Orient Beach on Orient Bay French St. Martin
Orient Beach St. Martin
The dual island of St. Maarten, St. Martin has 37 beaches on it 37 sq. mi. area. That makes it easy to remember. What is probably considered the island’s signature beach is Orient Bay on the French Side. The beach is “clothing optional” but if you’re shy about that there’s no need to worry as it’s not “nudity mandatory” and most beachgoers will have their swimsuits on so you won’t be alone or self-conscious. All beaches on the French Side are clothing optional. Optional being the operative word here.Orient Bay is certainly the most popular and most developed beach on St. Maarten, St. Martin although when I first arrived on the island there was hardly anything on it. The white sand beach is 2 miles long and is now lined with wonderful beach bars and restaurants and water sports activities. The beach is protected by a reef which keeps the water relatively calm and the bottom is sandy rather than rocky with a gradual slope.
Each section of the beach takes its name from the respective beach bar/restaurant that borders it such as Bikini Beach, Kontiki Beach, Waikiki Beach, La Plage and Kakao Beach among others. These are not government designations but just help as a way to locate friends and get the food you want. What’s also really neat is that all the beach bars and restaurants will serve you right at your chaise lounge on the beach if you choose. Try that one at Jones Beach. It’s not uncommon at Orient Beach to see sunbathers with ice buckets of champagne next to them. My own preference is to eat in the restaurant but if it’s just drinks, bring ‘em on out here.
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