Princess Juliana Airport, Netherlands

From series “The Most Dangerous Runways in the World”

10 out of 14 - Gibraltar Airport, United Kingdom

11 out of 14 - Matekane Airport, Lesotho

12 out of 14 - Princess Juliana Airport, Netherlands

14 out of 14 - Don Muang Airport, Thailand

Year: 1944. Lenght: 2 300 meters.

Princess Juliana Airport is thanks to the unique location of one of the most famous airports in the world. It is located on the San Martin Island and borders on the popular Macho Beach. In reality, the airport's runway starts behind the beach, so the landing aircraft fly literally a few meters above the heads of the holidaymakers. One can only guess for whom - tourists or pilots - these dangerous maneuvers are more exhausting.

The first airport was built on the Caribbean island during the Second World War. It is obvious that there was no busy beach next door. The complexity of the departure and the landing in the dangerous airport depends in many respects on the weather conditions. The airport was opened in 1944 and is called in honor of the Queen of the Netherlands Juliana. The length of the runway is 2 300 meters, which is a fairly small value for the large aircraft.

The fact that during the 70 years of the airport existence only two accidents have happened on its territory seems even more astonishing. This is why the numerous tourists are recovering on the beach and grazing on the huge aircraft flying above them. In 1970 the flight ALM Flight 980 crashed into the ocean. The plane could not land the first time on the coast, has made a few additional circles and completely consumed the fuel. This crash was the biggest in the history of the airport, costing 22 passengers of 57 passengers.

Next - Bangda Airport

Matekane Airport, Lesotho

Bangda Airport, China

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Princess Juliana Airport - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'RBTT ATM Machine' located in 1.4 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'Right Cars St Maarten' is located in 0.19 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'Shell Gas Station' in 1.29 km

Parking: 'Parking' in 1.58 km

Apotheek: 'Maho Pharmacy' in 1.2 km

Police station: 'Simpson Bay Police Station' in 1.6 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Zee Best Bakeshop' in 0.27 km

Nearest airports:
» L'Esperance Airport CCE - in 9 km

» St Barthelemy Airport SBH - in 160 km

» Vieques Airport VQS - in 251 km

» Fajardo Airport FAJ - in 271 km

» Luis Munoz Marin Airport SJU - in 308 km

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Cities nearby

» Guide to Saint Martin

» Cuisine & restaurants

» Traditions & mentality

» Culture & art

» Attractions & nightlife

» Tips for tourists

» Hotels in Saint Martin

» Car rent in Saint Martin

» Guide to Charlotte Amalie

» Hotels in Charlotte Amalie

» Car rent in Charlotte Amalie

Best hotels near Princess Juliana Airport

White Sand

Located in 0 km from Princess Juliana Airport
Route on the map:

Rooms: 6

The apartments offer a living and dining area. The kitchens are equipped with a fridge and stove, while the bathrooms come with a shower. Guests at … More: photo, rates and booking

Simpson Bay Resort & Marina

Located in 1 km from Princess Juliana Airport
Route on the map:

Rooms: 342

The rooms offer free Wi-Fi, seating area, and a fully equipped kitchen. Some rooms may have balconies with sea views. All rooms have air conditioning … More: photo, rates and booking

The Villages of Cupecoy

Located in 2 km from Princess Juliana Airport
Route on the map:

Rooms: 1

Each air-conditioned apartment at The Villages of Cupecoy comes with a large seating and dining area, as well as a cable TV, safety-deposit box and … More: photo, rates and booking

Porto Cupecoy

Located in 3 km from Princess Juliana Airport
Route on the map:

Rooms: 12

The air-conditioned villas at this modern, attractive property feature a seating area, a TV with satellite channels and a fully equipped kitchen. The … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

7 km - Happy Bay

From the series 'Top 15 Most Romantic Beaches on Earth'

The charming island of St. Martin, located in the Caribbean Sea, will also be an ideal place for a romantic getaway. On its coast there are many wonderful beaches, one of the most attractive among them is Happy Bay beach. This sandy crescent-shaped beach is safely …

31 km - Shell Beach

From the series 'Most Fabulous and Magic Beaches'

The Caribbean has always been associated with amazing scenery and incredibly beautiful beaches. One of the most magical places of the planet - Shell Beach - is located on the island of St. Bartholomew. As you can guess from the name, the main feature of this …

45 km - Juancho Yrausquin Airport

From the series 'The Most Dangerous Runways in the World'

Located on the Caribbean island of Saba, Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport is located on the coast. In contrast to the beach airports, however, it offers the asphalted runway on the aircraft. Despite the modern top layer of high quality, the only airport runway is the …

174 km - Saint John

From the series 'The Most Beautiful Islands on the Planet'

The island of Saint John, located in the Caribbean Sea, is popular with the active recreation and the unusual, picturesque holiday destinations. The tiny island is one of the American Virgin Islands and is the smallest of them. The surface area is 50.8 sq km. Despite …

176 km - Plymouth

From the series 'Abandoned Places of the Earth with Distinct Marks of Civilization'

The deserted city of Plymouth is situated on the Caribbean island of Montserrat that was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The story of the place is very tragic. The reason for its depopulation is an ecological disaster, which was caused by the eruption of …

194 km - Magens Bay

From the series 'Top 15 Most Romantic Beaches on Earth'

The Virgin Islands have long been popular among romantic holidaymakers and couples in love. One of the most romantic beaches of the archipelago is on the island of St. Thomas. With the Magens Bay Beach many interesting stories about pirates are connected. It has been …

Top destination around Princess Juliana Airport - Saint Martin

It is worth to stroll along the Republic Street, which is lined with beautiful buildings built in the Creole style. Dutch island's capital is the city of Philipsburg. The courthouse has remained its main attraction for many years. It was built in 1793; it is still standing in its original form. Given that the primary building material was wood, this fact is even more surprising.
Next to the courthouse is the Historical Museum, which introduces outstanding events in the island’s life and the culture of Aboriginal people. The museum exhibition is vast and varied; it may take several hours to get acknowledged with its exhibits. Several defensive structures have also survived in the Dutch capital. The Fort Amsterdam is an interesting object.

The ancient Fort Willem was completely destroyed; today there is a television tower on the site of its ruins. The island is famous for its outstanding natural attractions. Fans of eco-tourism will be interested in climbing to the highest point of St. Maartin - Paradise Peak mountain. Its height is 426 meters. The mountain offers a fabulously beautiful panoramic view of the island.
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