Orient Beach Update

[balanceok]

I don’t want to minimize the damage that was done to this beach, but did want to provide an update. Just spent the day there and it was as beautiful as ever.

 

We arrived at around 9:30 am and there weren’t very many people. But by 10:30 - 11:00 the beach was as busy as we’ve ever seen it.

 

There are now three beach clubs open:

 

Bikini Beach

Kon-Tiki

Kakao Beach

 

The three are separated by some distance. All have restaurants and bars with comfortable lounge chairs and umbrellas. The lounge chairs are all new and super comfortable. We spent the day at Bikini Beach club. Two chairs with an umbrella were $30. Restrooms were clean and nice.

 

There were plenty of taxi cabs. Cost is $9 pp if there are four of you. $8 pp if there are six. And $25 for two.

 

It was a bit windy today and there seemed to be a bit more sea grass than usual, but we love Orient and are so grateful to see it coming back to life. Still a lot of ruin and construction in the condos and business in the area, but the beach is great.

[beachbum53]

Thank-you for the info. I was wondering if any new construction had been done yet. You said that two chairs and an umbrella cost you $30.00. When we were there last, about six months before the hurricane hit, it cost us $20.00. I wonder if $30.00 will become the new price, particularly as more restaurants and bars get rebuilt? We have a cruise booked for Feb. of next year (2020) that includes a stop at St. Martin. Hopefully more rebuilding will be done by then. 

[jordanaire]

So glad to hear this! OB is our favorite place on earth and we will be back there in early April. Can't wait!

[twinkiegrl333]

Are those taxi prices total or per each way?

[OCruisers]

The taxi prices are Each Way.  

[Boblovespikachu]

If we go there after an island tour, arriving around noon, would it be too busy?

 

I don’t require a beach chair but would it be too crowded? 

 

How is is the beach for kids? We have an 11yo and two 7yo. 

 

Thanks!!!

[sft429]

There is a lot of open beach between the beach bars so if you don't require a lounger you'll have plenty of room.

I was there about 3 weeks ago and there was a lot of seaweed which made it unpleasant for me to be in the water.  Kids may not even notice ...

Be aware that most likely there will be topless women on the beach even on the non-nude part.  Kids may not even notice that either tho 🙂

[volk904]

We were just there late Feb. Bikini Beach was nice. Very clean and the drinks were not to expensive. Food was kind of high but not unexpected.  On our day the wind was blowing in causing the biggest waves I had seen in 6 trips to OB.   Usually there is little or no waves at OB.  The waves had the seaweed pretty thick near the shore but we still had a good time.   

[pamwigs]

On 2/20/2019 at 11:52 AM, balanceok said:

I don’t want to minimize the damage that was done to this beach, but did want to provide an update. Just spent the day there and it was as beautiful as ever.

 

We arrived at around 9:30 am and there weren’t very many people. But by 10:30 - 11:00 the beach was as busy as we’ve ever seen it.

 

There are now three beach clubs open:

 

Bikini Beach

Kon-Tiki

Kakao Beach

 

The three are separated by some distance. All have restaurants and bars with comfortable lounge chairs and umbrellas. The lounge chairs are all new and super comfortable. We spent the day at Bikini Beach club. Two chairs with an umbrella were $30. Restrooms were clean and nice.

 

There were plenty of taxi cabs. Cost is $9 pp if there are four of you. $8 pp if there are six. And $25 for two.

 

It was a bit windy today and there seemed to be a bit more sea grass than usual, but we love Orient and are so grateful to see it coming back to life. Still a lot of ruin and construction in the condos and business in the area, but the beach is great.

Are any of the 3 beaches you listed, clothing optional?

Thanks

[balanceok]

14 hours ago, pamwigs said:

Are any of the 3 beaches you listed, clothing optional?

Thanks

 

I think all of Orient Beach is clothing optional.

 

 

[SnorkelAway]

1 hour ago, balanceok said:

 

I think all of Orient Beach is clothing optional.

 

 

 

No.  Only the south end of Orient Beach - the Club Orient Beach - is clothing optional.

 

The bar/restaurant and beach at

Bikini Beach

Kon-Tiki

Kakao Beach

are NOT clothing optional.

Edited March 20, 2019 by SnorkelAway

[sft429]

2 minutes ago, SnorkelAway said:

 

No.  Only the south end of Orient Beach - the Club Orient Beach - is clothing optional.

 

The bar/restaurant and beach at

Bikini Beach

Kon-Tiki

Kakao Beach

are NOT clothing optional.

 

I should have informed the topless women I saw at those places on the beach a month ago.

I saw no complete nudity in those areas though if that's your criteria for clothing optional.

[SnorkelAway]

That is the universal definition of "clothing optional."  Complete nudity is permitted on a clothing optional beach.  Female toplessness is a different issue.  Female toplessness is legal on all beaches french-side.

[balanceok]

On 3/20/2019 at 9:47 AM, SnorkelAway said:

That is the universal definition of "clothing optional."  Complete nudity is permitted on a clothing optional beach.  Female toplessness is a different issue.  Female toplessness is legal on all beaches french-side.

 

Been to Orient Beach countless times and based on our experience, you will see nudity at every point of the beach. Some is topless and others are fully nude strolling up and down the beach.

 

 

[SnorkelAway]

2 hours ago, balanceok said:

 

Been to Orient Beach countless times and based on our experience, you will see nudity at every point of the beach. Some is topless and others are fully nude strolling up and down the beach.

 

 

 From 9 am to 4 pm, when cruise ship passengers are most likely to be on Orient Beach, it is very rare for anyone fully nude to be strolling up and down the beach.  Years ago it was different, but in recent years, full nudity north of the rocks during that time period is not normal. 

[screenname2004]

On 2/20/2019 at 12:52 PM, balanceok said:

...

There were plenty of taxi cabs. Cost is $9 pp if there are four of you. $8 pp if there are six. And $25 for two.

 

 

I assume it is not that difficult to find enough people to share a cab to Orient to save couple of bucks. What about the return trip?

[pamwigs]

On 3/20/2019 at 7:47 AM, SnorkelAway said:

That is the universal definition of "clothing optional."  Complete nudity is permitted on a clothing optional beach.  Female toplessness is a different issue.  Female toplessness is legal on all beaches french-side.

I believe the beaches on the French side don't care if it is topless or nude. 

[SnorkelAway]

12 hours ago, pamwigs said:

I believe the beaches on the French side don't care if it is topless or nude. 

 

Do not know what you are trying to say, but it is not accepted (or technically legal) to be nude on all beaches on the french-side. 

[karena1]

On 3/24/2019 at 1:28 PM, SnorkelAway said:

 

Do not know what you are trying to say, but it is not accepted (or technically legal) to be nude on all beaches on the french-side. 

Exactly.  Years ago they changed the laws.  During the day you cannot be nude on the main section of Orient.  Topless yes, but not nude.  You have to go past the rocks where Padro's used to be and where the nude resort used to be in order to be topless during the daytime - tourist hours.  After 5, then you can be nude anywhere on the beach.  And again you are right - the only beach that I know of that allows full nudity is the nude club on Orient, which was destroyed during the hurricane

Edited April 2, 2019 by karena1

[SnorkelAway]

2 hours ago, karena1 said:

Exactly.  Years ago they changed the laws.  During the day you cannot be nude on the main section of Orient.  Topless yes, but not nude.  You have to go past the rocks where Padro's used to be and where the nude resort used to be in order to be topless during the daytime - tourist hours.  After 5, then you can be nude anywhere on the beach.  And again you are right - the only beach that I know of that allows full nudity is the nude club on Orient, which was destroyed during the hurricane

 

Your post is a little confusing at best.  At all times, 24 hours per day, women may be and some are topless on all french-side beaches, including Orient Beach.  Pursuant to the rules, 24 hours per day, you can only be nude (that is, no swimsuit at all) on the southern third of Orient Beach - which is referred to as south of the rocks in front of where Pedro's was - or it can be referred to as the Club Orient Beach.  Outside of the main hours of the day (main hours being  9 to 4)  -  some people may still walk the beach nude - but that is against the local law and most who do it carry something to cover up if requested.

Edited April 2, 2019 by SnorkelAway

[karena1]

34 minutes ago, SnorkelAway said:

 

Your post is a little confusing at best.  At all times, 24 hours per day, women may be and some are topless on all french-side beaches, including Orient Beach.  Pursuant to the rules, 24 hours per day, you can only be nude (that is, no swimsuit at all) on the southern third of Orient Beach - which is referred to as south of the rocks in front of where Pedro's was - or it can be referred to as the Club Orient Beach.  Outside of the main hours of the day (main hours being  9 to 4)  -  some people may still walk the beach nude - but that is against the local law and most who do it carry something to cover up if requested.

Yes, they can be topless 24/7.  But not TOTALLY naked.  Men cannot be naked.  At Club Orient, you can be naked all the time but not outside Club Orient.  During the day 9-4 or 9-5 you cannot be naked outside of the Club Orient area.  That was what I was saying.

[mammap]

Is there any good snorkeling off OB???    Just curious

 

[balanceok]

On 4/8/2019 at 7:58 PM, mammap said:

Is there any good snorkeling off OB???    Just curious

 

 

I've never considered Orient a place to snorkel. If that's your primary interest, I'm sure there are better beaches.

[karena1]

On 2/22/2019 at 11:40 AM, beachbum53 said:

Thank-you for the info. I was wondering if any new construction had been done yet. You said that two chairs and an umbrella cost you $30.00. When we were there last, about six months before the hurricane hit, it cost us $20.00. I wonder if $30.00 will become the new price, particularly as more restaurants and bars get rebuilt? We have a cruise booked for Feb. of next year (2020) that includes a stop at St. Martin. Hopefully more rebuilding will be done by then. 

We were just there last Wed and honestly, as much as we love Orient and have been there many times, we were saddened this time.  Just not the same feeling.  Lots of erosion, higher prices and was super windy last Wed.  We rented at Kon Tiki.  Chairs/umbrellas that used to be $18 with 2 drinks are now $30 and no drinks.  Bucket of 6 beers used to be $15 are now $20 and very little to choose from.  I think they only had 4 choices.  Bathrooms were very clean.  

 

We go back to SMX in Sept on Freedom and have decided after all these years to try a different beach.  Will eventually go back to Orient, but not for now.   Not enough people, really quiet compared to what it used to be.  Hoping it comes back to life again, but for now, we will try some other beach and see if we can find our "new" favorite beach in SMX

[twinkiegrl333]

How was the water? Was it ok to cool off in or rocky and seaweed?