Predictably, this beach on of the the first to see dawn on the island and faces out to St. Barths on the eastern side of St Maarten.
Until a few years ago when the Oyster Pond road was surfaced, this beach was not easy to get to and remained pretty much a locals hangout – I remember well the old spit and sawdust Scavengers Beach Bar and the wide open desolate nature of the beach, A few bbq partes round a beach camp fire were had there!
Nowadays, it’s more popular with tourists for two main reasons –
The road is paved and therefore easy to access especially for cruise-shippers coming from the port who don’t have to wait in ‘traffic over the hill’.
The proximity of Westin and Oyster Pond hotels means the beaches are secure and free of the harrassment of hawkers and barkers.
Taxi drivers like to offer this beach as a good option for these reasons and because it’s easy to get to from Philipsburg and they can get back quickly to make more trips.
Busby’s Beach Bar is a favorite here, or if you want a little luxury you can always dine at The Westin hotels’ restaurants.
Source: http://www.st-maarten-island-guide.com/beaches/dutch-side-st-maarten/