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Southwest inaugural flight from Orlando SXMScubaman 3 hours ago LINK

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Orient Beach - day 4 fabila 6 hours ago 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 Yesterday at 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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USD / Euro DtDanTanna 04/06/2026 04:50 PM In the past, we’ve used USD cash on the French side (grand case), and then received euros as change. But I had thought I read somewhere that French side / grand case are not accepting USD (lolos, taxis, etc) right now.

I always hate paying FX fees, but am curious if we should bring euro this year.

Thank all!

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Air Canada TOWZERONE 04/06/2026 04:30 PM we are flying down May 14 with AC
Originally arriving at 2pm
Now its changed 6 weeks in advance to arrive at 5pm

No idea how they can change a flight that far in advance and no idea how AC wins awards
I have flown hundreds of times with them, Westjet, Porter and the old Canadian Airlines
AC is the worst by far out of all of them for cancellations, delays, and then when shid hits the fan with them their is zero sense of urgency

They are making travelling globally extremely tedious so that 5 years down the road most people wont want to anymore
Exactly what Agenda 2030 with the UN wants its even on their website

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AA changed flight mahokid 04/06/2026 12:33 PM For the first time in many years there was a direct flight from Philadelphia to SXM in August

guess problem filling plane as this morning received notice we are now connecting our usual route in Charlotte

The direct flights are just so much easier that last year (our first year of retirement) we snuck in a trip to Mexico and enjoyed the direct flight so much we booked a second trip a month later

those with direct flights are very fortunate

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Easter, Day 2 fabila 04/06/2026 11:41 AM Our first full day on the island was punctuated by several passing rain showers. They weren’t particularly heavy, but enough of a nuisance that we had to leave our chairs a few times to take cover. Between the weather and the sargassum, we didn’t spend much time in the water, although we did go in for a refreshing dip, and David made good use of a boogie board that Bruno provided.

It felt great to be back at Paradise Bungalows—we hadn’t stayed there since 2017—and we were especially happy to once again be so close to Orient Village, as well as the beach bars and restaurants along Orient Beach. Anyone who has read my reports knows we’re fans of La Playa, so naturally that’s where we spent our first beach day. We enjoyed cocktails along with sushi and sashimi, which we always love.

Later in the afternoon, we took a drive over to Chez Leandra to check if they’d be open on Monday, only to find out they’re closed that day. We’re planning to return on Tuesday for lunch. Rochelle mentioned that if there’s heavy rain they may not open, but with lighter showers, they usually do—so we’ll play that by ear.

We returned to our home for the week and spent some time in the lovely pool at the bungalows, enjoying a relaxing late afternoon swim.

Breakfast at Good Morning Café was a bit disappointing. My croissant was more chewy than flaky, and the same went for David’s chocolate croissant. That said, the omelets we saw at nearby tables—served with fruit—looked quite good.

For dinner, we headed back into the village, which was bustling with activity for Easter. Despite the crowds, we managed to get a table at Sao Asian Restaurant. The interior is very nicely done, with a slightly sexy, lounge-like vibe, comfortable seating, and friendly waitstaff. Since we had already indulged in sushi at lunch, we were in the mood for something hot.

We ordered the shaken beef for David, a Vietnamese dish I know well and often make myself. While it was flavorful, it was quite different from what we’re used to back home and not prepared in the traditional way, so it wasn’t a standout for us. I had the shrimp pad Thai, another dish I’m very familiar with, and unfortunately, the noodles were overly chewy—almost difficult to eat. They seemed undercooked and stuck together in places, giving the dish more of an al dente texture, which isn’t typical for this style. The shrimp were a decent size and had a mild flavor, and the portion itself was generous.

Overall, the meal was just okay. While the setting and service were enjoyable, the food didn’t quite hit the mark for us. It’s always a matter of personal taste, of course, but based on this experience, it’s not somewhere we’d be likely to return.

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Sargassum TOWZERONE 04/05/2026 11:57 PM Seeing lots of posts and have never seen that much of it in all the times we have been down to SXM
Is this just a bad year for it ?
Last time in 2017 there was no issue with it

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Pinel closed till further notice SXMScubaman 04/05/2026 08:21 PM The ferry dock to get there is totally engulfed in Sargassum and boats can't operate to get to Pinel.

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Grand Case- 1 NIGHT Diega 04/05/2026 08:16 PM If you only had one night in Grand Case which restaurant would you eat at????

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