Oriental is one of nine incorporated municipalities in Pamlico County, North Carolina, United States.

[4] The area was settled by Native Americans, who fished and farmed in the creeks and river long before Europeans arrived.

The famous pirate Edward Teach, or Blackbeard made his home in Bath, to the north of Oriental.

She met her fate a year after being launched, run aground in May 1862, when she was wrecked off Bodie Island, 33 miles north of Cape Hatteras.

One story says that she had found the nameplate from the wrecked sailing steamer "Oriental" on the beaches of the Outer Banks and thought that name was more suitable.

[5] Fishing trawlers still grace the small harbor, bringing in a catch of shrimp, crab or perhaps flounder depending on the season.

The Museum and the Oriental Tourism Board have combined to develop a 1.2-mile historical walking tour covering thirty-seven sites.

The Spirit of Christmas, always held in early December, consists of local businesses holding open houses with hot cider and treats, while the local churches hold Nativity plays and host Christmas music concerts.