Low-flying planes on Maho Beach, photo and video. Isle of saint-martin reviews Optional beaches

The island of Saint Martin (some people use the name Sint Maarten) and its airport are located in the Caribbean Sea, which is one of the most popular tourist regions in the world. Almost every island that can be reached with comfort has potential for development. There are two main ways to deal with the delivery of passengers: ship or plane.

At the same time, sea and ocean cruises create a significantly smaller part of the flow of tourists compared to air transport. But the cost and complexity of the air harbor infrastructure is significantly higher and sometimes requires non-standard solutions from engineers and architects.

Saint Martin's Island of the Lesser Antilles has one of the most interesting airports in the world (ranked in the top 10 in terms of danger, according to Reuters). It also plays a large role in the transport of the surrounding areas: Sint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy and Anguilla.

Princess Juliana Airport (full official name) has the ability to accommodate even large Boeing 747 aircraft, although the landing strip with a normal width of 45 m is only 2300 m long, which is the maximum allowable value for some types of liners. In this regard, takeoff and landing, passing on a glide path of 3 °, are considered the most dangerous in the Caribbean.

The construction of the airport began with the construction of an air force base back in 1942. Although already in 1943, due to the absence of hostilities in the region during the Second World War, it was converted into a civilian one. After 1964 it was reconstructed and a new control tower and terminal appeared. After 1985, it was modernized, so it began to be able to accept long-haul aircraft classes and fully comply with the high development of tourism on Sint Maarten.

Air harbor features

Here we can talk about a variety of factors.

The island has a relatively small area - only 87 km², with a predominantly hilly relief and tropical thickets.

The island is divided by different states: the northern part is the overseas community of France Saint-Martin, the southern part is the autonomous formation of Sint-Maarten, subordinate to the Dutch crown.

Only after 1994 was the Franco-Dutch protocol on border control signed. The landing strip with its end abuts against the Maho beach in the west of the Dutch part. Planes land and take off directly over the heads of tourists, 10-20 m above the surface.

Spectacular photos and videos of airplanes make Princess Juliana incredibly popular among other airports in the world. There are several cafes and hotels nearby, which specialize in the most famous type of island. A loudspeaker is installed on the beach, which informs about the planes coming in for landing, and broadcasts the negotiations between the dispatchers and the crew.

In the central part of Maho, the wind speed can reach 180 km / h, which can be very dangerous and even fatal for humans, but this does not stop curious tourists who are trying to take vivid photos and video with air liners.

In 2012, renowned photographer Josef Heflehner published black-and-white spotter images from the vicinity of the airport, including them in the book Jetliner: The Complete Works.

Infrastructure

The capacity is thus up to 30 flights per hour.

The dispatch service also provides control over other small airports in this area: Clayton J. Lloyd, L'Espérance, Gustaf III. The 30,500 m² terminal can handle up to 2,500,000 passengers per year. In the entire history of the airport, not a single disaster has been recorded, although this runway is considered one of the most difficult for the crews of airliners and dispatch services.

Photos and videos from Sint Maarten airport

View of the island of Sint Maarten

This is what Princess Juliana airport looks like.

In this regard, takeoff and landing, passing on a glide path of 3 °, are considered the most dangerous in the Caribbean.

Princess Juliana airport runway

The landing strip with its end abuts against the Maho beach in the west of the Dutch part. Planes land and take off directly over the heads of tourists, 10-20 m above the surface.

Runway

The location and topography of Sint Maarten did not imply the construction of a full-fledged runway. Therefore, it was decided to build the minimum allowable strip length for long-haul liners (for example, 747). At the same time, the width was increased to 45 m. Radar systems provide a range of up to 460 km.

The capacity is thus up to 30 flights per hour. The dispatch service also provides control over other small airports in this area: Clayton J. Lloyd, L'Espérance, Gustaf III. The 30,500 m² terminal can handle up to 2,500,000 passengers per year. In the entire history of the airport, not a single disaster has been recorded, although this runway is considered one of the most difficult for the crews of airliners and dispatch services.

Saint-Martin is the most unusual island in the Caribbean, this island seems to be unique too much, let's start in order.

1. The island belongs to two countries at once, the northern part - France, the southern part - the Netherlands. But there are no borders on the island, there is only a symbolic pillar with which tourists are photographed. The French call the island "Saint-Martin", the Dutch "Sint-Martin", sometimes we call it the island of St. Martin. To get to the island, you need a special visa, which can be obtained through the visa centers of the two countries; you need to make a visa for the country where you will spend more nights. The list of documents is no different from a regular Schengen visa, only the application form itself is slightly different.

2. Prostitution is legalized on Saint Martin, most of the brothels are located in Philipsburg, which is the capital of the southern part, there is a large port, where huge liners with tourists dock almost every day. Drugs are banned, unlike the Netherlands. The saleswoman in the supermarket was glad that we were from Russia, there are few Russians here, but there is one girl who works as a masseuse in the next building. I'm afraid to imagine what kind of massage she does :)

3. The most unique airport in the world is also located here, we admit that many people come to Saint-Martin just because of it. The runway of Princess Juliana International Airport is famous for starting from Maho Beach, so planes land right over the heads of tourists. Standing over the giant Boeing KLM is an extreme pleasure. The second entertainment is to stand by the fence when the planes take off, the main thing is to hold on tight :) I wrote about him earlier

4. Nice beaches. Swimming on the island will really please everyone, the water is distinguished by clear azure water and the absence of waves. I recommend Maho beach with planes (in season when there are no stones) and the nearby Mullet Bay beach. In the French part, Orient Beach is a good beach.

5. The whole island is Duty Free and Dute Free. Despite the fact that all the goods are imported (they only produce sauces), thanks to tax breaks, there are excellent supermarkets with decent names at an affordable price. American beer, Brazilian couscous, Belgian ice cream, Canadian maple syrup and more. Prices for liter bottles of rum start at $ 6. We brought home something that is difficult to find in Perm, real Canadian maple syrup and so on. And what kind of Jamaican beer is there, because the island was an English colony, they brew incomparable ales !!!

6. Currency. The uniqueness is that on the island the official currency on the Dutch side is the guilder, but prices are also quoted in dollars, because most of the tourists are American. In the northern part, prices are indicated in euros, but you can also pay in dollars, and at the rate of 1 dollar = 1 euro :) Guilder rate = 1.8 dollars. It is most profitable to go to Saint-Martin with American dollars.

7. Sunset bar & Grill. Returning to the topic of airplanes, it is best to observe them from the cafe on Maho Beach. It has good food and sometimes real Caribbean parties with live music. It's fun when the next ship disembarks, absolutely all tourists rush to this promoted institution. By the way, topless girls are served for free, topless boys are not served at all :)

8. Judging by the sweat of reviews, there are enough gay couples on the island of Saint-Martin, who are guarded by a big Negro uncle. They prefer secluded beaches, so be careful with your choice of meta bathing :)

Tips for those wishing to visit the Isle of Saint-Martin

How to get there?
The easiest way to fly with one connection from Russia via Paris or Amsterdam with KLM or AirFrance. The cost of tickets will be from 40 thousand rubles. round-trip, sometimes a little cheaper flight by American airlines, but it is suitable only for those who have an open American visa, since there is no transit in the United States.

How to get cheap to Saint-Martin island? To catch shares of the airline aircaraibes http://www.aircaraibes.com/, they fly from Paris. The cost of a round-trip flight for the promotion can be 400 euros round-trip. The minimum price for a flight from European cities with connections in Paris and Amsterdam with KLM or AirFrance is from 600 euros. For those who travel to the United States, my recommendation is cruises from Miami to the Caribbean islands or direct flights (from Miami round-trip from $ 350, fly 3 hours).


Where to live?
The best area to live in is Marina Simpson bay. First, close to the airport and the beaches of Maho with Mullet Bay. Secondly, good infrastructure. These are all over the place restaurants where you can dine with steaks and ribs with live music. A good hotel price - around $ 100, the usual cost is $ 130-150 per night. It should be understood that hotels usually do not include breakfast, the service is weaker than hotels in the Dominican Republic. Good Sonesta Maho Beach overlooking Maho Beach and The Villas at Simpson Bay Resort & Marina. Search for villas and apartments on Abritel.fr and HomeAway.com homelidays Airbnb.com

View from the window of our room

The hotel is good, but those who are used to being licked, showing shows, animations, cooking all-inclusive meals, making swans out of towels and so on, will be very disappointed. The rooms are gorgeous, there is no service.

What currency should I take with me?
It is most profitable to take American dollars with you. Large sums are not accepted in minibuses, it is best to take more small banknotes.
How to travel around the island?

The whole island travels by minibuses, you just have to raise your hand. The fare from Simpson Bay to the airport is $ 1.5-2, to Maho beach $ 2, to Mullet Bay beach $ 2.5-3, the same fare to Philipsburg. In fact, small Saint-Martin can be easily traversed with these minibuses. From the airport you can plunge into a taxi, a specially trained person at the exit will sort the tourists according to their place of residence, the cost is 10-15 dollars maximum. There are a lot of rental offices, you can take some Ford Mustang, many beautiful American cars.

Is the island safe?
As elsewhere in the Caribbean, you need to be careful. There is a story on the Internet about how people were robbed right near the beach by hijacking a rented car. It should be remembered that the local population is poor with all the ensuing consequences. At the same time, you should not see an enemy in everyone, the locals are extremely positive and welcoming.

On the streets of Philipsburg

Beaches
The best beaches are located in the Dutch part of the island, for example Mullet Bay. It is easy to find it, if you go from the airport to Maho, then you should follow the main road along the golf courses, then after the barrier, the next turn to the sea. Many minibuses go to this beach, if it is indicated on the plate, you can name it, and they will prompt you when to get out.
The best beach is also called Maho beach, swimming under the planes is original. The main thing is that it does not happen in the off-season (for example, October-November), when there are huge boulders on the beach instead of sand. There are always a lot of people on Orient Beach, there are active entertainment (water skiing, etc.), and parties are held in numerous restaurants on weekends. Not far from this beach is the small island of Pinel. Small boats can sail across

To find your beach, it is best to take a car and go around them all :) The cost of sun loungers on the beaches of Saint Martin is from 8 to 15 dollars.

What else can you see on Saint Martin? In the French capital, in the city of Marigot, there is a market where you can buy spices and vanilla. And also have breakfast with croissants in French cafes

The only thing that is produced locally is spicy sauces, everything else is imported. Seafood including. Dinner cost at European prices. For those who want to save money, it is better to take rooms with a kitchen or apartments, there are excellent products in supermarkets, you will not be lost :)

We met the cheerful bartender Roger Lutz. who lives on two things: travel and cocktails. His dream is to open his own bartender school on the island. He thinks that the locals make cocktails shitty (and that's true), his cocktails are incomparable. He lived for several years in countries such as South Africa, Iceland, Australia, Japan. Like all Germans, he loves football, is a fan of the Hamburg St. Pauli, this is a very interesting club, for which all asocial strata of society also root (lgbt, hippies, punks, etc.) smells of marijuana :) A cheerful guy who taught us how to make real pink chocolate, we brought all the ingredients from the island, then every day we pampered ourselves with a wonderful cocktail at home. By the way, he told us that bacardi is a trash heap, any cheapest rum is better than bacardi

Locals pray for lobsters, the cost of dinner is quite European-style.

Sunsets

A cruise ship in the distance

Princess Juliana Airport in the Dutch part of the island of Saint-Martin is one of the largest air hubs in the Caribbean. One of the ten most dangerous airports in the world. In the seventeenth century, the conquistadors besieged for a long time, but they could not take possession of the island, which was divided between the Netherlands and France according to the oldest treaty of 1648. By the way, the treaty is still in force de jure. In 1942, an airfield was hastily built here, which is now an international airport. Named after the Queen of the Netherlands, who visited here as Crown Princess in 1944, a year after the airport opened.

The runway is only 2,180 meters long - barely enough for large liners. For heavy aircraft, such as the Boeing 747 or Airbus A340, this is not enough - but there are no other options for landing. The pilots start the liner to land directly over the famous Maho Beach. This is why this place is so popular with plannerspotters. Maho Beach is the perfect place to take a closer look at low-flying aircraft. It's hard to believe in the authenticity of the pictures: giant liners fly at an altitude of 10-20 meters above the rest. Despite the unusual conditions of takeoff and landing, not a single accident was recorded here.

Saint Martin Island is the smallest piece of land in the world with dual citizenship. The northern part is regulated by the French government, while the southern part is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. English is spoken on both sides, Dutch is the official language on the south side, and French is on the northern half of the island. The island has two capitals - Marigot and Philipsburg. When they say Saint-Martin, they mean the French part of the island, and Saint-Martin (or Sint-Maarten) means the Dutch part. There is also an airport on the French side of the island near Marigot called Aéroport de Grand Case.

Terminal

The new four-storey building offers all the services you need on the road. Air-conditioned premises, shops, pharmacies, ATMs, taxi and information desks. Wi-Fi in the terminal is ubiquitous.

You can land a liner at this unusual airport in the popular flight simulator game Microsoft Flight Simulator X. In the full version of the program, this mission is called "Caribbean Landing".

How to get there

Rent a car. The following car rental companies are represented here:

• Adventure Car Rental American Car Rentals
• Avis car rental Best Deal car rental
• Hertz Car Rental Lucky Car Rental
• Paradise Island Car rental Safari car rental
• Sidro United Sunshine Car Rental
• Thrifty Car Rental

You can ask the price and immediately book a car of any class on the official websites.

Taxis ride tirelessly all over the island. Moving from the airport to the nearest city of Philipsburg will cost about $ 30.

Airport shuttle buses run all over the island. They have no numbers, the route is written on the bus itself. The island is small, any transport moves freely throughout the territory.

There are also hotel shuttles. Many hotels on the coast have their own shuttle service.

Incredible facts

The most incredible airport is located on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean. The oddity of this airport is that planes, approaching landing, fly a few meters above the beach with tourists resting there, and the runway itself starts very close to the coast.

Looking at the photos of the landing Boeings and Airbases, it may seem that this is just a joke for those who like to play with Photoshop, but the reality is this: the territory of the island is so small, and there are so many people who want to come here that you have to save space.

The slightest mistake of the pilot, and you can be in the water.

The planes are landing, disturbing the serene rest of the vacationers.

The airport was built to serve the island of Sint Maarten. It is the second busiest airport in the eastern Caribbean.

The runway is very small and starts just 12 meters from the beach and is only 2,180 meters long.

Fortunately, so far there have been no reports of any disasters in the vicinity of this dangerous airport.

Those who fear the thrill will prefer another, less "nervous" place to relax.

1) Airport on the Caribbean island of Saba. The runway of this airport is located in a rather strange place: there are cliffs at both ends. However, it costs nothing for an experienced pilot to land a plane in the right place if there is at least some kind of runway.

A similar situation is observed in Madeira Island where there is a break on one side of the strip. For a while, this airport was notorious for having a runway that was too short, which was squeezed on one side by mountains and on the other by the ocean. The strip was later widened and doubled in size by installing a pillared bridge on one side.

Gorny airport

2) Courchevel airport (France). Courchevel is the name of a ski resort in the French Alps, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. The easiest way to get to these places is by plane.

Do you think that it is impossible to build an airport in the mountains? It is possible, albeit a little strange. Courchevel Airport has a very short runway - only 525 meters in length, with a slope of 18.5 degrees!

3) Barra airport Is the only airport in the world where planes land right on the beach. Isle of Barra is one of the islands of the Outer Hebrides archipelago, which belongs to Great Britain.

There is practically no runway in these places, and the planes land directly on the beach. Due to the high tides, once a day, this strange airport is literally submerged under water. Needless to say, resting on this beach is prohibited?

Unusual airport on the island

4) Kansai International Airport the Japanese city of Osaka occupies an entire island. Since the Japanese cannot boast of large spaces and every piece of land counts, they had to build an airport before building an island for it.

The artificial island consists of two parts, the length of most of it is 4 kilometers, and the width of the island is 2.5 kilometers. This island is a true masterpiece of engineering. Unfortunately, due to global warming and rising sea levels, this artificial island is threatened with flooding.

It is not for nothing that the island bears the unspoken status of a unique one. First, the territory of Saint-Martin is peacefully divided by two states. Secondly, it is the smallest land on which two countries coexist on the planet. Thirdly, one of the most unusual airports in the world is located here. There are fifth, seventh, tenth ...

Saint Martin on the map

The island of Saint-Martin on the world map or a detailed map of the island can be viewed using the navigation buttons (+/-). Caribbean on the map

Since the island belongs to two European powers geographically, it has two names: the French say Saint-Martin (accent on the last syllable), while the Dutch call Sint-Maarten. Accordingly, there are also two administrative centers: Marigot (French) and Philipsburg (Dutch).

An extraordinary island is located in the north of the archipelago of the Eastern Islands of the West Indies. The total area is 87 km², with the Netherlands holding a smaller part - 34 km². On French soil (53 km²) is the highest point of the island (424 meters) - Mount Paradise Peak. The Caribbean Sea washes the coast of this political and geographical miracle.

Holidays on Saint Martin

South Drive, solar energy, luxury holidays - this is Saint-Martin. The whole spectrum of traditional beach pastime for which the Caribbean is famous is available on the island in full, so the facts will be more informative:

• giant Boeings take off / land incredibly low right above Maho Beach;
• the best beaches are Mullet Bay, Orient Beach and the same extreme Maho;
• duty-free shopping and beloved by millions of tourists, the Dute Free zone will provide an exciting shopping experience at affordable prices;
• the euro, the guilder, and the dollar are equally valid;
• the most popular bar is Sunset bar & Grill on Maho;
• Marina Simpson bay is the most comfortable for living: in a minute proximity to the beach, developed infrastructure, many cafes and restaurants with first-class cuisine and live music;
• you can get anywhere in Saint-Martin by minibus or rented car.

Tourists, despite the two euro-hosts, move freely throughout the island, freely crossing the conditional border-pillar. The only thing is that you need to decide in advance on which side to spend the night - which country will provide a visa depends on it. And further. It's easy to bump into cooing, unconventional couples on a nudist beach, so homophobic travelers should avoid these places.

Airport "Princess Juliana" on the island of Saint Martin

The nature of Saint Martin

The exotic charm of the Caribbean nature is revealed one hundred percent on Saint-Martin, although the soil here is not fertile. The territory is a rounded summit of an inactive volcano. The island is surrounded by a scattering of picturesque coral plantations around the perimeter, which are easily accessible by swimming. The wealth of the underwater kingdom will provide exciting diving and effective fishing (white and blue marlin, barracuda, wahoo, less often sea urchin, etc.).

Ground chic is as good as underwater. There are palm trees, cactus trees, lush thickets of forests, and iridescent fields of cotton, vegetable crops and reeds on the miniature land. Flower lovers arrive in ecstasy from the variety of buds, their aromas, shades, sizes. The fauna is many times poorer than the flora and is represented mainly by feral livestock, birds and lizards.

The magnificent Saint-Martin can be discovered every day, but never fully known - such a compact Caribbean island is diverse. Ecotourists will certainly appreciate walking through the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, located on the Netherlands side. Also in the Dutch part of the island, excursions to nine churches, inspection of buildings of the colonial era, the monument to Her Majesty Wilhelmina, the forts of Amsterdam and Willem, the Sint Maarten Museum, Down Beach, Cole Bay Hill tower, Watney Square are popular.

And the French possessions will not disappoint tourists eager for impressions, especially those who like nightlife - this is a real paradise of casinos, restaurants, bars, discos, beach parties, and original music. The day can be devoted to inspecting in French graceful buildings on the Rue de la République, climb to the ancient fortress of Saint-Louis, explore the unique exhibitions in the Museum of Culture and History of Saint-Martin and the Loulou Gallery, take a photo against the background of the original building in which the Rue de la Court is located Liberte. Then run through the Marigot market, go to the Creole village of Colombier, take a tasting tour of the gastronomic capital of Gran Caz, and relax at the charming Butterfly Farm.