TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin friars bay

I see there are two different roads leading to Friars Bay Beach....Rue de Friars Bay and a road north of the pond Rue de Friars Bay Voie 2...the latter looks like it ends at the beach and is close to the path to Happy Bay...am I to assume the latter is the correct access to friars Bay beach parking lot?

There are lots at either access.

And neither road is particularly good.

Could easily be wrong about this, but we were told a few years ago by a FBBC staff member that the smaller lot directly behind it was parking for their restaurant and chair concession area only and NOT a general beach parking lot. Not an issue either way for us anymore, but I'd love to know if that's fact or fiction. Anyone out there know for sure? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat,

Last time we were there they had signs posted to that effect. We did not chat with anyone about it since that was where we were going.

BobandJeana

Thank you, BandJ.

It's very possible the signs were always there in the 'other' Friars Baie lot and we just didn't notice them. But I will add that even lately we've often seen people off-loading lots of 'stuff' and parking there and then heading through the restaurant onto the beach and then off to Happy Bay. Yikes!! I always thought that was a particularly tacky thing to do but that's just my opinion.

We gave up on Happy Bay a long time ago, before the food and chair guy and the rhino riders became the norm and before it became such a destination point for so many, and back in the days when you could generally count on being one of the few if not the only ones there. Well, that's if you weren't including the occasional cows and/or goats, that is!!

We have always loved the food at FBBC and enjoy the serenity of that particular beach so no need for us to make the trek over the hill. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat, I had to Google "rhino rider" to find out what you were referring to (I thought maybe it meant something else!) - do the boats stop there every day - even if no cruise ships in town? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

I couldn't agree more, Pat <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

the signs indicate that it is private, aka fbbc only, although on our many times there we have definitely witnessed people parking there and heading over to happy bay. i've yet to see a tow truck, but it is a risk you take.

Thanks, Lotsan. It was years ago that we had the parking lot chat and the signs may or may not have been there at that time, but I'm thinking NOT. I've honestly not paid attention lately one way or the other but the signs were probably added out of necessity. For years that 'other' road was a fairly unknown access but like most of the good things, it became widely known and that's probably when the signs became necessary. They do a huge business mans lunch there and probably found the rear lot to be a big plus for these people. Of course, that's just a guess on my part. I know we much prefer parking there since too many times we got blocked in at the original lot. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

There is a whole community being built across from the beach bars on Friars Bay. I was surprised to see how many apartments there were, and actually found a few on VRBO were for rent. I would not doubt that is what precipitated the need for the signs at FBC. The road up to the the beach is pretty good, since the apartment complex road is before this, but from there the "beach road" is a real mess.

I guess we didn't pay attention in December so thank you, Marge, for the update. With all that development I'm sure that will increase the beach population accordingly...hmmmm. Well, it was fun while it lasted. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />