St. Martin Private Boat Charter: Tintamarre & Happy Bay

Snorkel three island beaches and a sea turtle reef in one day by private boat.

A private charter tour around St. Martin aboard a 2023 Axopar 37 sun-top boat with a live guide in English, Spanish or French. You stop at Tintamarre Island to snorkel with sea turtles and explore a wreck, reach Happy Bay and Baie Rouge (both accessible only by boat or a 30-minute hike), and cruise the Creole Rock reef where millions of fish gather. The boat carries up to eight passengers and includes an open bar with champagne, rum, vodka, rosé, beer and juices. Breakfast pastries and croissants are provided in the morning.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Tintamarre Island1h 30m
2. Happy Bay Beach1h 30m
3. Baie Rouge Beach1h 30m

Boat tour around St. Martin island

• Stop at iconic island restaurant or swim
• Visit Tintamarre Island for snorkeling
• Relax or snorkel at secluded beach
• Snorkel at Creole Rock and cruise Grand Case bay
• Snorkel and swim at Baie Rouge Beach

The experience

What beaches can you only reach by boat around St. Martin? The answer is most of them, and this charter gets you to four in a single day. You board a brand new Axopar 37 with two sun beds, rotating seating around a table, a full-length roof and an enclosed toilet. The setup matters because you're spending seven and a half hours on the water, and the shade and comfort change how the day feels. The boat holds up to eight passengers, so it stays small enough to navigate into coves and shallow reefs that bigger tour boats can't reach.

The stops build around snorkeling and swimming. Tintamarre Island is the centerpiece: you can snorkel with sea turtles around the reef, or walk inland to find an old plane sitting abandoned in the middle of the island. Between January and April, dolphins pass through these waters. Happy Bay lives up to its name: a secluded beach with calm water and a coconut tree line, reachable only by boat or after a half-hour hike from the road. Baie Rouge sits next to a rock formation with a hole you can swim through, and the orange sand makes it a natural photo stop. The Creole Rock reef, the island's most famous snorkeling spot, is where the real density of fish happens: the itinerary calls it millions, and the water there is clear enough to see why.

Lunch isn't included, but the boat can stop at a beach restaurant on Pinel Island if you want to eat. The open bar runs all day: champagne, rum, vodka, rosé wine and beer for adults. Juices, sodas and water for everyone. Breakfast arrives in the morning: croissants and chocolatine. Snorkeling gear is provided, so you don't pack your own. The guide speaks English, Spanish or French depending on the group, and knows the reefs and the island's quieter corners well enough to find the turtles and steer you toward the best water.

What’s included

• Open bar with champagne, rum, vodka, rosé wine, beer, juices, sodas and water.
• morning breakfast of croissants and chocolatine.
• snorkeling equipment.
• live guide in English, Spanish or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Paper Boat Charter

Is this one for you?This is a private charter, so the boat and guide are yours alone for the day. It suits anyone who wants to set the pace and skip the crowds of a shared tour. The small group size and the boat's shallow draft mean you reach beaches and reefs that bigger vessels can't access, which matters if you're after the quieter snorkeling spots and the sea turtles rather than the main tourist beaches.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can you snorkel with sea turtles on this charter around St. Martin?

Yes, Tintamarre Island is where the snorkeling happens with sea turtles. The reef there is deep enough and clear enough to see them, and the guide knows the spots where they're most likely to be. Between January and April, dolphins also move through the same waters.

What's included in the open bar on the boat?

The open bar includes champagne, rum, vodka, rosé wine and beer for passengers 18 and older. Juices, sodas and water are available for everyone. Breakfast (croissants and chocolatine) arrives in the morning before you leave.

How many people can fit on the Axopar 37 for this charter?

The boat holds up to eight passengers, which keeps the group small and lets the captain navigate into shallow reefs and tight coves that bigger tour boats can't reach.

Is Happy Bay Beach really only accessible by boat?

Happy Bay can be reached by boat or by a 30-minute hike from the road, so the charter saves you the walk. The beach itself is calm and lined with coconut trees, and the snorkeling along the coast is good.

What happens if I want to eat lunch during the day?

Lunch isn't included in the charter, but the boat can stop at a beach restaurant on Pinel Island if you want to eat. You pay for your meal separately at the restaurant.

Does the boat have shade and shelter from the sun?

Yes, the Axopar 37 has a full-length roof top and two sun beds on deck. The seating around the table is under cover, so you have options for shade throughout the seven and a half hours on the water.