Tintamarre island in St. Martin & St. Maarten

You may have heard of this magical little place called “Tintamarre Island” near Saint Martin. It’s a deserted tropical paradise island, about 4 kilometers away from Saint Martin, located in the Atlantic ocean.

A beautiful piece of paradise, with sandy white beaches, beautiful greenery and absolutely no construction.

It’s a haven for snorkeling adventurers who would like to be up-close and personal with the many ancient turtles that live in the waters surrounding this slice of heaven.

Tintamarre island’s history

In the early 1900’s, this island was the home of a Dutchman by the name of Diederik Johannes van Romondt. He cultivated the island for cotton, did some sheep farming and made butter and cheese on the island that would then be sold throughout the West Indies.

It wasn’t easy living so far away from the comforts of inhabited places, so Mr. Romondt decided to sell the island to a politician from the French side of Saint Martin.

For a few years, Tintamarre served as an air base for a small company called “Companie Aerienne Antilliaise (CAA)”. Planes would come and go on a 500 meter long dirt track! The small lagoon served as a base for seaplanes. About 20 people lived on Tintamarre during this time to ensure the smooth running of the base.

In 1947, the base closed its doors, and the traces of what once was a bustling explosion of engines and metal birds, eventually were all erased with time.

Tintamarre island’s beach, snorkeling and wildlife

Nature took back what belonged to her in the first place: Tintamarre is once again a free, wild island.

You might wonder what makes Tintamarre so special today? Without human intervention and destruction, now a part of the Nature Reserve of Saint Martin, Tintamarre can flourish in both nature on land, and the underwater world.

There are white sandy beaches such as you see on picture perfect travel magazines, turquoise water, hiking trails around the island for the active adventurer. You might find the remains of what once was as you hike to places not often frequented! Take a look at the breathtaking red cliffs and undisturbed nature all around. Take a deep breath, and just take it all in…

Explore the underwater world with beautiful diving spots, or snorkeling with the many sea turtles that have made this little island their home.

Beach bums rest assured as well: There is a beach for everyone. The main beach has a sheltered location, meaning there’s no wind to worry about! Just white sand at your feet, no restaurants or beach chairs and umbrellas to spoil the views. Just beautiful beach!

Then there is the “wild” beach on the other side of the island. A 5 minute walk across and you can admire the vast difference in landscape: plenty of different shades of blue in the water, a landscape made of coral reef.

This big difference in landscape also makes for a different experience in snorkeling, depending on which side you are on! The main beach will have you admiring the many sea turtles that are curious about us 2 feeters, whereas the other side you can venture along the cliffs and discover the coral reefs. An old wreck is located on the left side of Tintamarre, a super delight for divers to behold!

There is so much to explore and see! Not sure how to get there? Why not sail along with us at Eagle Tours! The amazing crew will take you on a catamaran sail tour and excursion to Tintamarre island, with tropical island music to keep you rockin’!

In their capable hands, they will tell you all about this hidden gem, and make sure you don’t miss a beat during your time there!

You definitely will not regret it! And If you happen to see Crush from the movie Finding Nemo, tell him we say hello! Righteousness!

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