Orient Bay
A long, lively beach of clubs and watersports, with wind, waves, and seaweed in season
Orient Bay is the French side's big beach scene. This stretch of Saint-Martin runs nearly two miles down the east coast, lined with beach clubs, watersports operators, and a village of shops and restaurants set back from the sand. It's lively and social, with a naturist section at the south end near the old Club Orient. Because it faces east, it's breezy and it catches sargassum seaweed in season, which is worth planning around.
Known for
- Beach clubs along the sand
- Watersports and kitesurfing
- The naturist end near Club Orient
- Orient Bay village shops and restaurants
Should you stay here?
Best for
- Beach-club days and a social beach scene
- Watersports and kitesurfers
- Families basing near the calmer north end
Know before you book
- Facing east, the bay collects sargassum seaweed in the spring-to-summer season
- The best stretches are private beach clubs, so a lounger and umbrella cost you
- It's breezy and the water turns choppy, great for kitesurfing, less so for a calm float
Getting there
About 25 minutes by car from Princess Juliana Airport on the French side's east coast. A rental car is easiest; taxis serve the area but add up, and public transport is thin, especially in the evening.
More of Orient Bay
Common questions
Does Orient Bay in St. Martin get seaweed?
Yes. Orient Bay faces east, so it catches sargassum seaweed, mostly from spring through summer, and amounts vary year to year. Beach clubs rake their frontage daily, but open public stretches can be weedy. Winter and early spring are usually the clearest.