TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin 30 days to go! What's new, how's the traffic? Orient?

It's been a busy year with lots of planning & trips to Rome, Montreal (twice along with a stop at Reveil Matin!) and Denmark.

So we are so looking forward to a week of chilling back at SXM.

We've never hung out at Orient but did have a brief walk last year after dining at Hercule to get ideas for this year. I recall walking past a place called... Caribbean Treasures which had ice cream and there were painted lobster tails with butter. Looked so succulent. Was near Piment and Bouchon. Any recommendations for good local food up in Orient? (My initial impression of corner restaurants are higher price but not as good food.). Is there recommended beach bar like....Friars Bay, where one pays for seats for the day?

Also, has traffic gotten any better? I couldn't believe how CRAZY rush hour was coming from Marigot to Maho via baie nettle...I recall seeing motorcycles cut across the golf course!

Rush hour seems to be every hour especially in Marigot where they are digging up the road right before the Super U and creating one lane of traffic. There are alternating traffic lights that would work if drivers paid attention to them but nah,,,,it is a real mess and backs up traffic severely. Roundabout near Port de Plaisance is touch and go and the rest is just a lot of cars.

Not a fun place to drive....

Edit: I will say that the traffic around the Welfare Rd bridge seems to be a little better

Orient Beach is lined with beach bars, most of which are good. Our favorites are, in no particular order, La Playa, KKO, Joa, and Coco. Coco is the most expensive; the food is worth it, but the chairs are double what they are at the others.

the rush hour we witnessed was the worst I'd seen. It was a mistake going the way of Baie Nettle but we were showing family the whole island. Lesson learned.

Thanks for the Orient recommendations. We were enjoying family night tonight and looks like our clan may parasail this time.

Im already salivating thinking about Friday and Hercule.

Also, anyone recommend a good French cheese shop? (before our Rome trip, I abstained from pasta and pizza for a month.
Likewise, Im abstaining from booze, brie, croissants & fried foods until we land). Yeah baby!