Kayak to Pinel island

Explore Pinel island at your own pace

One of the best places for kayaking at St. Martin is Pinel island, located in the heart of the Marine Reserve. We proudly support it as an official partner. Kayaking is a fantastic way to discover Pinel island. Totally on your own, you can explore just about every spot of the bay, even those that regular boats can't access, like the sandbar or Little Key island. Perfect for roaming around beaches and coves, our kayaks really let you explore ecosystems and get up close and personal with nature.

Just grab your sunscreen, a bottle of water, a few snacks, and you will be ready for your adventure to Pinel Island! Once you are well seated on your colorful kayak, what's the plan? Where to go? What to do? 

You will find below our favorite spots that you can access during your kayak rental.

Where to go during your day?

The sandbar

Paddle 10 minutes from the pier and reach the sandbar, which is only accessible with our kayaks.

There, red buoys are especially set to hook up your craft. The surrounding shallow waters allow you to walk around and look for stingrays, conch, or pelicans.

You will enjoy the scenery around, the grand bay protected from the outside swell and rough waters, the two islands facing you and the numerous moored boats.

Little Key island

The second stop would be Little Key, a separate island from Pinel. On the right side of this rocky island lies a tiny beach. 

Tied up your kayak to the buoy and set up your snorkel equipment for a swim along the reef. Protected from the open ocean, you can admire the gorgons, schools of fish, and possibly sea turtles and other stingrays.

This is an idyllic spot, totally protected from development and only reachable by kayak. Absolutely no motor activities are allowed there, the Nature Reserve is very strict about it. 

The sea turtles

From Little Key to Pinel Island, kayaking is very unchallenging. Before you reach Pinel island, you'll notice the big orange buoy of the Marine Park. Many sea turtles love this spot and comes frequently to the surface to breathe.

Have a stop there, watch them and enjoy a peaceful moment of nature.

The main beach

Once you arrive at Pinel, pass the wooden pier and pull up your kayak at the right of the main beach, grab your dry bag with you and start to explore the area!

You can choose between adventure or chilling time. The two sides of the beach let you enjoy the warm Caribbean water, the sunny weather (don’t forget to put on sunscreen every 2 hours!) and to relax on the restaurant’s beach chairs & umbrellas. For those who prefer the natural shade, the palm trees are here for you.

Visit the gift shop, order a rum punch at the  Yellow Beach or a Piña colada at the Karibuni.

The point of view

From behind the restaurants, you can also hike through the easy trail to the top of the island and admire the view to the islands around: Tintamarre, Green Cay, Saint-Barth and of course, our St. Maarten.

The hike requires light shoes and is truly rewarding.

The secret beach

Feeling adventurous? Embark in your kayak and paddle to the channel between St. Maarten and Pinel island to reach the North beach. There, you escape from the rest of the world for a little while. That beach is unspoiled, and you will automatically feel away from the civilization, which is good at some point!

Snorkeling there can be wonderful, if the sea condition allows it. When it does not, the ocean can be quite rough in the channel, so we recommend walking to the beach instead of kayaking.

"Back to the shore"

Tandem, triple or family kayak?

• Departure times are from 9:30AM to 12:30PM
• When you rent a kayak, it is for the day until 5PM (you can come back anytime, of course)
  
• No queue (when booked in advance through the website)
  
• Affordable prices for an unforgettable full day on Pinel Island’s water
• Dogs are not allowed at Pinel island