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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Caribbean

Caribbean

Saint Martin

The French half of a shared island, inside the Agoa whale sanctuary.

Green turtle
Green turtle, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: James Thornton on Unsplash
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: New rules for whale watching, Reserve Naturelle Nationale de Saint-Martin; When I watch cetaceans, Agoa Sanctuary; Biodiversite: nouvel arrete en vigueur, Outremers 360.

Why: The French side of Saint Martin lies inside the Agoa marine mammal sanctuary. A prefectoral order in force since 1 September 2024 keeps everyone 300 metres from whales, and only trained professionals who have signed the Agoa charter may approach to 100 metres, with no swimming, no touching and no feeding. The national nature reserve there also studies humpback whale migration with the Megaptera association, and we watch from a respectful distance and never go in the water with whales.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The US State Department (14 August 2026) advises normal precautions for French Saint Martin, Level 1. Hurricane season runs June to November. Sources: US Embassy, Travel Advisory French Saint Martin · UK FCDO travel advice, St Martin and St Barthélemy Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

WhalesTurtlesWildlife watching

Why Saint Martin

People come for beaches and the easy mix of two flags on one island. The French waters are part of the Agoa sanctuary, where nobody may come within 300 m of a whale, and swimming with whales is not allowed. Turtles nest on the island, and the nearby Dutch marine park protects reef and turtles.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

United States of AmericaHaitiDominican Rep.BahamasMexicoBrazilColombiaPanamaCosta RicaNicaraguaHondurasEl SalvadorGuatemalaBelizeVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFrancePuerto RicoJamaicaCubaTrinidad and TobagoFrench coast of Saint Martin, Saint Martin

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

We share this place as a story so you can learn. There is no Ocean Calling trip.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

Checked 6 Oct 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Saint Martin

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

French coast of Saint Martin

Story only

Beaches and reef on the French side of the island, in the Agoa sanctuary.

Also seen: Whales from the boat only, with a trained captain, Sea turtles, no touching

Animals

Animals recorded in Saint Martin

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Green turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMale magnificent frigatebird perched on a mangrove branchMagnificent frigatebirdFregata magnificensSeen in 52 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernNurse shark swimming over a reef at Fernando de Noronha, BrazilAtlantic nurse sharkGinglymostoma cirratumSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitespotted eagle ray gliding over reef and sand in BelizeWhitespotted eagle rayAetobatus narinariSeen in 58 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSouthern stingray resting on white sand, St John, US Virgin IslandsSouthern stingrayHypanus americanusSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernNassau grouper with its mouth open, photographed at Los Indios in Jardines de la Reina, CubaNassau grouperEpinephelus striatusSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredMasked booby on Ascension IslandMasked boobySula dactylatraSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernQueen conch with a reddish spiny shell resting on seagrass over sandy seabedQueen conchAliger gigasSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCrowd of brown pelicans packed together on a coastal roost, one adult with a pale head and coloured bill facing the cameraBrown pelicanPelecanus occidentalisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAmerican flamingo wading in shallow water with its head lowered toward the surface, Yucatán, MexicoAmerican flamingoPhoenicopterus ruberSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernCaribbean spiny lobster at the edge of a reef overhang with long antennae trailing across sandCaribbean spiny lobsterPanulirus argusSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasData Deficient
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Caribbean
AnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArubaThe BahamasBarbadosBelizeBritish Virgin IslandsCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCubaCuraçaoDominicaDominican RepublicGrenadaGuadeloupeHaitiHondurasJamaicaMartiniqueMontserratPuerto RicoSaint BarthélemySaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSint MaartenTrinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos IslandsUS Virgin IslandsVenezuela

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