Wilderness Beach

By Chris Davies of Octopus Diving

Having lived on St. Martin for better than half a decade,  it's always nice to find that perfect little beach spot to visit for a mini-adventure, where you can enjoy nature, contemplate life or just chill. Wilderness Beach is that beautiful and relaxing place that only a few old souls know about, and thanks to its location will probably stay that way, as the general public, charter and tourist boats tend to stay away.

“Wilderness Beach” sits boldly on the Northernmost point of St. Martin (on the French side), exposed on all sides to the punishment of the elements.  To the right side of the beach, the mighty Atlantic booms in with all her might and power, and on the left side, the warm and turbulent waters of the Caribbean Sea sweep in via the Anguilla Channel.  It really is “wild” to say the least.

Although getting there is a challenge, it’s well worth the trek.  The best way to access Wilderness Beach is to drive, following the signs for the Radisson Blu in Anse Marcel. Before you get to the steep climb up the hill make a right just after the school.  This road will lead you to the Garbage dump on the French Side… (Make a note to have a look at all the donkeys sitting on the hill on the way up, they are super cute.) Once you reach a bumpy dirt track road, keep going until you see the gates for the Garbage Dump and park your vehicle just on the right hand side in the parking bay, before the gates.  Please remember to not leave ANYTHING of value in your vehicle and be sure to lock up, and if you have a bike, chain it up!

The rest of the way is on foot.  It’s a nice hike, probably a 6 on a scale of 1 being easy and 10 being challenging. The beach is about a 30 minute hike following the coastline.  Head down the trail to the water, first towards Anguilla as seen in the distance. The trail is marked by the French Marine reserve, so once you get to the beach, make a left and you can see the trail that has been made over the years in the rock and coral on the beach.  Then walk over headland and 30 minutes later you will be on one of the most secluded beaches on St. Martin / St. Maarten... paradise!

The beach is very picturesque with goldish-pink coral sand that is luxurisou to the touch and great to dig your feet into.  If you plan on staying a while, you will want to pack a beach umbrella, a lunch, plenty of water and of course SUNBLOCK.  Being a secluded beach, there are no restrooms, restaurants, bars, beach chairs or jet-skis, just peace and quiet - which is the main attraction!  One last note, if you’re not from the Northeast Caribbean, there is hardly any tide so don't worry about getting stranded out on Wilderness Beach, although you might want to!

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