Dawn Beach - December 15th

[gandh621]

Hi everyone! We want to go to Dawn Beach on the 15th. We will be coming in on the Oasis. Does anyone who is "in the know" have any idea how busy this beach will be on that day (based on number of cruise ships)?

How far is a taxi from the port? Is that the best way to get there?

And finally, what is available there? (lounge chairs, umbrellas, food, drink, bathrooms???? and prices?) Thanks for any help!

We have only been to Little Divi beach, Maho, and Orient.

Holly

[crewsweeper]

You.ve got 4 ships in according to cruisett. 13,000+ people.

I would assume that Dawn Beach will get its share of crowds; certainly not as many as Orient or Maho but probably more than Little Divi.

There's been a lot of development going on in the past few years making access a bit more tricky. But unless the wind is up and there's chop, I think the snorkeling just off shore is great compared to the snorkel course at Orient.

 

Mr. Busby's is the place to go or at least start your day. http://dawnbeachsxm.com/

http://www.beachbars.co/bar/mr-busbys-beach-bar-philipsburg-st-maarten/

 

Taxi rates from the cruise port are around $15 for 2 people.

http://taxistmaarten.com/zones-rates/

[navybankerteacher]

Taxi ($6 or $7 per) will take about 10--15 minutes from cruise terminal, and will drop you off at Mr. Busby's - good, reasonably priced food an drink; chairs and umbrellas available, also decent rest room for Busby's customers.

 

We spend a couple of weeks there every January - it is never as crowded as Orient, but it has a fair number of day visitors on 4+ ship days.

[blue_water]

We visited Dawn while staying on the island a month ago and although we had threatening weather with high waves in other bays Dawn was very calm and beautiful that day. Nice soft sand and pretty water, with the volatile weather conditions we picked the right day to stop there. We didn't rent lounges at Mr Busby's and I asked about prices out of curiousity but I don't remember them, sorry.

 

We drove in on the "scenic" road from the south and my wife wasn't any too happy.:p The road we took out on the north end was much nicer! But your driver will know his/her way around there much better than I...

[gandh621]

Thank you everyone! This is great information. I really want to go there, but if it is typically less people at Little Divi Bay, would that be better? I guess my main question would be, do they have pretty good snorkeling there too???

Dawn is definitely not out of the question, just trying to avoid being packed in like sardines (they way we were at Coki in St.Thomas a few years back) ...but even Coki was amazing!!!!!

Thanks again!

Holly

[SnorkelAway]

We think that snorkeling is better at Divi Little Bay than at Dawn - partly because sea conditions are more reliably calm at Divi. Dawn has (or had) a much better reef but the building of the Westin did great damage to the reef. (Why many of us have very negative feelings about the Westin.) Divi does not have a real reef - it has rocks on which there is some coral growth - but you are very likely to see more fish and marine animals at Divi.

 

Neither Dawn nor Divi will be crowded like Coki (on St. Thomas) can be crowded. Very different feeling from Coki on either.

[gandh621]

We think that snorkeling is better at Divi Little Bay than at Dawn - partly because sea conditions are more reliably calm at Divi. Dawn has (or had) a much better reef but the building of the Westin did great damage to the reef. (Why many of us have very negative feelings about the Westin.) Divi does not have a real reef - it has rocks on which there is some coral growth - but you are very likely to see more fish and marine animals at Divi.

 

Neither Dawn nor Divi will be crowded like Coki (on St. Thomas) can be crowded. Very different feeling from Coki on either.

 

Ok that sounds great actually. Just looking for a good beach to enjoy the day and that will be closer to the boardwalk and shopping on our way back! I'm assuming they rent the usual things like chairs/umbrellas and have food/drink at the resort that we could purchase?

Thank you again so much!

[Karysa]

Ok that sounds great actually. Just looking for a good beach to enjoy the day and that will be closer to the boardwalk and shopping on our way back! I'm assuming they rent the usual things like chairs/umbrellas and have food/drink at the resort that we could purchase?

Thank you again so much!

 

Little Bay is often referred to as Divi Little Bay or Divi beach and even Little Divi beach. :) They are one in the same and from reading your first port it seems that you have been to that beach in the past.

 

For those that haven't I will mention that there are watersport rentals, chair and umbrella rentals and a bar/restaurant as well as restroom facilities and an outdoor shower for rinsing.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Karysa

[gandh621]

That is correct, but thank you for the information. We were there for an hour in 2007 and since it was late they told us to sit wherever we liked. We did not pay for anything and did not go toward the resort to find out if we were allowed to use the restrooms and restaurant. This helps a lot. Thanks again!

 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[SnorkelAway]

The other thing to mention about Divi Little Bay is that there is a small grocery store at Divi and also one at the Belair next door - the one at Belair is at the far end of Belair from Divi. You can get drinks and snacks at good convenience store prices as opposed to bar/restaurant prices.

[blue_water]

Thank you everyone! This is great information. I really want to go there, but if it is typically less people at Little Divi Bay, would that be better? I guess my main question would be, do they have pretty good snorkeling there too???

Dawn is definitely not out of the question, just trying to avoid being packed in like sardines (they way we were at Coki in St.Thomas a few years back) ...but even Coki was amazing!!!!!

Thanks again!

Holly

 

Holly Coki is definitely sardinesville! Both Coki and Dawn are gorgeous beaches but Coki is a very small bay and gets very crowded.

[Mjasp]

Which beach has calmer waters with little to no waves, Divi or Dawn?

 

I love calm water where I can see my feet.

[gtaylor]

Without question, Little Bay (Divi).

 

gary

[Mjasp]

Thanks Gary...Do you know how far Divi is from the pier?

Also, Is the water at Orange Fever calm like Divi?