Stuck several hours at St. Maarten / Martin / SXM airport - what's to do?
 

So this Sunday, I have an 8 hour layover at Princess Juliana International Airport, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.

Does anybody have any suggestions on some fun things to do if I'm willing to leave the airport? Good wireless internet equipped coffeeshops / beaches / restaurants?

Thanks!
Ben

YEah, walk to the end of the runway (along the road lol) and sit at the beach bar and watch planes land over your head.

Taxi to Maho Beach.

Definitely the Sunset Beach Bar. There's even a live webcam streaming somewhere on the net

pacificfit, welcome to FlyerTalk! Please follow as the thread moves to the Travel->Caribbean forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

What's the name of the bar where the airplanes fly over your head?

<redacted URL>
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13F

With 8 hours, you should rent a car ($50) and drive around the island. You could actually drive around three or four times in 8 hours. But you might want to stop at Orient Beach for a swim and a gawk, or Grand Case for lunch, or Philipsburg for Duty Free, or...
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13F

According to their website, Sunset Beach Bar shut down...any other good places near the airport?

Might be a case of domain name subterfuge, which I fell for. I also found this one:
http://sunsetsxm.com/
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13F

Sunset Beach Bar is a lot of fun.

If you rent a car, just be careful with your time. Traffic can be bad, and you don't want to be caught on the wrong side when they open the bridges to let the boats out of Simpson Bay.

IT did get hit last year by a hurricane, but I thought it was rebuilt by now?

I too fell for it ... good to know the real place is still very much running..!!

Saint Martin (SXM) 7 hour airport lay over..?
 

Hi

I arrive in Saint Martin (SXM) at 9am and leave at 4pm. So I have a pretty long wait. The problem is that my luggage can't be checked through to my final destination (different airline, different ticket).

How can I get rid of my bag until check in opens at 2pm? I really don't want to carry it around with me, stuck in a tiny airport with nothing to do. I want to get rid of the bag and go airside for the lounge.

Can I ask them to check me in early? Is there a luggage drop?

Zach

I think if I had 7 hours in St Martin, I don't think o would be asking how to hang out at the airport ... I think it would be "which beach has the best umbrella drink"