Dutch-side bay with sandy shallows and an adjacent lagoon, but riders must stay clear of the Princess Juliana Airport approach near Maho Beach.
Simpson Bay opens on the southwest coast of Sint Maarten, a wide sandy crescent backed by the Simpson Bay Lagoon — one of the largest enclosed lagoons in the Caribbean. The bay itself has good shallow sand-bottom riding water in its central and eastern sections, and the lagoon (accessed through the Simpson Bay bridge) provides reliably flat alternative water when the open bay is choppy. Watersport operators cluster along Kim Sha Beach and around the lagoon's southern shore. The operational note that matters most: Princess Juliana International Airport's runway 10 approach passes directly over the western end of Simpson Bay at Maho Beach, with arriving aircraft crossing the beach at very low altitude. Riders must stay east of Maho — well clear of the approach path and the airport's marine restricted zone. Trade winds blow easterly 12-18 knots and freshen December through April; mornings are calmest. Hurricane season June-November is a serious factor on St Maarten, which took catastrophic damage from Irma in 2017.
Open sandy bay on the Dutch southwest coast, with the Simpson Bay Lagoon directly inland providing alternative flat water. Princess Juliana approach path crosses the bay's western end.
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Palapa Marina-based Fliteboard partner running private eFoil lessons, rentals, and Awake/Seabob programs in Simpson Bay. Active across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok with regular content and adventure-tour bookings.