Orient bay, is it worth going?

[voyager89]

Hello,

 

This will be our second time in St Maarten, which was our absolute favorite port and we cant wait to come back. We were actually going there for vacation but we ended up taking another cruise. Last time we did shopping in Frontstreet which took a long time! But well we love shopping so that is actually great. We went to Maho only. We didnt get to see Marigot, so this time we want to go to Orient bay which we didnt go either in the morning, go to Marigot aroud 12 maybe, go back to Phillipsburg around 2:30 and do some more shopping there :D

 

My question is if I should go or I should pick another beach, or even go back to Maho, I wouldnt mid! But I dont wanna miss out on Orient again if its really worth going. We are not nudists btw lol

 

Hiram

[blue_water]

We spent a week on OB and I can tell you that we're not excited about returning there whether we're on a cruise or another land vacation. OB is a decent beach and home to several hotels and beach bars. And we ebjoyed our evenings at the Bikini Beach Bar and other spots. But it's similar to Cane Garden Bay on Tortola or Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda, very crowded during the day and it has the cruise ship vibe.

 

I would also bypass Maho and head for Marigot and a beach like Friar's or even Bay Rouge (sp) for a much nicer beach day.

[Karysa]

Hello,

 

This will be our second time in St Maarten, which was our absolute favorite port and we cant wait to come back. We were actually going there for vacation but we ended up taking another cruise. Last time we did shopping in Frontstreet which took a long time! But well we love shopping so that is actually great. We went to Maho only. We didnt get to see Marigot, so this time we want to go to Orient bay which we didnt go either in the morning, go to Marigot aroud 12 maybe, go back to Phillipsburg around 2:30 and do some more shopping there :D

 

My question is if I should go or I should pick another beach, or even go back to Maho, I wouldnt mid! But I dont wanna miss out on Orient again if its really worth going. We are not nudists btw lol

 

Hiram

 

Orient has a fun vibe to it. The small section where nudity is permitted is ell marked. If you go early Orient shouldn't be too busy. For 2-3 hours I say why not choose Orient. It is easy to get taxis to and from which takes some stress out of your day.

 

Make sure you do your shopping first thing when you get to Marigot as the stores close down for a couple of hours around 1 pm I believe. I have heard that there are great places for lunch in the Marina Royale area and also some local fare as well out near where the market is.

[Ashland]

We've been to St Maarten several times and glad we went to Orient once...that was enough...As far as Marigot goes I feel the same..a quick stop for a bite to eat at Serafina's Bakery and a look around was all that was needed..I also am a shopper and found nothing worth buying in Marigot...I would rather spend my time in Phillipsburg..Maho, would only go there again if with someone that hadn't been there before. Enjoy seeing as much as you can at least once, then future visits you'll be able to concentrate on what appeals to you.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Ashland

[Fouremco]

I think that any beach would get a bit boring after a week, but for a few hours I think it's worth visiting. Great swimming and a good selection of bars, restaurants, etc. It will get crowded, particularly if there are a lot of ships in port, but it's a large beach and can hold a lot of people quite easily.

 

I'm not a big fan of Maho, but even if I was, I'd still recommend seeing something new. Besides, heading to Maho means lots of traffic, something that will be less of an issue returning from OB.