The Best and Most Beautiful Water Adventures in Saint Martin

Kayaking and Stand-up Paddleboarding

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced paddler, Saint Martin is a perfect destination for stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. The tranquil lagoons around the island provide perfect conditions for novices to learn how to paddle their kayak. And the surrounding Caribbean Sea offers excellent sea kayaking for enthusiastic paddlers.

With shipwrecks off the coast, you can paddle over and peer down through the crystal-clear waters at the coral-encrusted wrecks below. Kayaking and paddleboarding are also the best way to explore the Marine Reserve at Pinel Island. Paddling offers the added advantages that it’s healthier for you and better for the environment than using a motorized boat. 

You can paddle to Pinel Island from Cul de Sac in approximately 25 minutes. The shallow water within the reserve allows you to peer through the water to observe the abundant sea life below. If you’re nervous about taking the journey alone, you can join a kayaking and stand-up paddleboard tour organized by Caribbean Paddling. 

With an expert local guide, you won’t miss any of the most interesting sites around the Marine Reserve. You can also choose between a solo or 2 person kayak depending upon whether you’d prefer to paddle with your partner or venture out on your own. 

Nature lovers may also enjoy kayaking in the mangrove at Galion Beach. The mangrove sits between the beautiful turquoise water of the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. Watch out for the spectacular trees, water plants, crabs, iguanas, birds, and a diverse range of fish. 

Snorkelling

With its warm, crystal-clear water, Saint Martin is a perfect location for snorkeling. The best place to snorkel is the Marine Reserve at Pinel Island on the northern French side of Saint Martin. An eco-snorkeling trail in the park introduced snorkelers to the immense wealth of protected flora and fauna beneath the waves.

Because of hurricane Irma, the company shut down but the Pinel Island Marine Trail still exists and is located off the south of Pinel Island and marked with white buoys that direct you around the reef. There you can expect to find colorful reef fish, stingrays, turtles, and other tropical marine species in an area where both fishing and jet skis are forbidden. There is also a botany trail ashore with two viewing points.

Other great snorkeling locations in the north include Creole Rock and Baie Rouge. On the southern Dutch side of Saint Martin, there are popular snorkeling spots at Dawn Beach, Cupecoy Beach, and Mullet Bay.

Scuba Diving

As you may expect, Saint Martin is also perfect for scuba diving. Along with the reefs and abundant marine wildlife, there are also seven shipwrecks dotted around the island that divers love to explore.

The oldest well-known wreck is that of HMS Proselyte, which sank in 1801. The 32-gun frigate now lays 50 feet below the waves near Philipsburg. Coral-encrusted cannons, ballast bars, anchors, and barrel hoops still remain visible on the seabed. 

Nature lovers often scuba dive around the Carib Cargo wreck off Cay Bay. This 1996 shipwreck lays 65 feet down on a sandy patch. The environment there is perfect for stingrays, which draw many underwater photographers who wish to capture images of sea creatures living in abandoned human habitats.

Surfing

Saint Martin’s position on the eastern edge of the Caribbean facing the Atlantic makes its beaches perfect for surfing. You can surf on beaches all around the island between November and April, but the beaches on the eastern Atlantic-facing coast offer great surf all year long. 

The beaches differ in difficulty. Mullet Bay and Cupecoy are popular with more experienced surfers, while beginners should head for Wilderness Beach. 

Wilderness Beach is perfect for surfers of all ability levels. The pink sandy beach is also beautiful. However, it takes 30 minutes to walk there from the parking lot. Also, because Wilderness Beach is remote, it offers no services. Le Galion’s beach is much easier to access, and it is also suitable for surfers of any ability.

Windsurfing and Kitesurfing

Saint Martin is renowned for its windsurfing and kitesurfing. The most popular spot for windsurfing is Le Galion. The tranquil lagoon is an ideal site for beginners’ lessons, and the nearby beach provides nice wave breaks for experienced windsurfers on Le Galion Reef. Other popular locations include Barnes Bay and Meads Bay for experienced windsurfers and Cove Bay for novices. 

However, the most unique spot to windsurf is Maho Bay. Passenger airplanes taking-off from nearby Juliana Airport fly close to the beach providing a minute-long, 40-knot gust. This kickstarts windsurfers to a new level. 

Kitesurfers head for Nettle Bay. The Caribbean-facing beach features trade winds that experienced kitesurfers appreciate, and the tranquil lagoon provides ideal conditions for beginners. Orient Beach also offers dual locations, with an open ocean beach and a calm, clear lagoon. You can hire equipment and take lessons with kitesurfing schools in both locations.

Family Fun on the Beach

If you just enjoy leisurely swimming in the sea, a game of beach ball, or lounging on the beach, Saint Martin boasts 37 highly-rated beaches. With pristine, sheltered coves, turquoise water, and breathtaking scenery, why not hike along the coast and admire sunrises or sunsets over the sea?

Orient Bay in the northeastern French area of Saint Martin is one of the most popular beaches. It also hosts some of the island’s best nightlife along with bars and restaurants where you often spot visiting celebrities. Locals call it the Saint Tropez of the Caribbean. However, families with young children should be aware that there is a naturist beach toward the south side of the beach.