First, welcome to TTOL!! If you have any general questions about the forum, please post here or feel free to send me a private message. (Just click on my user name and then send me a note from there.

The times being what they are, I assume that you are all caught up with all the hoops you need to go through, just to arrive in SXM?? If not, please check out the official SXM travel website at this LINK to make sure what you need to do to arrive.

As far as after you finally arrive, Jeannie is a good idea for beginner, until you get your 'legs' under you, but I seem to recall that OBBR is one of the ones that won't let Jeannie pre-stock your unit, as they do something similar from the resort? Best to check on that.

OBBR is kind of isolated, especially since Irma and Covid, as a lot of restaurants in that area have not opened back up. Plan on either getting groceries delivered for the first night, or eating at the resort, because after a long day travelling, it would be a bit daunting to try to find someplace else to eat after night the first night. I'm very bad with directions, so will leave those to someone else, but actually I think the biggest large grocery store would be Carrefour. Mark's Place is right next to it, and is a great low key lunch and dinner place, with huge portions, suitable for leftovers, and favorites like ribs and fettucine al fredo.

I see in the Daily Herald newspaper that they have procured a beach cleaner for Dawn Beach (which is the beach where OBBR is), so hopefully maybe they will keep the seaweed cleaned up there. If not, don't despair though, as you do need to check out the other beaches. Even if there is lots of seaweed at OBBR, it should be fairly clear at Mullet and at Simpson Bay Beach, both of which you should go to regardless, as well as to Orient. Orient is the famous nude beach on island, but you can go to the non-nude section of the beach, if you prefer. You should at least have one very nice lunch on the beach there, and take in the French flair. At Mullet, there is everyone's favorite rag-tag beach bar, Rosie's, with great ribs and chicken and fries, where you normally get carry-out and eat on your beach chair. It is not the case everywhere on island, but at Mullet in particular, you can take your own cooler, with your own liquid libations and sandwiches, etc., for lunch, if you're on a budget. , On Simpson Bay, you could check out Karakter and Mary's Boon (which are right next to each other), or at the other end, El Zafiro. I am partial to Simpson Bay, as the best beach on the island, but others will differ.

Since this is a girls' trip, I would like to address the question of security. Take standard precautions that hopefully you would anywhere, but try to be aware that just because someplace is heartbreakingly beautiful, that doesn't mean that bad things can't happen to you if you don't follow some basic rules. You say that you are not going to get wild, but I would say in general, there is not much good that happens after midnight. Try to avoid wearing lots of jewelry, flashing lots of cash, and lots of fancy I-phones, etc. ALWAYS lock your car when you're driving and always lock all the doors in your unit when you go to bed. I do want to reiterate what the others have said about stuff in your car, and even more strongly. Do NOT leave anything in your car, at ANY place, for ANY length of time. Period. Especially PLEASE resist any temptation going to and from the airport to stop somewhere and leave luggage in the car.

Please feel free to post any other specific questions and I'm sure there will be lots of people who will chip in to help Enjoy!!