On a sunny December afternoon, I’m at a beach bar called Tortuga, set on St. Maarten’s famed Maho Beach, checking out the flight board that shows the day’s schedule of inbound planes. A long-haul Air France plane traveling from Paris is coming in next, and I’m ready with my camera in one hand and, in the other, a Blue Curacao-swirled pina colada that’s the same shade of turquoise as the water washing up to shore below the bar’s deck.
Flanked by beach bars, Maho Beach is a planespotter’s paradise, with a patch of sand sloping into relatively calm, swimmable waters. Inbound planes graze just above the beach before touching down just across a quaint two-lane street and onto the landing strips at Princess Juliana International Airport.
A plane above Maho Beach makes its descent at Princess Julianna Airport in St. Maarten
Those swimming at the bucket-list-worthy Maho Beach can hear the roaring jets of the planes overhead. When the biggest planes are barreling in, expect to feel their powerful rumble. Alternatively, beach-going planespotters can belly up to one of the beach bars with a barstool facing the water and track the flights coming in—from the large Airbuses to the smaller, island-hopping turboprops.
Here’s some video footage I captured from both Tortuga and Sunset Bar and Grill:
Tips for Plane Spotting on Maho Beach
View of Maho Beach from Tortuga
During my trip to St. Maarten, I stayed at Maho Beach, just minutes from the airport, which offered a buffet of plane-spotting opportunities. More than 50 planes touch down on any given day, arriving from as far away as Paris, Montreal, and New York, with many others popping over from surrounding islands like St. Barts.
Pro tip: The afternoon is prime plane-spotting time, with several flights descending between 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you’re hoping to snag a spot to unfurl your towel at Maho Bay or get a Maho Beach-facing high-top table, plan on arriving around 11 a.m. and prepare to watch planes land every 10 to 20 minutes. Sunset is also an optimal time to watch the planes land, as the sky is painted in sherbet tones.
The beach bars also have live Maho Beach webcams, like this live feed from Tortuga and this camera that shoots footage from Sunset Bar and Grill, so you can plane-spot from afar to hold you over until your visit.
Here’s more intel on where to stay, eat, drink, and visit while in Maho Beach.
Best Beachfront Resorts in Maho Beach, St. Maarten
The perfect sunset or plane spotting outlook at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort.
The all-inclusive Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino, and Spa is a family-friendly 420-room resort that overlooks the iconic Maho Bay.
For an upgraded stay, though, the adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is a “resort within a resort” where a swim-up pool fronts select suites, and guests gain access to additional restaurants like Azul, which is perched on a bluff and serves prix-fixed menus that change daily and Bluefin Restaurant and Bar, where poke bowls grace the tables.
Keep your eyes peeled on your descent if you’re flying into Princess Juliana because you’ll be able to spot the tiers of balconies at the 10-acre waterfront resort, which is the largest on Dutch St. Maarten.
Top Restaurants and Places to Eat Near Maho Beach, St. Maarten
Sip frozen cocktails and watch planes land from Tortuga, a beachfront bar at Maho Beach
If you’re here for plane spotting, there are two waterfront bars to check out where you can almost feel the breeze of the planes as they descend.
Tortuga serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you can lounge on a beach chair at the bar if you’ve got a tab open. While you’re chowing down on a build-your-own omelet or the Caribbean fresh catch of the day, you can check the bar’s flight board to see which inbound planes are scheduled.
Sunset Bar and Grill is a sprawling beachfront bar with drinks like Runway Rum Punch and pizzas named after the airlines that fly into St. Maarten. Visitors can rent a beach chair and umbrella for $10 a day, as well as other beach gear like snorkels. The bar also has a pool attached. The Sunset Surfboard features a daily handwritten plane schedule.
Beyond the beach bars, the Maho Beach area is a bustling place with restaurants and shops. For a special dinner, snag a table at Moulin Fou, a top-rated French restaurant serving dishes like escargot, lobster, steaks, and French onion soup.
Beyond Plane Spotting: What Else to Do Near Maho Beach, St. Maarten
Carnival Costumes on display at We Culture museum in St. Maarten.
When you’re ready to take a break from the sun and plane spotting at Maho Beach, head across the street to We Culture, a museum dedicated to Carnival in the Caribbean that was founded by Gerald Hart, a renowned Carnival costume designer.
The museum doubles as an open bar, so you can learn the history of Carnival, see traditional costumes, and learn about the roles of those enrobed in them. You can also play instruments that provide the soundtrack for celebrations—all while sipping a boozy rum punch.