modi

They had a fire there recently... so heads up.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56900:loterie-farm-tree-lounge-destroyed-by-fire-sunday&catid=1:islands-news&Itemid=54

Lots of Info. on rates as well info. on multiple passengers with and without luggage etc. here. http://taxistmaarten.com/zones-rates/

The Rate sheet is from 2010 so I'm not sure if the prices haven't risen a little in 5 years? They have a Contact Us button that may help you get exactly what you're after.

Guavaberry Rum Info. http://www.guavaberry.com/index.php

To me the basic Guavaberry Rum tastes much like cough medicine.

 

Also be on the lookout for Ma Doudou Rum. It is also unique to St. Martin/Sint Maarten and is sold in many stores, and their "factory" is basically a quaint, colorful, little hut on the French side. It comes in many flavors in hand painted bottles.

Ma Doudou Rum Info. http://www.rhummadoudou.com/

There is also this very cool video that explains all about Ma Doudou

The Art of Making Ma Doudou Rum - On Voyage.tv

 

Guavaberry Rum and Ma Doudou are both considered "artisan rum" and by virtue of bearing that designation you can take back as much as you care to pack to the USA.

After Gonzalo there was talk that the crowded ramshackle bar area of the beach was to be redone....with rumors of a plan to have some pre-fab type creole structures, each to house two restaurants. There will be a tourist market, walkway, parking for 80 cars and a proper access road, and public bathrooms! The plan would require closure of the businesses in June, rehab through the end of September and reopen around the beginning of October 2015.

Here's an article that eludes to them wanting to make some serious changes....

http://www.todaysxm.com/2014/10/31/territorial-council-to-regulate-concessions-are-orient-bay/

Like everything these days, this glorious plan may not have ever gotten beyond the planning stages, or is being delayed. There certainly is little to nothing written about it.

Here's a picture of the Water Trampoline taken about a month ago (June 2014) - This one is on Orient Beach by Waikiki and Kakao Beach spots.

 

Picts. of other available beach toys in this same area are in this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2018609&page=2

Here's a picture of the Water Trampoline taken about a month ago (June 2014) - This one is on Orient Beach by Waikiki and Kakao Beach spots.

 

Like I posted I could not locate them either. One ok result in 7 years just isn't good enough for me. I would love to have results per and post rainfall as well.

 

Here is a report of water quality testing conducted over July 22, 23, & 24, 2012. http://www.naturefoundationsxm.org/pdfs/Water-Quality-Testing.pdf - They advise in their conclusion that it is a biannual program, which if true means they should be retesting very soon?

Thanks!! How far is orient beach from the port if you recall?

 

Probably 20-30 minutes - ALL depending on traffic. It's no destination that will be unfamiliar to anyone on Sint Maarten/St. Martin.

Had these pictures of the various toys that are available on Orient Beach that you can be towed around Orient Bay on (if the parasailing isn't your cup of tea). Usually they have a Jet Ski pull you around. People seem to really have fun.

 

 

In the photos I posted above you'll see a rocky outcropping in front of Pedro's and from there branching out towards the Club Orient beach there is a reef that many enjoy snorkeling. It's not the most enthralling reef in the Caribbean but people are snorkeling it all the time. Here's a better shot of the reef... people snorkel out to the orange buoy and along the white buoy line.

 

Is Orange Fever near the Club Orient end of the beach? We prefer that end because it is a little less hectic than the main beach.

 

Just beyond Pedro's is the Club Orient beach. This shows Orange Fever's proximity to that beach. These pictures were both taken on 06/09/2014.

 

 

Here's a picture of the new Bikini Beach bar that you should find there today. This was taken in the very early morning before they were open, thus the lack of activity. The old original Bikini Beach bar was just to the right of this one.

 

Here's the link to the large panorama of Orient Beach. Bikini Beach is marked on it. This image appears to be from app. 2005, so a few places have been bought and sold and renamed.

http://edsandra.com/photos2005/LargeOrientPanorama.htm

Bikini Beach had controversy at the end of 2013 in that someone built a beach bar next to the original Bikini Beach and named it Bikini Beach. A cold war between them ensued. I still don't understand all the details of the controversy as it involved a complicated array of promises, leases and beach rights etc., but it went to Court and the original Bikini beach is now closed, and the new one now running. At any rate if you go to this area of Orient Beach, you'll find all the watersports you're craving readily available.

Here's a good picture of it from December 2012, taken in the morning before they opened. You won't miss it.

 

Here's the lay of the land as of last June anyway. This picture was taken probably about 40 steps from Pedro's. (Please disregard those ominous clouds!)

 

 

Another good shot of Orient Beach layout is here.

http://edsandra.com/photos2005/LargeOrientPanorama.htm

Although Orange Fever isn't labeled in the Panorama link, it is very close to Chez Leandra which is labeled in the Panorama (and shown in the photo above) . As you can see names can change over the years a little bit, as owners come and go. The Panorama link is a few years old.

Last June (2013) we were on Tintamarre for the afternoon and saw turtles. Went mostly because others said there were turtles out there. There were. We saw at least 5-6 different turtles. They start appearing at maybe 40-50 yards from the main beach on Tintamarre that faces Orient bay. Usually others are snorkeling the area so you can tell right off where they are hanging. Apparently the new public moorings for boats has allowed the sea grass they love to flourish. No longer are boat anchors dredging the bottom.

We've stayed on the island six times since 2009. We don't tour much but when we need to take off, get to the airport we use Louis Richardson and/or his wife Daisy. They are personable, knowledgeable. They have never let us down.

 

Sea turtles have reappeared in St. Martin. Off Tintamarre island they can be seen with a high probability. The Tiko-Tiko catamaran goes there. Be advised that the Tiko Tiko is a clothing optional operation that leaves from Club Orient.

The official Guavaberry Rum with the old man on the label tastes a little like cough medicine. Their shop in Philipsburg also is an eye catcher.

 

We like St. Martin's Ma Doudou Rum.

It's a unique flavored artisan rum and thus can be imported back to the USA in unlimited quantity. They have flavors like Guavaberry (better than the official one), Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, Banana Vanilla, Mango, Coconut, Pineapple and many more...

 

Here's a video that shows what it is and exactly how it's made.

- They assemble this product and put it in hand painted bottles on a mountain over in the Cul-de-Sac region on the French side. Their "factory" is but a small hut. They have their product in many retail stores, and they recently opened their own retail store in Philipsburg. Visit that and you can probably get some unique hand painted shot glasses - Here's a picture of a set we got two years ago.

 

Highly recommend #1 "Chez Leandra" or #2 "Ethnic". Ethnic makes fantastic burgers. Chez Leandra makes great seafood (conch fritters, chowder, etc.), as well as wraps. These places don't look like much but the Owner is usually in the store, and they care!