Scam Alert: Massages at Baie Rouge Beach, St. Martin

by Anisa // 2 Comments

A beach massage sounds so nice, doesn’t it?  Especially when the price is only $50 for one hour.  I could go for a few massages, especially after our hike.

Pure relaxation, right? The potential is there, but we found that the masseuses at Baie Rouge Beach in St. Martin were taking advantage of beachgoers looking to relax.

We wanted to share our experience so that you can avoid the scam and enjoy your day at the beach.

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Baie Rouge is one of our favorite beaches in St. Martin -"Scam Alert: Massages at Baie Rouge Beach in St. Martin" - Two Traveling Texans
Baie Rouge is one of our favorite beaches in St. Martin

Our St. Maarten Beach Massage Experience

While I was enjoying the water, a lady approached Katherine on the beach.  First, she gave her a short sample massage and then they agreed to $50 for 1 hour.  The actual massage lasted a little more than 30 minutes.  When it ended, Katherine looked at the time and complained that it was not long enough, in a nice way. The masseuse gave her about 5 more minutes.  Rather than argue further Katherine went ahead and paid.

Then another masseuse approached me.  I negotiated with her and we agreed on $20 for 30 minutes.  After seeing what had happened with Katherine, I was not going to take any chances with her massages.  I set the timer on my phone for 30 minutes and showed it to her.

While I was getting my massage, Katherine saw the masseuse look at the timer.  That still didn’t help.  She stopped after 19 minutes and then wanted me to pay.  After a few minutes of arguing, I agreed to just pay her $15 for the shortened massage she gave me.

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I guess we should have known better if the price sounds too good to be true than it probably is!  Next time, I think I will have to go to a St. Martin’s spa if I need a Caribbean massage.

Our Thoughts on Baie Rouge Beach

In spite of the massage scam, we did really enjoy this beach.  It is a little off the beaten trail and usually not too crowded.  The water is beautiful (calm and clear) and you can go snorkeling over by the rocks.

You can find two beach bars that offer 2-for-1 happy hour drinks that are made with fresh fruit.    I would definitely go back to Baie Rouge again, but I would not even try to get a massage there!  In an upcoming post, we will tell you about more of our favorite beaches in St. Martin.

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Have you ever had any massages on the beach or tried any St. Maarten massage service? We would love to hear about your experience.  Hopefully, you did not have to deal with the same SXM massage issues that we did.

-Anisa

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Expert Tips for Baie Rouge Beach

  • Agree on the time and price of the massage on the beach in advance and set a timer to ensure you get what you are paying for.  Or skip the massage on the beach and head to a St. Martin day spa!
  • Visit Baie Rouge Beach during happy hour, when drinks are 2-for-1.
  • When you visit St. Martin, be sure to make time to see some of the other beaches and towns.
  • You could also do one of these day trips from St. Martin to see more beautiful beaches.

Last Updated on December 13, 2020

About the Author

Anisa is an experienced international traveler with extra pages in her passport and stamps from 41 different countries across 5 continents (and counting). She was born and raised in Texas. After a 13 year stint in NYC, she moved to England to live with her husband.

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