TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Crime on beaches

Traveling March 27. Haven’t seen any posts about crime on the island. I am especially wondering with so few people on the beaches, are there more petty thefts with so few “witnesses” on the beaches.

I haven’t heard of any increases and we certainly didn’t see any in December but if you are concerned about it, the simple answer is stick to the peopled beaches. As much as some want to experience the CO option, and not suggesting this is or isn’t the way you were thinking, but sticking to the more peopled beaches such as Orient and Cupecoy, or if the CO option is of little or no concern, Mullet and Simpson Bay beaches such as Mary’s Boon, Karakter and ElZafiro along with the Gran. Are beaches are great choices. Beach crime is generally a crime of opportunity and the more populated beaches offer less opportunity than say a Plum Baie or a Happy Bay and other less peopled locations.

We have just entered our 49th year of at least once annual SXM island trips and we have never had any Beachside issues or problems but in the past we most often were content to limit the majority of our beach time to Mullet.

caribfan--as Pat says, beach crime is most likely a crime of opportunity. If you're talking about petty theft only, I assume that you already know not to leave anything in your car at the beach (or anywhere else, for that matter!!). Also, unless you are going to be VERY protective of them and never leaving your chair, limit taking along any electronic 'toys'. And I also assume that you know that being on the beach after dark is also NOT a good idea. ...of course, one knows what happens when one 'assumes'..

Other than those general precautions, if you're talking about your physical safety, if it were ME, I might be somewhat careful about going to Happy Bay, for instance, unless you know that Dany is going to be there. For the other more populated beaches, I would not be concerned about physical safety during the day at all. Petty theft in general is a risk on any SXM beach, regardless of Irma, or Covid or whatever., always has been.

When we go to Happy Bay, we take $20, sunscreen, beach towels and our umbrella. We leave anything else of value at home.

Oh, and a cooler of course!!!

Exactly....$20 is my stop loss amount also

If you're going to take a walk down the beach then carry your money in your pocket. if you'd rather keep the money in a separate place then put it somewhere in your belongings where it would take a few steps to access, such as inside a wallet, which is inside your wife's purse, which itself is inside your beach bag. This would take too long for a thief to steal.

I can't think of a reason you would need your wallet kept anywhere when walking to/on an isolated beach. EVERYTHING I take is stuff that would not be an issue if I didn't have it for the ride back to the resort.

I should add, since Happy Bay was mentioned, We have been going over that hill to the beach for many years and never have had an issue with anyone....not saying I am lax...just relaying my experiences

sycamore--all the thief has to do is grab the beach bag and they're off...

And that is exactly how they do it. Grab and run.

Just curious as to how you rent chairs, buy drinks or food on $20.

Well....three of the four times we went to HB Chairs, drinks, and food were not available. The last time food and drinks were but no chairs.

We bring a spread out travel blanket thing and four towels and bring our own drinks (collapsible cooler) and go after early lunch so we don't need food. The 20 bucks is in case we want more drinks which is infrequent so it is usually unspent....thus why it is pointless for me to bring my wallet.

Got it, thanks.

We were referring to Happy Bay, and unlike Orient Beach, we don't rent anything when we go to Happy Bay.

Last time I was at Happy Bay (Aug 2019), there were just two people on the entire beach: Me at the far east end, and another person at the far west end. No crime, because there was nobody else there!

Just curious, since Happy Bay has been mentioned. Has Dany been at the beach these days? We missed our January trip and our great times on Happy Bay visiting with Dany.

The facility was open and I saw some people walking back with food but when I walked by I didn't see who was operating it....