Maho Beach is popular with windsurfers because of large waves caused by the planes' close approach.
The beach contains a popular resort and several beach bars.
Thrill-seeking people are heading to a beach on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, where Boeing 747s fly so low that they darken the skies. A perfect and unique way to start your day in St. Maarten, without coffee.
Because of Maho Beach's close proximity to Princess Juliana International Airport, airplanes must fly at a minimal altitude in order to touch down on the short runways.
A plane approaches low over the ocean.
A Continental jet approaches over the beach.
Incredible low approach of a Boeing 747 on the tiny island of St. Maarten thrilling adventurous tourists on Maho Beach.
Maho Beach is a beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten. It is famous for the Princess Juliana International Airport adjacent to the beach.
Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of runway 10 due to the short runway length of 2,180 metres/7,152 ft, resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at minimal altitude.
Due to the unique proximity of low flying airliners, the location is very popular with plane spotters. This is one of the few places in the world where aircraft can be viewed in their flightpath just outside the end of the runway. Watching airliners pass over the beach is such a popular activity that daily arrivals and departures airline timetables are displayed on a board in most bars and restaurants on the beach, and the Sunset Beach Bar and Grill has a speaker on its outside deck that broadcasts the radio transmissions between pilots and the airport's control tower.
There is a danger of people standing on the beach being blown into the water because of the jet blast from aircraft taking off from runway 10. The local government warns that closely approaching and departing aircraft can "result in serious injury and/or death." An additional fence has been added recently behind runway 10 to prevent irresponsible tourists from hanging on to the main fence surrounding the runway to be blasted by the jet flow.
Sign warning passers-by about the risks of jet blast.
The beach itself is white sand and has little or no vegetation because of jet blast erosion. The Caravanserai Resort, the popular Sunset Beach Bar and other restaurants/night clubs such as Bamboo Bernies and Bliss are located nearby. The beach is popular with windsurfers and skimboarders because of occasional large waves.
