TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Orent Bay West

Anyone familiar with this area? Wondering if it is gated or if it has security patrols? We are looking at some villas in this area as they are a bit less expensive than those inside Orient Bay. Pros/cons? Greatly appreciate any info you can share.

Here's a link to the area.

https://gobeach.com/villamap_orient.htm

Those all appear to be in the Orient Bay neighborhood and within walking distance to the. beach. We have been walking around that neighborhood for years and never had a problem. You do see police patrols frequently on the main streets there, and the entrance to the community does have a guard gate. This gate is easy to pass through and we have never been questioned there.

Interesting, we had breakfast at a local shop on the main road and the Gendarmes drove by several times. The shop owner said they come through Orient Bay frequently joy riding but they have no jurisdiction there. That makes little sense to us, but nonetheless their presence is a deterrent and you do see them often. When we walk, we stay on the main. roads and always in the daylight hours. You will feel safe in Orient Bay. Just take all the usual precautions and you should be fine.

Great location especially if you get a villa closer to the beach. No way Orient Bay west--west of the main road, is a walking distance to the beach. At least I wouldn't walk it.

I think, according to the map, that is across the main road, and the villas go up a pretty steep hill. To get to the beach you would go down the hill, go through a guard gate there, cross the main road, and then go through the guard gate for Orient Village. Agreed, no way I would walk from there to the beach. I've never been inside that guard gate for that section of villas, so not familiar with any particular villa there. I think the name for it is actually called Jardin d Orient??

We have stayed in another gated neighborhood, Hope Hill Estates, which is directly south of where you are looking.
Always felt very safe. Three minute drive to the beach. I agree, not walking distance to the beach. Going back in May!
This is where we stay:
https://www.skyluxuryrentals.com/vacation-rental-home.asp?PageDataID=72339

As far as walking to and from the beach from Orient Bay west, it probably has more to do with how active you are and if you like to walk. We walk to El Rancho Del Sol at leats once week when we stay in the village, which is probably similar. If you aren't normally that active the comments above are probably right as far as walking goes.

We have stayed in this area, it is call Jardin d' Orient as Carol mentioned.
When we stayed there there was an electric gate to gain access. I don't remember how far around the fence went.
The views are stunning from up there.
I thought we would be able to walk to the beach but it is a pretty good hike especially if you're carrying anything. Of course, then there is the walk back uphill.
The hill is steep and we needed a 4 wheel drive car. Our friends didn't have one and the ride up in their car was a bit of a white knuckle ride. But that may depend on which villa you're looking at renting.