TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Bikini Beach Bar or Kakao for a day at Orient

So we plan to spend a day at Orient eating, drinking, sun bathing, snorkeling, people watching and was wondering what everyone prefers between Bikini and Kakao (food, price, amenities, overall experience)? I know it depends on what our tastes are but more so just want this to be more of an exciting fun day as opposed to our day at Happy or El Zafiro or Mullet or Dreams or Dawn or our day on St Bart's. Thanks for the input!

If you eat and drink there for several hours and spend a chunk of change, does either place give you free rentals on chairs and umbrella?

Bikini is quite dead right now. Kakao is nice, but I think you would enjoy Orange Fever or Waikiki better, especially this time of year.

To me, it depends on what you want as far as food. Kakao has superior food to Bikini, as far as I'm concerned. And I love their individual 'huts' for eating lunch....

Will be there probably Monday November 14th if that makes a difference. Heard good things about the pizza at Orange Fever but might be a bit too far down the beach and I like the looks of the food selection at Bikini. I will check out OF and Waikiki on the net. Thanks for the info.

Our favorite is Kakao, but we haven't been to Bikini since it changed ownership. Neither offers free chairs with patronage. What we do on a Kakao day is have our main meal midday, and just snack at our unit in the evening. Their food is amazing; gourmet French with your toes in the sand!

I agree with Orange Fever! We go there each time we are at Orient!

Depends on what you are going for. Orange Fever, the chairs are very close together. And the quality of the food isn't up to Kakao.

Well, Carol, we are having our fancy dinner and renewal of vows at Dreams based off your recommendation and pictures of your last trip, so I may go with your Kakao recommendation!! And the fact that we lived in Raleigh for 10 years and love GaKaye description of their food and day, ha!

The ownership change at Bikini found many of our long term friends being treated very poorly. It is on our short never again list.

LaPlaya should be good too, now that Bruno has taken over ownership. He also owns Dreams, Petite Casino, Yellow Sub / Macaron (behind Bikini in the Village)

I very much agree about LaPlaya. I was just trying to stay with the OP's request to compare Bikini and Kakao..

I don't think you can be disappointed with Dreams and Kakao is also a good choice. Enjoy!

Kakao it is. I may wander down to LaPlaya as well for a sneak peak. Thanks for the info!

I will be at LaPlaya for the month of January. I will send in a report! To stay on topic, I boycott Bikini Beach because of what happened to the previous owner, but I do visit the odd happy hour at Kakao beach bar with GP and enjoy it!

We just got back Sat. One day we spent at Kakao. Had a great time. The last day we spent at Orange Fever. We had planned on going to Waikiki but they are doing construction in that area and had bulldozers moving sand. Really didn't think it would be relaxing.
Dreams was closed last week. They were doing some upkeep maintenance.

I don't know the personalities but always liked hanging out at Bikini for HH and after dinner in the Village. I would think it would be equally as good during the day. For what is worth I think the best food is Aloha.

What's this "odd" Happy Hour you speak of at Kakao???

What happened at Bikini was terrible. It ruined a great place. But it was entirely Elisa's fault. When you are in a landlord/tenant relationship you can not stop paying rent for any reason. If you do you are gone and thats what happened to her.

I think he means he occasionally visits Kakao at happy hour. GP (short for Guy Pierre) is the bartender at the KO Bar at Kakao. It's right at the beach entrance to the restaurant. GP is a great bartender and conversationalist; I'm looking forward to seeing him again next month!

We love Bikini Beach atmosphere & food & staff. They have sautéed pineapple & banana with rum served in a pineapple shell. Wonderful & so is the food! We did like the old Bikini Beach atmosphere though but change happens.
Many places to enjoy on the beach & everyone has their favourites, try different ones to find your fave. You can't go wrong at Orange Fever either. Hope they still have the cheesecake with mango sauce! Bon appetit! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

You might consider the Perch or Papagayos. Our favorites!!!