Plane Spotting With a Cocktail: Happy Hour on the Deck

There is a particular hour on Sint Maarten when everyone looks up. Somewhere between three and six in the afternoon, the largest flights of the day line up over the water and drop toward the Princess Juliana runway, close enough that you can read the airline on the tail.

From the BethsAida deck, you don't have to crane your neck from a crowded beach to see it. You can settle into a chair, order something cold from the bar, and let the show come to you. The lagoon sits in the foreground, the runway just beyond, and the planes drift past at eye level as the light turns gold.

We've started opening the deck for a runway happy hour during those hours — and not only for guests. Anyone is welcome to come up, find a seat, and watch the afternoon arrivals with a drink. It is, we think, one of the best-value seats on the island: no ticket, no crowd, just the planes and the water and the end of the day.

If you're staying with us, it's a few steps from your room. If you're not, consider this your invitation. The planes don't wait, but the bar stays open well past the last one.