Sint Maarten/ St. Martin is well known for its beautiful white sand beaches. I have taken a keen interest in the beaches over the years and have visited and enjoyed most of them; all differently as each beach has its own unique vibe. Wanting to take readers into my experience at the beaches, I’ve made a list of 5 beaches which I believe are the best and a MUST VISIT spot on the island. They are all favorites of locals and tourists likewise and now me, a “local tourist". This article, combined with my last beach post, will give you a comprehensive listing of ten of the must see beaches on the friendly island of St. Maarten!
Number 5: Dreams Beach!
Located on the French side of the Island on Terres Basse road, this beautiful beach got its name from the beach bar called Dreams beach Bar and Restaurant. This beach really feels like a dream. So relaxing, with a friendly atmosphere. Treat your taste buds to the amazing cuisine at the restaurant or just laze on the beach and get a nice tan. When I visited I went alone, I felt selfish and did not want to share “my dream”. Now I need the world to know that this place is heavenly. You should definitely add it on the MUST VISIT list while on SXM. I’ve included a few photos below so you can get an idea of how I felt on this amazing beach.
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Number 4: Baie Rouge!
This is a secluded yet charming beach located on the French Side of the Island. It got its name because of the rather pinkish sand on the beach. When you get there, you may see a barrier, you can completely ignore it as the beach is public. If you are looking to spend a lazy afternoon on the sand then this is the perfect place. The waters are usually calm but be careful when the tide is high cause then it can become dangerous. Like all the other beaches, the further you walk in to the beach entrance the less clothes you see people wearing; this beach is clothing optional also, if you are away from the main area. You can enjoy tasty barbeque and cold drinks or bring along your own food! Baie Rouge is very picturesque so don’t forget your camera! I definitely love this beach, but for adults. Lovers, married folks, and the “unsure” will want to go back once they’ve visited this lovely beach.
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Number 3: Pinel !
To get to this beauty, it would cost you USD 7.00 to 8.00 and a 5min boat ride. Once you get there you will see that it is totally worth it! With shallow, warm, calm and clear crystal waters, Pinel makes the perfect spot for a day at the beach with the entire family or friends. A time away from all the hustle and bustle- No traffic! There are a few restaurants so you cannot go hungry and they serve you drinks right in the water. If I remember correctly, there is also a souvenir shop. This is an ideal spot for snorkeling (there is actually a snorkel trail), Kayaking, and taking a plain old swim. Please note that the northern part of the beach is clothing optional. Please apply loads of sunscreen as the sun never leaves the beach until the end of the day. Although Pinel is an island- No one is allowed to overnight there as this is a nature preservation area.
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Number 2: Orient Bay!!
Orient Bay/ Baie Orientale is by far the island’s most famous and most visited bay. Located on the French Side of the Island; the bay consists of 5 main beaches, namely: Kontiki, Kakao, Bikini Beach, Waikiki and Coco Beach. These were all named after their respective beach bars and each alongside the other. Orient bay boasts of many restaurants, bars, countless water sports and activities, hotels, resorts and shops. Orient is well known for it being a nude beach though the stretch of blue and brown awesomeness is primarily a casual beach. If you must know the Southern part of the beach is where nude people dominate, close to the area of Club Orient/ Club O- One can even dine naked at the restaurant, just be sure to have a towel ready for seating. The overall ambience is heavenly and no one should miss this while in SXM.
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Number 1: Happy Bay!!!
Almost undiscovered and so so beautiful! Although it is not easily accessible and one may have to walk 15-20 mins along a foot path, this beach is ultimately one of the most breathtaking beaches on the island. Happy Bay beach is located between Friars Bay and Grand Case Beach. The walk to get there starts at the last beach bar on Friars Bay. This is the perfect spot for lovers to spend a romantic day at the beach as it is very quiet and peaceful, snorkelers have a great time there also. FYI clothing is optional, so to all my fellow naturist visiting the island, make sure to check out this beach. Please note that there are no commercial activities here, just a local guy who sells cold drinks (sometimes). Bring along your trash bags to minimize littering on the beach.
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Thanks for reading! St. Maarten / St. Martin has approx. forty beaches. It was really challenging to select the top five pro list. I did take my personal faves into consideration. But in order to create an unbiased list, I surveyed fifty people including locals and tourists. Analysed the data, and here you have the results. If you enjoy my work, I will continue writing. Did your favorite beach make the list? Please let me know your faves in the comments. Is there a specific topic you would like me to research and write about, please feel free to email me at info@visitsxm.org
