Drop off at Orient Beach

[kasualkathy]

If you ask the driver to drop you off at Orient Beach - where do they normally drop off the cruise tourists at? Then you just walk down the beach until you find a chair area that looks appealing? Do they post the chair/umbrella charge when you walk by or do you have to ask and keep going until you find one that is cheap? I see some postings for Pirate and Bikini - is that what you tell the taxi or just say drop us off at Orient beach? We are looking for decent chair/umbrella rental and be able to locate water sports - like parasailing, jet ski's, etc. Is there an area of the beach where the water is calm compared to other areas?

[sunchasers64]

We asked to go to Orient Bay. We were dropped off at one end, but it's no big deal to walk down the beach until you find a spot that you like. We planted at Bikini Beach for the day. Great little restaurant/bar with beach service there. Everything else you'd want (jet skis, parasailing, trampolines, shops, etc) are all very close to each other. Water was not very calm, but I think that's typical for the Atlantic side of the islands. It was rough riding the jet skis out from the beach, but SO much fun riding the waves back. :D

 

Have fun! We sure did! ;)

[dr1ce]

If you ask the driver to drop you off at Orient Beach - where do they normally drop off the cruise tourists at?

 

Our taxi driver took us directly to Brice's Paradise/Restaurant (see my photos). He said he could come back for us at a certain time if we left a $20 deposit with the bartender. We did that, and got the deposit back when the taxi driver came back for us. If he didn't show up, we were supposed to get it back too, but if we weren't there when he came back, he kept the $20. No big deal for us.

 

Then you just walk down the beach until you find a chair area that looks appealing? Do they post the chair/umbrella charge when you walk by or do you have to ask and keep going until you find one that is cheap?

 

The bartender then had their "beach boy" help us get a couple of chairs (at their section of the beach). I guess we didn't really "get a choice" but it worked out fine. (Except for the snooty owner (?) lady who said something snide in French about us when we asked if we could get our food "to go" since the taxi was due back in about 10-15 minutes. Something about "Americans" and "McDonalds"...:rolleyes:). When taking a walk, I did notice that some places had cheaper chair/umbrella rentals, but ours were only slightly more expensive and came with 2 free drinks from the bar. They had great food too--a big mound of thinly cut French fries and a chicken pita sandwich of some kind. Enough for DH & I to share (and we had enough time to eat it there instead of "on the fly" like crass Americans... :p)

 

We are looking for decent chair/umbrella rental and be able to locate water sports - like parasailing, jet ski's, etc.

 

There is a water sports rental place right next to Brice's and a big sign for parasailing just a short walk down the beach. In the other direction, there was a water trampoline and other stuff "to do" and "for rent" too.

[SnorkelAway]

If you ask the driver to drop you off at Orient Beach - where do they normally drop off the cruise tourists at? Then you just walk down the beach until you find a chair area that looks appealing? Do they post the chair/umbrella charge when you walk by or do you have to ask and keep going until you find one that is cheap? I see some postings for Pirate and Bikini - is that what you tell the taxi or just say drop us off at Orient beach? We are looking for decent chair/umbrella rental and be able to locate water sports - like parasailing, jet ski's, etc. Is there an area of the beach where the water is calm compared to other areas?

 

They may drop you off in a number of places. If you do your research ahead of time to see where you may want to go, then you can request that they drop you off at a particular place. If you have no better idea, Pirate would be as good a place as any to start and there are watersports concessions around you there. Look around for deal you want. If you want to go to Club O beach, then you would ask to be dropped at Pedro's.

[Lsimon]

Here is a link to a great "map" to help you out.

http://home.carolina.rr.com/photos2005/LargeOrientPanorama.htm

 

I think if you don't specify most drivers will drop you off either near Pedros or by Bikini beach. Some have a relationship with one beach bar or another and will take you there if you don't specify.

 

There are a few threads here on renting beach chairs that have some price experience - you might want to take a look at those for comments and prices. I don't think any place has chair prices posted, but you can just ask and they do have food menus posted.

 

For the most part the places by Pedros or the Pirate are nice basic places and the costs are lower there. The places from Kakao to Coco are generally more expensive both for chair rental and food & drinks, but chairs might be a bit nicer - have thick pads look newer, etc. I'm half guessing here but I seem to recall prices at the end by Pedro's being something like $15 for two chairs including a drink or two, and closer to $20 or $25 for two chairs and an umbrella at the more "upscale" places with no drink being included. I've read some postings that indicated price might be negotiable at some places (I've never tried). Last two times we've hung out at Kakao. Food there is a bit pricier than average but the seafood selection looked nicer. Of course there is no reason you can't get food and drink at a different restaurant than the one you park yourself on the beach in front of.

 

Best idea if you'e up to it is to walk back and forth a bit then decide, or at least take a look at some point in the day so you'll know what to do on your next trip.

 

Bottom line is that every place enjoys the great views, water, and sunshine on one of the nicest beaches in the world.

[Carnival Game]

Lsimon, that was helpful. Whether the taxi drops you off at Pedros, Bikini, or what have you, how far of a walk is it to get to the sand? In your map I see a lot of greenery and buildings, but no roads. I hope it's not a 10 minute walk after you get out of the taxi. :confused:

[gtaylor]

If you're dropped at Pedro's, it is literally 60 seconds or less to toes in sand.

 

gary

[gtaylor]

Here's a photo of the taxi drop area at Pedro's, with the Pedro's and Club Orient section of the beach beyond.

(click)

 

 

And here's the area down the beach a bit around Le String and Sexy Fruits, adjacent to Kon Tiki.

 

Parking area behind -- same white car in photo above.

 

gary

[Lsimon]

I've never been dropped off more than a hundred feet or so from the beach. Places like Bikini or Kakao have a building with bar/restaurant seating in front which is open to the beach and parking behind. If you go to one of those places you'll be dropped of just behind, or on the side of, the building. And the buildings are not huge.

 

The buildings I speak of and the parking and service drives are in the trees in the photo so you can't really see them well. The big building complexes behind the trees are condos or rental units. I've never had to walk through those at all.

[Carnival Game]

Perfect. ;)

[patnjohn]

2 weeks ago we were dopped off at the bar next to Pedros. 2chairs an umbrella & drinks of our choice for $10. We gave driver a time & she picked us up for return trip to ship. There was a bar next to that one that was owned by people originally from NJ. Lots of Jersey memorabilia. Fun to look at if you are from NY/NJ area.

[The Big Booper]

2 weeks ago we were dopped off at the bar next to Pedros. 2chairs an umbrella & drinks of our choice for $10. We gave driver a time & she picked us up for return trip to ship. There was a bar next to that one that was owned by people originally from NJ. Lots of Jersey memorabilia. Fun to look at if you are from NY/NJ area.

 

You are talking about Baywatch. Great food and Andy and Cheryl are the hosts. " I like Jersey Best " <<John Pizzarelli>>

 

[jvmgos]

Our driver took us to Bikini beach last week. The water was really rough due to some sort of freak cold surge but the beach was still spectacular at Orient. Most of the bars/shops weren't even open due to the rough waves. We got wonderful photos though and got to enjoy walking along the beach and we would definately ask to get dropped at the same spot on our next trip to SXM.

 

By the way, it appeared you could get chairs/umbrellas/drinks/various watersports at Bikini beach on a daily basis if the weather was good. :)

[pmfan]

Orient beach is a great place to go. Water, sand, everything you need for a great beach day.

[Kempa]

Prices at Bikini Beach last Saturday (March 29, 2008)

 

2 beach chairs and one umbrella: US$17.

Use of floating inflatable trampoline for one hour: US$5.

Use of floating inflatable trampoline for whole day: US$10.

 

They also have some rentals that I didn't use so I don't know the price. They had bodyboards that I saw some people use, but the waves weren't too good to bodyboard so I didn't rent one.