“You don’t need to worry about life. Just go with the flow,” she tells me. I’m chronicling beach bars in Saint Martin’s Orient Bay, and the very friendly woman advertising her beach massage business assures me the clouds overhead will soon subside. 

There’s no time for a massage on a beach chair. But it’s very good advice — and a rather accurate distillation of the vibe here on the French side of Saint Martin. 

If you haven’t become acquainted with Saint Martin’s brand of French Caribbean Cool, that’s precisely what it is: a breezy, laid-back, effortless, carefree place with a passionate soul. 

That’s nowhere more true than on Orient Bay, a mile-long (actually a bit more than that) stretch of white sand beach that you might call the Ibiza of the Caribbean. It’s lined with beach clubs and beach bars, every one of them unique, from tiny shacks to upscale, full-service lounges. 

You can come for lunch, rent chairs and an umbrella for the day, or take a journey out on a jetski or parasail. 

Orient Bay is a resort-style community with a collection of hotels, residences (the French version of condo-hotels) and boutiques, with a lovely little village at the center, itself home to some rather good restaurants. 

But it’s the beach that is the biggest star here, and you only begin to understand with a cocktail in your hand. 

So where do you go? 

At one end of the beach, there’s the collection of rustic watering holes where the fun-loving Fever Beach stands out. Go for the Orange Fever Fizz, a French Caribbean take on the Aperol Spritz, with a mix of vodka, orange juice, strawberry pulp and Prosecco. 

A short stroll down the sand and you find an Orient signature: Kontiki Beach, famous for its red umbrellas, its always-hopping playlist and a menu that serves up everything from foie gras to sushi. 

Head toward Orient Bay’s village and you find the Grande Dame of Orient Bay beach bars: Bikini Beach. It’s practically a resort, replete with a chic boutique at the front, copious beach chairs, a humming bar (with a great ti’ punch) and a fantastic restaurant. The fare is diverse: you’ll find classic French Caribbean accras (deep-fried, delectable, addictive codfish fritters), gyoza, superb fish tartar and fresh tuna, among other delights. 

At the other end of the shoreline, at Orient’s northern end, you’ll find another oasis of beach bars, starting with Waï Plage, a wonderfully lush, shade-filled spot where the landscaping makes you feel like you’ve traveled to your own little island. The food is solid and the cocktails excellent — and it’s even home to St Martin’s only beachfront gym. Yes, gym. Just make sure you hit the weights before your first passionfruit mojito. 

The beach club formerly known as Kakao, now KKO, has spent two decades on Orient, with a barefoot-chic, Santorini-style feel and a solid fusion menu. It’s the beach’s top Sunday spot, with a live DJ on hand.  

Come to Orient Beach’s very northern tip and you get to Coco Beach, which has returned triumphantly from the storms and the pandemic, with a playful, fun menu that covers roasted curry cauliflower, wagyu steak, red tuna tacos and some serious ice cream, too. It all pairs well with the Coco Mango, a blend of Mezcal, mango puree, ginger beer and lime. 

It’s hard to find any place quite like this anywhere in the Caribbean, even in islands with a strong beach bar resume. That’s in large part thanks to the quality of food you get here: just about every spot has a gourmet-level kitchen team, meaning you’re not merely getting burgers on the sand, but thoughtful, creative cuisine. 

Of course, every one of these places has a recipe for the perfect beach day. Because there’s no wrong way to do Orient Bay. Just go with the flow.