Dawn Beach
Dawn Beach
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A popular tourist beach on the island's east coast.
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61 within 6 miles
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- Makeda E1 contributionDawn Beach ResortIt was my first time visiting St. Maarten with a few family members and we stayed at Dawn Beach for the week. The 3 bedroom apartment/condo was modern decorated and extremely cute! There was a bit of a musty dirty mop smell when we first got there. but we sprayed the place well that one day and we were good after that. The staff was nothing short of amazing! Everyone was extremely friendly we started calling them family when we interacted with them. Janice worked the front desk and was extremely accommodating. It was 5 of us and we all feel the same. All the staff were great! Shout out to Rodney also who worked in the bar area!! The resort itself had some construction going on, but we had so much fun at the pool we barely noticed. I would absolutely return!!Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 10, 2023
- travellingcanucks23Ottawa, Canada31 contributionsFavorite beach in St. MartinLove Dawn Beach. It’s the perfect balance of clear blue ocean, white sand and not too many people. We didn’t stay at one of the resorts on the beach (rather we rented a house) but Junior kept us comfortable with beach chairs and umbrellas for a reasonable price.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 17, 2024
- Mark EMaryland69 contributionsGreat Beach, Reef and Snorkeling with Hawksbill Turtle ObservedWhile staying at Oyster Bay Beach Resort I found the beach conditions varied significantly over two weeks due to winds and Sargassum. Water clarity became poor when wind speeds were high. When sargassum grass and high winds are present I would lower my rating from 4 stars to 1 star. At one time, the coral reefs located off this beach must have been magnificent, however due to past storms, temperatures, and coral diseases more than 90 percent of the reefs are dead. Skeletons of the former Elkhorn Coral remain. Live coral such as Smooth Flower Coral, Maze Coral, Lobed Star Coral, Pillar Coral, Great Star Coral, Common Sea fan, Bent Sea Rod and various sponges are recovering on the reef now. Fish such as Grunts, snappers, parrotfish, Sergeant Major and Wrasses are present. Much to my surprise, I observed and photographed a female Hawksbill Turtle on May 14, 2024. I have never seen a Hawksbill Turtle before in St. Maarten, and couldn't help myself from showing everyone and anyone my photos of the turtle. You do not need to be staying at the resorts to enjoy this. All beaches on the island are open to the public. Parking is available along the entrance road into OBBR, near the Big Fish GrillVisited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.0
529 reviews
Excellent
189
Very good
163
Average
102
Poor
53
Terrible
22
Olyvur
Toronto, Canada2 contributions
Jan 2023
Let's make something clear here, The Dawn Beach Club is NOT part of The Westin Dawn Beach Hotel which is located next door. The Dawn Beach Club is primarily a time share that currently has an agreement with The Westin to allow the guests to use their facilities such as the pool and beach, thats it! The Westin will not help you with anything else unless you are a paying guest. Basically when you break it down, The Dawn Beach Club is only a bunch of rooms, it has virtually no facilities of its own. On top of this, the Club is located in the middle of nowhere which means you 100% need a car to get around otherwise you are totally stuck. The staff at the Club are mediocre at best. The staff at the Westin are great until they find out you are from the beach club next door......then they are not so great. Keep in mind if you are planning on booking at this way over priced club . BTW The Westin Casino is really good!
Written February 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Makeda E
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
It was my first time visiting St. Maarten with a few family members and we stayed at Dawn Beach for the week. The 3 bedroom apartment/condo was modern decorated and extremely cute! There was a bit of a musty dirty mop smell when we first got there. but we sprayed the place well that one day and we were good after that. The staff was nothing short of amazing! Everyone was extremely friendly we started calling them family when we interacted with them. Janice worked the front desk and was extremely accommodating. It was 5 of us and we all feel the same. All the staff were great! Shout out to Rodney also who worked in the bar area!! The resort itself had some construction going on, but we had so much fun at the pool we barely noticed. I would absolutely return!!
Written October 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travellingcanucks23
Ottawa, Canada31 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Love Dawn Beach. It’s the perfect balance of clear blue ocean, white sand and not too many people. We didn’t stay at one of the resorts on the beach (rather we rented a house) but Junior kept us comfortable with beach chairs and umbrellas for a reasonable price.
Written March 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alyssex
Berlin, Germany7 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Hurricane Irma has done severe damage to this eastern part of StMartin. If you do end up at Oyster Pond, please be advised you will need a car to go somewhere else from your hotel. I can recommend Hotel Columbus with individual apartments, a nice pool and lovely manager.( Delphine) But nothing’s going on there so get a car. For groceries you can go to a French bakery around the bend called Bread and Butter. Fantastic selection of imported French delicacies and wines. Fresh baguettes daily. Letizia will serve you in English or French with a friendly attitude.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DebKBIMC
Phoenix, AZ16 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
This beach is vastly overrated. It’s in front of the JW Marriott so in order to access it you need to walk around the property. The parking lot ( if you could call it that) was a gravel lot with lots of trash and debris and only about 3 spaces. We parked and walked down to the beach. It was windy with off and on rain so probably not the best day to judge but it was very choppy waters. The drive in was also very steep roads. With so many beautiful beaches on the island I would put this one at the bottom of my list.
Written June 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark E
Maryland69 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
While staying at Oyster Bay Beach Resort I found the beach conditions varied significantly over two weeks due to winds and Sargassum. Water clarity became poor when wind speeds were high. When sargassum grass and high winds are present I would lower my rating from 4 stars to 1 star. At one time, the coral reefs located off this beach must have been magnificent, however due to past storms, temperatures, and coral diseases more than 90 percent of the reefs are dead. Skeletons of the former Elkhorn Coral remain. Live coral such as Smooth Flower Coral, Maze Coral, Lobed Star Coral, Pillar Coral, Great Star Coral, Common Sea fan, Bent Sea Rod and various sponges are recovering on the reef now. Fish such as Grunts, snappers, parrotfish, Sergeant Major and Wrasses are present. Much to my surprise, I observed and photographed a female Hawksbill Turtle on May 14, 2024. I have never seen a Hawksbill Turtle before in St. Maarten, and couldn't help myself from showing everyone and anyone my photos of the turtle. You do not need to be staying at the resorts to enjoy this. All beaches on the island are open to the public. Parking is available along the entrance road into OBBR, near the Big Fish Grill
Written May 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PekingDuck
Peaks Island, ME95 contributions
Dawn Beach has pretty good waves for surfing. Our kids stayed in the water for hours. There are a fair number of pebbles just offshore so surf shoes are a good idea. Scavanger's Beach bar had great ribs priced right. There is some snorkling off the beach but the surf makes it a little tough for young kids.
Written April 23, 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen B
Canton, MA36 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Since hurricane - nothing there! Just a beach- very windy. No place to eat. No rest rooms. Nada!!! Don’t go!!!
Written March 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen W
Brisbane Region, Australia2,182 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
The white sandy beach is very nice, a lovely part of the world. Great swimming, snorkelling, shops very relaxing and quaint place, was only here for a day but also some great shopping in Philipsburg.
Written February 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karen1monger
Norwich, CT, USA196 contributions
We arrived early and ate at Mr Busby's for breakfast--very good breakfast. We then decided to stay at the beach for a while and were offered complimentary chairs and umbrella for eating at the restaurant. Super deal. Other chairs and umbrellas were available for a fee of 10$. Nice easterly views.
Surf was average, sand was wonderfully soft, a bit steep entry to the sea. All was going well until 10:00am when the cruise ship hoardes showed up en masse. Scores of people poured onto the beach and behaved badly, so we upped and tried to leave. We were attacked by people who realized we were vacating our chairs. We were also harassed numerous times by numerous people about hair braiding.
To find the beach, turn into a very steep driveway, following the signs for Mr Busbys restaurant. Park across from the restaurant on the bay side, there are about 8 available parking spaces. Walk through the restaurant, order a drink or breakfast/lunch and then stay at the free chairs. Or just walk next to the restaurant and pay for chairs along the beach.
Surf was average, sand was wonderfully soft, a bit steep entry to the sea. All was going well until 10:00am when the cruise ship hoardes showed up en masse. Scores of people poured onto the beach and behaved badly, so we upped and tried to leave. We were attacked by people who realized we were vacating our chairs. We were also harassed numerous times by numerous people about hair braiding.
To find the beach, turn into a very steep driveway, following the signs for Mr Busbys restaurant. Park across from the restaurant on the bay side, there are about 8 available parking spaces. Walk through the restaurant, order a drink or breakfast/lunch and then stay at the free chairs. Or just walk next to the restaurant and pay for chairs along the beach.
Written December 25, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Olyvur- You mention the Westin casino in your post, wihich is odd, because the Westin Hotel is not open until 2024 from earlier storm damage several years ago. The casino is not open as of April 2023 based on our visit to the property..
Your comments about the Vacation Club are helpful because they re-opened in 2022, we attended a sales presentation there in 2022.. I found the dales professional was somewhat evasive about the ownership of the Vacation Club buildings going forward.. Suffice to say the parent owner of those buildings was murky in 2022. It is called now The Dawn Beach Vacation Club....no mention or affiliation with either Westin or Marriott.
We were told the hotel portion is to be opened in 2024 as a Marriott branded property. Why the name change is unknown since Westin has been under the Marriott group for several years..
The reconstruction of the hotel was well along. The outside hotel pool area iis fully functional and is available to the former Westin Vacaton Club owners nearby under their prior ownership agreement. as a the Westin Vacation Club.
Simon
Written April 12, 2023
Hi, I have never been to St Maartin and will be arriving in August and staying at Dawn Beach Club with my 25 year old son, 26 year old son and my husband. We have a 3br unit. Just wondering if anyone has been there in 2021 and can give some info regarding the beach, things to do, snorkeling, do I need to rent a car?
Thanks!
Written May 18, 2021
We were at Dawn Beach 3 years ago and loved it. We sat by Busby's Beach Bar. Is the beach back in good condition? All other reviews are a year old. I heard Busby's was gone but was wondering if the lounge chairs and umbrellas were still being offered. Thank you for any information you can offer.
Written February 8, 2020
Andrew B
Worcester, Pennsylvania
No, the beach got hit by Irma if you heard that then another that I forget the name of. They are working very hard to get everything back together but sadly, Busbys and Daniels by the Sea will probably not be coming back. There might be beach chairs and umbrellas that you can rent from the hotel but other than that I don't know. Also, I don't know if the seaweed is bad because my popop or any other family hasn't been there in almost one year. Hope this helped.
Written April 1, 2020
Does anyone have a recent update as to the current condition of this beach?
Written March 4, 2019
Andrew B
Worcester, Pennsylvania
The Great House and Buzbys/ Daniels by the Sea are both gone and they were the main attractions for dawn Beach. I haven't been there since the Hurricane but I am pretty sure the seaweed is still not the best.
Written December 9, 2019
How much is a taxi (for 2) to Dawn Beach from the cruise pier ? Where do you get the taxi from? We will be going in Feb.Thanks so much.
Written January 12, 2017
Arriving by cruise next week. What are the current snorkeling/swimming/seaweed conditions at Dawn Beach now. Thanks in advance.
Written January 10, 2016
We will be arriving on the Disney cruise line Nov 24th. 8:00 - 6:30. My sons would like to snorkel and see Moho beach. Do you stop at Moho to,go ashore for awhile? Also, I just had a back fusion and I am concerned with the waves on the boat. How calm,rough is the ride?
Written November 10, 2015
Given the bad back and time / distance concerns with cruse ships, I'd go to Mullet for snorkeling. You could get a rental car or cab there for an affordable amount. It's maybe 20 minutes from the cruse terminal. There are 2 local restaurants right on Mullet with chairs and umbrellas. The snorkeling is along the right edge of the beach and is generally an easy swim.
Maho is interesting for about 30 minutes. Go in the noon - 3:30 time frame if you can. Most of the big planes come and go in that span. The beach is small, rocky and get pelted with sand and grit with each take off.... but that's why you're there, and to watch the fools get blown off the fence.
Pinel is very nice if you have the time. Once you get there, the local ferry departs every 30 minutes or so based on the crowd. The water is calm and it's a 10 minute put-put across. The snorkeling, particularly along the channel by Karibuni is very good. Not so much so in the protected area by Yellow Fin.
If you have a bad back, I would not recommend any of the boat based tours. Regardless the weather, or the side of the island, it can be bouncy and the boats go at a good clip to save transit time and get you on the snorkeling as quick as they can. No need. Good food, beach and snorkeling is available from the shore.
Dawn Beach is to be avoided for now. While the reefs are good to snorkel, the sea weed is terrible.
Written November 11, 2015
Is it ever possible to snorkel at Dawn Beach?
Better at high tide??
Best entry point?
Written January 15, 2015
Snorkeling at Dawn Beach is possible. First time we were there was in August of 2013. Water was very calm, not windy at all. Went over Christmas 2015 and could not snorkel. The water was very rough with huge waves. For snorkeling I would suggest Captain Allens located on the grounds of Oyster Bay Beach resort. Lots of trips, very cool. With this jaunt you can see giant sea turtles, along with tropical fish.
Written January 8, 2016
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