Club Orient
CLUB ORIENT RESORT is closed until further notice due to damage from Hurricane Irma, 2017.
See options below for hotels located on Orient Beach
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This report focuses on Club Orient, arguably the best-known nudist resort in the Caribbean
A more complete report on greater St Martin is available here
Another complete report on St Martin's Garden Villas is here
*Orient Beach
See the info. about Club Orient below. Although it's closed, we constantly receive inquiries about Club Orient and other properties located on or adjacent to Orient Beach.*
*In Orient Beach you can relax on a beautiful naturist beach in the south part of this long beach (where the former Club Orient was). You will find chairs, umbrellas and the “Perch bar” to have a drink (happy hour between 1:30 and 2:30 PM daily) and a tasty lunch. The staff is very friendly.
A lot of nice, good beach restaurants are all along the beach.
Even if this part of Orient bay is the only official naturist beach, you can be naked on some other nice beaches like Happy Bay (especially during the week) and Cupecoy (Dutch side) under the cliffs that is an excellent spot to see the sunset and have a drink at Danny’s bar.
Anse Marcel beach restaurant is still and, with Coco Beach in Orient Bay, is one of the best beach gourmet restaurants.
See Club Orient (closed) info. so scroll down the page.
Here is a shot of the once-popular Papagayos Restaurant at Club Orient on the south end of Orient Beach. Our photo is from Winter 2019 after previous hurricanes visited the Caribbean and destroyed most of the small structures on Orient Beach including Club Orient.
Many Orient Beach clubs, bars and restaurants have been rebuilt and the commercial center of Orient Beach is alive and well. Club Orient has not been re-built. Click on each photo to enlarge the image.
For other Orient Beach properties, below is a sample of three located on or adjacent to Orient Beach.
Book Other St Martin Hotels at Orient Bay. These three are open for business but are not nudist resorts. NOTE: Although historically, Orient Beach has seen nude use, it's not now legally designated for nude use.
When Club Orient (nudist resort) was open, the beachfront at the resort on the south end was approved for nude use. Before you drop your drawers, check with your hotel about nude etiquette and nude use on Orient Beach on the south end in front of the Club Orient real estate.
Book On-Line: Esmeralda Faces Orient Beach. Esmeralda's Cocos Beach bar is on Orient Beach.
Book On-Line: Alamanda Faces Orient Beach
Book On-Line: La Plantation Parts of Hotel faces Orient Bay
Resort Overview
This historical report is maintained for those interested in what Club Orient looked like before Hurricane Irma in 2017.
CLUB ORIENT RESORT is closed until further notice.
St. Martin/St. Maarten boasts more nude friendly beach opportunities to enjoy yourself than virtually any other Caribbean island, even comparing favorably with its larger competitor, Jamaica. About 37 beaches are on St. Martin. A small island, roughly 6 x 8 miles, St. Martin/St. Maarten (half is French, half is Dutch) can be traversed in an hour or two by car, but getting through Marigot on the French side of Philipsburg on the Dutch side can be a nightmare due to traffic.
Club Orient is on the French side and about 5 miles north of Philipsburg (Dutch side). Since Club Orient is on the French side of the island, St. Martin (French) will be used in the report. You can move from the French to the Dutch side of the island without any formality.
Even though nudity is allegedly unlawful on the island, many parts of St. Martin, on both the Dutch and French side, are nude-friendly mainly because, as my villa rental friend, Xavier, says: "we just don't care!" Which is true.
There are numerous beaches to choose from for nude beachcombing and sunbathing including Cupecoy Beach, Long Baie and Baie Rouge on the west side to Orient Beach on the east. We like them all for different reasons. Terrific villas and guest houses are on or near the western beaches and great hotels and resorts on or adjacent to Orient Beach on the French east side.
Club Orient Nudist Resort--south end of Orient Bay. This most popular nudist resort is on the south end of Orient Beach. All guest quarters are located on this 30-acre site and include stand-alone cottages or chalets. You can choose accommodations from either concrete block buildings or the traditional wooden chalets in garden view or beachfront locations.
Starting at about $200-300 USD/night, you can enjoy all life has to offer nude at Club Orient. Rates are 40%-50% higher during high season (December 15-April 15). NOTE: Rates are charged in Euros by the resort and dollar equivalent fluctuates. Rates not guaranteed; subject to change without notice.
Chalets include a living area, kitchen, sleeping area, private bath and dining area with air conditioning and fan. Restaurant Papagayo's is open air. Rates include car parking and use of umbrellas/chairs at the unit and on the beach. Tax is 5% on hotel costs. For purposes of this report, rates are expressed in USD $ but all amounts are actually charged in Euros.
*NOTE: Rates are not guaranteed and will change without notice.
Note: Here is a recent comment from Club Orient about nudity on the beach beyond its boundary:
Walking past Pedros....nude: Over the years one of the most erroneously repeated statements has been that if you wish to walk without clothes past the rocks by Pedro's bar (north end of Club Orient property line), all you have to do is make sure you're finished by 8:00 AM.
The Gendarmes were out in force and ticketed 17 people for being nude beyond Club Orient…..at 7:00 AM. The government has required Club Orient to place a new sign at end of Club Orient's beach stating that, "Nudity beyond this point is illegal and violators are subject to penalties."
So if you still wish to take your morning stroll in the buff, be aware that the Gendarmes are enforcing this rule and you could be stopped and fined.
See numerous other images from Google for Orient Beach here.
Photo: Courtesy Alamanda Resort
Getting There
U.S. Citizens: Passports are required for international air travel to all destinations outside the USA.
Planes, boats, and ferries can get you to St. Martin daily from just about anywhere in the world. Airfare from the US on scheduled airlines can run from $500-$700/person, round trip. Rates vary seasonally. American Airlines dominates the market (and the Caribbean for that matter), so don't expect a benevolent rate from them. Check with us for charters to St. Martin, primarily from certain eastern U.S. markets.
Rental cars are plentiful; jeeps and cars can rent for $35-50/day and taxis are fairly inexpensive. Ask the price first before you enter a taxi. You can also visit Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius, all nearby and accessible by boat, ferry or commuter plane. As of January 1, 2007, visitors from the USA are required to have a valid passport....not necessarily to visit St. Martin but to gain entrance back into the USA.
Public and pedestrian access to the beach is available via the road outside the Club Orient property.
Services
Club Orient Resort has thought of everything: a fully stocked grocery store and boutique, full-service restaurant and bar on the beach with daily happy hours, live entertainment and weekly manager's cocktail party, water sports facility, spa, and fitness center, tennis courts, and more. All of these conveniences are located on the property where clothing is always optional.
However, this resort is NOT all-inclusive. If you're used to other similar properties in Jamaica, Mexico or the Dominican Republic, you will find no food or drink included in the room rates here.
Massage and spa treatments are available on site. A general store, La Boutique, is on-site for food, drinks, books, artwork, and clothing.
TIP: Open an account for the restaurant, bar & grill at reception upon check-in. Euros and US Dollars, travelers' checks or cash. American Express, Master Card, Visa, Optima, Carte-Bleu, and Discover have accepted credit cards throughout the resort.
The island, especially Philipsburg on the Dutch side, is a shopper's paradise, perhaps eclipsed only by St. Thomas as the charge card capital of the Caribbean. The numerous cruise ship passengers help keep it that way, too.
St. Martin is one of the more progressive of the islands so you will find just about everything you need for your vacation there. Tourist traps, fast-food franchises, and real estate companies mix with some of the quaint areas to drag this island into the 21st century.
Guests of Club Orient have free car parking on-site and use of chairs and beach umbrellas at their rental unit and on the beach at no additional charge.
Day visitor policy: Club Orient's beach, water sports facility, restaurant, and bars are open to the public during daylight hours. Resort tours are available upon request. Club Orient welcomes visitors to spend the day offering a package for beach chair rentals, umbrella rental, parking and use of facilities.
Water sports include snorkeling, sea kayaking, diving, sailing, windsurfing, floats and paddle boats.
Club Orient produces its own power and water. The power is BOTH 110v and 220 v, NO need for converters.
NOTE: Please take care of your valuables, cash, airline tickets, and passports while on vacation. Some vacation destinations are considered "third world" countries and experience petty theft.
Recommendation: Do not take precious jewelry unless you wear it all times; keep your cash, valuables, watches, travel documentation and cameras with you. Just a word of caution to make sure you remember to practice common sense with your valuables while you're on vacation.
Ambiance
Club Orient is comprised of about 137 chalets, studios plus one villa laid out on the south side of 2.5 mile Orient Beach. Most activities at the resort center around the beach and visiting with other guests at the resort. Nightlife locally is found mostly along with the central and northern parts of Orient Beach while the towns of Marigot and Philipsburg are home to numerous bars, restaurants and bistros and casinos, although only the Dutch side includes gaming establishments.
St. Martin's French and Dutch sides are probably the best combination of nightlife, dining, resorts, beaches, and casinos anywhere in the Caribbean. There is literally something for everyone from laid back, no-nonsense resorts to the finest villas in the Caribbean.
For club hopping around Marigot, our fearless clients and explorers have suggested Club Alibi, Club 1, Pasha, all for late-night mischief and dancing.....after about 11 PM. Others have suggested a fun little club near the airport called Club Cheri, for local entertainment earlier in the evening, including island talent, skits, and reviews.
You don't lack for anything on this island, except for maybe a true tropical atmosphere with palm trees and rain forests. St Martin is really an arid island with low hills and scrub brush dotting the landscape.
For a great overview and aerial shot of all of Orient Beach, see Ed and Sandra's excellent jpg panorama here.
Here's an informal list of the more popular sections of the beach from Mount Vernon on the north end to Club Orient on the south end: Boo Boo Jam area (had a fire in 2012), Palm Beach, Cocos Beach, Waikiki Beach, Kakao Bikini, Beach Kontiki, Sun Beach, and Club Orient
Group Trips
We have occasional group trips scheduled for St Martin/Orient Beach, check here for availability. But even if we don't have any listed when you're planning on going, that doesn't mean its not a great place for two, three or even dozens of couples to get together for a group trip. If you have other couples that might want to join you, please contact us and see what kind of group trip deals we might be able to package especially for you.
Sightseeing
Although the island is small, you have a variety of hillside, town, country and beach locations to enjoy. You are just minutes away by air from Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius. Shopping in Philipsburg is some of the best in the Caribbean besides perhaps St. Thomas in the USVI.
Most sports activity is in, on, under or around the water.
A fun excursion is to choose the daily nude cruise on the yacht Tiko Tiko that visits the little island of Tintamarre a few miles offshore for sun, snorkeling, one meal, boozing, and fun. The day tripper cruise can be arranged at Club Orient. Sundays, a sailing tour of the island is available, too.
Contributed by TM from the UK: Happy Bay is on the French side - it is the very next bay south of Grand Case. Cannot be reached by road except via a 10-minute hike from the Friars Bay (Beach) parking lot which is why it is somewhat deserted. We got there via a 10 minute (maybe less) water taxi service directly from Grand Case Beach Club resort for $15 per head, round trip. Tell the boat guy when you want to be picked up.
We found that 4 hours was just about right as there are no facilities/amenities on the beach so you need to take water and a snack with you.
For nude day tripper cruises, you can also contact the folks at www.nudetrips.net they offer local nude cruises on their powerboats.
Dining
Eat-in or eat out as you wish. Terrific French and Dutch establishments are everywhere, so take your pick. Dotted along the 2.5 mile Orient Beach, bistros and bars have on-site dining and snack shops & dance clubs are on the beach, too. Papagayos Restaurant at Club Orient is a nude restaurant, open-air and anchors the south end of the beach. You don't have to be a guest to dine there.
Papagayos serves Club Orient guests as well as anyone who has the money. Prices are comparable to European and U.S. meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Each chalet includes a kitchen, but guys, be forewarned: Most women on holiday do not mix the word "kitchen" in the same sentence as "vacation." Plan to volunteer to cook or barbecue if you want to do something nice for your spouse. Plus, if your budget can afford it, read on:
Restaurant ideas:
St. Martin has a terrific wealth of restaurants on both the French and Dutch sides of the island. Here are a few to consider, thanks in part to some recommendations from our clients plus a recent issue of Caribbean Travel & Life magazine. ALERT: Bars and restaurants come and go so take time to discover new ones as the list below can change without notice.
On Dawn Beach, you will find Mr. Busby's Beach Bar for beaching and open-air burgers, plus it's a great place to start your snorkeling adventure.
At Oyster Pond, straddle the island's imaginary border between the men's room and the main restaurant at Captain Olivers, a good place recommended by some of our friends who live there. Stop for cappuccino and croissants at any one of the French side's superettes, where wonderful pate, fresh poulet roti (chicken rotisserie) and pastries are featured.
If you want to bar hop and do the tourist thing on Orient Beach, stop at Bongo Byrons and the Bikini Beach Bar, where few are worn. In French Marigot, stop at La Parisienne for a sidewalk cappuccino.
For the greatest concentration of French bistros and restaurants, visit Grand Case, a small town north of Marigot on the northwest side of the island. Grand Case's main waterfront street is lined with the best restaurants on the island including Le Tastevin plus many others along the street.
Set above Grand Case beach, lolos (food stalls) hold forth with local cuisine that competes taste-wise with the refined restaurants nearby on the waterfront. Choose from the following beachside fare: Conch stew, spare ribs, grilled or fried fish and numerous side dishes such as johnny cakes, stuffed christophene, macaroni & cheese, peas and rice, coleslaw and fried plantain.
Plop your butt down at any of the BBQ lolo joints (you'll know them by the 55 gal drums used as BBQ grills) including: Sky's the Limit, Talk of the Town and many others where you can stuff yourself for $10 USD (or more...add on for inflation and the Euro).
NOTE: Small beachside bistros come and go so be prepared for the name or ownership changes.
At the other end of the spectrum, try Ric's Place in Dutch Philipsburg, a great sports bar for super burgers and fries.
Rates
Rates vary by room category so contact us for an exact quote for your desired accommodation or villa. Generally, accommodations start at about $130*/night up to about $400/night. Rate based on per room, double occupancy per night. Children under 12 are free. Rates subject to discounts for long stays and are seasonal. Discounts do not apply to Villa.
The private villa on site which can be up to $1,100+/per night (villa sleeps up to 7 people).
*ALERT: Rates above are in US dollars for examples but room reservations are expressed and charged in Euros. Actual deposit and final payment are in Euros. Rates not guaranteed and will change without notice.
A deposit of about $550-600 (Euros 500) will reserve your chalet; the final balance is paid upon check out.
NOTE: Typically, all pricing is in Euros on the island, but USD is accepted at many stores, restaurants, and bars in town.
Club Orient includes about 137 separate or duplex chalet (cottages). Club Orient homes provide a blend of traditional Caribbean simplicity and European luxury. Dwellings can accommodate from 3 to 7 persons. Every unit is equipped with a full kitchen, dining area, air conditioning, telephone and internet service, full bathroom with tub or shower, front and back patio with an outdoor shower, picnic table and beach chairs and a specially chosen bottle of Bourdeaux wine, compliments of Club Orient Resort.
Categories include:
Chalet: Concrete structure located either waterfront, near the beach or in the gardens.
Studio: Wooden structure located in the gardens, two individual units per structure.
Mini suite: Wooden structure located in the gardens, two individual units per structure.
Mini suite deluxe: Concrete structure located in the gardens, two individual units per structure.
All accommodations include:
* Fully equipped kitchen
* Patio with outside shower
* Beach Chairs
* Safe
* Ceiling Fans
* Air Conditioning
* Sleeps up to 4 persons
La Villa at Club Orient features three bedrooms, two baths, great room with dining room, outdoor Jacuzzi with dining area and privacy fence. Luxury villa with deluxe amenities include:
* 1500 sq ft
* Sleeps up to 7 persons
* Great Room and Dining Room
* Two King size beds
* Two Twin size beds
* Foyer with desk and Sofa day bed
* Two full bathrooms with Antillean showers
* Dish T. V. in Great room and two bedrooms
* Internet and telephone access
* Privately fenced backyard and patio
* Outdoor shower and Reflection Pool
Impressions
Uppers-Downers
▲▼ St. Martin has lost some of its quaint, Caribbean ways: The island has morphed into a popular tourist mecca as traffic and crowds mix it up daily, especially when the big cruise ships visit. But St. Martin has held on to more of its traditional values than most of the other islands. The Island is unique, offering the French, the Dutch and the Caribbean cultures all on one island. It defiantly represents a little traditional Dutch, a little traditional French, and a lot Caribbean. It's still a fun place to visit.
▲ Orient Beach is a premier spot in the Caribbean to enjoy the good nude life on a beach about 2.5 miles long.
▲ Orient Beach attracts its share of day-trippers from the cruise ships. On big cruise ship days, Orient Beach will have textiles that get the courage to walk down the beach to see what the nude way of life is all about. Cameras are not allowed on the beach or resort and are very sensitive to guests' privacy. Club Orient service includes security on the beach and resort 24/7 that enforce these policies.
▲ Food and restaurant selections are outstanding all over the island.
▲ Try the smaller villages around the island for meals, drinks, and entertainment. (Crowds seem to be everywhere in town when the cruise ships dock)
▲ You can meet people easily at Club Orient. Try the nude sailing charter while you're there to meet other guests from Club Orient as well as other tourists.
▲ The island's beaches are still some of the best to choose from in the Caribbean, if not the world. Orient Beach is one of the best.
▲ The best shopping is in Philipsburg on the Dutch side, 5 miles south of Club Orient.
Age Ranges
You will find both families with kids and adult singles and couples all over the island at resorts everywhere including Club Orient. Families are usually the exception during high season (winter) but lots more prevalent during the summer and fall. When the cruise ships are in town, avoid the crowds downtown...half of them seem to congregate at Orient Beach to watch you! The nude beaches are mostly adults with every age represented there.
Best Time To Go
Fall, winter and early spring are drier and a little cooler than the heat and humidity of summer. Lows run in the 70s while the highs in summer or upper 80s/low 90s. Winter months are milder and less humid.
The most expensive rates and prices are from December to March. Other dates are lower when you will find room rates available and discounts are offered for longer stays. Hurricane season is late August to early October but actually, can extend from June through November.
Wish List
• Build better roads through Marigot
• Downplay the fast-food franchises, but progress marches on.
Photo Album
The photos were either shot by us, our clients or provided by the resort. If you have recently visited St. Martin or Club Orient we invite you to send in your photos for us to display. To contribute your own photos (or trip reports), go to our Contribute Trip Report / Photographs page.
This report focuses on Club Orient, arguably the best-known nudist resort in the Caribbean
A complete report on greater St Martin is available here
And another complete report on St Martin's Garden Villas is here
If you click on the image above, it will open in a new window. You can click on the image to zoom in to the detail and use the arrow keys to pan left and right.
Trip Reports
If you have recently visited Club Orient or St Martin, we would appreciate you contributing a trip report. You can contribute to this section buy using our Contribute Trip Report / Photographs page. Here are a few we have from recent visitors