Happy Landing

- Jenny Southan

There can’t be many places in the world where you can sunbathe on a beach, drink a cold beer and watch a giant Air France A340 take off roaring just feet over your head. Sure, there are signs saying “danger of death” on the fence separating the road from the landing strip, but it doesn’t stop people standing there gazing up in awe. It’s not unusual for fully-grown adults to be thrown into the sea by the sheer force of the engines – just look on You Tube.

Half French, half Dutch, the 13-square-mile Caribbean island of Saint Martin (Sint Maarten in Dutch) is not particularly picturesque, there aren’t any cultural sights and the bars are outrageously tacky – at Maho Beach’s Sunset Bar and Grill, topless women drink for free. (Who cares about feminism when you can enjoy endless servings of Runway Rum Punch?)

But for a self-confessed “av geek” like me, the plane-spotting opportunities are all that matters. (Keep an eye out for superyachts, too – I spotted Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse moored offshore.)

Princess Juliana airport (SXM) was named after the princess of the Netherlands, who touched down in 1944, a year after it opened. From the US mainland, you can get here via Miami with American Airlines. Make sure you get a window seat. Onward connections from SXM can also be made to islands such as St. Barths with local carrier Winair, Antigua with Liat, or Curaçao with Insel Air.

While the all-inclusive Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino offers a prime position for observing low approaches, the classiest hotel is the five-star Belmond La Samanna, just over the border on the French side (the island is actually two countries). Set among cliff-top gardens, sand-dusted steps lead down to the pristine curve of Baie Longue. Take a paddle board out on the water, or retreat to the peace of a lounger farther along the shore.