I went to Dawn Beach based on recommendations from this message board (including PapaBill's) and absolutely loved it. It wasn't crowded, it was a beautiful day, and they had everything I needed/wanted (including 75 cent beers!). It is slightly less expensive to go to Dawn than Orient. This was my first time at Maarten and I didn't go to Orient Beach so I can't compare, but I had a great time at Dawn. The vendors are polite and if you don't care for a variety of food options, the facilities are definitely sufficient.