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For our first time on SXM we stayed at the Alamanda on Orient Beach. We were there march 8-march 12.
Actually about 30 yards from the beach, the Alamanda is a beautiful little resort. The rooms are clean and pretty. The ocean view rooms are, naturally, much better than the pool view rooms so i'm told, but i don't regret saving a few bucks and staying in the pool view room. After all, we were there for the beach, not the room. A very nice breakfast is included in the fee for the room. Delicious rolls, fruit, juice and coffee made for an excellant breakfast, right next to the pool. Eggs, bacan, 'hashbrowns' could be purchased extra for about $5.50. We only ate one dinner there--quite good--lobster/steak/fish/oysters. We found most dinners to be quite expensive, so were thankful our breakfast was included and we brought food from the states for our lunches.
Orient Beach was one fun place! I walked the beach nude every morning as my wife generally slept in, and I'm not a nudist, it's just that this was one opportunity I didn't want to miss out on! During the day we either lounged around and swam and people watched or took the rental car to Marigot or Grande Case. We were in Marigot to take the ferry to Anguilla for a day trip, and in Grande Case for a really good snorkeling couple-of-hours. Being French, Orient Beach is topless, and actually nudity is allowed if you're walking up and down the beach. There IS a nude resort at the far end of the beach and you can walk the beach, including that portion, clothed in a swim suit or nude--your choice. There is LOTS of topless on this beach, so if you don't want to look at skin, then don't go to this beach. Otherwise, it's an active, fun place to spend at least one day--we could have stayed MANY days.
St Martin is half Dutch and half French. Some people enjoy the casinos on the Dutch side, and some only come for the French beaches and Restaurants, which are excellant. At the Alamanda, on the French side, we had the one dinner there--two meals, 5 glasses of wine and one dessert and the total was about $130 (US). For me, that's a hell of a lot of money. We only did that once!
Overall, it was a blast and i'd go again in a heartbeat!!
If anyone wants to ask specific questions, get me at achdrbrown@aol.com
Thanks to Craig for this trip report ...
March 2004
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