Île Pinel

Not crowded at all. The rocky island is sparse and has several hiking trails leading to vistas with awesome views of the seas with their blue waters. It's possible to spend an entire day here. Lounge at the beach front and go for hikes every now and then. It's the perfect sized island for a day trip to do hiking, swimming, chilling, and exploring in one day

Amazing small island with beautiful beaches and great restaurants. Very affordable and worth visiting. The restaurant service was exceptional, they literally bring everything to you so you can enjoy your sunbead in great cocktails and amazing food.

A beautiful island a short ferry ride away! The day we went it wasn’t too crowded but it can get crowded! Bring snorkels with you… the water is so clear. We didn’t see anything amazing but lots of fish. You can snorkel the entire island or stay in the allotted areas- up to you! The views around the island are beautiful. Much different than other beaches. I would recommend a visit if you’re looking for something to do on the French side!

Overcrowded and absolutely rubbish. Why ? Dozens of sunbeds aligned on a small beach and tourists walking in a small piece of seawater while having drinks.. What an adventure .. how exciting . Reminded me tourists going for a Gondola tour in the Vénitian hotel in Vegas.. Worth leaving this area and go to the other side of the island where you have beaches with almost nobody and where you can do snorkeling too. Restaurants are good but the island has definitely become a tourist trap. Was certainly beautiful 30 years ago before mass tourism took over..

Update: Still great as of May 2025. Crowd was small and snorkeling was fantastic. Seeing two Green Turtles over the grass beds, trumpetfish, file fish, four eyed butterfly fish and many more along the slope of Petite Clef. You can get to Pinel Island either on a boat, kayak or by ferry.  We took the Pinel Ferry out of Rue de cul de Sac, Saint Martin for $12 or 10 euros (cash only).  The ferry typically runs between 10 am and 4 pm daily.  However if the tides and winds bring heavy sargassum (seaweed) into the bay, the ferry may shut down as the sargassum clogs the inboard motors. The ferries run about every half hour. On the short ride to Pinel, you will pass to the left of a rocky island called Petite Clef.  Upon arrival you disembark this time at the dock in front of Yellow Beach. You can rent 2 chairs and an umbrella for $30per day (credit or cash) from either of the two restaurants. Food and drinks are available for purchase with beach service.  Near the rest rooms, you will be able to view and feed the iguanas with any leftovers from your lunch. Previous storms had changed the beach and swimming area some, so the water depth this time was no deeper than 3 1/2'  in the roped swimming area.  There are several smaller beaches on the island that require hiking to. These other beaches are covered with sands and stones.  Snorkeling was great again this time over the grass beds between Yellow Beach and Petite Clef. In May I saw 2 spotted eagle rays, several green turtles and many conchs. The side of Petite Clef that faces Orient Beach has many fans, corals and sponges covering the slope which drops to a depth of 20'.  There are blue tang fish, parrotfish,french angelfish, great barracuda, wrasses, bar jacks and other fish as well as a small green turtle among the fans, coral and sponges.

Ok but over rated. Too crowded too many people, very hot place. Expensive restaurant on the beach.

This is a must see spot on St Martin. A wonderful and beautiful beach with a couple of good restaurants. It can only be accessed via a local very reliable ferry service or private boat.

One of the highlights of Saint Martin is this small islet off the main coast of the French side. Small in size, but very interesting to roam around and explore it by yourself or with a company. You can go to the highest point or simply stay on the single beach where you can swim. The others are rocky and not so clean with "wilder" waters. The ferry that takes you there costs 10 EUR per person round trip and it goes either every half an hour or every hour, depending from the season. No snakes, simply a lot of friendly iguanas that would like for you to feed them, so bringing some fruit for them is always recommended. Visiting it will not make you regret the trip!