A Puzzler

[Glyn1947]

We don't know what to plan. A part of me wants to go to Orient beach, have a good lunch and go back to the ship. Another bit says we should have an experience of the dutch side as well as the French side.

How do we travel without spending a fortune?

What do you recommend?

 

Thank you

 

Philip

[negn]

Taxi for 2 to Orient Beach was $20 each way. Would have been less if we had more people.

[Cruisin'Christine]

My husband and I have actually taken the bus from one side of the island to the other. You just say "stop driver" when you want to get out. I think it cost $2 or less per person. There is a sign in the front window of the bus that says where it is going, but I always confirm with the driver that it is going where you want to go. The buses are mainly like minivans.

[gtaylor]

We don't know what to plan. A part of me wants to go to Orient beach, have a good lunch and go back to the ship. Another bit says we should have an experience of the dutch side as well as the French side.

How do we travel without spending a fortune?

What do you recommend?

 

Thank you

 

Philip

 

Just waiting a bit at the Cruise Facility taxi dispatch should be able to get you into a small group in a taxi van for about $8 each to Orient, and you can find some great food there, but do not expect that to be a taste of the French side at all.

 

For French you would need to visit Grand Case or Marigot, in my opinion. You can get to Marigot from downtown Philipsburg fairly easily by local bus for $2 per person. Grand Case would involve transfers and multiple payments, but can be done, even though I've not done it personally.

 

And as to experiencing the Dutch side, that would be probably be Philipsburg, adjacent to the Cruise Facility, but there is not very much Dutch there expect for some of the architecture (and Gouda :) ).

 

gary

 

p.s. And Heineken.

[happy cruiser1234]

We don't know what to plan. A part of me wants to go to Orient beach, have a good lunch and go back to the ship. Another bit says we should have an experience of the dutch side as well as the French side.

How do we travel without spending a fortune?

What do you recommend?

 

Thank you

 

Philip

 

I would recommend Bernard's Tours. Tour #2 will take you to both Dutch and French side of the island. The cost is $45 pp for the full day. We did it in March and had a fabulous time. Spent almost 2 hours on Orient Beach, had a great lunch there, went to Maho which was the highlight for our family. Shopped in Marigot and the driver stopped at a few beautiful look out points for us to take pictures and gave us information and History about the island.

 

We are going back again this March and will be doing it again, but this time doing a private tour with Bernard's. This is a big company with many vehicle's and they are very reliable. They will get you back to the ship on time so no need to worry. They also provide Free rum punch, sodas and bottled water.