Everything SXM

Bars: Sublime to Outrageous

Since it's a resort island with more than 400 restaurants and beaches dotting its entire coast, you'd expect SXM would have a lot of bars -- and you'd be entirely correct.

They go from the sublime -- the bars at the ultra luxury French Side resort La Samanna are tops in that category -- to the outrageous.

One outrageous bar is Sunset Bar & Grill (formerly Sunset Beach Bar), off Maho beach near the end of the runway at Princess Juliana International Airport. There, folks walk just a few feet so they're directly under the glide path of arriving jetliners. How close are jets overhead? Really, really close: take a look. 

As if that isn't enough, Sunset also gives free drinks to ladies who, uh, remove their tops; consider yourself warned.

Too tame? Then try the Soggy Dollar Bar. Originally a yacht crew bar under a tree behind the Palapa marina on Simpson Bay, Dutch Side, SDB has developed into a real party spot. Why "soggy"? Well, go one night and park yourself somewhere under one of the decorative shower-heads. You'll eventually find that they're not just decorative; they shower people, including (sometimes) strippers and others visiting after hours from nearby clubs who quickly get rid of their soggy duds....

Bars: The Nightclub / Party Scene

If you'd rather keep your clothes on, check out one of many bars with lots of music and dancing. Bliss at the Caravanserai resort (next to Sunset Bar & Grill) is one of the most popular; Tantra, in the Maho area on the Dutch Side, is another popular spot. 

Bars: Fun Ones at Restaurants 

We'll mention five for now, and we'll add more later:

1. Cheri's Cafe in the Maho area, Dutch Side, does shows nightly which every SXM tourist should see at least once. We'll leave it at that. The food is pretty good, too, though not quite gourmet. Fun atmosphere.
    
2. (Note: This regards a bar at the island's most popular naturist resort...) Papagayo at Club Orient has good food and no dress code, which is perfectly all right since it's at a naturist (clothing optional) resort. Most folks there wear a bit less than the modest woman below, at right. Good burgers, lots of other sandwiches. Southern end of Orient Beach, French Side.
    
3. Andy & Cheryl's (formerly "Baywatch") restaurant, on Orient Beach near Club Orient, serves breakfast and lunch -- heaping portions of delicious food at very reasonable prices. Highly recommended -- and there's no dress code there either, though almost everyone is dressed.  Jersey Shore beach bar style; Andy and Cheryl are from the NY/NJ area. No website yet, but they should have one soon.
    
4. The bar at Peg Leg Pub and Steakhouse, Princess Port de Plaisance next to the Casino (off the Union Road between Cole Bay, Dutch Side, and Marigot, the French Side capital) attracts a young megayacht crew crowd, while the restaurant -- with great steaks, seafood, and salads at night, and delicious sandwiches at lunch -- attracts a varied crowd. (The salads -- particularly the mango and lobster salad -- are big enough for entrees.) Entertainment some nights. TV so you can catch sports. One of our favorite places.
    
5. Can't list bars without referring to another from our Beach Bars page, the award-winning Mr. Busby's Beach Bar at Dawn Beach next to Oyster Bay Beach Resort. Incredibly scenic spot overlooking the beach at the island of St. Barths in the distance. Full breakfasts and lunches. Morphs into Daniel's By the Sea at night, for outstanding authentic Italian fare. Lobster pool for the freshest Caribbean Lobster.

We'll be adding more bars over time....

Tags: St. Maarten and St. Martin Bars