AIRPORT ADVENTURE ST. MAARTEN - DO SOMETHING AMAZING!

Let's say you're going to St. Maarten on a cruise.  You want to do something fun and memorable, but no one can agree on what to do.  Has this ever happened to you?  Airport Adventure has the solution to your problem!  It combines beautiful views, a boat ride, snorkeling and swimming, airplanes landing right over your head, delicious affordable food & drinks, great music, and even offers frozen tropical drinks.  Their trip is sure to please the whole family.

We went out on the Airport Adventure boat yesterday morning, and were so impressed with the trip.  It took us to Maho Bay, right in front of the airport landing strip!  It was different from all of the other excursions on the island, and unlike anything we'd ever done before.  It took many of our favorite things to do and combined them into one awesome trip!    

The boat was very well thought out.  It was very easy to get on board with a solid ramp with handrails.  The crew was there to help, too.  Downstairs there is a little restaurant, three bathrooms, and a shaded area for those who want a break from the sun.  

Upstairs there is some more shaded seating, picnic tables, the bar, and a huge sun deck with lots of chairs, benches, and another picnic table.  They had lots of cubbyholes underneath the benches so you could store your bags in a safe place, out of the walkway.

When we got to Maho Bay we had another surprise of incredible ingenuity!  The front of the boat has a huge ramp the width of the boat that folds down into the water, making it incredible easy to get in and out of the water.  

 

The side of the boat has a big floating platform attached to it, that also folds down into the water.  As soon as the crew lowered the floating platform, the other crew members had chairs and tables set up on it in no time!  The floating platform is another place you can hang out, dangle your feet in the water, and get some sun. 

The crew was amazing.  Not only did they make things run smoothly, safely, and efficiently, but they were all extremely welcoming.  They made us feel right at home.   It was obvious that they truly cared that everyone aboard was safe and having a great time.  

We jumped off the top deck of the boat into the water.  Fun!  The crew was very good about keeping everyone in the water safe.  One crew member was padding around in a kayak so he could be close to everyone.  Two others were on the ramp keeping a close eye on all of the swimmers.  They provided masks and snorkels, fins, noodles, and even a blow-up unicorn float for guests to use.  

We snorkeled, swam, and floated around, enjoying the clear blue waters.  They sunk a little sailboat in the sandy area and created an artificial reef that the fish like to congregate around, and there is also some coral reef along the rocky shoreline.  

Suddenly there was an announcement over the intercom that a plane was about to land!  They didn't want us to miss an opportunity to see it whoosh over our heads, and wanted everyone to have time to get their cameras ready.  St. Maarten's runway is very very short, so the planes come in very low to the ground and it's an exhilarating experience to see them right overhead!  We watched the first few planes land while we floated in the water.  What an amazing vantage point!  

We decided to get out and grab our camera so we had photographic (and video) evidence of this incredible experience.  But first, we rinsed off in their fresh water showers - a luxury not common on boating excursions.  We got some pretty cool pictures just using our cell phones, but kind of regretted not bringing a better camera.

After all that swimming and snorkeling we were hungry.  The crew was very attentive, and walked around to check on everyone often.  I ordered a hot dog and Skeeter ordered a hamburger.  Their menu had quite a few choices, and at very reasonable prices.  The crew even delivered our food, so we could just relax and enjoy ourselves.  The food was delicious! 

We found out they sell really nice Airport Adventure t-shirts and tank tops.  We regrettably didn't think to bring enough cash for souvenirs, but we'll be on island a while and will be sure to get our shirts another day! 

The crew seamlessly packed up the floating platform and brought the ramp up, the captains started up the engines, and we were headed back.  We were sad this amazing trip had to come to an end, but so happy we got to experience it.

We gathered up our stuff, thanked the crew, and of course remembered to drop our tip in the tip jar.  Lots of people don't realize that the crew's livelihood depends on these tips...so please don't forget to tip your crew.  15-20% of your trip's overall cost is customary for good service, but you can leave even more if you think they went above the call of duty.

 

Thank you so much to the crew of Airport Adventure for a fabulous day!