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Trip Report Orient Village
Jim_Laraine
7 minutes ago
We had an outstanding trip to SXM from June 23 to July 7.
Getting there:
Our nonstop back and forth flights on United from Dulles IAD were happily uneventful, but with full flights each way. Getting through security at Dulles for our trip to SXM was a pain since TSA screening didn’t open till 5:30 am and TSA Pre-Check was not available. I can’t believe that this is normal since they had to hold flights for people. Since our flight was not leaving until 8:15 am this was just a minor issue for us. In and out of PJIA was a breeze both ways.
Accommodations:
We stayed at a lovely condo, Ti-Paradise in Residence Alamada right behind the Orient Village restaurant circle. The pool was right outside our bottom floor unit and the beach right across the sandy road. $2200 total for the two week stay was a nice deal since everything to do with the studio was perfect and Thomas, the host, was meticulous and very responsive. The water stayed on for the whole trip but the power did go out for one hour in the early morning. Guess this might have been load shedding.
Getting Around:
Traffic was not much of a problem. We used Google Maps which worked quite well for choosing routes. Stupid scooter and motorcycle tricks provided the usual stress and annoyance. Driving back from the Dutch side at night was nice with no traffic, but there always seems to be someone riding right on your tail with headlights blinding you. I finally started disabling the rear view by tilting it up to minimize the distraction and stress. (Hey most trucks don’t have rear view mirrors)
We rented our standard issue Toyota Corolla from Hertz ($460 for 2 weeks including 3rd party liability). The car was a bit scratched up but otherwise fine, so I just documented the condition with a video. We always cover the collision with our credit card. (We have had to use the collision on a past trip and it worked perfectly with no expense to us.)
Paying for Stuff:
We brought a bunch of cash but we ended up using a credit card for almost all purchases. (Based on input from our TTOL friends) Our Fidelity Card gives us 2% cash back on everything, has no foreign transaction fees and has a very favorable exchange rate on the French side.
Shopping:
Super U in Hope Estates was our primary spot for provisioning with good prices for food and wine. We also found that the Petite Casino market in Orient Village prices were not significantly more than the big markets so we ended up going there more as the trip progressed. They also had fresh baguettes and pastries every morning.
We did not do a lot of serious shopping on this trip, but we did pick up a few items at Blanc du nil on Front Street. A stop at Juggies for a few milkless chocolate milkshakes was in order along with a dose of Juggie’s BS. Laraine donated a bra to hang from the ceiling which generates a donation from Juggie to breast cancer research. Some beach towels, shirts, a Christmas ornament and a windchime were grabbed as well.
Family Visit:
Our daughter, her husband and our granddaughter arrived on the gargantuan Star of the Seas while we were on the island. We picked them up outside the cruise terminal and took them to Sunset Beach Bar to watch some planes come and go while they jumped in the water. From there we were going to take them to Front Street for some shopping but the parking lot at Bobby's Marina was full so we scrubbed the shopping. Plan B was a nice lunch at Chesterfields before dropping them back at the ship.
Beaches:
Some seaweed was around, but not objectionable on any of the usual beaches that we frequent. There was quite a bit around the Pinel Ferry terminal in Cul de Sac but the Ferry seemed to be running. We did not visit Pinel on this trip but we heard that the beach was clean. We stopped for a drink at the Dawn Beach Westin pool bar which is a nice (expensive) place but their waterfront was nasty and unusable due to the seaweed.
Rocks were a drawback in the Orient Beach water. It seems that erosion has uncovered rough coral type rocks several inches in diameter. The south Club O end of Orient beach was basically not swimmable for us without water shoes (We picked up good water shoes at the Shipwreck Shop for $25) . You could walk into the water up to your knees but the rocky area extended from there out for about another 5 to 10 feet. Beyond that it was fine. Some people seemed to have some success floating over the area to get back and forth to the deeper water. The beach around Aloha / Le String / Orange Fever was a bit better but not great. We did not get in the water in the Bikini Beach area so I’m not sure about the rock situation there. Hopefully this is a temporary situation with shifting sand.
Beach chairs were $30 for the day at Club O beach but you can bring your own and just rent an umbrella for $8. We did this one day (since we had chairs in the condo) but decided it was not worth the effort. On the return trips we just paid the $30 (and provided a few drinks for the chair guys). July 4th was a hoot on a packed Club O beach with a DJ and Cedrick overseeing the festivities. That was the only time the beach was crowded.
Friars Bay (978), Little Bay (Divi) beaches were all good for swimming. We did not get to Mullet and we saw that there was hardly any sand at Maho with large rocks. We did not swim on Simpson Bay or Great Bay but they looked ok.
One day was spent at Le String on Orient. John and the staff were wonderful and chairs and umbrellas were free since we had lunch and a number of drinks. Trigger fish was great for lunch.
We also had a relaxing afternoon at 978 on Friars Bay. The staff there are very nice and accommodating. We had good burgers for lunch and a bottle of pinot gris. They charge $20 for two chairs and an umbrella. It was a Tuesday so Friars Bay Beach Cafe was closed and we’ve always found the people at Calis to be very rude.
We were looking for something different on our last full day and Laraine saw something on line about the Little Divi Resort having day passes available. It turned out that no day pass was required. We drove in and told the gate guard that we wanted to check out the restaurant and he said no problem. We had an excellent chicken caesar salad and wine at the beachfront restaurant / bar and then rented two beach chairs and an umbrella for $15 total. This turned out to be a home run. There was no problem with bringing a cooler on the beach but we opted to get drinks from the beach bar.
Dining:
Dining is not our strong suit. We end up many times just sharing a combination of appetizers or a main course. But nonetheless….
Bamboo House - wins the prize for ambiance up on the mountain, we had a couple of appetizers which were decent. Good happy hour from 5 to 7pm at the bar. We did valet parking for $10 or you can park at Carefour and take a shuttle up the hill. (Not sure how you get the shuttle)
Sint Maarten Yacht club was a treat for breakfast with eggs benedict and bloody marys. For lunch we had beef carpaccio and jerk chicken salad which were wonderful. Our kids had given us a gift card for the SMYC which covered everything. Anna, Brian and the staff are all great!
La Trattoria in Orient Village - nice ambiance, pizza and chicken parmesan were all very good with several return trips for us.
Favela in Orient Village - nice ambiance, we just had an appetizer which was fair but not really enough to make a recommendation.
Rancho del Sol - amazing ambiance, pizza and salad were excellent along with a bottle of pinot gris. Peacocks walk around the tables looking for donations.
Chesterfields - Several nice visits here. Fried grouper was yummy. Shrimp fettuccine was good as well but very rich.
Mango Cafe Orient Village - we had several breakfasts here, bagels and lox were great. The avocado egg toast was nicely done.
The Perch Lite - Drinks and lunches were excellent and very reasonable. Tuna salad, chicken caesar, chicken club sandwiches were all great.
Cynthia’s Lolo Grand Case - Ribs, beans and rice, mac and cheese were all good with some to take home.
Calmos Cafe - nice ambiance, tapas were good.
La Bomba - Boardwalk Philipsburg - had a good burger and fries.
Music:
Rendezvous Cafe Cupecoy - Sunday afternoon jazz 1pm to 4pm is not to be missed. Ronnie Santan, Alfredo and others with a female vocalist.
Three Angle Cafe Simpson Bay - Ronnie Santana and Lee Hardesty, great music and it gave us the opportunity to hang out with some of our SXM US Expat friends.
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Sunday -day 3
fabila
6 hours ago
Another beautiful day in SXM. We spent the morning relaxing on the beach, and whenever we got too warm, we cooled off with a swim.
Around noon, we went to Ma Ti Restaurant & Beach Bar in Nettle Bay. Several former La Playa staff members have opened this new spot in the Le Flamboyant complex on the lagoon, in the space that previously held another outdoor restaurant. The venue is spacious, with plenty of tables, overlooking the lagoon, and cabana-style seating. The lagoon view with beach area and many palm trees added to a nice tropical setting. They are open Tuesday through Sunday. Serving lunch and dinner.
For lunch, I had the tuna tartare, a generous portion of diced tuna and avocado. David ordered the bacon cheeseburger served on a seeded brioche bun. Both meals came with very good fries, and David’s burger included a smoky house mayo based sauce on the side that was excellent for dipping. They offer complimentary infused Rhum shots at the end of your meal. I don’t know what flavor it was, but it was very smooth. Too often I find the infused Rhum shots offered at some bars and restaurants are a bit harsh. This was not. Dollars to euros if you’re paying cash.
We spent the remainder of daylight hours back on our beach until David walked over to D’s Beach Bar to watch part of the soccer match. We enjoy stopping there often because it’s so convenient from Beachside, and the observation deck is a great place to watch the planes land. The food, drinks, and prices are all good with a great view of the ocean.
We sat in the bar area at one of the high-top tables at Roma/Chow. While happy hour was still available, we decided to order mostly from the regular menu instead. Aside from the fried chicken spring rolls, which are offered on the happy hour menu, the cocktails, sushi, and other appetizer we ordered all came from the regular menu.
The beef negamaki consisted of small chunks of beef on 3 skewers marinated in a teriyaki sauce with some extra sauce on the side. Although very tasty it was a little chewy and considering the price $17 for 3 small skewers I don’t think that I would order it again.
We then ordered two specialty sushi rolls: a Latin roll with shrimp tempura and avocado, topped with plantain and chipotle sauce, and a Crunchy Samurai fried roll with teriyaki salmon and avocado, topped with cream cheese, crab mix, and eel sauce. Both were very enjoyable, both came with eel sauce, and each roll had a good amount of slices to share. We finished another enjoyable dinner. No service charge added.
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What a night..
Manpot
Yesterday at 07:51 PM
...for those of us lucky enough to get an invite to "The Sugar Mill" for Dennis, the owner's, 80th birthday bash. Amazing finger foods, tiny cups of lobster bisque, sausage rolls, caviar and cream cheese on breadfruit, bacon wrapped baby dogs..all washed down with some very fine bubbles ( or your drink of choice).The theme was "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party" and the hat collection was amazing..everyone got into the spirit of it. The lovely Jalena sang as the party started by the pool and then moved down to the "Tramonti" beach bar for a rocking dance party with the "Evolution Band"...everyone danced including all the staff. I have been to many great parties over the years but this took the..birthday..cake.A huge thanks to Dennis, Mary, Rupert and Andrea and their amazing staff for a night I'll long remember..now waiting for Dennis'90th when he promised to wear the really ugly shirt I bought him!!!
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Dawn Beach - New for us
0810
Yesterday at 03:19 PM
We are headed to a beach house on Dawn Beach next Sunday, which is totally new for us. We have mostly stayed on the Port Cupecoy/ Simpson Bay Area. I know there is a market named Veranda, that should be convenient. Any thoughts on restaurants or anything else you seem worthy would be excellent. Thanks
Mark & Linda
Ohio
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AA Schedule Changes
ruralcarrier
Yesterday at 01:08 PM
I check frequently for price and/or schedule changes for our fall trip on AA. The fare has dropped two times, so I was able to get credit for that.
Upon checking this morning, I noticed the little icon indicating a "Tight Connection." I checked the original confirmation email, and the connection time in CLT on the return changed from 2 hours to 1 h 15 min, which could be rather tight to clear customs and immigration. There was also an equipment change from an A-319 to the larger 737-MAX 8.
Sadly, none of this has been communicated to me in any fashion. No text and no email. Not that anything can be changed, but upon trying to call AA early this morning, there was a 2+ hour wait for an agent or call back and the same for a chat online.
If you are booked on AA in the next few months, check for changes, as they have instituted some.
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Saturday - day 2
fabila
Yesterday at 12:54 PM
Today is a new day. There’s plenty of sand in front of the villa, the sea is warm, there’s a nice breeze. Great day to float in ocean or ride a wave on a boogie board.
Took a beach break and went over to D’s Bar & Grill for lunch before making a stop at their observation deck to watch the planes arrive.
AHI TUNA TARTARE
Asian Marinated Ahi Tuna, Asian Slaw, Wasabi Dusted Wontons, Bang Bang Sauce
JERK CHICKEN SANDWICH
Grilled Jerk Chicken Breast, Mango Chutney
Tonight we had an absolutely outstanding dinner at Big Cee’s, and all I can say is…why did we wait so long to check them out?
The setting overlooking the marina was absolutely beautiful, and to our surprise, there was even a cool breeze. Who would’ve thought we’d be enjoying such a refreshing evening in July?
I ordered the surf and turf with my choice of three different steaks and selected the ribeye with a half grilled lobster. There was an option for the lobster to be grilled steamed boiled or Thermidor. The Thermidor was a $2 up charge. The ribeye was enormous, cooked as requested , and seasoned so well that every bite was bursting with flavor. The lobster was delicious. The portion was so generous that I ended up sharing my steak with David! The rice and peas were so good that David kept scooping them onto his plate—and he’s definitely not a rice-and-peas kind of guy! He’s usually a mashed potato guy…as you can tell from his own plate! It was hands down some of the best I’ve had in a very long time. The crispy tostones were the perfect compliment .
David ordered the Grouper topped with lobster sauce, and really enjoyed it. His side choice was mashed potatoes and vegetables.
We were told they’ll be closing in a week or two for major renovations and are planning to reopen around the end of October. We can’t wait to come back, see the fresh new look, and enjoy another outstanding meal.
A 15% service charge is added to your bill.
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Back on the island
fabila
Yesterday at 01:20 AM
Well…our trip got off to a bit of a rocky start! 😅
We arrived yesterday morning after a very early flight out of JFK, landing at 9:38 a.m. We were excited to enjoy a full day on the beach, but after waiting at baggage claim for over 30 minutes, we found out that 42 of us didn’t have our luggage. JetBlue couldn’t really give us any answers, but thankfully our bags made it on a later flight.
Rather than waiting for them to deliver our luggage, we headed back to the airport to pick it up ourselves. By the time we got our bags and returned to the villa, it was after 3:00 p.m., so our “full beach day” didn’t exactly go as planned.
Of course, it could have been much worse. The luggage showed up, and that’s what really matters. It was just a little disappointing after getting up at 1:30 a.m. and leaving the house at 2:30, all in hopes of squeezing in an extra day in paradise.
We had an early lunch, a fish fingers and bloody Mary’s at the yacht club before returning to the airport
We shook it off, enjoyed an early dinner at D’s Beach Bar & Grill, took in the beautiful breeze, and called it an early night. Sometimes that’s just how travel goes!
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Ivan Chinnery passing
Aries4
07/17/2026 07:45 PM
I just saw on Facebook that Ivan Chinnery of Ivan's Stress Free Bar passed today. If so, Jost will never be the same. Such great memories and such a great man. Enjoy your memories and life and trips to the BVI as it's changing fast. 
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