Rockland Estate: Schooner Ride, Sentry Hill Zipline & Flying Dutchman

4 of us took the 30 min ride to the top enjoying the scenery. Only 2 of us zipped down! Lol The staff was very friendly and pleasant. Having a bar at the top is great perk to quench your thirst and calm your nerves. I will definitely do it again when I visit the island.

I found an advertisement for the business on one of the pages of the fold out road map that I picked up at the counter while waiting for my rental car.

My spouse and I bought tickets which covered all 3 offered rides, which cost $139 per person. Having no previous experience with rides of this nature we wanted to try everything out and later we could make a return visit to enjoy the ones that we really, really enjoyed.

Rainforest Adventures located just a short way down L. B. Scott Road, just off the Bush Road roundabout. It is located on the left hand side. Initially we drove past it as I didn’t see any signage and saw the parking lot and entrance building only after we passed it. There was a sign for Emilio’s restaurant, which is located within the property, so for reference to anyone planning to visit, and for our return, I now know what signage to look out for. Just beyond the large gravel parking lot is the ticket building and restrooms.

Once you have purchased your ticket(s), an attendant puts a wrist band on your arm. I’m not certain, but I believe they are color coded as to what type of ticket you purchased. Past the entrance, on the grounds, there is a museum building located straight ahead and off to the right is Emilio’s bar/restaurant and just behind that is located the gift shop and a second set of restrooms. NOTE: They do NOT accept American Express if you are going to charge your tickets! Thankfully, I left my VISA card in the wallet as a back up credit card.

Beyond that is where you will get on to the Soualiga Sky Explorer, which is the chair lift that takes you to all of the different rides. The first stop off is for the Schooner. The inner tubes are very large (40” diameter) and very durable. The track can best be described as being composed of bristles on which the tube rides on. Think of looking at the brush end of a sweeping broom with all of those stiff nylon bristles and that is exactly what the track surface looks like. The ride was not bad. It goes quickly and in my case, most of the ride was spent looking backwards, not forward. Not much you can do about that while sitting crossed legged with legs and feet inside the tube, as the heaviest end of the inner tube will lead the way. You can have your backpack with you as you go on this ride. You get two turns at going on the Schooner. Personally, there really wasn’t any ‘wow’ factor with me on this ride. I think young children who fit the size criteria will get a thrill of going down the winding and banked track and that they can do it twice!

After the Schooner comes the Sentry Hill zipline. Get back onto the chair lift and ride further up to where that ride is located. When you get off the chair lift, you will be asked to leave behind all backpacks, etc... and there are lockers for storing them. Once that is done, crew members help each guest get into their harness and headgear. Guests are handed disposable hairnets to be worn for this ride and the Flying Dutchman ride, to be put on before helmets are put on. Once all of your gear is on and fastened, you are directed to walk up a short run of steps to the first of four zipline segments that you will ride on. We found ourselves mixed in with German tourists from the cruise ship that was in port today and many of them had GoPro cameras attached to their helmets, so if you have one of those, bring it with to record your rides. Each of the four zipline segments have a pair of ziplines so that couples can go together. The segments travel at different heights between two sides of different mountain peaks with fanstatic views of either the Simpson Bay/SXM airport/Cupecoy areas on one side or Great Bay/Philipsburg areas on the other side, depending on which way you look.

Once you are finished with the zipline, you can retrieve your backpacks, turn in your harness gear, hang onto your hairnet (shove it in your pocket) and proceed back onto the chair lift to the top and the Flying Dutchman ride.

When you get off the chair lift, an employee will hand out numbered tickets which will eventually be called out over the loudspeaker for those riders to head to the ride platform. Once you have been given your ticket, there is a very large observation walkway which opens out into a few directions, offering incredibly gorgeous 360 degree views. Initially we had just 5 minutes to try and get some photos taken before we heard our numbers being called to get in line for the ride. Not to worry as we found out from an employee in the gift shop after we finished that as long as you have your wristband on, guests can ride up and down the entire length of the chair lift to go back and take photographs, for the day of your visit, until the business closes, which happened to be 3:00 PM on this day. There is a bar located at the top where drinks, beer, sodas can be purchased and another viewing area with just incredible views where photos can be taken. When your ticket number is called, head to the platform area and watch as other riders are strapped in to their chairs and waiting to be launched down the mountainside. There are four ziplines for this ride. You travel just over 1,000 ft. in length when you reach the bottom. You will be traveling on the steepest zipline in the world. Not generally being a fan of heights or being strapped into a chair that’s attached to cabling, I had some minor butterflies when I started the visit, but they disappeared after the first zipline segment of the Sentry Hill ride and when it came time to get strapped in for the Flying Dutchman, I was so looking forward to the rush of it. It didn’t disappoint me at all!

Pictures are taken from fixed cameras along the rides and can be purchased in the gift shop. What was nice about this experience was that you could have your photo(s) printed to take with you or emailed. First photo is $15 and each after is $10. I chose to have ours emailed and they look great!

We spent 3.5 hours there, between doing all of the rides and then returning back up for time to take photos, a small break for some strong planters punch up at the bar and ending with buying a T-shirt at the gift shop.

All of the staff members were really so very nice and talkative, asking how everyone was doing, where are you coming from, how did you like the rides, etc... Some even stepped in to take photos of guests or were in photos with guests. A special shout out goes to Pallavi, the manager of the gift shop, she was so very nice and sweet while talking with her about everything related to St. Maarten and this company that she works for and about the other islands which have these or very similar rides and attractions. St. Maarten is the newest island for this company, Rainforest Adventures, to set up shop. Additionally, if you want to find out where the best Creole or authentic French dining can be found, on either side of the island, Pallavi knows where to go and she’s more than happy to give recommendations and directions.

We have traveled to and stayed on the island a total of six times in eight years and have no plans to stop anytime soon. We will definitely come back Rainforest Adventures for the two zipline rides as they are well worth the price for the experience, the views and the overall atmosphere!

NOTE: It is recommended to call ahead to check their schedule as they do vary their operating hours according to visiting cruise ships. We stopped by on Tuesday morning and an employee doing maintenance work said that they were closed for the day, but would open at 9:00 AM on Wednesday.

I am a little afraid of heights so I was a little worried that this adventure would be a bit much for me. The staff is super organized and really nice. They made me feel very comfortable. The zip lines are very secure and you can tell that the staff is well trained. We spent a half a day there because it was so much fun..plus they had a bar. I would really recommend this to any person as it was not as scary as it might seem!!

The chairlift ride up the hill was beautiful. We really enjoyed the leisurely pace that allowed us to take lots of pictures. When we were near the top of the first chairlift, we had our pictures taken by the automatic camera. Then, we got on another chairlift to get to the top. The views are truly spectacular! The observation decks gave us the opportunity to look all the way around the island. There's a bar, music, and restrooms. All the conveniences! Our party of 3 rode the zipline down together. We sat in little collapsible chairs and were strapped in. All 3 launched at the same time. It was really fun! We took pictures as we descended. There was also an automatic picture of each of us. When we got to the bottom, we went to the gift shop to buy pictures. $15 for the first pic and $10 for each additional picture. We didn't stay to ride our bus back because it would have been a 2 hours wait. (There's a restaurant, so you could take your time with that.) They called a taxi and we went back to town for $7 each. I would recommend taking a taxi to and from if you want to save a few dollars.

We've never done a zip-line before, and the experience, including the leisurely chairlift ride up, was awesome! Be sure to wear closed shoes and your camera around your neck and/or a GoPro attached to your hat. Also, ask someone on the platform to shoot more photos before you say good-bye to the view and face the Flying Dutchman gallow… I mean, zip line. Just hang on and go for it! Elaine D.

This is a great time, very friendly people and very exhilarating. They even have a bar at the top of the mountain to "calm your nerves" before you take the plunge! Highly recommended!

A very comfortable bus met us at the cruise port and took us on a tour of the island on the way to the attraction. The driver was great and shared a lot of local history. The attraction is on the site of what was a slave plantation, and has a small museum. After checking our bags into a small locker ($5 for the day) we made our way through the museum to a chair lift that brings you up the mountain to the zip lines. It is kind of a long ride up and can be uncomfortable for people who do not like heights, but it is very safe and a good chance to face your fears. Once at the top you get fitted with a harness and you are off to the first four smaller zip lines. They are a great way to warm up to the bigger one. After the first four it is back to another short chair lift and up to the main zip line. It is an amazing ride down the side of the mountain. The entire facility is very well kept, and all of the attractions feel safe and secure. There is a bit of walking involved, and some of it is on sloped gravel pathways. If you go, don’t skip the tube ride, and if you keep your eyes open for them, you might see some wild iguanas!!

Montée tranquille avec le "sky explorer", un télé-siège qui vous emmène jusqu'en haut, à une vitesse pépère qui vous permet de bien apprécier le paysage autour de vous.

Une fois en haut, un petit parcours piéton vous permet d'avoir une vue sur toute l'île, les panoramas sont à couper le souffle. Rien que pour la vue, ça vaut le coup de payer le ticket ...

Il y a un petit bar pour les rafraîchissements juste à côté du départ du "hollandais volant" (le nom de la tyrolienne).

Et ensuite, soit vous redescendez par là d'où vous êtes venus, soit vous avez pris la totale et vous redescendez par la tyrolienne : sensations garanties. Aucune crainte à avoir, tout le matériel inspire confiance, tout comme le personnel.

Enjoy !

While on a cruise to the Caribbean, we chose the Flying Dutchman as one of our excursions. I must say I was nervous due to my fear of heights, but I wanted to face the fear. We did all 3 , tube sled, canopy and the Dutchman. The tub was a great start to the adventure. Than we moved to the canopy. 4 zip lines , with great views from the top. Finally, the Dutchman. We took a shot of Caribbean liquid courage and it was time. A descent of 1500 feet in 45 secs. WHAT A RUSH!! We had a great time and would definitely recommend this day trip.

We went to this attraction. We were a little Leary as we are not spring chickens anymore...lol ...we however enjoyed our experience immensely. The staff were great and explained things. Lines were not long...there was awesome views when you were on the zip lines....great pictures. They take pictures when you are in the different ride experiences and you can buy them after.

We were a group of 6 with ages ranging from 18-50. We all enjoyed the inner tube ride, the 4 conventional zip lines and most especially the Flying Dutchman! Only issues were I had not actually booked the Flying Dutchman so we had to pay extra and there was some confusion about our taxi pick up after but it was eventually sorted out. We would strongly recommend this excursion and had a great time. We loved watching the airport runway and seeing all the views!

My fiancee and I were in St. Maarten from December 25-31st 2018 and visited the Flying Dutchman. What a great experience. We like to zipline when we go places, the sense of flying and being able to see things from a different perspective are always fun to us. This was a totally different experience than those we've had in the past. The chairlift ride to the top provided an incredible view of most of the island. Once you are near top, you will board a second chairlift to get even further up. At the peak there are platforms for the most incredible views of not only St. Maarten, but also St. Barts, Angullia, Samba Island, as well as St. Kitts. Absolutely stunning views that words cannot describe. There is a bar at the top for those who may need a couple of shots to make the trip down more bearable. The zipline itself is a straight shot from top to bottom in about 45 seconds, but it was a blast. Highly recommend if you are on the Island.

About a 30 minute bus ride to and from the site, and great way to check out the island. We did all of the rides they have, highly recommend that. The Schooner ride is surprisingly fast, the Sentry Hill zip line has amazing views, The Flying Dutchman is just simply incredible! The views are amazing. The staff was awesome. Would highly recommend this excursion if you are visiting St. Maartin.

I traveled to the beautiful island of St. Maarten and zip lined off of the mountain at the Rainforest Adventures Park, which is reportedly the steepest zip line in the world. The view was absolutely breathtaking and the experience felt like it was once in a lifetime. The staff were extremely friendly, the park was absolutely gorgeous and you are able to see surrounding islands and mountains from the top of the mountain. The top of the mountain has a bar and you are able to view the entire island from the top. They have a nice sitting area at the top as well as enjoyable Caribbean music playing. There is also a restaurant, gift shop and museum in the park. The park has free wifi and they have shuttles available for those traveling to and from the park. I vacation quite often and this by far was the best experience that I ever had. I encourage everyone to check out this park and each activity it has to offer. Get ready for a great experience, great views and a great staff. I would like to send a special thank you to staff members Scott, JuAngelo and Esther. THEY WERE AMAZING AND SO WAS MY EXPERIENCE!!! YOU HAVE READ THE REVIEW, NOW IT'S TIME TO BOOK YOUR VACATION AND ENJOY LIFE!!! :)

Went to Rainforest Adventures, it was awesome! Took the chairlift up the mountain to the tip top, amazing views, super cool. Took the Flying Dutchman - the steepest zipline in the world - shot down the mountain, really spectacular and exhilarating, want to do it again. Will also go back to slide down on the inner tube ride. If you have kids, they will love this place. For us grownups, beautiful spot, views and great activities. It’s a must visit for sure!