But Forbes reported that this week’s incident was the first to result in a fatality. Located next to Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side, kids will love the experience and when planes aren’t landing or taking off, the … There are just a few yards between the edge of the beach and the edge of the runway–only a two-lane road separates them. When planes take off, it’s another story, you can watch fellow beach goers battle the jet blast. What Happens to Them Now? While it has the characteristic white sand and turquoise water of a Caribbean paradise that is not what makes Maho Beach such a popular tourist destination. Aug 31, 2019 - Explore AvGeek's board "Maho Beach" on Pinterest. Don’t cut it too close. Navigate our location via map . As the planes turn to take their place on the runway at take-off, their exhaust barrels toward the fence that separates the airport from the road. Everyone who comes to Maho Beach is there to see the planes. Welcome to Maho Beach Find yourself with toes in sand by the world famous Sunset Beach Bar and get blown away by the breathtaking views of arriving and departing planes soaring right above your head. Find Our Location on Map. In 2012, a woman was injured there when the jet blast threw her against concrete. Getting there early was critical to having options for where to sit. And that’s what happened when we visited Maho Beach in St. Maarten. Tourist Killed by Jet Blast at Beach Famous for Low-Flying Planes. No where else you'll see a plane passing so close over your head. It also usually means we avoid the crowds because we go somewhere a little less touristy. Police did not say whether other deaths have occurred at Maho Beach. We’re Lance and Laura, two busy professionals who love photography and travel the world as much as our “real world” vacation schedules allow. Airplane landings at Maho Beach In St. Maarten. There are just a few yards between the edge of the beach and the edge of the runway–only a two-lane road separates them. My sister also shot some great iPhone videos and got perfect photos by just holding down the iPhone’s button to create a photo burst. Most people swim quite close to the beach, which can make the water nearly as crowded as the land. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. We knew it would be crowded since we were cruising in high season around the holidays. Brison also told the Herald he would be reviewing security tapes of the incident to identify what had happened. We had no trouble getting a shuttle from the cruise port or getting one back to the ship. Both the beach and the bar can get crowded. Maho Beach is a beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, in the territory of Sint Maarten. The fence has signs reading “Do not stand. When you’re deciding where to sit, consider how long you plan to stay at the beach, your tolerance for crowds, and whether you plan to eat or drink. Hundreds of beach-goers waiting for a plane to swoop overhead. Maho Beach on the Dutch side of St. Maarten is the best vantage point to watch planes land at Princess Juliana International Airport (aka Maho Beach Airport). But some intrepid souls decide to ride the fence to get the force of the blast. There are bars at each end of the beach. However, thousands of tourists see it as an opportunity to snap a pic and feel a powerful jet blast. It was a worthwhile experience. When she’s not traveling (or writing about travel), you’ll find her in the garden. "The jet blasts aren't as bad as I was expecting and the pilot..." UPDATE July ... Catch a B747 or A340 aircraft 40-50ft above your head at the world famous Maho Beach! The 57-year-old was seriously injured after being knocked over by the blast from a plane departing Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport. At Maho Beach, airplanes pass mere feet over the heads of beachgoers before landing on runway 10 at Princess Juliana International Airport. March 18, 2020May 4, 2020. A taxi to from the cruise port was only $7 per person each way, so we found a shuttle and headed for the beach. Laura Longwell is the co-founder of Travel Addicts. The proximity of Maho Beach to the runway has made the airport one of the world's favorite places among planespotters despite the dangers. 5,819,957 total views, 9,177 views today. Tourists frequent the location, called Maho Beach, for unique views of low-flying planes as they land and take off from the airport, despite officials’ warnings about the potential dangers. Jet Blast” warning of the harm that can result from standing in the area. She later died at the Sint Maarten Medical Center as a result of her injuries. Be warned, wear sunglasses and cover up, as the sand blows everywhere (it literally took us 2 days to get all the sand out of our hair). We were pleased to find free parking at the Sunset Bar and Grill, noting it is currently shoulder season, so they may well charge during the peak season of late December and January. By 10am, we arrived at the small beach, which was already filling up. We’re working to support our habit. Watching the planes land at St Maarten airport beach is a popular activity. To get a good spot and have the most opportunities for watching landings, we decided to start our day early, and that turned out to be an important decision. I've always loved airplanes and flying, so I was really looking forward to our stop at Maho Beach in St. Maarten. Could Amsterdam's New Economic Theory Replace Capitalism? Rolando Brison, Sint Maarten’s director of tourism, told the New Zealand Herald that he had spoken with the woman’s family and expressed his condolences. ... We were staying at the Sonesta Resort so it was a quick walk down the beach to watch the planes. We swam out a little farther and were alone with schools of fish, sea urchins, and coral. STANDBY: Planes Landing! Please attempt to sign up again. Danger. Boeing 747 low landings at St Maarten - Those were the days. Signs along the fence make it clear how dangerous that can be. She’s on her 9th pair of travel walking shoes and has had motion sickness on 5 continents. But sometimes we head right into the heart of the tourist hub. In English St. Martin and the neighboring islands are called the Leeward Islands, which doesn’t make much sense. But at Maho Beach on St. Maarten, close encounters with planes and people are almost an hourly experience, thanks to a too-tiny airstrip that forces planes to land just past the beach. What a unique experience to be able to watch the planes … While Maho Beach may not be the most scenic beach on the island, it is the most famous because planes fly low right over it to land at Princess Juliana International Airport. Instead, our challenge was time. When we stop in cruise ports, we usually venture out on our own rather than joining excursions from the ship or other organized tours. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our. You can take photos from anywhere on the beach or at the bar where you have a clear view. No matter how small the planes are, it’s exciting to watch them appear seemingly from nowhere and head straight toward where you’re standing. St. Maarten has a number of drawbridges that can stop traffic for some time–while it only took about a half-hour to get to Maho Beach, it took us closer to an hour to return to the ship in the afternoon. Definite must see! Instead, we opted for cushy chairs beside Sunset’s pool area where we could relax all day, have dedicated food and drink service, and go to the beach whenever we wanted. The main attraction of Maho Beach is not the white powdery sand or the blue water, but the airplanes landing at the nearby Princess Juliana airport. Walked the kids over to the beach to watch the KLM plane land. Watching planes land here is truly a unique experience, and most people are focused on getting great photos. Popular: Booked by 2,499 travelers! A New Zealand woman died Wednesday after being hit with an airplane’s jet blast at a Caribbean beach known for its close-up views of aircraft arriving and departing a nearby airport, police said. Trump's Presidency Divided Families. Photographer Daniel Botelho recently spent a month at place nicknamed "Jet Blast Beach," to capture some of the spectacular landings for which the beach is known. As the beach is quite literally at the end of the runway, it was a three minute drive to Maho Beach. Unless you have a great travel camera or excel at taking action shots, it can be difficult to time things perfectly because the planes move fast. Bobby Birhiray January 20, 2018. Take-offs get a lot of attention, too. “I met with the family of the deceased this evening and while they recognized that what they did was wrong, through the clearly visible danger signs, they regret that risk they took turned out in the worst possible way,” Brison told the Herald. Tourists frequent the location, called Maho Beach, for unique views of low-flying planes as they land and take off from the airport, despite officials’ warnings about the potential dangers. Transportation is convenient in St. Maarten. Fortunately, the Sunset Bar and Grill was nearly empty. If we hadn’t gotten that spot, our day at wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Despite warning signs, tourists at St. Maarten's Maho Beach have continued watching planes take off while clinging to a fence just yards away from Princess Juliana International Airport. Photos of the massive plane’s flight path make it look like the plane is mere inches from beachgoers as it heads toward the runway. Until recently, the major attraction was the landing of KLM’s regular 747 flights. St Maarten Shore Excursion: Orient and Maho Beach Half-Day Tour. Mar 12, 2013 - Explore Vacation St. Maarten's board "Maho Beach, St. Maarten", followed by 664 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about aircraft, aviation, beach. Not long after that, we were off and ready to start our day. ... For years I have always wanted to travel to Maho beach to see aircraft come in to land just over the top of my head having seen videos as a child. Whether you arrive to St. Maarten by land or sea, a visit to Maho Beach is a must!! Aviation enthusiasts from all over the world unite on this small strip of sand to watch in awe as giant planes soar above their heads. Maho Beach: Maho Beach St Maarten (airplanes) - See 5,421 traveler reviews, 4,143 candid photos, and great deals for Maho, St Martin / St Maarten, at Tripadvisor. Watch the planes land at Maho Beach. - See 5,423 traveler reviews, 4,143 candid photos, and great deals for Maho, St Martin / St Maarten, at Tripadvisor. If you’re sitting on the beach or at the bar, you like wouldn’t notice it. For years I have always wanted to travel to Maho beach to see aircraft come in to land just over the top of my head having seen videos as a child. As a result, every time a plane takes off or lands, there is a mad dash of people across the property to get a good view. 311 reviews. It is famous for being adjacent to the Princess Juliana International Airport and is a popular site for tourists and planewatchers, who visit the beach to watch aircraft on … By signing up you are agreeing to our, U.K. Doctors Seek Review of Vaccine Dose Gap, Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Approval the Most Globally Important, Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2021 TIME USA, LLC. If you’re planning to eat lunch, consider ordering before you’re really hungry in case it takes awhile for the food to arrive. Here’s our best advice for how to get the most out of a day at Maho Beach. Alas, the 747 doesn’t fly here regularly anymore. That means that the planes have to approach at a low altitude in order to hit the runway at just the right time. Food, views and people. Nice, soft sand and a picture-perfect water colour are enough to attract everyone on this … To see Maho Beach and visit Orient Beach, too, consider this half-day tour. Webcam. May 14, 2013 Extreme Plane Spotting at Maho Beach, Saint Martin Located on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin (i.e., Sint Maarten) is the famous Maho Beach. See more ideas about beach, sint maarten, martin st. Please try again later. While Maho Beach is a tourist trap, watching planes arrive directly overhead is something you can’t see anywhere else! What wasn’t immediately clear to us was that the planes listed were only the major airlines. The best time to see the airplanes is between 1:30pm - 5:00pm. Maho Beach is located on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island, which … Throughout the day, dozens of small planes land, bridging the gaps between the jetliners’ landings. Don't miss the four-engined Airbus A340 from Air France when they roar over Maho Beach, gear down and tourists watching in awe. Northern Ireland and Ireland Driving Itinerary, Best Snorkel Gear for Your Next Underwater Adventure, Extreme Aviation at Maho Beach in St. Maarten, cruising in high season around the holidays. Please note that due to the 2017 hurricanes, there is limited sand on the beach as well as a limited number of planes arriving. One aspect of a day at St. Maarten’s Maho Beach that we hadn’t counted on was that plane landings aren’t the only attraction. Coming in from St. Kitts, our ship docked just before 9am. Maho Beach: not the largest or even most beautiful beach on our island of Sint Maarten, but surprisingly it is the most visited and famous one. We set our cameras to continuous shooting, so we could capture the plane as it moved across the sky. Alternatively, you can get the daily arrivals schedule easily from the chalkboard at the Sunset Bar. All Rights Reserved. Planes coming in to land over Maho beach are heading directly into the prevailing wind. If you’re a confident swimmer, consider taking a break from the crowds. Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Police are now urging visitors to adhere to the warning signs posted at the destination to ensure no future deaths or injuries occur. Beach; Contact; Select Page. Camera is motion activated. At 10am, the beach was about half-full with lounge chairs packed closely together. [Also, check out our helpful guide on the best snorkel gear for traveling.]. Situated at the end of the runway of St. Maarten's Airport sits Maho Beach, a wonderful spot to take in some rays and bob in the waters of the Caribbean Sea. Consider bringing a snorkel set to see them up close. For a rental fee of $10 per chair, which included use of the pool, it turned out to the perfect decision for us. If you have Internet access, the airport’s website is a great place to get flight information. We offer the St. Maarten Famous Maho Beach Break Excursion for guests arriving at both cruise ship ports - Phillipsburg in St. Maarten and Marigot in St. Martin. Before the incident, the woman and several others were holding on to a fence that separates the airport and the beach, police said. In other circumstances, you would call an airplane flying just a few feet overhead a “close call”. $40.00 per adult. Also smaller jets from Delta , American Airlines , United Airlines , JetBlue and … If seeing more of the island is on your agenda, see reviews and prices for this tour that will take you to both the French and Dutch sides, including a Maho Beach visit. You can unsubscribe at any time. Knowingly. A commercial airline landing at the Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten. Sunset Bar & Grill #2 Beacon Hill Road Beacon Hill Sint Maarten Dutch West Indies Phone: +1 721 545-2084 . This beach is famous because of the planes passing just above it when landing in Sxm. Jan 16, 2021 - Located at the end of Maho Bay and also very close to the airport where airplanes fly right above the beach. We spent all day watching the planes take off and land and learned a lot along the way. The runway at SXM is perfectly aligned with the north-easterly trade wind. It makes for quite a show. Maho Beach on the Dutch side of St. Maarten is the best vantage point to watch planes land at Princess Juliana International Airport (aka Maho Beach Airport). But watching the planes is still a fun experience. More info. Maho Beach is a popular attraction on Saint Martin Island, where people experience jumbo jets flying over their heads and get blown into the sea by their jet blasts Arriving aircraft approach the island on the last section of the final approach for Runway 10, following a 3° glide slope flying low over the famous Maho Beach. Maho Beach: Airplanes! Knowing the schedule can help you plan where you would like to be a few minutes ahead of time so that you can avoid the rush. Read 54 tips and reviews from 2761 visitors about airplanes, jet blast and planes land. Typically, that means we get more time at our destination and save money. This is of course something special but the beach would be worth visiting even if there were no planes. For us, the two best spots were parallel to the runway to get more overhead shots and near the pool where we could capture the whole scene of the arriving plane and the beach below. The restaurant gets particularly busy 12:30-2:00pm but is quieter at other times. Thinking about this ahead of time can make a big difference. We realized that everything had the potential to get quite packed as the day went on and setting up shop on the beach would put us directly in the middle of the crowd. 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