St. Martin/Maarten

[ScubaMarc]

if someone would explain the cab ride that is from the saba airport to the harbor would be helpful.

 

[seaseadee]

if someone would explain the cab ride that is from the saba airport to the harbor would be helpful.

Not much to explain. The dive shop you are arranging with can order you a cab at anytime. When I dove with Sea Saba they arranged to have me picked up from the airport. If I am not mistaken, they negotiated a flat rate with the driver that picked me up from the airport and dropped me back off. I decided that after my two tank dive I was going to try to take an earlier flight home and they just called the airport and told them to hold the plane I was on my way (it is a REALLY small island). I hope this helps.

 

[ScubaMarc]

Not much to explain. The dive shop you are arranging with can order you a cab at anytime. When I dove with Sea Saba they arranged to have me picked up from the airport. If I am not mistaken, they negotiated a flat rate with the driver that picked me up from the airport and dropped me back off. I decided that after my two tank dive I was going to try to take an earlier flight home and they just called the airport and told them to hold the plane I was on my way (it is a REALLY small island). I hope this helps.

Excuse me, I was thinking about how the airport is a 45 minute cab ride versus, the ferry which docs in the same marina as the dive boats. This ti me looks like the ferry ride is the same amount of time when you add the airport transfers and waiting.

 

[Nivek Llekots]

The plane leaves SXM much earlier than the ferry, at about 7:00 am as opposed to 9:00 am for the ferry, so even with the airport transfer (+/- 30 minutes) you have plenty of time to check in with the dive shop, have breakfast and still meet the boat for the first dive of the day at 9:00 am!

 

[jonhall]

I do not think that a plane ride to Saba, except if it is very very cheap, is worth the money.

A better alternative would be to go to St Barth. Ferries are going back and forth everyday and I am sure that they are pretty inexpensive and very fast ( less than an hour is my guess ).

There is a lot to do in Saint Barth, especially for women left alone with your golden crédit card, if you know what I mean .

Sounds like a few of you have quite a bit of experience taking a day trip/dive from SXM. What can you tell me about diving in St. Barths?

 

[Freewillow]

For me, the major advantage is that most dive places in Saint Barth are in a marine reserve that was created many years ago. So the corals and the life underwater is richer.

 

[Nivek Llekots]

Not done St. Barts yet but it's high on my "to do list" along with Anguilla. From what I've read and heard it's not as good as Saba and on a par with SXM, but I'll keep an open mind until I have first hand knowledge!

 

[Ulfhedinn]

I also highly recommend Octopus Diving in Grand Case.

 

[Nivek Llekots]

I'm diving with Octopus diving tomorrow, my first time on the French side of SXM, I'll let you know what I think!

 

[craigcap]

Thanks Nivek! Great write-up. Ironically we were talking about our next trip before Bonaire in March; needs to be in late Oct; want it to be close b/c we only have a week (Caribbean), and, we want a balance of a few dives but also bars, beaches, etc...so we chose to check out Saba for diving for a couple days, but spend most time in St. Martin and also dive a day or so there. You have confirmed my thoughts, thank you!