach for an hour or so, what are our options considering the other places we are wanting to go?

 

Thanks so much for the help!

Take the "water taxi" from near where your ship docks accross the bay into town...that is how most people get to Philipsburg. Enjoy !!

[Karysa]

Take the "water taxi" from near where your ship docks accross the bay into town...that is how most people get to Philipsburg. Enjoy !!

 

On Nov 13, 2014 the Daily Harold Newspaper reported that once again Great Bay has not passed the test for clean enough to swim in. This does change from time to time but St Maarten had a hurricane and then a major storm that caused a lot of flooding.

[Ashland]

On Nov 13, 2014 the Daily Harold Newspaper reported that once again Great Bay has not passed the test for clean enough to swim in. This does change from time to time but St Maarten had a hurricane and then a major storm that caused a lot of flooding.

Sorry you misunderstood...I wasn't suggesting Great Bay beach for swimming..I was suggesting using the water taxi for an easy way to get into Philipsburg for shopping from the ship. ;)

[Karysa]

Sorry you misunderstood...I wasn't suggesting Great Bay beach for swimming..I was suggesting using the water taxi for an easy way to get into Philipsburg for shopping from the ship. ;)

 

Just thought that it was good info to share since the water taxi drop off in town is beside the beach. :)