New here like so many others, but will by flying down solo for 6 days in Mid-Sep. My dream vacation is hanging at the beach and frequenting those strips of beach shacks (that look like they're about to fall down) for lots of drinks and local food (usually inexpensive even tho I'm not really on an 'inexpensive' sort of budget). Having a difficult time finding, so if anyone could direct me to the beaches that have that type of atmosphere, I'd be very appreciative. Ps: I speak little bits & pieces of French so I figure I would stay on French side and work it out a bit, but not sure where yet. Thanx for any recommendations. Ps: I'm American, not that it matters.

Looking for beach side Rhum Shoppes..........Pedro's on Orient Beach, the Lolo's in Grand Case, Layla's in Nettle Bay, the water front in Marigot - Rosemary's Place.

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

You may want to check out Bankie Banx place, The Dune Preserve, on Anguilla.

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

On Baie Rouge in the French Lowland you may like "Guss"and "Chez raymond" shacks (they are side by side) the feet right in the sand...
and also at Cupecoy, Danny...
and Khaly's beach Bar in Friars Bay

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Check out La Bamba Beach Bar on Sunday evening on Simpson Bay Beach between Atrium and Royal Palm time share buildings. Great live R&R music with your feet in the sand. Good beach bar food. Happy Hour 5-7pm.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2010 07:51PM by SXMNorm.

Hi there and Thanx for the recommendations. I was debating staying at Grand Case Beach Resort, but I keep reading that a majority of the dining establishments in Grand Case are taking off the month of Sep (which is when I'll be there). The whole purpose to stay there was to be walking distance to great beach bars and other restaurants. Do you think I should revise the search to Orient Beach? The GCBC has such glowing reviews even tho on the internet doesn't look like so much (don't mean to be disparaging). Have a feeling I'll be happy whereever I end up, cause being there is so much better than not being there.
Warmest Regards
David

The restaurants in Grand Case are not (with the exception of the lolos) the type of beach bar that you're describing. They are mostly elegant and expensive French restaurants. That said, the lolos, which I don't think close in the low season, do have the inexpensive local foods that you're describing.

Orient is lined with beach bars, none of which is the shack that you describe, but you will find a huge variety of food, drink, and prices there.

I'd suggest that wherever you choose to stay, you rent a car and travel to several of the island's beaches. The suggestions above are excellent. You might also want to try Rosie's on Mullet Beach, and Sunset Bar and Grill (both Dutch side). If you're there for a week, you can go to a different beach each day, and still have 30 beaches that you've not yet seen when you leave (for your subsequent trips, because you'll be back!)

Enjoy!

The GCBC is a nice place to stay
It's not 4 star but it is in good location and the service there is very good.
people enjoy the hotel very much.,..thus the good reviews.
some of the fancy restaurants in Grand case will close as Georgia says but the lo los will not.
and the beach bars will always be open.
and with a car, you can go around and hang out in many other places.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I too would recommend the French side beaches for the kind of eateries you're looking for. As said by others above, Baie Rouge, Baie Nettle, Cupecoy and Friars Bay all have that kind of thing; I like that too so I can vouch from experience.
Enjoying the beach or the sunset with a plate of jerk chicken, ribs, slaw and rice with a cold Carib is livin' the high life, I'll tell ya !

There are many other beaches which do not have food/drink services but are stunning for atmosphere/natural beauty/privacy,so pick up cooked specialities and drinks from Marigot or the lolos in Grand Case before you go.

You will also certainly need a car as has also been mentioned before, to easily get to some of these places, so plan for that. Its not difficult to drive around (the island is small) though traffic can be frustrating sometimes. Maps of where everything is located are available free at the airport (you can't miss them).

GCBC is a good hotel, but there are many others. Depending on how much priority you put into your accommodations, there are other mid-level French chain hotels on the French side close to some of the beaches mentioned, such as the Mercure hotel and Le Flamboyant next door to it. Another decent hotel right on the edge of Marigot and within walking distance to some nice restaurants in Marigot Marina for evening dining is the Beach Plaza hotel, which caters mainly to a business clientele. Look them up; English and French spoken at all. A full b'fast usually included in most plans.

Good luck and enjoy.

Thanx all for the recommendations,
I've been to St. Martin via cruise ships on 3 different occasions, but other than docking in Phillipsburg (sorry for spelling), I've never spent time in that city. 1st thing I did was hop one of those jitneys or those minivans to get where ever I wanted to go. So I have hit a couple of beaches (i.e. Mullet Bay - I know, no one's favorite) that route. Don't really want to rent a car, so I hope a combo of the jitneys, vans, and a taxi now and again get me to a majority of the beaches? Especially since I'm not a real big stay out late kind of person.
I still debate trying something on Orient Beach like L'Hoste.
Again sorry I seem so scattered, but I'm heading down solo, which is a first for me, for a few days of R & R, but don't want to end up in some isolated resort.
Y'all rock for all your help.
Warmest Regards
David

I really recommend you rent a car. buses will not take you anywhere off the main road to any of the beaches and taxis can be expensive.
you will have much more freedom and mobility with a rental car

[barcann.livejournal.com]

If you're going solo and not really into nightlife, then Orient sounds like a good place to stay! There are plenty of restaurants and bars, and you'll be fine there without a car.

Anonymous User Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanx all for the recommendations,
> I've been to St. Martin via cruise ships on 3
> different occasions, but other than docking in
> Phillipsburg (sorry for spelling), I've never
> spent time in that city. 1st thing I did was hop
> one of those jitneys or those minivans to get
> where ever I wanted to go. So I have hit a couple
> of beaches (i.e. Mullet Bay - I know, no one's
> favorite) that route. Don't really want to rent a
> car, so I hope a combo of the jitneys, vans, and a
> taxi now and again get me to a majority of the
> beaches? Especially since I'm not a real big stay
> out late kind of person.
> I still debate trying something on Orient Beach
> like L'Hoste.
> Again sorry I seem so scattered, but I'm heading
> down solo, which is a first for me, for a few
> days of R & R, but don't want to end up in some
> isolated resort.
> Y'all rock for all your help.
> Warmest Regards
> David

Mullet is a gorgeous, wonderful beach. It is my favorite and I highly recommend it.

From the first post and none thereafter, I immediately pictured Orient Beach as the area that the poster should be looking to stay. I can't imagine any other beach that he would be happy. I am a total advocate for the Dutch side because of the nightlife but from what I gather the poster is looking for, Orient Beach seems to be the ideal place with it's multitude of small shack-type restaurants lining the long beach. BUT if the poster is looking for nightlife as well and is not renting a car, then I will retrack my suggestion and maybe suggest something along the Simpson Bay Beach like The Horny Toad or one of those smaller low-rise resorts near there that will rent for a few days where he can have the best of both worlds and where he can take the bus to Mullet or Cupecoy to enjoy the true lolo experience.

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Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

My dream vacation is hanging at the beach and frequenting those strips of beach shacks (that look like they're about to fall down) for lots of drinks and local food (usually inexpensive even tho I'm not really on an 'inexpensive' sort of budget).

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet