We loved heading here for lunch. The boat ride was about $7 each with return. We ate at Karibuni and had the best curried conch I have ever had. The drinks were great, although the prices were a bit high. Make sure you make the 5pm boat back to Saint Martin.

From 'Cul de Sac' it is an easy ten-minute boat ride ($7 return) & a very relaxing day. Last year's favourite restaurant (beach chairs/umbrellas), 'Up on the Key', has closed & is now called 'Yellow Beach'. Chairs cost $10 (includes 1 umbrella for two chairs). Food on the expensive side & no free drinks! Two clean flush toilets. Very shallow water makes for easy family swimming. A ten-minute walk takes you across to the Atlantic side with very nice beach but no facilities & quite rocky. Considered better for snorkelling. The last boat back leaves at 5 pm

This would be a great place for kids, as it is so shallow and calm. We plan to bring ours here, next year!!

Our cruise ship was making a stop at St. Maarten/St. Martin for a day. we booked the "Tiki Beach Island Tour" tour through Island Marketing Ltd. in September 2012 for Wednesday January 30th, 2013. Tour was $69 per person for a 6 1/2 hour tour included: an air-conditioned van, a stop at Simpson Bay to see the mega yachts, a half hour shopping stop at a colorful street market in Margot, a stop at Maho beach to see planes take off, ferry ride to & from Isle Pinel. Reserved lounge chairs, umbrella, snorkel gear and lunch with reserved tables were included. However, if you booked the tour after Oct 1, 2012 - lunch was not included.

Our tour started exactly at 9 AM. with only 4 passengers, so it was almost a private tour! Makesia was our excellent driver and she showed us the whole Island, everything that was noted in the info sent from Island Marketing. We were very impressed that almost every traffic circle had a statue dedicated to historical events in St Maarten's. As we approached Simpson Bay, she pointed out an island that was shrouded in fog - turns out it was Saba Island where they filmed the first "King Kong" with Fay Wray in 1933. Shopping at the Margot street market was interesting, lots of local crafts and clothing. (see photos)

By 11:30 were were on the ferry to Isle Pinel, Makesia made sure we got our lunch - which was a large portion of ribs with french fries. There was so much food, we shared some with a beach bum dog. The other two people in our van ordered a lobster lunch which they got to hand pick from a lobster trap in the water on the beach. (see photo)

Next we went snorkeling at a Nature reserve that was a protected marine park. Just a short walk on a sandy path and you were there. After 3 1/2 glorious hours on the beach we boarded the ferry back to our van and we were returned to the cruise pier by 3:30 PM.