Maho Beach; Watching Airplanes!

When we booked our cruise with Celebrity Equinox we were so excited to go to 3 new ports of call. We were really excited to go to St. Maarten for the famous Maho Beach to watch planes fly overhead while enjoying beautiful views and tropical water. This is the beach that looks like planes are going to land right on your head!

For this day, we decided to book with the cruise line (and we highly suggest you do the same if you go to this beach). Our day started with a very hot wait on the pier, thank goodness the boat provided shade! Be sure to arrive on time for excursions so your group does not have to wait for you. After our 25 minute wait, it was time to load the charter bus to Maho Beach.

Note: When you book an excursion with the cruise line you are guaranteed transportation and a lesson of the local island you are visiting. We were able to see the border that divides the island into French and British (that is not police patrolled or guarded) along with some beautiful resorts along the way. We always love to see life on other islands and learn about their local economy. Most islands that we have visited rely on tourism to survive so please support by buying a fun souvenir while at port! We always pick up a shot glass when we go to new islands.

We were able to get on the second charter bus which was not full and had plenty of space to spread out since there was poor air conditioning (this was a theme with our transportation to beaches). On our 30 minute drive we learned a lot about the island and were told on the way back we could be dropped off in town if we wanted to find our own water taxi back to the ship. When we were close to the beach we heard some instructions about where to go for chairs/umbrellas, to be careful of the rocks and NEVER turn your back on a wave. Plus we were informed it would cost $1 per bathroom break (this blew our minds especially since we did not bring any small bills on this excursion with us).

When we pulled into the beach, we saw our first plane fly in and felt like our bus was going to be flipped over! It was fascinating yet terrifying at the same time! Shortly after, we made our way to the beach and found a great spot to put our stuff. We figured out pretty quickly that the higher up you put your stuff, the safer from water it may be. We immediately headed for the water, and let me say, if you are not a strong swimmer stay out of the water. It was choppy, with a strong current and the waves made it hard to get in and out of the water.

While being beaten by the water, we were able to see some planes come in and take some awesome pictures/videos. At one point, we thought there was a plane coming in so we all exited the water to take our pictures. Unfortunately, it was a fake out and instead a giant tidal wave came in… this wave took out many people and unfortunately all of the items on the beach. Pro tip: bring a very waterproof bag and leave any electronics at home. Luckily, our friends were with us and we made a mad dash for our bags. Our bag was flipped but only Cory’s cell phone slipped out (thank goodness for new technology and quick moving hands) and luckily it is still working just fine two weeks later. My prized kindle was our only casualty that day.

After the tidal wave, a lot of sand and taking a beating from the water we decided it was time to head to the bar for a frozen margarita and some homemade guacamole and chips (we have a hard time buying meals off ship if we will be back on ship prior to lunch ending). We were able to find a table towards the back where we could dry out all of our items that were soaked by the wave and watch more planes come in. At this point, this was exactly what I needed after a crazy morning!

With a few drinks and some food in our stomachs it was time to head back to the bus. One of our instructions prior to getting off at the beach was to make sure you got back on the same bus you came on (important rule to follow, you will want to get back to ship on time and stress free). On the bus we heard more history and stopped at an overlook of the island for quick pictures before heading into town.

Only two guests on our bus wanted to get off in town while the rest of us were ready to get back to the ship, the vibe on the bus was pure exhaustion. It was a long morning of water and waves! Our bus made a rolling stop and our guide gave the guests a quick rundown of how to get a water taxi back to the ship before we finished our journey.

Once back on the ship we decided that this excursion was pretty cool and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I do not think I would do it again honestly since the beach was not calm and it was hard to relax. The pictures we took are amazing and I do not regret going at all. I would suggest going through the cruise line to go on this excursion since it is a long ride to the beach and transportation back may not be as easy to find based on the area you are in. So if you can go to St. Maarten on a cruise, take the excursion and be prepared for a wild ride!