I have read conflicting posts on renting a car. Of course if we are going to a beach that has alcohol we will take the bus(is there any type of schedule?) or taxi, but not sure if I want to rent a car-we argue here in the states in the car-can't imagine how much fun it will be if lost on a strange road, even if there's only a limited amt. of island to get lost on?

If anyone who is familiar with this blog, I posted something under "june visits" blog-it was a long winded one and don't want to rewrite it so hopefully someone will answer it

First of all, it depends on where you are staying. The answers could be better explained if you identified this first.

But, in the meantime, if you are staying on the French side, then I would recommend taking a taxi if you will be drinking at a beach far enough away from where you are staying. If you are on the Dutch side, then it would depend on where you are staying because if you are staying in Maho or Cupecoy such as the Towers or The Cliff and Rainbow Beach Club, then you could easily walk to Mullet Beach. If you are staying at the Sapphire, you could easily walk to Cupecoy Beach or a longer walk to Mullet but doable if you enjoy walking. If you are staying in Simpson Bay such as the Pelican area, then there are beaches there you could walk to (not the greatest but beaches none-the-less). There is also a great beach area to go to called Karakter's and it's located next to Mary's Boon. You could spend the day there and it would only be a short cab ride to and back BUT you would need to tell the driver to pick you up as they don't hang out there. No bus travels inland. They usually stay only on the main road.

If you are determined to go to Orient from the Dutch side, I would recommend taking a cab so you can drink as much as you like without worry.

It's refreshing to get a question such as this because most people who drink while on the beach don't even concern themselves that they will be driving and possibly causing an accident or worse. The combination of sun, alcohol, and not being familiar with the roads can play a big part in response time so thinking ahead is the mature and responsible thing to do. Good for you!

The bus system on the island is convenient for daytime hours (on the Dutch side)and so if you are staying in the Simpson Bay area, you can easily take a local bus (more like a mini van) to Mullet for about $1.00 each way per person. Just walk out to the main road and wave down a bus going in the direction of the airport with a sign in the window that says Mullet. And on the return, wave down a bus that says Philipsburg. Just make sure to tell the driver when you would like him/her to stop. Otherwise, they just keep driving. Taking the bus from Cupecoy, Maho or Simpson Bay to Philipsburg is the best deal on the island! I do it now all the time and truly love it. No parking, no worries, no hassles!

Hope this helps a little but it would certainly be more helpful if you revealed where you were staying.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Thanks so much John for the info. we are staying at a time share exchange called Pelican bay resort, so we are on the dutch side (please excuse lazy typing style). I am trying to do as much "research" as possible.

This blog is soooo cool! especially love the words of wisdom!!!

Well then as I mentioned, taking the bus from street level to either Philipsburg or Mullet Beach is easy. For Mullet, just go down to the main road and cross the street. Wait for any mini van with a sign in the window that says Mullet Beach and wave him/her down. You can ask the driver to tell you when you reach Mullet Beach and hopefully he'll remember to stop. Mullet Beach is a lovely beach that is the remains of what once was a gorgeous resort. Now you will only see the shell of homes on the property but the beach is still beautiful as ever. After you pass through Maho and exit this area, you will be not more than 2 minutes from the beach. It is located across the street from where you will be left off and it is beyond the makeshift parking lot. They have 2 places to get food and drink but they are small shacks with a few people running the BBQ grill. Many people just get some ribs and drink and sit back and relax.

To get to Philipsburg, stay on the same side of The Pelican on the main road and wave down a minivan with Philipsburg in the window. The bus will go up and over a mountain and wind his way down until you see the Salt Pond on your left. You'll know when you're in Philipsburg because the bus makes a sharp right into the main town. After the right turn, get out when the driver then makes a sharp left turn. Enjoy the town and when you're ready to return, stand on "Back Street" and wave down a bus with Mullet/Maho in the window. Tell the driver to stop when you see that you are across from The Pelican (look for landmarks so you'll know when to tell the driver to stop). It will be a steep walk up the hill back to Pelican but if you like walking, you'll enjoy the whole day.

You should rent a car though as everyone would recommend but just be careful and try the designated driver thing if you travel long distances like to Orient. Otherwise it may cost you around $30 each way just to get there by cab.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2009 06:12PM by John.

Very informative once again John, thank you. Can you recommend the best rental place? I have heard many diff. places-some say at the airport, some say you can haggle either at the airport or off site places???

We will just have a day that cocktails can wait till dinner

Sorry to be so needy

Thanks!

Julie

Julie, there are plenty of places once you get to the airport to rent your car and my friend seems to always get a good price once he gets there but we like to reserve ours before we fly out. Since this is a touchy subject (everyone has their favorite and will argue it for some strange reason), I will suggest a few reliable ones:

Unity Car Rental
Kenny's Car Rental
Tropicana Car Rental

You can also haggle once you get there but we feel that haggling just wastes valuable island time.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Thanks for being resposible about "Drinking & Driving"

It helps my vacation also!!!