Water Sports in Saint Martin and Sint Maarten

Before practicing your nautical activity, the weather forecast called Windguru gives a detailed weather report: www.windguru.cz/3604 Best seasons to visit and practice nautical activities in St. Martin's island are from December to June. If you travel with your lover, husband, wife, family, or friends, enjoy your car rental as soon as you arrive at Grand Case l'Espérance. By booking your car rental before coming to St. Martin's island, you can quickly start your discovery, exploration, and relaxation trip in the best conditions.

1 - Non-motorized water sports

On Saint Martin's fine-sand beaches, the air and water temperatures are more or less the same. In this tropical climate between 25°C and 29°C on average, you can go there in all seasons, since rainfall is rare and lasts only a short time. Except for nautical activities, December to June is the best period to practice water sport.

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a. Windsurfing on the Friendly Island

Let's go surfing! Wind lovers will have the opportunity to practice Windsurfing on the two main spots of St. Martin's island. Windsurfing is practiced on the Orient Bay and Galion Beach. The spot of Galion is unique for windsurfing and is strongly recommended.

The wind on St. Martin's island is side-on, which means the safest wind direction for kiteboarding and windsurfing. The wind is oblique to the beach and comes from the water towards the beach.

On Galion Bay, the Windyreef Windsurf Center offers windsurfing activities. Its location is on the French side of St. Martin's island, next to Windy Reef Saint-Martin surfing School, on the Northeast coast. Windyreef Windsurf Center is located about 800m from Orient Bay, on the Galion Bay, or "Baie de l'Embouchure". It is the most beautiful windsurfing and surfing place of St Martin. To get to the Windyreef Windsurf Center, you need to follow the Butterfly Farm road direction. The car ride to the Center takes 3 minutes from Orient Beach. The 1-hour lesson of windsurfing costs USD60. Courses for beginners or advanced last 5 hours and cost USD250. The 1-hour windsurfing rental is USD30, 5 hours rental cost USD120, 10 hours rental cost USD220, 20 hours rental are USD350, and a weekly windsurfing session of 7 days costs USD370.

On Orient Bay, the water of the lagoon is flat, choppy, and swell outside. It makes Orient Bay a very nice place to practice windsurfing. Wind Adventures Center proposes windsurfing activities. The windsurfing school is located between the Kontiki restaurant and the Wai restaurant, on Beaches Boulevard. From Galion Bay, you can drive and follow the northwest direction on Coconut Grove road, then turn on left to Beaches Boulevard where you can park. In Wind Adventures Center, the windsurfing lesson of 2 hours cost USD60. The club proposes to beginners and advanced people different lessons formula: 4 hours windsurfing lesson for USD69, a 1-day lesson of windsurfing for USD86, 4 days of windsurfing lesson for USD224, and a 1-week lesson for USD350. Wind Adventures Center suggests a weekly windsurfing rental for USD506, including 4 hours of windsurfing lesson.

b. Discovering kitesurfing  

Kitesurfing is practiced on both French and Dutch sides of St. Martin's island. On Orient Bay, beginners of kitesurfing will be dropped off and initiated on Green Cay in shallow water. While more advanced riders can ride at Orient Bay. The on-shore wind and the restricted starting area do not make it easy to get started. But once out, the long, endless beaches are yours.

In the North of the Orient Bay, the SXM Kite school is located on "Embarcadère de Cul de Sac". The school is next to Etang de la Barrière, at 12 minutes from Marigot and 5 minutes from the Airport by car. The SXM Kite school proposes a kitesurfing lesson of 2 hours for USD162, a lesson of 4 hours for USD293, and initiation of 6 hours for USD417. The different rental formulas are possible with 1-day full gear rental for USD103, 3 days rental for 211USD, and a week rental for USD433.

On the Dutch side of St. Martin's island, B52 Kite school is a good place to practice kitesurfing. B52 is located on Nettle Bay Street, at 10 minutes drive from Marigot, via Sandy Ground Street. This Kitesurfing school offers different formulas such as kitesurfing course for USD162 per 2 hours or the rental of complete equipment for USD75 per day.

c. The practice of surfing and the best spots to practice it:  

The Galion is a reef beach that is ideal for all surfers. On the south of the famous Orient Bay, it is along the Atlantic side of the island and a short distance from Dawn Beach. The western coastal beach called Mullet Bay is for the experienced surfers only. Cupecoy is located in the north of Mullet Bay and also is this experienced surfers beach.

St Martin counts many surfing schools, such as Saint Martin Surf Club on the French side of the island, on Galion Bay. The surfing lesson costs USD59 for 2 hours and USD298 for 5 lessons of 2 hours each.

d. Canoeing in Saint Martin

On the island of Saint Martin, it is also possible to practice canoeing. Caribbean Paddling located on Pinel pier is about 20 minutes from the French capital Marigot, via the Rue du Cul de Sac. Kayaks or paddles are available for hire at rates ranging from 25€ to 60€ per day, depending on the equipment and the number of participants.

2- Motorized nautical activities  

a. Jet Skiing and towed buoy in Saint Martin

Jet ski rides bring you to stroll along the Terres Basses to admire the sumptuous Villas and discover the marine fauna of Saint-Martin (ray, turtle, dolphin, etc.). Discover the mythical beaches of the island as far as Petite Caye on the outward journey, a privilege accessible only by sea. On the way back, you will have the chance to cross the beach of Baie Rouge.

Jet skiing can be practice in Jet Extreme next to "La belle créole" on the French side of the island. Jet Extreme also offers Hoverboard and Flyboard and activities. Jet paradise organized lessons and rides for people who want to learn jet skiing. It is located in the "Capitainerie Marina Port La Royale", under the Tropicana Restaurant on the Marina. Near Philipsburg, the Capital of the Dutch side, Big Foot Jetski rentals is a good place to find jet ski. Bikini Watersports on Orient Bay proposes jet ski, fly board, banana boat, and snorkeling tour. Another great place to practice fly board, jet ski, hoverboard, and other nautical activities, are possible in the Sea Fun SXM Watersports Center and Boat Tours. This Center is located on 10 Billy Folly Road, Simpson Bay on the Dutch side of St. Martin's island.

b. Water ski and Wakeboard in Saint Martin  

Water ski can be practiced with the Ski Nautique Club Caraibe located on Bay Nettle. Wake'n Glisse is a water sports center located on the beachfront of the Zen IT restaurant in Grand Case, and where you can practice wakeboarding.

Whether you are advanced or a beginner, Saint-Martin is the perfect place to learn or improve your skills in the practice of one or more nautical activities. Take possession of your rental car and drive on the coastal road around the island. Join wonderful natural spots and enjoy a breathtaking panorama at any time.