Plum Bay (Baie aux Prunes), St. Martin: the quiet beach at the end of the lane

How to get to Plum Bay

Plum Bay is reached along the residential roads of Terres Basses, beyond Baie Longue. The public entrance is at the northern end of the beach and isn't always well signposted. When the guard at the gate stops you, say you are going to the beach.

Parking is limited. Park at the roadside without blocking a gate or driveway, use the public path rather than a villa's garden, and leave nothing on view in the car. From Villa Zenitude it is a 5 to 10 minute walk: the entrance is on the left, just past Le Château des Palmiers, the Trump estate.

Swimming and snorkelling at Plum Bay

When the sea is flat the water is clear turquoise and easy to swim in, and the rocks around the point are one of the best snorkelling spots on the West End. Go on calm days only, stay close to the rocks rather than out in the open bay, and check the water's edge for stones, which the sea sometimes uncovers.

Plum Bay is open to swells from the west and north-west, which arrive mostly in winter. On those days the shore break gets heavy, waves crash close to the beach and surfers paddle out. There is no lifeguard, so if waves are breaking hard, stay on the sand or try Baie Longue, which faces the other way.

Sunset at Plum Bay

The beach faces west, so the sun sets straight out to sea. Bring a drink, arrive early and head back as the light goes: access to the beaches is restricted at night, and there are no lights on the path or the road. Bring mosquito repellent too, as they come out at dusk.

Sea turtles at Plum Bay

Plum Bay is one of the busiest sea turtle nesting beaches on St. Martin: in 2022 the island's nature reserve recorded more nesting activity here than on almost any other beach it monitors. If you see tracks in the sand or a marked nest, keep your distance and leave it undisturbed.

What to bring

There are no services of any kind, so bring everything you need.

• Water and something to eat
• Shade: there is none on the sand, so bring an umbrella
• Sun protection, ideally reef-safe
• A mask and snorkel
• Light shoes for the sandy path
• A bag to take your rubbish home

The wall on Pointe du Canonnier

Between Plum Bay and Baie Longue, the sandy point called Pointe du Canonnier is lined by a long hurricane wall on the sea side: what is left of a villa project that was never finished. Before work began in 2009, archaeologists dug test trenches on the plot and found pottery from the 18th and 19th centuries, including fragments that may come from a local Afro-Caribbean water jar known as a monkey jar.

Baie Longue and Baie Rouge nearby

Baie Longue is about a kilometre south, around the headland, and is the longer walk and the easier swim on many days. Baie Rouge is on the north side of the peninsula, 5 minutes away by car. Baie Nettlé, 5 minutes away, is the nearest place for lunch.