- Saint Martin Island is an island in the Caribbean, south of Puerto Rico in the northern part of the ridge of small islands of separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean.
If you look at the map, then the location of the islands of the Caribbean ridge resembles a bow taped by an arrow into an African continent.
Island Saint-Martin Interesting in that it was divided between France and Holland in 1648 and this peace section is the oldest treaty of this kind and still has force.
The northern part of the island is the overseas territory of France and is called respectively Saint Martin.
The southern part of the island is a self-governing state with significant autonomy, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is called Sint-Maarten.
The island is small: its area of \u200b\u200b83 sq. Km. The capital of the South, Dutch part of the island - Filipsburg - A large port, where cruise ships come daily, draw thousands of tourists traveling through the Islands of the Caribbean Sea.
And so that all the conditions in Philipsburg are created for them to go far for them: many restaurants, souvenir shops and shops with alcohol price Duty Free, casino and of course a lot of brothels.
Another difference of this part of the island is: here in the course of the American dollar and most tourists from North America: USA and Canada.
The population of this part of the island speaks English and 99% of him - Negros (people from Africa, delivered here at the time of slave trade).
French part of Saint Marten
The capital of the northern (greater) part of the island speaks French and is the overseas territory of France.
Capital - city Marigo (Marigot).
The difference in time with Moscow to Saint Martin minus 8 hours
Mobile Internet 3G With Train Simok on Saint Martin does not work, although cellular communication is available: its own network on the Dutch side and the French network on the northern part of the island. He helps free Wi-Fi cafes on the beach and disabled Internet in cities.
How to get to Saint-Martin Island from Europe
Saint-Martin how to get
You can get to the island from Europe by purchasing tickets from Paris by Airfrance or Air Caraibes.
KLM flies from Amsterdam.
Both the French and Hollad arrive at one airport - he is general on Saint-Martin.
It so happened that the forum laid out news: I took advantage of this idea and bought two tickets from Paris to Saint-Martin for 621 euros by the Company Air Caraibes..
After that, it remained to find cheap tickets from Moscow to Paris (as you understand, it did not work up using the service on the forum) and make a visa just like ordinary French Schengen.
Visa of the overseas territory of France
A questionnaire from the site of the French visa center in Moscow is printed, a photo on a gray background is made, there are copies of tickets for Saint-Martin, a hotel reservation on Saint Martine, a certificate of work with an indication of the salary and printing or an extract from a bank account for a couple of past months to The embassy understood that you were not a holoner.
The visa is made 3 working days.
For those who have a Schengen multi-visa -
So: there are tickets, there is a visa, a hotel reservation for the first 2 days there is. Filty!
Air Caraibes Airline Review
Beaches on Saint-Marten
I wrote about the beaches in a separate article, which is called.
In times of great geographical discoveries, many European countries have acquired overseas territories and colonies. Some colonies in consequences have achieved independence, but there are such places that still have "under the wing" (remember this phrase, it will take a little later) Europeans.
So happened to Saint-Martin Island. This small plot of sushi in the beautiful Caribbean Sea was divided into france and the Netherlands. And practically in half. The northern part of the island is the ownership of France, south, respectively, belongs to the Netherlands. The name of the island by the French and the Dutch is pronounced slightly different. Saint-Martin at the French and Sint Marten at the Dutch. Translated and the other means "Island of St. Martin".
The island itself, we still do not touch, we will only pay attention to the one part that belongs to the Netherlands, or rather on the west coast of this part. It is here that one of the most dangerous planet airports and one of the most dangerous beaches of the world. This is the airport of Princess Juliana and the beach Macho, which is located right at the start of the runway.
That's the Beach Macho and attracted our (and not only our) attention. It is located, as we said, in the western part of the island a little north of Berjo Bay.
Beach Macho on the map
- Geographic coordinates 18.039228, -63.120539
- Distance from the capital of the Netherlands about 7000 km
- Nearest airport through the beach fence
What is the famous beach maho?
The beach itself is unlikely to cause stormy emotions. It is only 300 meters of sandy coast up to 20 meters wide. But here is his southern half ... Also does not cause any adrenaline, while the giant passenger liner of the Boeing type 767 or Euerbas A320 will not fall over your head at the height of the entire pair of tens of meters. And the plane over the beach can fly at any time of the day and night. As you understand, flying over the beach planes, this is not an attraction for tourists. Flying a small beach, the plane sits literally for his fence.
Here and recall the phrase "under the wing". Tourists, basking in the sand, are literally "under the wing" of aircraft who are landing or take off over the beach of Macho.
The beach and the beginning of the landing band shares the road and barrage from the grid. The airport, which is immediately behind the beach has a rather limited strip of only 2300 meters long and ends with a lagoon simpson. This is a rather short segment for large aircraft. In addition, the runway from the north and the east is limited to the lagoon Simpson, and from the south of the same name with the lagoon bay.
It turns out such a narrow tie, surrounded by water to which the aircraft should be hit. He has to decline as much as possible to land at the very beginning of the strip. Therefore, airplanes fly over the beach, almost clinging to the head of tourists' heads, and therefore the airport is considered extremely difficult to piloting.
Maho Beach and Spotter
Naturally see the sitting or bleaching plane over the beach, and even at almost an elongated arm, the dream of many extremals. They are also called spotters. These are those people who like to watch the aircraft. And the beach is Maho, it is impossible to suit it better for this.
Here you can practically scratch the abdomen of the landing aircraft (well, if you jump well). Of course, this is a joke, the authorities do not greatly welcome such an occupation. Everywhere in the area of \u200b\u200bthe beach, warning warns of the danger of signs that few people stop are raised.
There are such signs all over the beach, but it does not stop anyone Near the beach there is a famous cafe Sunset Bar and Grill. Here, until August 2015, a loudspeaker was installed, which warned about the regime of aircraft. On the beach you can see the information boards, where the schedule of planting and attacks of aircraft is written.
At all offended tourists there is the same entertainment, something like "stand up the reactive jet". This is when a group of people tries to get under the action of a strong flow from the take-off aircraft and trying to resist. Someone turns out, and someone falls down, because the flow rate can reach 160 km / h.
We, as well-minded people, warn you as sensible people, in no case try to repeat it. Games with death to good will not bring. In addition, the brighter confirmation was already. July 12, 2017, when Caribbean Airlines flights flew from Juliana's princess airport, a 57-year-old tourist from New Zealand died. The reactive jet from the aircraft with its stream strongly dropped the woman to concrete, as a result of which she died. Still, no wonder the warning inscriptions hang on the beach.
Relax on the beach Maho, swim in the Lask Caribbean Sea and sunbathe in the sand in the usual understanding of the beach holiday you can hardly come out. But tickle the nerves and get a slaughter dose of adrenaline exactly.
For a classic beach holiday, go to the island of San Salvador. It is located 1350 km northwest. Well, if finances allow, then on the island of Laukala, located on another edge of light at 13,000 kilometers from Saint Marten.
- The beach is popular not only among the lovers of Selfie against the background of a sad aircraft, but also in windsurfers and skinborcils due to periodically appearing here for large waves caused by reactive flows from the heating aircraft
- The beach is completely deprived of the plant world, since this territory is subjected to constant influence of jet flows from aircraft
- In October 2008, Hurricane Omar from the beach demolished all the sand, leaving only naked stones. The authorities had to deliver sand from other places and fall asleep the beach again
- In September 2017, the Hurricane Irma has experienced the beach of Maho not durability
Beach maho photo
Beach Macho Video
The famous leading program "Eagle and Rusk" Anton Ptushkin in this video will show you that it is a beach with airplanes over the heads.
Saint-Martin Island (some use Sint Martin's name) and his airport are located in the Caribbean Sea, which is one of the most popular tourist regions of the world. Development potential is almost every island, which can be reached by comfort. There are two main ways to solve passenger delivery: ship or aircraft.
Sea and ocean cruises create a significantly smaller part of the flow of tourists compared to air transport. But the cost and complexity of air harbore infrastructure is significantly higher and sometimes requires non-standard solutions from engineers and architects.
The Island of St. Martin from the Small Antilles Archipelago has one of the most interesting airports in the world (enters the top 10 by risk rating, according to Reuters). He also plays a large role in the transportation of nearby territories: Sint-Eustausa, Saba, Saint-Bartelemy and Anguily.
Princess Juliana Airport (full official name) has the ability to make even large aircraft class Boeing 747, although the landing strip with a normal width of 45 m at its length is only 2300 m, which is an extremely valid value for some types of liners. In this regard, the rise and landing passing on Glissage 3 ° is considered the most dangerous in the Caribbean region.
The start of construction of the airport laid the construction of a military air base back in 1942. Although already in 1943 due to the lack of hostilities in the region during World War II, it was transformed into civilian. After 1964, it was reconstructed, a new dispatching tower and terminal appeared. After 1985, it was modernized, so it began to be able to take the long-haul classes of aircraft and fully comply with the high development of tourism on Sint-Marten.
Rooms of air harbor
Here you can talk about a variety of factors.
The island has a relatively small area - only 87 km², with prevailing hilly relief and tropical thickets.
The island is divided by different states: the Northern part is the France Saint-Martin Overseas Community, the South Part - an autonomous formation of Sint Martin, subordinate to the Netherlands Corn.
Only after 1994 a Franco-Dutch Protocol on Border Control was signed. The landing strip is resting in the beach maho in the west of the Dutch part. Landing aircraft and their takeoffs occur right above the heads of tourists in 10-20 m above the surface.
Spectacular photos and video with airplanes bring the incredible popularity of Princess Julian among other airports in the world. Nearby there are several cafes and hotels that specialize in the very famous form of the island. The beach has a loudspeaker, which reports on landing aircraft, and broadcasts dispatcher and crew negotiations.
In the central part of Macho, the wind speed can reach 180 km / h, which can be very dangerous and even mortally for a person, but it does not stop curious tourists who try to make bright photos and shoot video with air liners.
In 2012, the famous photographer Joseph Heflener published black and white spotlights from the surroundings of the airport, including them in the book "Jet Liner: Complete Work Collection."
Infrastructure
The throughput, thus, is up to 30 flights per hour.
The dispatching service also provides control over other small airports of this zone: Clayton J. Lloyd, L'Espérance, Gustaf III. Terminal area of \u200b\u200b30,500 m² can serve up to 2,500,000 passengers per year. In the entire history of the work of the airport, not a single catastrophe was recorded, although this runway is considered one of the most difficult for carriages of liners and dispatch services.
Photo and video from Sint Martin Airport
View of Sint Martin Island
It looks like Princess Julian Airport
In this regard, the rise and landing passing on Glissage 3 ° is considered the most dangerous in the Caribbean region.
Running strip of airport princess Juliana
The landing strip is resting in the beach maho in the west of the Dutch part. Landing aircraft and their takeoffs occur right above the heads of tourists in 10-20 m above the surface.
Runway
The location and relief of the island of Sint Martin did not assume the construction of a full-fledged runway. Therefore, a decision was made to build a minimally permissible strip for long-haul liners (for example, 747). The width has been brought to 45 m. Radar systems provide a range of up to 460 km.
The throughput, thus, is up to 30 flights per hour. The dispatching service also provides control over other small airports of this zone: Clayton J. Lloyd, L'Espérance, Gustaf III. Terminal area of \u200b\u200b30,500 m² can serve up to 2,500,000 passengers per year. In the entire history of the work of the airport, not a single catastrophe was recorded, although this runway is considered one of the most difficult for carriages of liners and dispatch services.
"Post from the Past": Maho Beach Beach on the island of San Martin is famous for the fact that many people run on it not for swimming, but to see the landing of the aircraft. Photographer Thomas Prior went to Caribbean and tried to transfer chaos on this beach in close proximity to the international airport. It is difficult to believe in the authenticity of the pictures of giant liners flying at an altitude of 10-20 meters above the sunburning tourists, however, they are real.
(Total 13 photos)
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1) Princess International Airport Juliana serves Sint Martin, the Dutch part of Saint-Martin Island. This is the second airport workload in the East Caribbean. Therefore, beachheads on Maho Beach have not sweet.
2) The beach is just an ideal place for a detailed viewing of low flying aircraft, although this delivers some inconvenience when bathing and obtaining sunbathing.
3) to shoot under such conditions more than difficult, and the sand, clutching climbing when landing, is not the best "companion" for optics.
4) Despite the complex conditions of take-off and landing, no accident in this has not yet been fixed.
5) Some beachheads specifically tick their nerves, standing under the "belly" of landing airliners.
6) It is dangerous: the jet of the engine can hurt or even kill. This warns the entrance poster.
7) airliners and small planes, entering the landing, fly so low that it seems that they are about to run if not vacationing, then umbrellas or roof of one of the local bars.
8) Macho Beach is so popular among aircraft lovers, which is hanging on flights from the airport in local bars. And in one of them there is even a speaker that broadcasts negotiations between pilots and dispatchers.
9) Owners of local food institutions are well covered: many tourists have a desire to drink something stronger from an impressive spectacle.
10) The buzz when landing airliners is unimaginable, but it does not scatter tourists.
11) In a couple of minutes, carefree rest is replaced by the atmosphere of chaos, and the beach covers the real rampage of the elements.
12) Airport runway and takes only 2180 meters. Such a length is barely enough to carry out maneuver and aircraft, you have to fly at a minimum height.
13) The beach also has an information board, on which the time of the airliner span is described in detail.
