Shopping in Marigot

[RailRider13]

Leave in a week and just wanting to hammer a few things down. Looking to spend the morning in Marigot shopping. Looking to walk around Marina Royale and West Indies Mall, are these within walking distance of each other. Also any other places in Marigot worth stopping. We will not be in port during a market day, will they still have vendors there. Also anyone have any places for lunch you recommend?

[Karysa]

Leave in a week and just wanting to hammer a few things down. Looking to spend the morning in Marigot shopping. Looking to walk around Marina Royale and West Indies Mall, are these within walking distance of each other. Also any other places in Marigot worth stopping. We will not be in port during a market day, will they still have vendors there. Also anyone have any places for lunch you recommend?

 

Yes vendors will be in the Market area mon-sat and often a smaller amount on Sun.

 

The Marina Royale and West Indies Mall are an easy 5 minutes walk from each other.

 

I like stoping at the fort for views and pictures.

 

I eat too much at Serafina's bakery so I'm not Hungary until long after leaving Marigot.:D. Maybe others can help you out with that one!

[Fourseventeen]

yes they are. Personally we werent real impressed with the shopping but did manage to pick up a couple local handmade things.

[navybankerteacher]

Leave in a week and just wanting to hammer a few things down. Looking to spend the morning in Marigot shopping. Looking to walk around Marina Royale and West Indies Mall, are these within walking distance of each other. Also any other places in Marigot worth stopping. We will not be in port during a market day, will they still have vendors there. Also anyone have any places for lunch you recommend?

 

La Vie en Rose is a sidewalk cafe right on the corner so the market square - great people-watching, good light lunch. If you want one of the best restaurants on the island, try the upstairs - try to get reservations as soon as you get into town as it is very popular.

 

If you feel energetic, you can hike up to the old citadel, Fort St. Louis, overlooking the harbor.

[SeaBands]

is very overated. There are many better places in Marigot. Tried the cafe and restaurant and both were expensive and not very good.

[RailRider13]

Thanks for the info on shopping and lunch.

 

Also looking to hit a beach on the way back to the ship from Marigot. Want something beautiful and relaxing. Thinking about Mullet Bay, Friars Bay or even Dawn Beach. Six of us including 2 kids and traveling by taxi. Any thoughts or input? Greatly Appreciated.

[Karysa]

Thanks for the info on shopping and lunch.

 

Also looking to hit a beach on the way back to the ship from Marigot. Want something beautiful and relaxing. Thinking about Mullet Bay, Friars Bay or even Dawn Beach. Six of us including 2 kids and traveling by taxi. Any thoughts or input? Greatly Appreciated.

 

Of the 3 I would choose Friars.

 

I love Mullet but leaving from there in the afternoon means you will have to deal with the Sinpson Bay and Phillipsburg traffic issues.

 

Dawn is nice for a walk o a drink on the beach but I find that it is often too rough for me never mind kids.

 

Have you considered LeGalion? It's a great family beach.

[navybankerteacher]

Of the 3 I would choose Friars.

 

I love Mullet but leaving from there in the afternoon means you will have to deal with the Sinpson Bay and Phillipsburg traffic issues.

 

Dawn is nice for a walk o a drink on the beach but I find that it is often too rough for me never mind kids.

 

Have you considered LeGalion? It's a great family beach.

 

Friar's Bay is fairly remote at the end of a long, rough road - probably fewer taxis available there. Also, it is a long way back to the pier, while Le Galion, and especially Dawn, are much closer. If calm waters are important, Le Galion is probably better, both most of the time Dawn Beach is OK -- we stay there a couple of weeks every January, and rarely find it too rough.

[Karysa]

Friar's Bay is fairly remote at the end of a long, rough road - probably fewer taxis available there. Also, it is a long way back to the pier, while Le Galion, and especially Dawn, are much closer. If calm waters are important, Le Galion is probably better, both most of the time Dawn Beach is OK -- we stay there a couple of weeks every January, and rarely find it too rough.

 

If OP doesn't rent a car then Friars would not be a consideration to me either. The road was better last August when I went to Friars compared to back in 2010.

 

There is NO question in my mind that Le Galion is calmer than Dawn. Le Galion is the calmest beach on the island IMHO and Dawn one of the very choppiest that people swim at. In January the west side of the island gets the swells so Grand Case, Friars, Baie Rouge etc can be very rough at times so maybe since that is when you are comparing these beaches to Dawn it does not seem so rough. I have never been to Dawn in January but have been in March, May, July and August and I have never found this beach calm and have found it too rough to go in on occasion, especially in July and August but also once in March.

 

Also, I do think Mullet, Friars( when the stones are not placed in the middle of the beach to stop erosion) and Le Galion are beautiful and relaxing I just don't get that vibe from Dawn with the condos and the Weston Hotel sucking up the beauty. Dawn was a most beautiful beach on our first trip to the island in 1992 but not so much to me anymore.

[Fourseventeen]

I personally liked Friars. We went to a handful of beaches when we were there and Friars had the least amount of tourists.

[RailRider13]

Thanks for the information. We are going by taxi throughout the day so Le Galion looks like the choice after we spend the morning in Marigot.