NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE
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st. maarteN

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Published May 26, 2019


ST. MAARTEN_Half-French, half-Dutch, and All-Fun, this is one of our favorite Caribbean destinations. No, we don't rush to Maho Beach to watch the planes 100 feet above our heads so the jet blast can propel us into the ocean; no, we don't head for the famous nude beaches, either. To each his own.

What we enjoy is taking the Water Taxi over to the Philipsburg, the capital on the Dutch side. The taxi is just a short walk from where the cruise ships dock, through upscale shops and bars. The fare is $7 roundtrip, and if you are only here for a short time, as we were, it's our go-to option.

In Philipsburg, you can stroll the streets or walk the waterfront, where you can find lots of places to relax, order a drink, rent a beach chair and umbrella or get your water sports groove on beside white sand beaches and stunning aquamarine waters.

We usually pick a place with free WiFi, order a cocktail (hey -- it's 5 o'clock somewhere) and people watch. On the way back, Pam hits the shops. On previous trips, he has scored some great jewelry, especially on the French side. 

Like other islands, St. Maarten was devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, but thankfully much restoration has taken place, and you'll hardly notice it around the terminal area, which welcomes over a million cruise visitors annually. Here's a few snaps from our visit in April. Enjoy!
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Pam points the way to the Water Taxi. That's our ship, MSC Seaside, behind her.

Photos by North Palm Beach Life
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The Water Taxis take you from the cruise terminal to Philipsburg in just a few minutes, and run all day
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We landed at this place, Nouvelle Vague ("New Wave") for a beverage. They also offered chair rentals on the beach just across from their bar.
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There were three large cruise ships in port that day
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Easy to see why so many beach chairs and umbrellas ... not a bad place to spend the day!
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Before we knew it, time to get back to the Water Taxi dock
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We headed back to ship as clouds gather...
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...and just made it before a rainstorm hit
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  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise/Travel
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi's Wine Shelf
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Travel Bistro
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Explore
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
      • Yellowstone Camping Tales
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search