2019 Trip Report

Here is a somewhat belated trip report. We were on the island only four days because we combined our visit with a family-oriented trip to Antigua. It was our 12th visit to St. Martin. Our first was in 1990, but we have been almost annual visitors since 2007.

On Saturday March 2nd we flew American out of MSP, escaping the near record snowfall and cold. Landing at Princess Juliana at 4 PM on a Saturday is not something we would like to repeat! As other posters have stated, it’s a bit of a mob scene getting through customs. Our time in line was about 45 minutes, but I’m sure it was longer for others. Once we were through, our bag was waiting for us, and so was Lesley. The traffic in Marigot was very tolerable, and we made a quick stop at Super U for some groceries.

We stayed at Esmeralda in a villa behind Astrolabe – our third time in that unit. (Thanks to Jim Ruos for the booking.) Most of Esmeralda is in excellent shape, with fresh repairs and paint. As others have reported, Coco Beach is being rebuilt, and they seem to be making very good progress. Poster RunnerNReader has done a great job submitting photos of the progress.

Our beach days were at Perch Lite. We usually arrived before 9:30, and there was no problem getting a spot. Cedric and his crew have it running well and by late morning most of the chairs were occupied. We didn’t have any food from Perch Lite, but the grill was always cooking something. We miss Willy, and the wonderful drinks she poured. For those with questions about the facilities, there is an outhouse-like structure with a high-end marine/RV toilet installed. It was kept clean, and we had no concerns. On our final morning, we spent a few hours at Kakao, which has a free chair policy for Esmeralda guests.

As others have mentioned, the Club O property has a very eerie feeling about it. We walked around some of the units, and anything that could be moved/stolen is gone. All that is left are the concrete shells of the buildings. I’m not a construction expert, but it seems like it would be a herculean effort for Club O to resume operations once the CoPro issues are resolved (hoping that they will).

Our dining was pretty simple this trip, with three of our meals in Orient Village, one in Grand Case. In the village, we enjoyed dinners at La Trattoria, Cote Plages, and Le Piment. Our favorite in the village was Le Piment, but that is splitting hairs. In Grand Case, we visited Piazza Pascal, where we had a fun conversation with two other couples during a brief rainstorm. We also connected with an OUTSTANDING young waiter (Francois). We were very surprised to see Francois the next morning working the breakfast shift at Astrolabe!

Departure around 2:00 PM mid-week on LIAT was a breeze. No lines of any kind.

We would like to thank everyone on this forum for their contributions. I don’t post much, but I enjoy the dialog on an almost daily basis. This is a great community!

Dave

Thanks for a nice report and an update on our favorite beach. Even though Le Piment & Piazza Pascal are two places we normally enjoy, we somehow didn't get there on our recent trip. Thanks again, Dave.

Nice report. Thank you for taking the time.

Carol and I will be returning soon to many of the places you mentioned. We were on the island for a few weeks in October and were saddened by the sight of Club O. Sounds like it isn't any better now. But, the beach is still the best end of Orient. Cedric is a true SXM Gem and he is a big draw for many tourists. We did enjoy quite a few meals at Perch Lite and will visit again when we return in April. We enjoyed the restaurants you mentioned with Le Piment being our favorite. We will make sure we stop at Piazza Pascal since we didn't trust eating at Grand Case last visit. Streets were mostly empty and we were told by many to avoid Grand Case. Seems to have come alive again with more places opening. Thanks Dave for you comments.

Dave,

Thank you for sharing your time with us. We are not as familiar with the French side of the island as we are the Dutch side but perhaps we will get to try some new experiences in April based on your experiences.

Due to that b itch Irma, we tried Antigua last March for our first stay of any duration. It was very pretty but so totally different from St. Maarten. Friendly people but a very ‘proper’ island...... or at least the areas we visited were.

Thanks for taking time to post a report.

Thank you for the report. Look forward to hearing about Antigua

Thanks for your report. Really enjoyed reading it. Must have just missed you at the Perch Bar & Grill (I still call it Perch Lite), but I was so pleased to see this in operation and the nice crowds they had there during much of the day. In all honesty if someone just doesn't look back at all the destroyed cabins it's still the same old clothing-optional beach, and the best section of beach on Orient with little or no sea grass. Just a reminder that Kontiki and Bikini Beach both have nice bathroom facilities that are within walking distance if necessary.

Thank you for taking the time to post a nice report.

Thanks for the report. Question about Perch Lite: are the seats wooden or plastic? I know that sounds like a silly question, but since I may be bottomless, I’d rather not end up with a splinter in my bum.

Alison---It doesn't matter what type of seats they are. Your bare bum should not touch the seat. Proper nudist etiquette demands that you sit on a towel or piece of clothing.

Allison, there are wooden seats at Perch bar, and loungers are plastic strap type. As Carol said, use a towel wherever you sit, unless its in the sand, and then its up to you! LOL

Hi Allison ... The picnic tables are wooden both inside the Perch Bar & Grill, and outside. And, there's plenty of shade from the nearby trees and table umbrellas. So no eating lunch with the sun pounding down on you. If you choose to dine without clothing, then proper etiquette for a place like this (and other similar places) is to sit on a towel for a whole bunch of reasons. My wife and I always tote around our two St. Maarten beach towels that we bought on the island several years ago, and they always come in handy. In all honesty if you're thinking about having lunch in this manner my advice is just do it! It's honestly the one of the most liberating things that a person can do. Just wish my wife and started earlier when we were younger!

Regardless of the texture of the seat, you are should always sit on a towel!