You will find Maho Beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, within the territory of Sint Maarten. Famous globally for its position directly adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport, this coastal strip sits right under the flight path of arriving aircraft. Flight timetables are prominently displayed on boards in most nearby bars and beach restaurants, ensuring visitors can easily track incoming and departing flights throughout the day.
The beach itself features bright white sand and has little to no natural vegetation due to continuous jet blast erosion from aircraft engines. Ocean conditions can bring occasional large waves to the shore, making the spot popular with windsurfers and skimboarders. Because airplanes on final approach skim over the sand at altitudes under 100 feet above ground level, it attracts photographers, video makers, and curious travellers looking to watch incoming planes pass overhead.
The atmosphere around Maho Beach is uniquely tailored to plane watching, with surrounding dining establishments and resort properties catering to crowds arriving by road and cruise ships. However, jet blast from aircraft gearing up on runway 10 presents severe physical hazards. Visitors risk having personal items blown into the water or being knocked into solid objects, prompting official government warnings regarding the potential for serious injury or death.
01 Highlights & things to do
What makes this stretch of coast worth the trip — from the water to the walks, wildlife and the views.
Compiled from Wikipedia · conditions vary with weather, tides and the season.
Beach map & the area
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the beach and its surroundings — the coastline, access roads, nearby towns and where to park. Zoom in for detail, or open it live in a full map.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free).
02 Getting there
| Option | Detail |
|---|---|
| Airport | Located directly adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport at the end of runway 10. |
| Road | Accessible via island roads connecting crowds from hotels and cruise ships. |
Getting there · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · always double-check access & ferries
03 Where to stay
Resorts, towns and areas near the beach — the closer you stay, the easier the early-morning and sunset hours when the light is best and the crowds are thin.
A well-known base for plane spotters located right nearby, formerly known as Caravanserai and Alegria.
A long-standing resort adjacent to the beach, formerly known as Concord.
A resort property situated near Maho Beach.
04 Nearby & around
Other beaches, coves, towns and sights within easy reach — worth stringing together into a coastal day.
Good to know
- Severe jet blast can toss towels and belongings into the sea daily.
- Jet blast from taking-off aircraft can cause serious injury or death by blowing people into solid objects or water.
- An additional fence stands behind runway 10 to stop people from hanging onto the main runway enclosure.
- Beach vegetation is minimal to non-existent due to severe jet blast erosion.