Orient Beach -- families concerned about nudity beware

[Spurs Fans]

Oh, this is just starting to get good! :D

[grellis]

Our family of four-myself, husband, and two daughters, ages 11 and 14, have booked an atv tour thru Stmaartencruiseexcursions, that winds up at Orient Beach. The girls are so looking forward to this excursion, and I have warned them that this is a "clothing optional" beach. We will wear our swimsuits, sunscreen and sunglasses, and just have a good time! Life is too short to be subtle!

[LaShelle2]

what? No pictures!!!

show us some proof, we don't believe you ;-)

our group of 9 women ranging from the 30s to 60s just returned from a 7-day cruise on the carnival glory, which stops in st. Maarten. We booked bernard's tour and really enjoyed ourselves -- joe, our guide, was outstanding.

 

Just wanted to let anyone considering that tour to know, though, that it was really difficult to avoid the full nudity on orient beach when we visited. I had been concerned about that and researched the issue on these boards prior to our trip. I read many posts which said you might see occasional uncovered breasts, but that nudity was not prevalent, particularly down the beach. However, that absolutely was not our experience.

 

There is a guy who stands out each day on the beach in front of the parking lot where the tour buses park, and he is fully nude. Joe warned us about him -- the guy holds a bible in his hands but never turns a page and is there every day. It's hard to access the beach from the parking lot without seeing this guy.

 

We also saw many people walking down the beach nude. One topless woman stopped and dropped her bikini bottoms right in front of us and continued walking. During our two hours there, we probably saw 20 or more completely nude people and another 20 or more topless women with bottoms on . . . And we weren't searching them out, believe me!!!!! All ages and sizes.

 

The beach and water were absolutely beautiful, but this is absolutely not a place for families with children if the families have concerns about exposing their children to adult nudity. I know my experience must have been different from that of others on this board, but i thought i should post just so that people will know that at least on some occasions there is substantial nudity. If my children had been with me, i would have left.

[red4u2]

Hey Taking,

 

I don't mind saying that you are just plain wrong. Just looked back at this thread after a year and wanted to let you know we've booked another trip on SXM. Spending 4 of 10 days at that "den of sin" @ Club O and another 6 in the village. I'm really sorry that you PERSONALLY chose to take your kids there and then expected everyone to change their behavior to match your expectations during your visit. I doubt it matters but I was doing the early morning nude walk when a group of 100 of so kids from a local school decided to walk the beach. Did they care? No...

 

There are plenty of disclaimers on the web about this beach. The hangups are with parents who don't want to do their job. And, BTW, I have two children, now 27 and 29, who know I'm a nudist...

 

Just discovered this thread.. a year later and you are still being antagonistic.

 

im very suprised that the Moderators have not closed this thread considering the tone of some of the responses, such as sexual asaults and such... but yet when i made a post last week about honoring our Military, Police and Fireman, with cruise discounts, that was removed and the post closed, very interesting..

[Spurs Fans]

Sexual assaults??? Was someone sexually assaulted on this thread?

[red4u2]

Sexual assaults??? Was someone sexually assaulted on this thread?

 

ha- ha- that was cute.. okay i should have said something like,, the tone of some of these posts, like 90-95 or so, is going a bit to far..and this thread should be CLOSED.

[Fibrofemme]

In 1997 I stayed on St. Martin for the Month of May and loved it!! I got to know many of the restaurant/bar owners and by far Sunset Beach was the most fun and friendly. I never laughed so much in my life!!! I drank free and met other women who did not take themselves so seriously as we'll, and we had a blast! They always barbecued in the afternoon, and it is on the Dutch side, and if there were children around we were respectful and did not flaunt our toplessness around and a Sarong is always handy.

 

I am taking my daughter next summer, 14, and she will learn that some European countries are not ashamed of their bodies as we are here in America, and topless bikinis are natural for them.

 

I will be more conservative with my daughter as to not make her feel uncomfortable, however, if I choose to sun or swim topless on Orient Beach or Cupecoy, I will be discrete out of respect for her. No drinking free topless!!!

[TSUmom]

I can understand parents wanting to "shelter" their children because that is the way we in America are brought up but to many other countries nudity is fine. If those that prefer sunbathing or nude beach walking were at US beaches they would accept our way and suit up - while we visit other countries then we need to either accept and explain to our children or avoid the situation all together. You would be amazed how after you explain to them and expose them to things they won't think twice about it.

 

My DH on the otherhand, well he wears his sunglasses and smiles constantly so the exposure to him will never get old even if he does....:)