GUIDE: SAINT MARTIN KITE, WING, SURF SPOTS
🎯 In short: This Guide
On the French side, Orient Bay is Saint-Martin's watersports hub. You'll find freeride behind the anchorage, waves upwind of Caille Verte, and trips to Tintamarre and Pinel for advanced riders. Embouchure Bay is closed to kiteboarding. Wing and surf are permitted, and paddle is also allowed.
Live Conditions
GlissEvolution publishes live wind data, high-resolution forecasts, tides, and webcams on its dedicated weather pages:
► Saint-Martin Live Weather & Wind · Orient Bay
► All Spots: Weather & Spot Guide (74 spots in France and Europe)
Kite and wing Surf spots on the French side of Saint Martin island.
► Orient Bay (French part of the island)
- Disciplines: Surf, freeride, foil, wing
- Level: Beginner to expert
- Boat anchorage: Between Caille Verte and Orient Beach, moderate comfort level
- Spot description: Enjoy freeride behind the boat and onshore wave sessions upwind of Caille Verte. Watch out for rocks. Expect large, well-formed swell during a NE depression, plus breakers upwind of Pinel islet.
- Wind direction: East: onshore, southeast: side onshore, northeast: side onshore
Miscellaneous:
- Beware of turtles when foil kiting or winging. You risk injuring them and damaging your foil.
- Foil tour of the island? Allow 1h30... for enthusiasts! Quentin can provide boat support. SAFETY FIRST.
- A kite school is available, and this open ocean spot offers island tours for advanced riders (Tintamarre, Pinel, Caille Verte islets).
- Discover spots by land along the EAST coast, where beaches and coral reefs alternate.
- Dangers : This is a good spot if you want to be tiger shark bait.
- Baie de l’embouchure:
- Kites are prohibited by municipal decree. WING, SURF, Paddle, and windsurf boards are all permitted.
► Friends on site:
Quentin, manager of Ti'Wake SXM Watersports, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tiwakesxm
Fred & Annabelle: IO croisière, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IOcroisiere
Photo credits and help with article writing: Ti'Wake SXM Watersports and Tropicool for IO Croisière (for drone photos) and IO Croisière
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to kite in Saint-Martin on the French side?
At Orient Bay: freeride behind the anchorage, wave sessions upwind of Caille Verte (watch out for rocks), big swell formed by a northeast depression towards Pinel islet. The Bay of l'Embouchure is forbidden to kites by municipal decree. It remains open to wing and surf, as well as paddle.
What level is required at Orient Bay?
The spot suits everyone from beginner (kite school on site, boat supervision possible) to expert (trips to Tintamarre, Pinel, and Caille Verte, island tour by foil in about 1h30).
What precautions should be taken in Saint-Martin?
Open sea spot: tell someone where you're going, and ideally have boat support. If you're foiling, watch out for turtles (risk of injury for them and your gear) and rocks upwind of Caille Verte.
Where can I check live wind conditions in Saint-Martin?
On the GlissEvolution Saint-Martin · Orient Bay weather page: live wind and high-resolution trade wind forecasts.
Key Features
| Section | Key takeaway |
|---|---|
| In short, this guide | On the French side, Orient Bay is Saint-Martin's watersports hub. You'll find freeride behind the anchorage, waves upwind of Caille Verte, and trips to Tintamarre and Pinel for advanced riders. |
| Orient Bay (French part of the island) | Program: Surf, freeride, foil, wing. Level: Beginners to experts. Boat anchorage: Between Caille Verte and Orient Beach, medium comfort level. Spot description: Navigation behind the… |
| Local friends | Quentin, manager of Ti'Wake SXM Watersports, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tiwakesxm. Fred & Annabelle: IO croisière, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IOcroisiere. Photo credits and help… |
| Where to kite in Saint-Martin on the French side? | At Orient Bay: freeride behind the anchorage, wave sessions upwind of Caille Verte (watch out for rocks), and big swell formed by a northeast depression towards Pinel islet. |
| What level is required at Orient Bay? | The spot suits everyone from beginner (kite school on site, boat supervision possible) to expert, who can take trips to Tintamarre and Pinel, or to Caille Verte, and do an island tour by foil in about 1h30. |
| What precautions should be taken in Saint-Martin? | This is an open water spot. Always inform someone of your plans and prioritize boat supervision. |
Consider this
Key considerations and limitations noted in this article:
- Wind direction: East: onshore, Southeast: side onshore, Northeast: side onshore. Miscellaneous: Watch out for turtles when foil kiting or winging. You risk injuring them and damaging your foil.
- At Orient Bay: freeride behind the anchorage, wave sessions upwind of Caille Verte (watch out for rocks), and big swell formed by a northeast depression towards Pinel islet.
- When foiling, watch out for turtles (risk of injury to them and your equipment) and rocks upwind of Caille Verte.
Frequently Asked Questions
In short: key takeaways from this guide
On the French side, Orient Bay is Saint-Martin's watersports hub. It offers freeride behind the anchorage, waves upwind of Caille Verte, and trips to Tintamarre and Pinel for advanced riders. The Baie de l'Embouchure is forbidden for Kite, but wing, Surf, and paddle are allowed.
Orient Bay (French side of the island): key takeaways
Disciplines: Surf, freeride, foil, wing. Rider level: beginner to expert. Boat anchorage is between Caille Verte and Orient Beach. It offers medium comfort. Spot description: Enjoy freeride sessions behind your boat and onshore wave riding upwind of Caille Verte. Be mindful of rocks in this area. Expect large, well-formed swells during NE depressions, with breaking waves upwind of Pinel islet.
Local contacts: key takeaways
Quentin, manager of Ti'Wake SXM Watersports, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tiwakesxm Fred & Annabelle: IO croisière, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IOcroisiere Photo credits and article writing assistance: Ti'Wake SXM Watersports and Tropicool for IO Croisière (for drone photos) and IO Croisière ► ALL OUR SPOT GUIDES ► BAGS AND BOARDBAG
Where to kite in Saint-Martin on the French side?
At Orient Bay: freeride behind the anchorage, wave sessions upwind of Caille Verte (watch out for rocks), big swell formed by a northeast depression towards Pinel islet. The Bay of l'Embouchure is forbidden to kites by municipal decree, but remains open to wing, surf, and paddle.
What level is required at Orient Bay?
The spot suits everyone from beginner (kite school on site, boat supervision possible) to expert, who can take trips to Tintamarre and Pinel, or to Caille Verte, and do an island tour by foil in about 1h30.
What precautions should be taken in Saint-Martin?
Open sea spot: tell someone where you're going, and ideally have boat support. If you're foiling, watch out for turtles (risk of injury for them and your gear) and rocks upwind of Caille Verte.
Got a question about the gear mentioned here?
The GlissEvolution team rides what they sell. They are available to answer your questions in person at the Pornichet store or by phone.
