St Martin Simpson Bay Beach and Maho Beach

I have sort of a love-hate relationship with Simpson Bay beach. Several years ago my husband Brian and I went to Simpson Bay beach for a long walk starting at where El Zafiro hotel used to be located walking all the way until we couldn’t walk any further. We were charmed by the quiet atmosphere on the beach with small cute beachfront buildings -private houses and hotels. We felt like we stepped into the Sint Maarten of several decades ago. The rustic feel of the buildings along with very few people made it very different from other beaches. This would have been our favorite beach if not for one “but”. Whenever we went to Simpson Bay beach it was too rough for me to swim. I love swimming in the sea but I need pool-like conditions with very calm and shallow water. For this reason, Simpson Bay beach doesn’t meet our main criteria. We go to SXM in January. Maybe the water is much calmer during other times of the year but we haven’t experienced it.

Since our first walk, we’ve returned to Simpson Bay beach a few times. We usually stop by the beach on our drive back to Sapphire Beach Club Resort after spending a day on a beach elsewhere in SXM. It’s nice to stroll on the beach and burn some calories before consuming more for dinner:).

Here are some pictures of our very enjoyable walk along the almost empty beach.

We start at Beach Side Villas which are right on the beach. I can imagine how much the guests of the hotel enjoy spending time on balconies overlooking the sea.

Beachside Villas has a lovely gazebo at the pool area.

A stray dog became our walking companion. We followed the dog while enjoying the views.

There is a stretch of beach where you can see the runway and planes landing or taking off.

A beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.

By the time we reached Karakter beach Bar it started raining. We waited for five minutes until it cleared.

We passed by Mary’s Boon Beach Resort next.

We liked the cheerful yellow color of Coco Beach Club. The units have balconies facing the beach.

The Beach House Apartment rental also looks inviting.

The view of the Kim Sha Beach area opens up in the distance:

The sight of large boats and mega-yachts livens up the view in Simpson Bay.

If you look back, the view of Beacon Hill is in the distance.

Simpson Bay beach is one of the longest beaches in Sint Maarten. It is not as crowded as some other beaches. It is one of the best locations for those who want accommodation right on the beach with sand at one’s doorstep.

When Brian and I drive back to our resort earlier than usual we like to drive by or stop at Maho beach which is right next to Princess Juliana International airport. Maho beach is famous for planespotting. You can see the runway right from the beach:

People face the runway in anticipation of takeoff. Sometimes there is a significant blast of air from the plane’s jet engines. As a result, people are sprayed with sand or even pushed into the water. Despite the danger warning, some daredevils go up to the fence to feel the adrenaline rush from the powerful blastoff.

When planes are landing you’ll normally notice them over the sea first.

Sometimes the beach is not very crowded. It has fewer people when there are no large planes scheduled for landing or takeoff.

However, between 2 and 3pm one can spot planes from major airlines. The beach gets significantly crowded. Parking is barely possible. It’s better to walk to the beach after parking your car further away in the Maho area. You can also take a cab and have drinks at the Sunset Beach bar:

There is also the Driftwood boat bar on the north end of Maho beach:

Several years ago we also spent an hour or so watching planes. We saw both small and large planes including KLM:

Maho beach is a destination for the exciting and fun activity of spotting planes up close while having a swim or getting a suntan. It’s one of the many reasons we love Saint Martin.

Another perk of being on one of southern beaches of St Martin is being able to see an island of Saba on a clear day. Here is my beach painting with the view of Saba in the distance: