CRUISE 2013 - DAY 7 SINT MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN

Our final stop was one of our most favorite islands - Sint Maarten/St. Martin.  Half Dutch and half French and an incredibly beautiful island with lots of stellar beaches to enjoy.  We have talked about coming back to the island for a week's holiday as you can also take a ferry to Anguilla and Saba is nearby as well...plus they have great local transportation so you could get around quite cheaply via local bus and only use taxi's when absolutely necessary.

Pier and welcome centre

We got off the ship around 9:30am and started walking into town.  We headed off on the path we usually use and got past the water taxi pier and realized that the path is now cut off as there is construction going on.  Another couple was peering around perplexed and we both said "...but this is the way we came last time!!".  We had a laugh and both turned back toward the welcome centre.  We walked along together out past security to the main road and began walking toward Philipsburg together.  We found out they were from Wales (UK) and were on their 24th (!!!) cruise.

We said our goodbyes when we hit the outside edge of town and Dave and I walked along the boardwalk looking for the spot that we had our picture taken fifeen years ago on our very first trip to St. Martin.  A lot has changed and we never could find the alley with the right statue to recreate our photo.

We cut through an alley and made our way to Front Street and wandered back along the street until we got to Old Street where we cut through to reach Back Street. 

The entrance to Old Street

At the end of Old Street is the bus stop, located on Back Street.  We only had to wait for a few minutes before a white van (aka local bus) pulled up with "Mullet Bay/Maho Bay" in the window.  Look for "bus" on the license plate, not "taxi" as they can look the same.  We were heading to Mullet Bay Beach, one of our favorite beaches and very cheap to get to since bus fare is only $2 per person each way.

As we drove by the Princess Julianna Airport, we got to see one of the Delta shuttle flights take off flying passengers from the disabled Carnival Dream back to Florida.  We had always seen planes taking off in the opposite direction toward the mountains but this one took off toward the water.  We asked the bus driver why this was and he explained that if the plane was wanting to conserve fuel, they would take off toward the water as they needed to use a lot of fuel to get up enough speed to lift off the runway and get over the mountains going in the other direction.

Mullet Bay Beach

Once at the beach, we rented two lounge chairs and an umbrella for $15 and settled in to read, relax and take in the sights.  We walked the beach for a bit and then hit the water for a good long float.  I couldn't call it a swim because we didn't move too far : - )  The water was a lovely temperature but not as clear as our last couple of visits.  Every beach on this cruise had much higher waves and the sand was more stirred up because of rougher seas in the Caribbean recently. 

We hung out at the beach for a few hours and then walked out to the main road and waved down a bus heading into Philipsburg.  We had the driver drop us off at Rima's so we could see if there were any souvenirs or clothes we wanted to buy.  They have tons of dresses, purses, shirts, hats, jewelry...with better prices than most.  Don't expect high quality or local creations...this is your basic cheaper clothing and souvenirs likely made in China or somewhere similar, but they do have good prices.
  

Rima's distinctive yellow building

Nothing really grabbed our attention so we left and started walking back toward Front Street looking for an internet cafe.  We eventually found one in a small alcove off of Front Street, in the back of a convenience store.  We bought some time and caught up on email and Facebook.  Dave really wanted a bag of Lay's potato chips but when he found out that a bag that would cost us $2 - $2.50 in Canada would cost him $5US, he just couldn't bring himself to do it!!

We walked along the boardwalk and back to the pier for a treat that I had been waiting all day to get.  There is a little hut on the pier, called Coco Express, that sells the most delicious coconut smoothies I have ever tasted.  I got a small for $4 but when I finished the last of it just before we boarded the ship....I thought I should have bought the large.  Sooooo good!!!

Coco Express - delish!!!!

We went to supper, said goodbye to our waiters and tablemates and went back to the cabin to pack up everything.  Once we packed our suitcases, keeping anything we might need in the morning, we put the cases outside in the hallway and crashed for the night.  St. Martin did not disappoint and we had another competely enjoyable day.

Cruise 2011 - Day 7 SINT MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN

Our final stop on this fantastic cruise and it was at my absolute favorite island – St. Martin. This island is actually split into two parts – one owned by the Netherlands (Sint Maarten-Dutch) and the other is owned by France (St. Martin-French). You can pass easily between each side – there are no checkpoints or obvious borders.  Most ships dock in Philipsburg on the Dutch side.

We were up around 8am again today as we did not want to miss a minute of our final day! There was much to be accomplished. We went to the Pacific Dining Room for breakfast and I had Belgian Waffles with Strawberry sauce, bacon and hash browns. Yum!! We were off the ship around 9:45am and we headed directly to Rebecca’s favorite spot – the Coconut Smoothie kiosk on the pier.

Rebecca has been dreaming about coconut smoothies since her last cruise over three years ago. If you like coconut, without a doubt, this is a necessary purchase!! Once the coconut monster had been fed, we enjoyed a leisurely 15-minute walk to downtown Philipsburg. There are tons of cabs at the pier that will take you into town for around $3 per person but we enjoyed the walk. There is a small shortcut with a bunch of little shops and bars done up in delightful Caribbean colours.

The view across Great Bay

Once downtown, we did some browsing along Front Street (the main street that runs closest to the water) and then hit Old Street for a bit. Our goal was the bus stop that is situated at the far end of Old Street.


Old Street

The local buses are white vans and way cheaper than taxis. Check the license plates as buses have license plates that start with “BUS” and taxis start with “TAXI”. The destination will be on a sign posted in the front window of the van. We hopped on the bus and told the driver we were heading for Mullet Bay Beach…and he immediately changed his sign to “Mullet”. Cab drivers on the island will try and talk you out of taking the bus and tell you that it takes an hour to get where you’re going. Actually, the only difference between the bus and taxi is that a bus will stop to pick up and let off people but they all still have to make their way through the same traffic so a cab would not be much faster. One other element to consider is that the buses don’t go very close to Orient Beach so it is best to take a cab if you want to go there. It cost us $2 each to get to Mullet Bay instead of $7 each by cab.

We soon arrived at Mullet Bay Beach and immediately rented a couple of loungers and an umbrella (for $15). I just can’t do justice to any description of the water on St. Martin. It is an unreal colour of turquoise and is so clear you can see all of the small fish swimming around your feet. Even pictures can’t quite capture how beautiful it is! We spent the next three hours swimming, walking the beach, reading, chatting with some “lounge neighbors” and watching the planes on their approach to the airport near Maho Bay, just down the coast. The beach has some BBQ spots so the guys grabbed themselves a couple of delicious hamburgers for $4 each. There is also a bar at one end of the beach and washrooms in the opposite direction. Let’s just say that you will not want to hang around the washrooms too long as the cleanliness leaves much to be desired. On the positive side…they have washrooms! Another thing that you will run into at a lot of beaches are the beach vendors. Usually, a polite “No, thanks” will send them on their way but if you show any interest at all in what they have, you will find yourself looking at tons of dresses or necklaces and having a hard time getting them to leave. They can be very persistent!



Mullet Bay Beach



It was getting close to 2pm by the time we packed up our stuff and walked down to Maho Bay (10 minute walk). Maho Bay Beach is located directly in front of the runway at the Princess Julianna International Airport. It is one of the craziest and adrenaline-packed experiences that you will ever have when you are standing on the beach and a huge 737 flies directly over the top of your head!! The first time I did this, my knees completely gave out and I found myself kneeling in the sand without ever really intending to. Sunset Beach Bar is located at the far end of Maho Beach and has all of the day’s flights listed on their board.  The best time to see the most large planes is between 1pm and 3pm.


Maho Bay Beach (Sunset Beach Bar at far end)

"Danger - Jet blast of departing and arriving aircraft can cause severe
physical harm resulting in extreme bodily harm and even death!"

One of the funniest things that happened on this trip was when we first arrived and were just standing in front of the runway checking things out. A large plane taxied toward the end of the runway and I said “We do not want to be here when that thing takes off!” and I picked up my stuff and ran down to the far end of the beach. Rebecca looked at Dave and said “Is Angie exaggerating??” and Dave told her that I was slightly exaggerating. Well, she soon found out that I wasn’t!! When the plane fired up its engines, the wind was incredible and the sand started pelting all of the people who hadn’t moved out of the way. I crouched behind a car, doubled over with laughter as I watched Rebecca bookin’ it madly toward me…her beach bag swinging from one hand, her sandals from the other, her towel was streaming behind her and her sunglasses were hanging crookedly on her face. I was laughing so hard that I forgot to video it with my camera so everyone else could enjoy the image that is now imprinted in my brain. Trent had run down the edge of the beach into the water to stop the sand from blasting his legs. Needless to say, the next time a plane took off, they stayed near the end of the beach ☺

Rebecca covered in sand from her encounter with jet blast

 

Dave and Rebecca headed into the water to wash off the sand

 

Crazy tourists!!

 

Airbus from Paris

 

We watched planes land for about an hour and then headed back to the main road to catch the bus back into Philipsburg. You just have to stand by the road and wave down any bus that has the sign “P’burg” in the window. We had the bus drop us off in front of Rima’s on Salt Pond Rd (right along the bus route). Rima’s is a large tourist shop that carries every possible souvenir or clothing item that any tourist may want. We always wait to get our souvenirs here as they have much better prices than other places. Actually, word is that the beach vendors buy their inventory here and then mark it up for sale at the beaches. We spent about a half hour and grabbed some mementos for our nieces and nephews and then made a quick stop at the Belgian Chocolate Shop on Old Street to pick out some delectable chocolate treats. They even had white chocolate so I could indulge too!! We were running close to ‘all-aboard’ (which seemed to be the trend of this cruise) so we hustled back to the pier. However, we had to make yet another stop at the Coco shack to get a smoothie…well, three! So delicious and refreshing after a hot day in the sun!

Supper was Mango Cream Soup, Fatoush Salad and Southern Fried Chicken (oh man, if you ever have the chance to try this, definitely do). Dessert was a Grand Marnier Soufflé. We had to head back to our cabins to pack (sob!!) and get things settled up for our debarkation in the morning. We went to see the Carnival Legends karaoke show where all of the passengers, who had tried out for the show earlier in the week, dressed up like a star and sang for the audience. They had Elvis, Britney Spears, Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra, to name a few. For amateurs, they did a great job! We put our suitcases out in the corridor and only kept the things we would need for the morning. Our final night to be rocked to sleep on the Caribbean Sea!

Sint Maarten/St. Martin is a wonderful island to visit! This is another island that I could easily spend a week at as you can also catch a ferry to the nearby islands of Saba and Anguilla. The water is so blue, the sand so white and there is so much to see and do on this island. If you want to find out more, you can check out my detailed St. Martin blog posting for a summary of beaches, excursions, etc.

St. Martin/Sint Maarten, Netherland Antilles

St. Martin/Sint Maarten's nickname is 'the friendly island' and is the smallest piece of land shared by two countries. It is only 37 square miles. The largest part of this island is owned by the French (St. Martin) with a population of around 35,000 and the smaller portion is owned by the Dutch (Sint Maarten) with a population of around 45,000.  English is widely spoken around the island.  You can freely cross the border between the two holdings without passports or checkpoints. Most cruise ships usually dock at Philipsburg (Dutch side) but some smaller ships may dock at Marigot (French side). All of the information in this post will be assuming your ship is docked in Philipsburg.

MAP

http://www.gobeach.com/sxmmap.htm

GETTING AROUND

WALKING

From the cruise terminal area, it is about a 10-15 minute walk into Philipsburg. There is a walkway along the 'highway' that is protected by barriers.  You will see a sign (below) for a shortcut over a little bridge that will lead you to another Water Taxi stop, along the Boardwalk and to Front Street. Front Street is the main shopping 'drag' and it is the first paved street away from the beach. It is lined with shops, restaurants, bars, etc. There are also shops along Back Street as well.

Sign for shortcut

WATER TAXI

You can also catch a water taxi from the cruise ship pier into town. The cost is $4pp one way or $6pp if you buy an all day pass that allows you to use the water taxi as many times as you want throughout the day. It is a beautiful ride across a gorgeous turquoise bay to the downtown pier. The only negative is that the lines for the water taxis are often really long and you need to decide if you want to waste precious beach/shopping time waiting in line. The water taxis drop off and pick up at three spots: the cruise ship pier, Bobby's Marina and the downtown pier. They run this route all day. I've read that there is a new water taxi stop at the far end of the Boardwalk just past the Sea Palace Hotel as well. I will be confirming this on our next stop in St. Martin.

TAXI CABS

The taxi fares on this island are regulated and all fares are posted at the taxi stands. No matter which cab you take, the price should be the same! Prices are subject to change from time to time and I will attempt to keep them as current as possible. There is a taxi stand at the cruise ship terminal.

Posted Taxi Fares (one way) from the cruise ship pier:

To downtown - $3pp

To Little Bay - $4pp

To Orient Beach - $18(1-2 people), $7pp (3-5 people), $6pp (6 people +)

To Dawn Beach - $15(1-2), $7pp (3-5), $6pp (6 people +)

To Mullet Bay/Maho Bay -$18(1-2), $8pp (3-5), $7pp (6 people +)

To Marigot - $15(1-2), $7pp (3-5), $6pp (6 people +)

To Pinel Island - $25(1-2), $9pp (3-5), $7pp (6 people +)

Obviously, it is much more cost effective to find some others who are going the same spot you want to go.

BUSES

A thriftier option is to use the local "buses" that charge around $2.00 per person, depending on where on the island you are going to. They are primarily used by the local workforce to get to and from work so they don’t provide service to many of the regular tourist spots. They don't service the beaches on the east coast (Dawn Beach, Orient Beach, Pinel Island) but have great routes to the west coast (Marigot, Mullet Bay Beach, Maho Bay). Most are white mini-vans with the destination name printed on a large sign in the front window. Check to make sure the license plate starts with ‘BUS’ as some taxis (license plate starts with ‘TAXI’) look exactly the same. You can catch the bus at the bus stop on Back Street in P’burg (right at the end of Old Street which runs between Front and Back Streets) or you can flag them down. On your return trip, simply go back to the area where you were dropped off and flag down another one. They will not stop if they are full, but wait a bit and another one will soon come along. It is polite to greet those in the bus when you get in. Feel free to ask for help from the driver. They are generally friendly and helpful to let you know when to get out. You can double check that they are going where you want to go but don’t ask them to drop you back at the pier as buses do not go to the pier and they will charge you regular cab fare. Sometimes they will offer to drive straight to a destination instead of stopping along the route to pick other passengers up. This option will then change your fare so make sure you settle on the fare before you accept this option. On our trip in March 2010, the bus driver drove the 8 of us directly to Mullet Bay Beach for $3 per person and arranged to pick us up again later in the afternoon at Maho Bay Beach and take us back to the ship for $3pp. Not all drivers may make this deal so discuss this before you get in the bus. If you go the regular route (stop to pick up passengers along the way) then the fares can be different depending on where you get dropped off so ask what the fare is when you get on the bus and have it ready to pay to the driver on exiting. Having small bills and coins would be a good idea! For those who may have concerns over safety, all I can say is that we have used this option many times and have never felt unsafe or had a bad experience.

INTERNET CAFÉS

As with many business, internet cafés tend to come and go. There are usually several in Philipsburg. Just ask a local shopkeeper for the nearest spot.

An internet search indicates that there is a spot called Cyberlink which is located on Front St across from Little Switzerland. It has about 20 computers, serves coffee, espresso and cold drinks and also has a mini-mart. Cost is $3 per hour.

BEACHES

There are so many beautiful beaches on this island that it would take too long to provide information on all of them. I have tried to summarize info on the most well known spots. Remember that this island has a very European culture so most beaches you will go to will have topless bathers and some beaches will have a clothing-optional area.

Great Bay Beach - this beach is right along the waterfront in Philipsburg. It is within easy walking distance of the cruise ship pier and is a low maintenance option if you don't want to travel too far to get to a beach. It has lots of spots that rent loungers and umbrellas and offer food and drinks. It is a great beach for sunning but the water quality of the bay is not the best so locals don't recommend swimming in the water.

Orient Beach – this is the best known beach on the island and is located on the French side. It is a prime destination for many cruisers and has tons of bars and restaurants. Club Orient is the nude portion of the beach and it is located at the far end of the beach (to the far right of where the cabs drop you off). Most beaches on the island are topless and a few are clothing optional. You will be likely to see topless women all along Orient Beach and sometimes you will spot a nudist strolling up the beach from Club Orient. It is a beautiful white sand beach with crystal blue waters and usually has pretty good waves. Beware if the waves are really high as the undertow will be strong. The beach is generally very crowded when there are several cruise ships in port so if you are looking for a quiet beach, this would not be the spot to go.

The beach is lined with bars/restaurants which also offer loungers and umbrellas. You cannot sit on a lounger without paying for it and staff take exception if you lay your towels down in front of the loungers. The cheapest spot for renting loungers/umbrellas seems to be ‘Le String’ at $8 for one lounger and umbrella, a drink and access to their bathrooms. There aren’t easily accessible public bathrooms unless you purchase one of these packages from one of the bars along the strip.

There is a grocery store located behind the ‘Bikini Beach Bar’ where you can pick up some snacks, drinks, etc. We have rented a chair/umbrella but most times we walk down the beach a way until we find a spot that is not in front of the bars/restaurant and put down our towel. If you plan to spend most of the day there, it is worth it to get a lounger and umbrella.

Dawn Beach – the discussion boards are full of good comments about this beach. It is about a 15 minute drive from downtown P'burg and is located just down the coast from Orient Beach. Restrooms are available as well as a restaurant. A beach resort and the Westin hotel are located on this beach and you get a great view of St. Bart’s in the distance. The surf can get quite rough which means this beach is not well suited for little ones. You can rent 2 lounge chairs with an umbrella for $15. You can also get a massage with aloe for $20 for 20 minutes. Snorkeling is pretty good as there is a coral reef offshore, but you will have to swim a bit to get there.

Le Galion – also known as 'Coconut Grove' or 'Baby Beach'. It is located between Dawn Beach and Orient Bay and is much quieter than the others. There is a coral reef just offshore which means calmer waters, especially nearer the North end of the beach. There is a slow drop-off into the water which makes it perfect for families with small children as you can walk out a good distance without getting into deep water. It has facilities and a place you can get something to eat. You can rent beach chairs and some water toys/gear are available for rent.

Pinel Island – this island is just up the coast from Orient Beach. A cab will cost around $7pp (one way) from P'burg. The island is reached by a ferry (actually a small boat with an outboard motor) and costs $7pp round trip. It is a lovely small island with white sand beaches. This is probably one of the better snorkeling spots on the island but St. Martin is not best known for its snorkeling. There are some touristy shops and bars as well. Generally not too crowded and is quiet because it involves a bit more effort and cost to get to it.

Maho Bay - this is a small beach located near the Princess Juliana airport. Its main attraction is that the airport runway is directly behind the beach so that when the planes land, you are incredibly close to them. The Sunset Beach Bar is located at one end of the beach. It offers a good view of the planes landing and broadcasts the air-traffic control chatter. Plan to buy at least a drink in order to have a seat in the bar. 

Here is the link to the airport arrival/departure schedule:  http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airportCode=SXM&airportQueryType=1


Mullet Bay Beach – This is a beautiful crescent-shaped beach located just a short walk up the coast from Maho Bay. Its active surf means it is popular with surfers. It can range from calmer waves to very large waves and the riptide can get dangerous when the waves are really big. Swim with a buddy if that's the case! Not likely a great option for families with younger children. You can snorkel near the rocks at either end of the beach. It doesn't offer all of the amenities of Orient Beach but does have a couple of spots to grab something to eat and, in front of the hotel, you can rent loungers and umbrellas. We quite often will take the bus to Mullet Bay and enjoy some beach time...then walk down to Maho Bay around 1pm so we are in time to see some of the larger planes land at the airport.

Baie Rouge - this beach got its name from the soft, lightly tinted, 'pink' sand found there. It is quite isolated and extremely quiet, except maybe on weekends when locals come out to enjoy this spot and things get a bit busier. The farther away from the entrance you go, the less clothing people will have on. The far West end of the beach is clothing optional. Some good snorkeling toward the east end along with a swim-through cave. There is a sharp drop-off a bit offshore so walk carefully. There are a couple of snack shacks available.

TOURS
Island tours are available. I have never taken an island tour so my information has been gathered by researching recommendations given by other travellers on discussion boards. My goal is to simply advise you of some options that have had very positive feedback and is not intended to be a personal recommendation.

Bernard's Tours - Private tour runs $350 total for up to 10 people on the van, which works out to $35 pp which is very reasonable for several hours seeing the island sights. http://www.bernardstours.com/

Joyce Prince - This lady is well-known around the island. If you have ever seen the "Feasting on Waves" series on the Food Network, Joyce is the guide that took Alton Brown around St. Martin. Her website is http://www.princepersonal.com/

Victor Bryan - gets excellent reviews - email at victor.bryan@wanadoo.fr

You can also get off the ship and head to the taxi stand. A ‘circle island’ tour (which would take you around the entire island) would be about $25 pp if over 8 people…however, I do not know if they would tailor your tour and stop wherever you wanted to???

SHOPPING
There are lots of shops in Philipsburg. Jewelry and electronics are usually very well-priced here. Sint Maarten being a Dutch holding, they also have gorgeous tablecloths, linens and Delft pottery. Again, know your prices at home so you can be sure you are finding a good deal.

There is an outdoor shopping market in the French town of Marigot, which is a bit of a drive up and around the coast. Marigot is the most popular town on the French side and has a lot of upscale shops and restaurants but you can grab something to eat on the waterfront from one of the local lolo BBQ's, on the boardwalk, for a reasonable price.

There is a shop called Rima’s, in Philipsburg, which seems to be where most of the island vendors buy their wares (or so goes the rumour). It is a big store with lots of beachwear, souvenirs, cheaper jewelry, etc. at prices that are usually better than beach vendors or at the market. Rima's is located at 41 Pondfill Road right beside the Salt Pond. A good stop to pick up your souvenirs. It is a good walk to get to or you could get the bus to drop you there on your return to town.

OTHER OPTIONS
CAR RENTAL – There are many car rental spots on the island. They have most of the usual spots (Hertz, Budget, etc) plus a few local spots that receive good reviews. Arthur's Car Rental is a local business that has some very good prices and is not far from the pier. http://www.arthurscarrental.com/

Make sure you check with your insurance carrier or your credit card company (if it provides coverage) about whether you are covered on St. Martin as it appears that North American insurance companies may not provide coverage there.

The streets of Philipsburg are very narrow and can be difficult to navigate as there is generally bumper-to-bumper traffic downtown. If this stresses you out, choose a cab or bus. No need to get your blood pressure up while on vacation ☺

Once out of Philipsburg, it isn't very difficult to navigate your way around the island as there is really just one main road to follow that travels in a circle around the island (see map near top of post). Most arteries are off this main road.

IMPORTANT TRAFFIC WARNING!! One thing to bear in mind is that there is a drawbridge at Simpson Bay, which is on the way back from Maho Bay/Mullet Bay. It opens to let big yachts pass through and brings traffic to a standstill at those times. Depending on how many ships are docked, you could run into some major delays. The schedule can vary but the usual problem time is in late afternoon so we usually try to head back to the ship by 3pm, at the latest, to be back on board by 5pm. Whether you rent a car, take a cab or take the bus....keep this issue in mind!

ATTRACTIONS /EXCURSIONS

I have tried to provide an overview of available attractions and excursions on St. Martin/Sint Maarten. This is not intended to be a personal recommendation of these companies (unless otherwise stated). My goal is simply to list the most popular excursions and outings that I have come across in my research and to provide a link for you to get more information for any item that you may be interested in.

Loterie Farm Treetop Adventure – http://www.loteriefarm.net/ . This is an aerial obstacle course and zipline adventure. It also has a couple restaurants and hiking facilities.

The Butterfly Farm – http://www.thebutterflyfarm.com/ . This is a large attraction filled with hundreds of species of butterflies. You can feed them and they will land on your hands. Entrance fee $12pp.

Lord Sheffield's Tall Ship Adventures - http://www.stmaarten-shoretrips.com/lordsheffield/

Captain Morgan's Day Charters - http://www.captainmorgan-daycharters.com/. Spend a delightful time sailing on a 65 ft schooner.

Rhino Riders - http://www.atlantisadventures.com/stmartin/rhino-rider-double/. Captain your very own 10 foot inflatable motor boat.

Bayside Riding Club - http://www.baysideridingclub.com/. Horseback riding on the beach. There is another stable on the island however, reviews have stated that they appear to put a priority on cruise tours and if you arrange this one on your own, you may be left waiting while cruise tours go first.

Segway's on the Boardwalk - There is a stand on the boardwalk where you can book a segway tour or you can email 's.duinkerk@hotmail.com to make a reservation in advance. $60 for an hour and 15 minutes or $30 for a half hour.

America's Cup Yacht Racing - http://www.12metre.com/ - race an America's Cup yacht in a recreation of the famous yacht race. This excursion can be a lot of work as guests are responsible for certain tasks associated with racing the yacht. If you do this, you will not get to relax or enjoy the scenery very much. I believe you can just choose to be a viewer as well but you should check this out if you don't want to work very hard. A great excursion for those who love to get active and feel the wind in their hair.

Enjoy all there is to enjoy on this beautiful island!!