No, I don't mean nudity. What's an acceptable standard of dress in restaurants on SXM? On St John, it is very difficult to be underdressed -- shorts and t-shirt is acceptable everywhere. How about St Martin/St Maarten?

Hey!

There is no real dress code, but here's what we do.

I like to travel in khaki pants with comfortable silk or cotton shirt with a collar. I feel the service is a bit better at the ticket counter and on the rocket down if you dress a bit better than the norm. I change ASAP in the rental car office to shorts and T. It's Mephisto Hurrikan deck shoes for the entire trip for me..

I wear the khakis to the "better" restaurants when my wife wants to wear heels and dress to dinner. These forays are usually followed by a casino visit where you see many of the euro vacationers looking very chic. American travellers usually pick up on the array after the first trip, especially the younger ladies who usually appear very fashionable in stilettos and dresses..

The majority of the bar/restaurants are fairly casual with shorts, T shirts, runners,deck shoes seen most often.

The standard "local" casual wear for men is often denim jeans, collared tennis or cotton button down shirt worn outside the jeans with runners or deck shoes. Designer T's are also seen a lot with denim.

Sport jackets are very rare, although fashionable euro men and women are often spotted with an expensive cashmere sweater around the shoulders.

The bottom line, I guess, is wear what you feel comfortable in. Most ladies like to show off their Tortola tans in fashionable sun dresses or shorts and tops.

My wife packs a different "beach" dress for every day and wears it over her swim suit. Scholls sandals are great for the beaches.

Hey! It ain't Bermuda and casual is dominant, but some do get dressed for after 6 excursions.

Almost forgot...leave the black socks at home...socks and sandals don't cut it !

BIGDEN

BML,

Denis has given you one very good response and I'm sure he and his bride look great whereever they go.

That said, don't feel you need to wear the long pants or dresses - in my personal experience of both islands anything you were able to wear to the vast majority of places on St. John will be fine in similar venues on St. Maarten/St. Martin although I think most will save the tee shirts for daytime wear and not for the nicer dinner spots.

Since you bothered to inquire in the first place I'm sure anything you chose to wear would be more than appropriate but let me also add there are a few places where you might want to really dress up a bit but in honesty, being of an age where we had to be 'dressed' for most evenings out, we've now reached the point where we would rather pass on those places than have to worry about packing that more formal wardrobe. Nothing saying you couldn't but just know that it's not as obligatory say as in Bermuda. Resort chic is the favorite catch word and will take you anywhere on the island you choose to go.

Respectfully,

pat

Thanks for the info, Denis & Pat...

BTW, it's BMI, not BML. It looks like a lower-case "L" bit it's really an upper-case "i".

Gets people all the time.

BigMacIain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the info, Denis & Pat...
>
> BTW, it's BMI, not BML. It looks like a lower-case
> "L" bit it's really an upper-case "i".
>
> Gets people all the time.


BMI,

You're welcome and my sincere apologies - honest. Old eyes, you know!!

Respectfully,

pat

I like to pack as light as possible, which is really easy for us women. My rules:

First thing I do is leave all my bras and hose at home. All they do is get in the way and take up space. You will be on the beach most of the time anyway. And the freedom is great. (Disclaimer: not recommended at home, but, this is vacation so who cares?)

Sun Dresses work way better than shorts and tee's. There is no place a women can't go in a sundress, so you never have to worry about dress codes. On my last 2 trips I didn't bring a single pair of shorts and had no problem at all. And of course the shorter the dress the more comfortable it is (especially if you get a bit over-tanned) and the less space it takes. I find 4 or 5 are plenty for a week, as I can easily wear each one twice since I am on the beach most of the day.

Three bikini bottoms are plenty for the beach; that way I have a dry one each day, and can even change after lunch if I feel like it. I always skip the tops, which has never been a problem anywhere we have been, certainly not on St. Martin. (My husband loves it; so do most of the other people we meet, especially the men! OK, I will bring one top, just in case, but it never gets worn. Also, a tee-shirt can be handy as a beach coverup, but one is enough, and I rarely wear it either.) I do admit I was a bit nervous the first time I went for a drink (which seemed like a long way from the beach) with no top, but after the first time it is really no big deal, and I can guarantee you will get good service!

Shoes: I always take too many (according to my husband), but I still get everything into a small carry-on with no problem.

Sunscreen: Bring plenty, at least 2 bottles; more if you go in the summer.

Other than personal items that pretty much does it. Believe me you will appreciate the light suitcase when trekking through their primitive airports, and its sure nice to be able to pack and unpack in a few miunutes instead of hours.

Hey Carol!

86 million ++++ for the "primitive " new terminal on SXM.........Drs. Eugene Holiday will be devasted !

Topless ain't the norm for the majority of restaurants/bars on the beach outside of Orient Bay, and less popular there it seems in recent seasons. Everybody got a camera, cell phone, Blackberry, Iphone and laptop that takes pics.......go figure why !

Denis

our airport is primitive?
wow, all that money and it's still primitive?

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the confusion, BigDenx. I always wear a sundress to any restaurant. But if I need to use the restroom or want a drink mid-day while on the beach, I usually just go for it. The pool-side bars never have any dress code.

And I have not seen any new airport developments on St. Martin; no offense intended. But many Caribbean Islands do have rather primitive terminals, and often are not designed for big suitcases with wheels.

when was the last time you were here Carol?
have you seen our new multi million dollar terminal. very modern and looks like any USA airprot terminal now.
I sort of miss the old one actually

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Hey Carol...

A glimpse of the new Princess terminal...NICE !

Opened by Queen Beatrix, Nov. 10-11, 2006.


[www.jetphotos.net]


Denis

Barbara, glad I am not the only one that feels sentimental about the old airport. Lots of good memories associated with it. But the new one I feel is very impressive and beautiful.

You are right; I haven't been to St. Martin in years. I am sure your airport is a lot better than many of the out-islands. I like to try new places and there certainly are plenty of choices.

I have to respond to Carol's suggestion for St. Martin's dress code. I don't know if it's because you haven't been there recently, but you definitely have a different idea of what's appropriate than I have witnessed in my recent trips.

I do agree with the sundress suggestion; I wear sundresses out to dinner most evenings. I do also pack shorts because that's what I like to wear when shopping or sightseeing.

My disagreement with you comes to the beach and the beach bars. I sunbathe topless and walk the beach topless, but I have never seen any woman enter any of the beach bars or restaurants (except at Club O, of course), topless. Even when I walk up to the restroom, I put on my top. If you observe the French and other European women on the beach, you will see that most of them even put their tops on to walk down to the water and cool off. Sunbathing topless is an acceptable and common practice, but entering a restaurant partially clothed is not.

I hope that I have worded this in such a way as to be constructive and friendly, as that was my intent.

gakaye
i will have to disagree with you about the topless restaurant issue. i have been going to sxm for 20 years now and have on several occassions each year seen and visited with many topless women. we stay at club o but do not eat there. my wife always enters the restaurant with myself and another girlfriend topless in the following beach bars. pedros,la cassandra,pirate,baywatch,kon tiki.in fact2 or 3 of the employee n the beach shops are topless all the time. baywatch for breakfast on many occassions also will have nude diners in the early morning,even though they are not supposed to go past pedros completely naked.