Rashel Abroad: Plane Spotting at St. Maarten

SINT MAARTEN

In the Dutch Antilles of the Caribbean Sea, there is the small island of Sint Maarten, also called in its French side as Saint Martin. This island is mostly known for having one of the most dangerous airports in the world. The Princess Juliana International Airport, named after a Dutch queen, is globally famous for its plane landings next to Maho Beach, in which tourists can enjoy the low-altitude flyovers of the planes that are about to land, where the only division between the beach and the landing track, is a simple fence.

I visited Maho Beach, not because I wanted a relaxing day at the beach, but because I wanted to experience the adrenaline of having planes landing less than a mile away from me. Here is what I always explain, this is not a place to look for a peaceful morning, but to enjoy the chaos. The tourists all jumping and screaming around you and the aircraft noise pollution when planes are taking off or landing may not suit everybody’s idea of a vacation.

It is a whole show just to see the people willing to risk themselves to feel the jet blast effect next to the fence separating the airport from the beach. It is not recommended at all, and there are several warning signs reminding the people of the dangers that the hot winds can cause to their bodies, but there are, of course, dozens of people doing it anyway. I never walked near the fence considering the sandblast was enough warning for me. But I would recommend this experience to anyone, as it can be only a spot for a few hours. A plane lands every five minutes, so there is no way you are going to miss it. Sint Maarten has many other options to enjoy the stunning warm and blue waters that surround the island.

Besides the chaos, this Caribbean paradise gave me a breathtaking experience. The planes approaching the shore is a pretty impressive scene from every angle, as a passenger, as a tourist taking a sunbath, or as an outsider having a drink at the bar next to the beach.