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Orient Beach Trip Report Lucky13 36 minutes ago Been here since Friday. Weather is perfect. The beach is perfect. BBCs at the Perch are great, and still calorie-free.

Nothing else to report 😎

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Kalos Greek Restaurant. 2Travelers 1 hour ago Has anyone Eaten at Kalos Greek restaurant in the Nettle Bay area? The owners have also purchased Fat Tony's in Jordan Village. Hope they don't change much there.

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any recommendations for decent music TOWZERONE 1 hour ago 4 of us , all in our 50s coming in May for 10 days
We have been there 8x but mainly have stayed in the Marigot/Baie Nettle area where we will be staying again
I understand there is not a lot of live music clubs /restaurants in Marigot so would be looking at Phillipsburg area/Cupecoy

Thanks

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Drug bust leads to arrests SXMScubaman 3 hours ago "Cross-Border Drug Probe Leads to Multiple Arrests in Sint Maarten
KPSM Crackdown: Arrests Made as Drug Investigations Expand Across Sint Maarten
PHILIPSBURG Law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking in Sint Maarten are intensifying, as the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) confirms multiple arrests tied to ongoing investigations into the import and export of illegal narcotics.
Detectives from several specialized units have been actively pursuing cases linked to both local distribution and cross-border drug networks. These coordinated operations have recently resulted in the apprehension of two suspects in separate but significant investigations.
On April 7, 2026, authorities executed an arrest warrant for a 36-year-old suspect, identified by initials R.J.L., in connection with the importation of soft drugs into Sint Maarten. Following the arrest, the suspect was taken into custody and remains detained as the investigation continues. This case is currently being handled by KPSM’s Alpha Team, a unit focused on targeted criminal investigations.
In a separate operation on April 8, 2026, a second suspect, Q.C.A., aged 22, was arrested under warrant for alleged involvement in the export of hard drugs. As part of this investigation, law enforcement officers carried out a house search in the Middle Region, gathering additional evidence related to the case. The suspect has since been questioned and remains in custody pending further inquiries.
This second investigation is being led by the Pelican Team, a specialized unit known for handling cross-border crimes involving drugs and firearms, highlighting the regional scope of the case.
Authorities emphasize that drug trafficking remains a persistent and serious threat, not only to Sint Maarten but across the wider Caribbean and international communities. The illegal drug trade continues to fuel a range of criminal activities, including violent offenses, firearm-related crimes, and money laundering, while also strengthening organized criminal networks.
These developments place increasing pressure on law enforcement and judicial systems, both locally and abroad. Officials warn that the broader impact of drug trafficking extends beyond crime, posing risks to economic stability, public safety, and international cooperation efforts.
KPSM continues to work closely with regional and international partners in an effort to disrupt these networks. Authorities stress that a coordinated, sustained approach remains critical to effectively combat drug trafficking and protect the safety and stability of the island.
#sxm #sxmnews #lawfornonlawyers #stmaarten #stmaartennews #sintmaarten #sintmaartennews #stmartin #stmartinnews #Saintmartin #saintmartinnews— at St Maarten Board Walk."

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Kalos Greek Restaurant. 2Travelers 5 hours ago Has anyone eaten a Kalos Greek restaurant in Nettle Bay? They just opened in March of 2026. The owners have also bought Fat Tony's in Jordan Village and I hope they don't change things there.

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Trip Report Part 1 - March 27-April 6, 2026 lhbsurf 6 hours ago We arrived from visiting family on Statia on 3-27. Unfortunately, our flight was a couple of hours delayed and it put us in with the big planes. The kiosks were chaos, mostly with those who hadn’t filled out their forms and didn’t know what to do. Instead of groups going to the same one, they would spread out before the next in line could get there taking up multiple terminals for excessively long times. However, for the first time ever, it actually scanned our new passports, but it truly wasn’t much faster than seeing the agents as we have had to do previously, they are very fast.

We met Lesley to get the car and he advised there was a wreck toward the causeway and advised us to go through Sandy Ground, which we did. It was about 2.5 hours from arrival at SXM to the Villa near Grand Case.

We had friends meeting us to celebrate our birthdays. The breezed through everything on Saturday – they were lucky and we were thankful! They made it in a little over an hour from touch-down to the villa.

We took them to many of our favorite places (Pinel – barely made it before ferry shut down; Friar’s Bay Beach Club, Cupecoy, Happy Bay). We didn’t go to Orient because of the sargassum. For dinners, we mostly stayed in Grand Case (Lolos, La Villa, Le Auberge Gourmande, Bistrot Caraibes, Le Pressoir), but went to JAX one evening because the guys love steak.

The weather has been lovely – just a few very brief showers here and there.

Because of where we stay and the times we dine (late), traffic typically does not affect us much – this has been the case this trip so far as well.

Oh, and they had the SXM Music Festival right below the Villa on Happy Bay. We were warned and thought the “noise” as it was described would be ok for 2 nights. I looked it up online and the hours were 8pm – 4am…. And they didn’t stop a minute early lol! They were taking down (very slowly) the festival area while we were there. Two fences blocked the beach on Happy Bay, but they had been removed a few days later.

After our friends left, we moved to a smaller villa in Les Terres Basses and are here now. Will update in a part 2.

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Ti Palm fabila 6 hours ago What a wonderful dinner we had last evening at Ti Palm located at the Palm Court in Orient bay.

As you arrive, you’re welcomed by beautiful palm trees and lush greenery, with soft lighting throughout the entrance that creates a warm, tropical, and inviting atmosphere. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the service was excellent.

When we were seated in the dining room, many of the tables overlooked the pool. I had requested a table for two by the pool when making the reservation the night before, and the hostess brought us right to it—perfect.

We started with a glass of wine, along with a selection of complimentary delicious, salty olives and fresh bread. The bread paired beautifully with our starter—clams in a rich broth of garlic, butter, and parsley. We couldn’t resist dipping the bread into the sauce, and it was absolutely incredible. Honestly, we may have filled up just on that!

For my entrée, I had a creamy risotto topped with half a roasted lobster, prepared with butter, thyme, and lemon, and served alongside roasted asparagus. Everything was cooked perfectly—the risotto was rich and smooth, and the lobster and asparagus were beautifully roasted. David ordered the spaghetti with clams, which came in a generous portion—so large he couldn’t finish it.

Complimentary shots of infused rum, passion fruit and strawberry were offered then left on the table for us too enjoy.

By the end, we were both too full for dessert. With two glasses of wine, the total came to about $110 USD.

We stayed at Palm Court many years ago, back when they only offered a simple continental breakfast for guests. The transformation since then is truly outstanding—it’s now a beautiful place to dine. I only wish we had come earlier in our trip, because it is absolutely worth a repeat visit.

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Southwest inaugural flight from Orlando SXMScubaman Yesterday at 02:43 PM LINK

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Orient Beach - day 4 fabila Yesterday at 11:39 AM Not to be repetitive, but aother beautiful day on Orient, the sun is out there was a stiff breeze, which made it very comfortable heat wise and to be on the beach little to no sargassum in the water for a good part of the day. The tractor was there in the morning cleaning up what was left from the night before. It was nice to swim in the water yesterday without much sargassum until mid afternoon when it started to roll in although not too bad.

Lunch was supposed to be at Chez Leandra but when we arrived at noon, it was closed. Back to La Playa for a relaxing lunch. Sushi and a La Playa bowl which is very similar to a poke bowl with salmon, tuna, vegetables, rice, and a shrimp roll. We treated ourselves to their homemade chocolate lava cake served with ice cream. That was really delicious.

We wanted a simple dinner last night so Le Piment fit our need. We had the Formaggio pizza with four cheeses—mozzarella, goat cheese, Camembert, and blue cheese. You could really taste the distinct flavors of the goat cheese and blue cheese, yet neither was overpowering. The pizza was more than enough for the two of us to share. We started with a special salad that has Serrano ham, and a very nice piece of burrata , shaved Parmesan with tomatoes, onions and lettuce already dressed with a light flavorful vinaigrette.

While leaving the village we decided to go ahead and take a look at
Ti Palm which is located at Palm Court Hotel where we stayed many years ago. The restaurant was doing a brisk business. We liked what we saw on the menu and the restaurant vibe. I made a reservation and looking forward to dinner tonight.

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Beach Day - 3 fabila 04/07/2026 12:31 PM Beautiful beach day—slightly windy, but sunny all day with just a quick shower around 7:30 PM. The water had less sargassum, so the swim was especially refreshing.

Lunch at La Playa was a special sushi roll with fresh fish. As well as tempura shrimp with sweet chili on the side—super satisfying before heading back to relax on the beach.

We stopped by Rancho del Sol for a cocktail on the patio and even spotted a peacock.

Keeping it casual in swimwear with coverups, we headed to ROASTY’S in Orient Bay. The village was lively as previous evenings, and we grabbed an outdoor table. Dinner was simple but exceptional—juicy rotisserie chicken with flavorful potatoes. I went for a combo with ribs and French sausage, plus a glass of red wine.

We ended the night with me getting a scoop of pistachio gelato from the ROASTY’S sweets shop—perfect finish.

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