To Maho - or - Not-To-Maho
That is the question.
The Answer: Maho
Maho Bay, St. Maarten
Go! It’s literally one of the best Wonders of the World, and a place that every well traveled adventure-minded vacation loving person talks about. To go to the beach in Maho, wade in some warm salty ocean, drink a beer, and watch 747’s land 100 feet over your head is beyond thrilling.
It will give you thrills!!
The Breakdown: First....eat a quick breakfast... rehydrate with lots of water... get off the ship around 9.... walk through the maze of generic island shops...and grab a taxi to Maho. It should be around 10 bucks a person one way.... might be less... but don’t pay much more... and you DONT need a tour. -No Tour- (remember that)
Also... do not take the “Local Taxi”. It’s cheap... like maybe 3 bucks a person one way... but the ride sucks, and they cram you into a small mini van with no AC, no seatbelts, AND no much needed air flow. It stops every time the driver sees someone who needs a ride (which is a LOT on an island where nobody owns a car)... and it will take you way longer to get to the beach.
Destination: Tell the driver Sunset Bar & Grill. Have cash handy. Tip a couple extra bucks. Try and be at the bar by 930 or so... to ensure you get a good table on the upper deck facing the ocean that overlooks the “Landing Zone”. Order a bucket of beer, and ask a waiter where the daily schedule is for flights coming in... and wait. It’s not JFK airport in New York... so they don’t come in one after another. It’s an island in the Caribbean. Chill. Once you got a time for an arrival (assuming they are on time) ... grab a beer and head towards the beach! Give yourself 10 minutes to pirate your way there. Line yourself up on the center of the runway and wade down into the water. It’s sandy with some larger rocks in the water ... you should be able to see them no problem. Probably don’t need water shoes... it’s fairly bare foot safe.
Relax for once. Just enjoy the cold drink. The surf. The sun. Then face the fact that you have nothing to do but wait... and love it. Embrace it.
Occasionally look out over the water and search for the landing lights. They will shimmer long before you see a plane. And look low. These hot shot pilots know what the deal is... and they deliver. As the plane gets closer, it looks as though it’s going to land on you. It’s actually terrifying. The “What If’s” will torture your brain. But you have beer. And if you did die. This would be a spectacular legacy. (Just sayin). You think you have time to flee but you can’t, because you are in waist deep water and can’t go anywhere fast.
Then that moment happens when it zips overtop of you and you can see the rivets on the engines. It’s loud. It’s a RUSH!! And when it zooms overhead and disappears down the runway the entire beach erupts into a stadium style cheer. “E Ticket Orgasm” (look up E Ticket for you inquisitive little buddies)
MOMENTS
That’s a moment in your life you will never forget!!
Watch a few more. Eat some nachos. And head back to the ship.
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