December to April is the dry season, but the sea stays at 26 to 29 °C all year. Here is what each season means for a jet ski tour in St Martin.
What is the best time to visit St Martin?
December to April, during the dry season. The island's tourism office calls it the most pleasant time of year, with near constant sunshine and very little rain. It is also peak season. But St Martin works year round: according to Météo-France, the sea stays between 26 and 29 °C (79 to 84 °F) in every season.
So there is no single right season to get out on the water in St Martin, just different seasons, and a few things worth knowing about each one.
The dry season, December to April
Météo-France, the French weather service, calls this season the "carême" and runs it from January to April; the tourism office adds December. On St Martin and St Barts, lows range from 21 to 24 °C (70 to 75 °F) and highs from 28 to 31 °C (82 to 88 °F). There are a few showers, mostly in the evening, and the weak cold fronts that drift down from the north seldom amount to much.
This is the season for long days at sea. The Big Tour circles the island from 10 am to 4 pm, with lunch at a restaurant included: Grand Case and Froussards beach in the morning, Terres Basses and the planes at Juliana airport in the afternoon. The VIP Saint Barth Tour crosses all the way to St Barts for the day.
It is also when the island's big events happen: Carnival on the French side in February and the Heineken Regatta in mid March, according to the tourism office.
June to November: the wet season and hurricane season
The wet season runs from June to November, according to Météo-France. It is warmer: lows of 25 to 27 °C (77 to 81 °F), highs of 31 to 33 °C (88 to 91 °F). Rain is more frequent and the air more humid. The tourism office adds that rain mostly comes as fairly short squalls, sometimes while the sun is shining, and that the days are longer.
It is also hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 every year. Météo-France notes that the risk of a hurricane is higher during this period. If you are coming then:
- follow the Météo-France alerts and forecasts for St Martin and St Barts, at meteofrance.gp;
- keep a little flexibility in your plans;
- if a tour is cancelled for weather or technical reasons, we offer you other time slots.
For a first ride, the Lagoon Trip takes place in Simpson Bay Lagoon: calm water, sheltered from the open sea, in 45 minutes.
Where is it windiest in St Martin?
On the northeast coast. The tourism office notes that the trade winds blow a little stronger there than on the rest of the island, around Orient Bay and Oyster Pond, which makes it a favorite with board sports fans. To the west, at Baie Rouge and Nettlé Bay, the trade winds are moderate. Anse Marcel, in the north, is sheltered from the swell by two hills, and Grand Case is known for its constant sunshine.
Further southwest, the long beaches of Terres Basses, all the way to Simpson Bay, face the Caribbean Sea. That is the coast you ride along on the Terres Basses tour, 90 minutes of white sand beaches and villas, and on the way back from Froussards with the Samana Adventure.
Which jet ski tour should you pick for the season?
We are open every day, from 9 am to 6 pm. A few pointers:
- For a first time, in any season: the Lagoon Trip, or the jet ski intro session of 20, 30 or 60 minutes, with a guide, with or without a boat licence.
- For the sunset: Sunset Dream, 90 minutes off Terres Basses. The sun sets between 5 pm and 7 pm depending on the time of year: you pick the day, and we call you back to set the departure time.
- For a full day: the Big Tour or the VIP Saint Barth Tour, especially in the dry season.
- For later: a gift voucher is valid for one year, plenty of time to pick a season.
Our seven guided tours leave from Marina Royale in Marigot, with a guide from start to finish. Know your dates? Book your jet ski tour.
