Posted December 5, 2007
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CHECK OUR
NEW
RSS NEWS
FEED FROM ST. MAARTEN / ST. MARTIN
Major Update 12/5/2007
Scroll down to the bottom of this
page to see all the other articles in the "While You're Here" section of our
website.
Some of St. Maarten's beaches change shape and
size according to the whims of Mother Nature. They range from places with surf
(and surfers) to quiet coves that are virtually calm and deserted. This page
tells you about most of the island's beaches -- including those for people who
hate tan lines. To see where they are, click our Beach Map link at the top of
the page.
***NOTE***
Before each beach, we've placed an F or a D -- F tells you the beach is on the
French side, D for the Dutch. We've also placed a W (for windward side --
windier) or a L (for leeward side -- less windy and hotter).
Also...this page
contains some topless photography. If you may be offended, don't look -- and
don't go to SXM's clothing optional beaches.
First, a couple of
important recommendations and some news items:
JMB Strongly Recommends SKYMED Emergency
Medical Evacuation Insurance...Just In Case.
Click the banner to learn more:
And TravelGuard Trip
Cancellation Insurance
Detailed Info on St. Martin / St. Maarten Beaches
Now,
Our Beach Updates:
F, W Orient
Beach, the largest and most popular on the
island, is loaded with beach bars, restaurants, shops, and watersports
facilities offering parasailing and other watersports. (Revised 12/07.)
|
Could this be at Orient Beach?
The cartoon was drawn and is copyrighted
© by Andrew Billups, owner of
bubbadinkle.com, a lifelong friend of our 100,000th site
visitor, John Schlichting. Both "love SXM as most folks who visit there
do!" Our thanks to Andrew and John for allowing us to post this on our
site. |
Club Orient, the world-renowned naturist (nudist) resort at the southern end of
the beach, is a sun worshippers' Mecca. The popular Papagayo restaurant, part of
Club Orient, offers a variety of delicious island fare (and burgers and drinks).
Papagayo is open to the public but it is located within Club Orient so the
couple seated at the next table may be nude. The same holds true for the Perch
bar at the northern end of Club Orient. In the past, it has also applied to other restaurants on
Orient, particularly those closest to the Club O. Photography is not allowed,
and gawking is not regarded favorably.
Orient beach is always bustling. For several views of Orient beach supplied by
Club Orient, click
here, but beware the photos do include tasteful nudity. If you go to
Club Orient's site itself, you'll see a
lot more of the resort and the beach -- and do expect clothing optional people
-- it is a nudist resort. The Club Orient site was heavily updated
recently.
Clothing optional sunbathers should be aware that "boat
people" (cruise ship tourists) are routinely ferried here by industrious cab
drivers. They tend to gawk and occasionally take pictures, but naturists at Club
Orient often stop them. Club Orient's phone number: 011-590590-87-33-85. Fax:
011-590590-87-33-76. Tell them we sent you! Day
visitors can park just inside the gate for $18/day, which gets you two beach
chairs and an umbrella - a good deal for most people.
Virtually all of Orient Beach used to be clothing optional, but
French Side gendarmes -- rather than spend their time responding to "real" crime
-- have recently started ticketing and fining anyone found outside Club Orient
au Naturel. You may be able to sneak a beach walk in very early (7am or
so) or very late (well after 5pm), but all bets are off if you encounter a
member of the local constabulary.
Latest news is
that this may change; a number of local businesses have objected to the policy.
(Things are bed enough due to the Euro.) Subscribe to St. Maarten Weekly News
(free) via the link at the top of our home page
here for the latest updates.
Besides the Club Orient website,
there is also an Orient Beach website.
Before you visit either site remember that they depict clothing optional bathing; if
you're offended, don't go.
A Quick Word About Beach Bars:
Of the many bars/restaurants on Orient, our favorite is
Bikini Beach. The prices are
reasonable, the service consistent, and the food is good. Waikiki
is also very good, and it has a chef who was formerly at L'Alabama,
mentioned below. 'Nough said.
Besides being the home to the naturist Club Orient, the Southern end of Orient
Beach has a number of small shops. In the picture at the right, Tracy (more on
Tracy and Mike is below) shops at one of them.
If you're seriously interested in naturism, you might also want to check out the
club that happens to be "the largest naturist group in America" (their mailing
list is over 100,000 people). Their site is www.tristatesunclub.com. For info,
email Michael Gesner, Tri State Sun Club, PO Box 532, Broadway,
NJ 08808, or call 908-689-4911. His email is here,
and his site is here.
|
Below -- Tracy shopping at Orient Beach.
More on Tracy & Mike is below |
D, L Cupecoy, tied for
the title of our favorite St. Maarten/St. Martin beach along with Happy Bay and
Dawn Beach, is actually a string of beaches at the island's southwest corner. As
noted earlier, sandstone cliffs and caves are the backdrop for this unusual
beach, one of the world's most beautiful. Its steep drop-off, which changes
shape almost daily (as does the string of beaches itself), makes Cupecoy waters
hazardous for young children. The sands here do shift constantly -- there may be
room for 300 people one day, and barely room for 30 a day later.
Cupecoy is mostly
clothing optional. Best car access: go into the lot next to Ocean Club
and drive west on the dirt road that begins there until you see a number of cars
parked near the western-most beach and the road ends. Note: We advise you to
avoid the public lot next to Ocean Club, which is almost never patrolled or
watched. When you visit the beach, say hello for us to John and Danny, who
run a neat little tabletop bar right on the beach. Snacks are available
too! Thanks to those whose pictures are featured here -- particularly Nora,
Maryann, Sal, Myde, and Rick!
Access to
Dawn Beach is likely to change soon because of condo construction in the area.
We'll revise these directions as necessary. The construction has changed the
ambiance of what was once the best beach on the island. The government never
should have let it happen.
We'll keep
you posted here about the effects of the new "Shore Pointe" development on the far west portion of
the beach, but we recommend you also subscribe to our
weekly St. Maarten
newsletter for updates on the island every week. (See our
privacy policy.)
ABOVE: The
famous "Cupecoy Boulder" (also called the monolith) at midbeach. RIGHT: A
pre-beard, bad-hair picture of me at Orient Beach. No, I am not related to Art
Garfunkel, though I have interviewed both him and once-partner Paul Simon.
That's a live young conch in my hand; I threw it back. Was I wearing a bathing
suit? Let's put it this way: I never have liked tan lines much.
BELOW: Looking
East from the Western portion of the beach, with the boulder in the distance.
Both photos © Maryann Barvinski, reprinted with permission.
|
The
far Eastern portion of Cupecoy, looking West. Boulder is out of
sight in the distance. |
|
Cupecoy farther west, looking east. Photo was shot with the "Cupecoy
Boulder" to the photographer's back. |
Back to the
beach description in a minute.... first:
Like Cupecoy
and/or Orient? Interested in Learning More About clothing optional Beaches &
clothing optional Recreation, or Trying it Elsewhere?
Many visitors to
SXM fall in love with Orient Beach or Cupecoy and look forward to trying
clothing optional recreation elsewhere. For those people we have two
suggestions:
1. Check out
naturism / clothing optional recreation thoughts and ideas at the
Naturist Society
website. They are the foremost proponents of clothing optional recreation and
they publish the World Guide to clothing optional Beaches. Joining the
Society gives you a subscription to their magazine and access to a host of other
useful information about beach and other sites worldwide.
2. Learn about
Tracy and Mike....
Tracy (left)
is
getting an all-over tan outside Baywatch, one of the fun bar/restaurants on
Orient Beach. At right, Tracy & Mike at breakfast at Club Orient. The next
paragraph tells you more about this couple. Images are copyrighted by Tracy &
Mike and are reprinted with permission.
Mike and Tracy
fell in love with each other and with naturism several years ago. Their
experiences and impressions might be of interest to other couples or singles who
are curious about naturism. They've also published a travelogue showing you
places they've visited. As you'd expect, their site contains clothing optional
images, but if you're interested in naturism you should take a look. The
pictures are just like your vacation pictures except Mike and Tracy's vacations
are largely clothing optional. To visit their site, click
here. If you're interested in
clothing-optional living, you might also be interested in
this site.
We've taken some
fantastic new pictures of Cupecoy which are in some of our St. Maarten
screensavers. See the screensaver link below.
D, L Mullet Beach, the
very popular strand at the remains of the Mullet Bay Resort, is where the waves
and the surfers are. Although it's on the Dutch side, you'll see many French
families here especially on weekends. Topless.
BRING ST MAARTEN BEACHES TO YOUR PC SCREEN --
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F, L Prune Beach, also
known as Plum Bay, is a sweet, intimate, crescent-shaped strand frequented by an
eclectic crowd including occasional surfers, despite rocks among the breakers.
Topless, with some nudity on the southern end.
F, L Rouge Beach, one of
the island's longest and most beautiful, is a must. Like all beaches on the
French side, tops are optional here. The more southerly end of the beach is
de facto clothing optional. Great snorkeling at the northern end, but beware
of the waves/currents.
F, L Long Beach, with the
"rich and famous" Hotel La Samanna at its southern end, gives you a great spot
for relaxing. There's little shade and few breezes here, so this can be the
hottest beach on the island. I've never seen it crowded. The far
Northern/Western end is de facto clothing optional (despite signs to the
contrary and occasional gendarme appearances) and it's highly secluded for those
who prefer privacy. Part of the beach is rocky near shore and there may be a
fairly steep drop-off.
F, W Le Galion Beach,
also known as Embouchure or Coconut Grove, on the site of the long-defunct Le
Galion Hotel, is the island's best windsurfing beach and is ideal for children
because of its shallow, calm waters near shore. Windsurfing rentals available.
Always keep an eye on your kids any time they're near water - even if it's only
two inches deep. Le Galion is topless with some clothing-optional use weekdays,
though gendarmes in the past patrolled and frowned on it. In 11/2007 we saw a
sign saying "clothing optional" there so perhaps that policy has changed. Orient Beach
(Club Orient) is a less-hassled place
for clothing optional sunbathing, and it's only a seven-minute walk away.
NOTE: We've seen sea urchins here, little black spherical
objects with spines sticking out of them. Do NOT stop on them...it will wreck
your vacation.
Top is Cupecoy. Tour the island and you'll find lots of great beaches.
These three photos courtesy of SXM Tourism.
Much more
beach info follows....
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NOW MORE
BEACH LISTINGS....
D, L Pelican Beach /
Flamingo Beach, at the Pelican Resort and Flaming Resort complex, remains very
popular. Manageable surf. Beach chairs are for Pelican or Flamingo timeshare
owners. The view of ocean sunsets here can be gorgeous -- and you can watch the
pelicans dive for dinner not far offshore. (For more information on Pelican,
click here.)
Little
geckos are common. To egrets, they taste like chicken. Photo
courtesy of Divi Resorts. |
D, L Kim Sha Beach, near
Atrium Resort in Simpson Bay, is very calm and popular. There are sometimes
sandcastle building contests here. Popular with local radio stations and
organizations for outings. Light surf, fine white sand. Indiana and Burger King
are within easy walking distance. Nearby parking.
D, L Simpson Bay Beach
rings Simpson Bay, and on it you'll find resorts like Mary's Boon and Horny
Toad, which are described on our
Accommodations Pages.
Dropoff can be steep.
D, L (but fairly breezy) Maho
Beach, at the southern end of the runway of Princess Juliana airport,
is an almost equally attractive strand, as long as you don't mind the 747s and
757s approaching the airport only about 50 feet (or lower) above your head.
Beware of jet blast, blowing sand, flying belongings, and occasionally a
blown-over car. If you want serenity, this is NOT the place. DON'T stand at the
fence to watch the planes take off; you're liable to get eyefuls of gravel. In
fact, anywhere on the beach, close your eyes as plane go overhead and keep the
closed until the vortex ends. Some people like Maho. I like it only from Sunset
Beach Bar [SSBB], next door. Beware: Sunset offers free drinks to women who go
topless. This is also a great place to see sunsets (hence the bar's name).
More below...
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D, W (not too windy) Great Bay
Beach, which encompasses the Philipsburg waterfront, is crystal-clear,
huge, and inviting. When you get tired of shopping, you can always relax on this
mammoth downtown beach. (If you've not visited Great Bay in a while, prepare for
a pleasant shock. Sand dredged for the new cruise ship pier has been deposited
here, turning this into a wonderful, natural, very popular white-sand beach,
very convenient especially for cruise ship passengers.)
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D, W Dawn Beach is home
to the huge new Westin Resort as well as Oyster Bay Beach Resort.
Topless.
NOTE: We've seen sea urchins here, little black spherical
objects with spines sticking out of them. Do NOT step on them...it will wreck
your vacation.
Dawn Beach
has the best beach bar of all: the award-winning Mr. Busby's.
See more here.
The
walk from Friars Bay to Happy Bay takes you through virgin St.
Martin countryside and gives you unforgettable views like this.
Happy Bay is effectively clothing optional; Friars is tops optional.
There is a beautiful sandy beach; this shot was from a hill between
Friars and Happy Bay.
Feel
your feet caressed by the water here at Guana Bay? C’mon in! The
water’s warm! |
F, Northern side, not particularly windy (usually)
Anse Marcel, at L'Habitation (Meridien) Hotel, is a
very pleasant, usually quiet beach, popular with French tourists. L'Habitation
has closed; an $80-million renovation will yield a Radisson hotel in late
Spring, 2008.
F, L Friars Bay, not far
north of Marigot, is a gorgeous, peaceful, family-oriented beach with neat
refreshment stands and facilities. Behind it is a muddy lagoon with local
waterfowl, great for photographers. Good shelling here, much of the time.
Relatively light surf but watch your kids -- there is a drop off. Topless.
F, L Happy Bay, just
north of Friars, is one of the world's most breathtaking beaches, all the more
attractive because of its relative inaccessibility. To get there, take a
10-minute walk up the hill and down a well-worn path through the underbrush just
north of the last refreshment stand at Friar's Bay. Or, drive north toward Grand
Case and -- before town -- turn left when you see a narrow cement road running
through a metal gate and up an unpopulated hill. The Baghdad Café used to be
there but is no more. If the gate is open, drive to the beach if you dare
(private property), but beware: the gate may be closed when you're ready to
leave. If the gate is closed when you’re trying to enter, follow the dirt road
to park at Friars, then walk. Bring your camera. Happy Bay is also de facto
clothing optional.
D, W Guana Bay,
just north of Philipsburg down Guana Bay Road, is on the windward side of
the island, which can be breezy and sandy. But it's a great place for
solace, since 15 people on this long, wide beach constitutes a busy day.
Guana Bay is topless; southern part is occasionally used clothing optional
and we've never seen anyone hassled about it. "Boogie Boards" are often used
here. The Guana Bay area itself is becoming a Hollywood colony: David
Brenner's estate is here (he has a sign out front to tell you), and the name
McInroe is on one of the nearby mailboxes. (It's John's dad.) Two negatives:
pit bulls from nearby homes occasionally wander the beach, and there can be
a strong undertow / rip current, so never swim here alone.
SNORKELING is great at Orient and at Pinel
Island, available by ferry not far from Orient. Ask the Activities Desk at your
resort for details. It's also great elsewhere.
Another great spot, I'm told, is off the rocky
beach near the French Side dump, which is north of where you get the Pinel
Island ferry. Before reaching the ferry dock, take a left before the school
(toward Anse Marcel), then turn right and follow the dirt road toward the dump.
Bring a friend. The water can be rough.
