Pinel Island is a small tropical island that is located off the northeastern coast of the island of Sint Maarten. Pinel Island is situated on the French side of St. Martin. This little island has 4 rocky shores and 4 beaches.
Pinel Island falls under the protection of the French Marine Reserve. The French Marine Reserve prevents further development on the island beyond the Pinel Island gift shop and the two existing restaurants on the island which are called “Karibuni” and “Yellow Beach”. The wildlife in and around Pinel Island is protected under the marine reserve. Visitors can enjoy discovering some of these majestic creatures in the water and on land.
Pinel Island is a popular destination among both tourists and locals. Pinel island receives regular ferries with visitors from St. Maarten. Visitors can also make use of kayaks and paddleboards to transport themselves to Pinel Island from the ferry station in the town of Cul de Sac located on the French side of Saint Martin.
Pinel Island is surrounded by breathtaking clear blue waters that are ideal for water activities such as snorkeling, paddleboarding, and kayaking. The two restaurants on Pinel island offer guests a wide range of incredible Caribbean and French-inspired dishes. The restaurants on Pinel Island also offer rental kayaks and paddleboards to use on the water, and rental chairs and umbrellas to use on the beach.
Where is Pinel Island?
Pinel Island is located off the coast of the town of Cul de Sac which is situated in the northeastern French region of the island of Saint Martin. The coordinates for Pinel Island are 18° 06′ 20″ N, 63° 00′ 57″ W. Pinel Island is located at least 0.8km (0.5 miles) off the northeastern coast of St. Martin.
How big is Pinel Island?
Pinel Island is approximately 115000 m2 (1237849.7sq ft) in size.
Who owns Pinel Island?
Pinel Island is owned and governed by the northern French side of Saint Martin. The island is currently managed and taken care of by local residents of Saint Martin who developed the western coast of Pinel island by building restaurants that attract and entertain tourists who visit Pinel Island. Locals built restaurants that attract and entertain tourists and locals who visit Pinel Island.
What to find on a map of Pinel Island?
On the map above the arrow is indicating the location of Pinel Island off the coast of the island of Saint Martin. The location of Pinel Island on the northeastern coast of Saint Martin is shown along with the Cul-de-sac Bay that ferries, paddleboards, kayaks and boats travel across to get to Pinel Island from St. Martin.
What are the ways to go to Pinel Island?
There are a few different ways to go to Pinel Island. Some of the ways to go to Pinel Island are listed below.
- Paddleboard: Paddleboards can be rented at the nearby town of Cul de Sac in French St. Martin. Many visitors decide to paddleboard to Pinel Island.
- Kayak: Kayak rentals are available for individuals and families from Cul de Sac to Pinel Island.
- Ferry: Visitors can board a ferry from Cul de Sac in Saint Martin to Pinel Island.
- Cruise boat: Guests staying at some of the resorts in Saint Martin can have a private cruise boat arranged from the French coast or Dutch coast of St. Maarten to Pinel Island.
- Car or Taxi: Visitors coming from distant areas in Sint Maarten can use a car or take a taxi to Cul de Sac on the French side of Saint Martin and choose any of the water transportation services available at Cul de Sac to get to Pinel Island.
Are there ferries to get to Pinel Island?
Yes, there are ferries to get to Pinel Island. Ferries traveling to Pinel Island have a regular schedule set up for each trip. Ferries depart from Cul de Sac every 30 minutes starting from 9:30 am. The daily availability of ferries depends on the season in St. Maarten.
During the high tourist season in St. Martin, the ferries travel from Cul de Sac to Pinel Island from 9:30 am to 5 pm (7 hours 30 minutes). During the low tourist season in Saint Martin, the ferries travel from Cul de Sac to Pinel Island starting from 9:30 am to 4 pm (6 hours 30 minutes). The ferry from the town of Cul de Sac to Pinel Island costs $6 (€5) per person for a one way trip and $12 (€10) per person for a round trip ticket.
How much does it cost to go to Pinel Island?
The cost of going to Pinel Island depends on the method of transportation chosen. The prices of different transportation methods to Pinel Island are listed below.
- Ferry to Pinel Island: The ferry to Pinel Island costs $6 (€5) per person for a one-way trip and $12 (€10) per person for a round trip.
- Paddleboard rental to Pinel Island: A solo paddle board costs $40 (€35) per person to rent for the day. A tandem paddleboard for a maximum of two adults with a child under 5 years costs $68 (€60) per day.
- Kayak rental to Pinel Island: A solo kayak for an adult with a child under 5 years costs $34 (€30) for the day. A tandem kayak for two people with a child under 5 years costs $63 (€55) for the day. A triple kayak for three people costs $86 (€75). A family kayak for a maximum of two people and two children costs $97 (€85) for the day.
Does Pinel Island require an extra visa?
No, Pinel Island does not require an extra visa. Pinel Island is part of the island of St. Maarten. Visitors who visit Sint Maarten can have free access to Pinel Island.
What to know about Pinel Island?
There are a few things that are good to know about Pinel Island before traveling there. Some of the information about Pinel Island is listed below.
- Rules: Pinel Island is a marine reserve, so development of the island is prohibited to protect the wildlife. Jet-skis and fishing are also prohibited on Pinel Island.
- Interesting facts: Pinel island is located off of the northeastern coast of St. Martin and faces the town of Cul de Sac. Due to its location, Pinel Island serves as a barrier that prevents strong winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean from reaching the western coast of the island of St. Martin. This barrier results in calmer water currents that are suitable for water activities such as snorkeling and paddleboarding. The water is also shallow on the western coast of Pinel Island with visible emerging coral reefs and cays.
- Attractions: Pinel Island only has building structures on the western coast of the island including two restaurants and a gift shop. The restaurants on Pinel Island offer fresh seafood, comfortable seating, and activities on the beach. Pinel Island also has an inland hiking trail that many use to explore much of the nature on the island.
- Wildlife: Marine life that can be spotted around Pinel island include sea turtles, different kinds of reef fish, occasional stingrays. Animals such as iguanas and hermit crabs can also be found on Pinel Island.
- Neighboring destinations: If you hike to the top of Pinel Island you will see the incredible view of the neighboring islands of Anguilla, St. Barts, and the rocky little island of Tintamarre.
- Good to know: Pinel Island is always open even though the restaurants close at 5 pm.
What makes Pinel Island so special?
What makes Pinel Island so special are the many different features that are offered on the island such as calm waters and amazing restaurants. The western coast of Pinel Island is popular because of its calm, and shallow waters. There are also two lively restaurants on the western coast of Pinel Island where visitors can enjoy delicious meals and exciting water sports.
Pinel Island is only 0.8 km (0.5 miles) away from the coast of the French side of Saint Martin. The close proximity of Pinel Island to the island of Sint Maarten makes traveling between the two islands easy and fun through the use of paddle boards and kayaks.
Pinel Island has an inland hiking trail that offers picturesque views of surrounding islands. The hiking trail on Pinel Island is not as hilly as the hiking on some of St. Martin’s popular hiking trails. The hiking trail at Pinel Island is not too strenuous and even children can enjoy hiking with their parents.
Pinel Island is a nature reserve that protects wildlife such as iguanas and crabs on land as well as the colorful fish and sea turtles in the water. Many who visit Pinel Island enjoy interacting with land animals such as iguanas and love seeing the beautiful aquatic life underwater while snorkeling. All of these activities make Pinel Island an incredibly special place to visit.
Is Pinel Island safe to visit?
Yes, Pinel Island is safe to visit. The management on Pinel Island provides some helpful services for the safety of people traveling to and from the island of St. Martin and for visitors who choose to swim or snorkel along Pinel Island’s coast.
The restaurants at Pinel Island work in communication with the ferry station at Cul de Sac to inform the station whenever the weather is not favorable to travel across the water to Pinel Island. This communication ensures the safety of visitors who are being transported to Pinel Island.
The staff at Pinel Island ensure the safety of swimmers who are snorkeling along the western coast through the Pinel Island marine trail. The Pinel Island Marine trail is a snorkeling guide marked with white buoys to help guide swimmers safely along the coral reef.
The water level by Pinel Island’s western coast is at least 0.6 m (2 ft) deep which makes it a safe swimming location for children. This western shore on Pinel Island is also shielded from the strong winds coming from the east which result in calmer waters that are safe for weaker swimmers and children.
Do hurricanes affect Pinel Island?
Yes, there have been hurricanes that have affected Pinel Island. Pinel Island is located in a tropical climate region which is known to have a hurricane season. Since Pinel Island is located only 0.8 km (0.5 miles) away from the coast of the French side of Saint Martin this small island is also affected by the hurricanes that affect the island of St. Martin in recent years. Some of the recent hurricanes that have affected Pinel Island and Sint Maarten are listed below.
- Hurricane Irma (September 2017)
- Hurricane Maria (September 2017)
What should you wear at Pinel Island?
The type of clothes that you should wear at Pinel Island should be suitable for warm tropical weather. Some of the types of clothing and accessories you can wear at Pinel Island are listed below.
- A Sundress
- T-shirt
- Shorts
- Flip flops
- Sun hat
- Bikini or swimsuit
- Sarong
- Sunglasses
Is nudism allowed on Pinel Island?
Yes, nudism is allowed on Pinel Island. Pinel Island is one of the most popular nude beaches in St. Martin. The main beach on the western coast is not clothing-optional and visitors are expected to be clothed. There is a secluded area on the northern side of Pinel Island where clothing is optional. This secluded nude beach is a 10-minute walk from behind the beach-front restaurants on Pinel Island.
What are the activities that can be done on Pinel Island?
There is a selection of activities that can be done on Pinel Island. The activities on Pinel Island are some of the most fun and exciting things to do in St. Martin. Some of the activities available on Pinel Island are listed below.
- Hiking
- Snorkeling
- Visit the Karibuni and Yellow Beach Restaurants
- Paddleboarding
- Kayaking
- Visiting the Gift shop
Are paddleboarding and kayaking possible at Pinel Island?
Yes, paddleboarding and kayaking are both possible at Pinel Island. Visitors who would like to try out kayaking and paddleboarding at Pinel Island can rent out kayaks and paddleboards at the available renting sites on Pinel Island or in the nearby town of Cul de Sac in St. Martin.
A paddleboard resembles a surfboard, but the paddleboard is used differently. Paddleboarding around Pinel Island involves either standing or kneeling on the paddleboard and using your arms to paddle along the water. You can paddle solo on the paddleboard, or you can paddle with someone else seated on the board while you paddle, depending on the size of the paddleboard. If you paddle board along the clear blue waters at Pinel Island, you might spot some of St. Maarten’s beautiful sea turtles or coral reef fish below.
A kayak is a watercraft that resembles a canoe. A kayak comes with an opening at the top to sit in, larger kayaks can come with more openings to seat more people. The kayak comes with a double-bladed paddle for each person riding in the kayak to row interchangeably on both sides of the kayak. Kayaking around Pinel Island can be an exciting activity for individuals, couples, and families. Visitors can also kayak from Pinel Island to small islets like Little Key Island or they can visit the orange buoys near Pinel Island and get to see some of the sea turtles that frequently surface from the water for air around this area.
Can iguanas be seen on Pinel Island?
Yes, iguanas can be seen on Pinel Island. The iguanas on Pinel Island can be found in rocky habitats on the island. Iguanas are native to tropical areas and Sint Maarten has many of these creatures on the island and on surrounding little islands with rocky terrain and lots of vegetation.
The iguanas on Pinel Island are usually attracted to food. If visitors have some tasty snacks to feed the iguanas, these gentle reptiles are not shy to come crawling in overwhelming numbers for a quick feed.
The iguanas on Pinel Island generally have a relaxed temperament and will often allow visitors to touch and pet them. If visitors on Pinel Island decide to pick up and hold these friendly creatures, they should make sure to handle the iguanas gently.
Where can you snorkel at Pinel Island?
You can snorkel on the western beach at Pinel Island which has calmer currents that are ideal for snorkeling. The western beach on Pinel Island also has snorkeling guides for the safety of w