Tandem kayak to Pinel Island
★ 4.9 · 520+ reviews
Instead of the ferry, paddle across the bay from Cul-de-Sac and back at your own pace. Calm, shallow water the whole way, and the most fun way to arrive.
Check dates and price
Five minutes from shore, a world away.
Pinel is a small, protected island off the northeast coast of St Martin, five minutes by boat from Cul-de-Sac. The water is shallow and impossibly clear, and the two restaurants have their feet in the sand. I have been going for years, and it is where I take guests on their first day, because it never fails.
By Vic · Updated October 2026
Crossing
5 minutes
Ferry
About €/$12 return
From
Cul-de-Sac, French side
Boats
10am to 5pm, every 30 min
Pay
Cash only, no booking
Before you go
Pinel Island, Îlet Pinel in French, sits just across the bay from the little village of Cul-de-Sac, on the northeast coast of the French side. On a clear day you can see it from the shore before you even board.
Because the island sits inside a protected bay, the water is almost always calm: shallow, warm, and clear enough to see the bottom from the boat. It is part of a marine reserve, so the sea life is intact and the island has stayed largely untouched.
That is the thing about Pinel. It does not feel like a tourist attraction. It feels like a place that has been left alone on purpose.
Pinel ferry dock, Cul-de-Sac
Getting there
Follow the main road to Cul-de-Sac. You will know you are in the right place when you reach the large parking area by the dock. Get there before 10am and everything is easier, especially in high season.
My tip: you need a car to get here. A taxi can drop you in Cul-de-Sac, but with a rental car you can turn Pinel into a full island day, with Orient Bay, Grand Case or Happy Bay on the way back. I compare prices at the airport on DiscoverCars.
Ferry basics
The bay between Cul-de-Sac and Pinel is shallow and protected. The boats cross slowly, and on a clear morning you can watch the bottom the whole way over. It is one of those rides you almost wish lasted longer.
Per person, round trip. You buy your ticket at the dock, cash only, no booking needed. Children sometimes pay less, depending on the boat. One of the best-value experiences on the island.
In high season, boats leave roughly every 30 minutes, or sooner when enough people are ready. There is no timetable to worry about: you show up, you board, you go.
Good to know: the last boats leave Pinel in the late afternoon. Do not lose track of time over a long lunch at Karibuni. It happens more often than you would think.
On the island
Pinel is small: you can walk around it in 20 minutes. But I am pretty sure you will not. You will find a spot on the beach, order a drink, and stay there until the last boat back.
The main beach faces the bay, and the water is exactly what you are imagining. It stays shallow far out, so you can walk 50 meters and still be waist-deep. Families love it for that. So do people who just want to float.
The rhythm of the day: arrive, swim, a long lunch, swim again, watch the light change over the water, and board the last boat back, reluctantly. No loud music, no jet skis. Just two restaurants, a little shop, a beach and the Caribbean.
The full experience
The ferry is perfect for a beach day. But if you want more than one island, or a different way to get there, these are the trips I would look at.
★ 4.9 · 520+ reviews
Instead of the ferry, paddle across the bay from Cul-de-Sac and back at your own pace. Calm, shallow water the whole way, and the most fun way to arrive.
Check dates and price★ 4.8 · 160+ reviews
Pinel plus Tintamarre, the wild little island offshore, with snorkel stops in between. Built for cruise passengers, so you are back in time for the ship.
Check dates and price★ 4.9 · 70+ reviews
A day on the water along the northeast coast: Creole Rock, Tintamarre and a swim at Pinel. For when you want to see St Martin from the sea.
Check dates and priceGoing further? Anguilla is only 20 minutes from Marigot.
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Beachfront lunch
For such a small island, Pinel has two very good beach restaurants. Both are right on the sand, both are part of the experience, and both are worth booking ahead in high season.
The beach-club feeling most people picture when they think of Pinel: grilled seafood, tropical cocktails, loungers close to the water, and a lunch that easily turns into the whole afternoon. Easy with kids and groups.
Book a table at Yellow BeachA more refined French and Caribbean lunch in a beautiful beach setting, known for its fresh seafood and a surprisingly good wine list. For a Pinel day that feels a little more polished, still barefoot.
Book a table at KaribuniLunch at Yellow Beach
My tip: in high season, book your table and your beach loungers ahead. Pinel feels quiet once you are settled, but the best lunch spots fill up faster than you would expect.
Snorkeling and nature
The water around Pinel is a protected marine reserve, and it shows. Snorkel just offshore and you will see colorful reef fish, the occasional stingray and, if you are lucky, a sea turtle coming up for air.
On land, a small trail goes around the island and up to a viewpoint over the bay. It takes about 15 minutes, and the view of the turquoise water and the boats coming and going is one of the best on the French side.
What to expect: it is not dramatic snorkeling. It is quiet and shallow, and it stays with you longer than the flashier spots. For more, the boat trips above add Tintamarre and Creole Rock.
Before you go
Pinel is not a hidden gem. Locals and visitors have known about it for years. But it has the rare quality of staying exactly what it is: a small, calm, beautiful island where the water is clear, the lobster is fresh and the afternoon moves at its own pace. If you visit St Martin and skip Pinel, you will regret it.
Questions travelers ask
Take the ferry from Cul-de-Sac, on the northeast coast of the French side of St Martin. The crossing takes about 5 minutes, and boats leave all day, no booking needed.
About €/$12 per person, round trip. You pay at the dock, in cash.
In high season, boats run from about 10am to 5pm, roughly every 30 minutes. The last boats back leave Pinel in the late afternoon, so do not wait too long.
About 5 minutes. The bay is shallow and protected, so the crossing is smooth even on windy days.
Yes, there is a parking area by the dock in Cul-de-Sac. It fills up quickly in high season, so arrive before 10am.
I strongly recommend one. Public transport on the French side is limited, and a car lets you combine Pinel with Orient Bay or Grand Case on the same day.
Yes. The waters around Pinel are a protected marine reserve, with reef fish, stingrays and sometimes sea turtles just offshore.
Yes, two beach restaurants: Yellow Beach, a relaxed beach club, and Karibuni, a more refined French and Caribbean lunch. Book ahead in high season.
Yes. You can kayak there from Cul-de-Sac, or join a speed boat or catamaran trip that combines Pinel with Tintamarre and Creole Rock. See the trips I recommend.
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