Scotty
Guest
I will be in St. Maarten for a couple of weeks from May to June and would like to know the be dive operators to book with and how to get a hold of them. Thanks.
Diving in St. Maarten?
- Thread starter Scotty
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techdiver2us
Guest
I've been to St. Maarten numerous times and have used Dive Safaris. http://www.thescubashop.net/index.htm
I go to st.maarten every August. I use Dive Safaris. They're a great company. Where are you staying on the island?
If you are staying closer to P-burgh, they do have a shop at Bobby's Marina. They sometimes refer to that boat as a cattle car though, since that's the company and location that the Royal Caribbean uses. If you're closer to Simpson Bay, I would use their shop at palapa center in simpson bay.
If you need any more info about restuarants, diving, day trips etc...I might be able to help you.
-Christine
If you are staying closer to P-burgh, they do have a shop at Bobby's Marina. They sometimes refer to that boat as a cattle car though, since that's the company and location that the Royal Caribbean uses. If you're closer to Simpson Bay, I would use their shop at palapa center in simpson bay.
If you need any more info about restuarants, diving, day trips etc...I might be able to help you.
-Christine
Scotty,
You're staying at a very nice place. RCI Gold Crown. We switch our timesharing every year for ST.Maarten. Although I have never stayed at the flamingo, I've stayed at the Royal Palm (another sunterra property) several times. I'll be staying at the atrium this year in august for two weeks.
You're pretty much down the road from Palapa Center. You just have to come down from the resort. I do not think you will be disappointed with Dive Safaris's simpson bay location. I go in August and it's never crowded (once there were only two divers, myself and a man from paris..two people canceled). I'm not sure if May- June is still on season for SXM, July and August is def. off season.
Hope this helps. I would highly suggest renting a car! You'll see so much of the island including the French Side. Friar's Bay on the French Side is a nice beach, not very crowded, and the water is like a lake. Dawn Beach(Dutch Side) is popular with boogy-boarders since it's a little rough. They have a few beach bars, good food, and chair and snorkeling equipment rentals. Orient is probably one of the most popular beaches on the island. I don't usually go there...it's very crowded. If you're spending a few weeks on the island, I wouldn't miss Pinel Island. Pinel is an uninhabited island that you take a small boat over for the day. Great for relaxing, snorkeling, and just getting away from the normal beach. St.barts is also lovely. St.Barts seems a lot more french than the French Side. I love going there it has more ambiance and I get to practice my French!
P-burg is your best bet for duty-free liquor and jewlery. Liquor is cheaper on the Dutch Side than on the French, because the liquor stores intown (P-burg) use AMerican money instead of the Euro.
St.Maarten is also the home to some great resaurants.
if you need any more info feel free to ask.
-Christine
You're staying at a very nice place. RCI Gold Crown. We switch our timesharing every year for ST.Maarten. Although I have never stayed at the flamingo, I've stayed at the Royal Palm (another sunterra property) several times. I'll be staying at the atrium this year in august for two weeks.
You're pretty much down the road from Palapa Center. You just have to come down from the resort. I do not think you will be disappointed with Dive Safaris's simpson bay location. I go in August and it's never crowded (once there were only two divers, myself and a man from paris..two people canceled). I'm not sure if May- June is still on season for SXM, July and August is def. off season.
Hope this helps. I would highly suggest renting a car! You'll see so much of the island including the French Side. Friar's Bay on the French Side is a nice beach, not very crowded, and the water is like a lake. Dawn Beach(Dutch Side) is popular with boogy-boarders since it's a little rough. They have a few beach bars, good food, and chair and snorkeling equipment rentals. Orient is probably one of the most popular beaches on the island. I don't usually go there...it's very crowded. If you're spending a few weeks on the island, I wouldn't miss Pinel Island. Pinel is an uninhabited island that you take a small boat over for the day. Great for relaxing, snorkeling, and just getting away from the normal beach. St.barts is also lovely. St.Barts seems a lot more french than the French Side. I love going there it has more ambiance and I get to practice my French!
P-burg is your best bet for duty-free liquor and jewlery. Liquor is cheaper on the Dutch Side than on the French, because the liquor stores intown (P-burg) use AMerican money instead of the Euro.
St.Maarten is also the home to some great resaurants.
if you need any more info feel free to ask.
-Christine
I'm pretty sure they do have pacakge deals. It's also cheaper if you bring your own equipment...not by that much, but still I think they cut some money off. They supply you with tank and weights. No need to carry around lead if you don't need to.
I find it hard to believe that St.maarten would be more expensive than Grand Cayman. Never been to GC.
Good luck,
Christine
I find it hard to believe that St.maarten would be more expensive than Grand Cayman. Never been to GC.
Good luck,
Christine
lynnemari
Contributor
Scotty:
Scotty,
My husband and I will be going to St.Maarten June 25th and staying at the Flamingo beach on Simpson Bay. We are RCI owners but have not yet been here. We both love to dive and I have been checking out some places on the web. We also are planning on going to Saba to dive, taking the Ferry. We are thinking of going through Aqua mania adventures, Dive adventures is there dive op and it is padi. They have packages and we were quoted 5 dives plus a saba dive and ferry over for the both of us 500, something. the five dives are in St. Maarten. I checked out the safarri don't know theri price but they don't dive saba. Aqua mania is on pelican beach in simpson bay.
Since you are going before us I would love to hear from you when you get back so you can tell us how it all was!
LynneMari@hotmail.com
Is that the dive company at Pelican? I had my first scuba experience with them (in a pool). It ended badly, and I didn't go diving for the next 3 years. I passed by the shop last year enroute to st.barts (The ferry left out of Pelican Marina). Their equipment looked ancient. I would really ask around about them...I haven't really heard that much about them lately. On AOL boards, most of the crowd is using Dive Safaris, including me.
Let me know how Saba is...I might make it over there to dive this year. Sea Saba is supposed to be a good company (from what I've heard at the local dive shop).
Good Luck,
-Christine
Let me know how Saba is...I might make it over there to dive this year. Sea Saba is supposed to be a good company (from what I've heard at the local dive shop).
Good Luck,
-Christine
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