Esmeralda Resort

orient beach

by 1stang

"st. martin french west indies"

i take my family to st. martin every year. we stay at esmeralda resort in orient beach. there is something for everyone.

Snorkelling

by Fam_Stoica

Saint Martin and the small Ilet Pinel (Pinel Island) are excellent snorkelling areas. For snorkelling in warmer waters, the essential equipment consists of :
a) Fins - for efficient propulsion
b) Mask - to help us see clearly when our eyes are immersed in water
c) Snorkel - so that we can continue to breathe comfortably when our face is in the water

Baie Nettle

by bsfreeloader

Just west of Marigot in Sandy Ground, Baie Nettle features a decent beach. The beach is fronted by a number of hotels and restaurants but is relatively uncrowded. Looking back toward the Marigot marina and the surrounding hills, it features a nice backdrop as well. Unfortunately, the far end of the beach is excessively littered with rubbish and is popular only with foraging stray dogs.

Friar's Beach (Anse des Peres)

by Fam_Stoica

Our favourite : a small, family beach situated near Marigot, the capital of the French part of Saint-Martin. The bay is protected and attract a couple of boats.
The sand is O.K., the water is fabulous; usually, there are no more than 5 persons bathing or swimming !
There are two restaurants : Kali's and Friar's Bay Beach Cafe.

Saint Martin/Sint Maarten

by Kjoyhans

"Best Beaches and Snorkeling"

I chose this island because it sounded intriguing with one side being French and one side Dutch, not to mention the clear blue ocean!
The people are of mixed descent, coming from Dominican Republic, Aruba, Jamaica, Madagascar, etc. Very friendly but service everywhere is slow- this is not fast-pace America, my friends!
There is a open air market in Marigot with locals speaking in French, selling their handmade goods along with some things made in China, unfortunately. In Phillipsburg, the shopping is geared toward the cruise ship passengers with lots of deals on jewelry.

"Beautiful Beaches and Crystal Clear Water"

I spent every day in the ocean here by our hotel and did some snorkeling around Tintamare - the best snorkeling I've seen so far in my travels. The water is clear down to 100 feet and the fish swim all around you when you are only in the water about 3 feet deep.

"Getting Around on the Island"

OK, transportation on the island is very expensive! The scenery is not exactly the most beautiful apart from the ocean. The locals drive crazy and honk at each other alot. Only one stop light on the island! Shopping in Philipsburg is great and cheaper than in Marigot. You will see poverty stricken areas on the island. The officials they elect make big promises to provide more schools and make improvements but one local told us they never come through with their promises. Sad. Most of the activities are in the water and there are night clubs - I just didn't go to them. Renting a car is expensive and taking a taxi cost us $30 one way for two people.