Happy Bay Beach — Attraction in Saint Martin (France)

We anchored our sailboat at the northeast end of the beach on a Friday and swam to shore. This is a beautiful soft sand beach that’s not at all crowded. Not a party scene; most people just relaxing in the sun and keeping to themselves. About half the beach goers were sunning and swimming bare, very chill and unobtrusive, mostly at the east end of the beach. If you’ve ever entertained the idea of sunning and swimming bare on a beach, I can’t imagine a more comfortable and natural setting to give it a go. Didn’t see anyone there selling food, renting umbrellas, or anything else commercial. There’s a building toward the west end that looks like it could be a food shack but there was no one there and it was all closed up. Looks like there are hurricane damaged and abandoned buildings back in the trees away from the beach. This was my favorite among the beaches I visited in St Martin, largely because it’s natural, not crowded, relaxed, non-commercial, well protected and good for swimming particularly on the east half, and has nice soft sand. Snorkeled a bit around the rocks on the east side and saw almost no coral and little sea life. The west end is less protected and we didn’t try snorkeling there due to the rocks and waves. Don’t bother bringing your snorkeling gear. Will definitely want to return to this beach should I find myself in St...

Happy bay beach is now (March 6) the site of massive construction and blaring music with a booming bass beat for the work crews. Today part of the large work crew was fencing off the center of the beach itself. I thought that was illegal in France but I guess if you know the right people it is OK. There is a huge covered stage area right off the beach that is 2 to 3 stories high as shown in attached picture. The attached picture shows how it will look according to the festival planners once the partying starts on March 15. There is also a fake sandstone head just like Kontiki has on Orient Beach and a large pavillion in the center of the worksite. It is primarily for a music festival but there are cement mixers and fairly heavy machinery on site so it looks to be more permanent. Workmen are living in make-shift huts on the beach and (it would seem) in the unfinished houses around the edges of the beach. This was our favorite beach but now it literally looks like a...

Happy Bay Beach is definitely a hidden gem, but be prepared — it’s a bit tricky to find. We drove to the closest point shown on the map and parked along the side of the road. From there, you walk beside a white gate and follow a path for about 15–20 minutes. The walk is manageable and totally worth it.

Once you arrive, the beach is absolutely beautiful and very quiet. It wasn’t crowded at all when we visited. The right side of the beach seemed to be mostly nude, while the left side was where the fully clothed beachgoers were — everyone was spaced out and respectful.

Important tip: Bring your own everything — there are no businesses on this beach. No beach bars, no music, no food or drinks, no chairs or beds — just nature. It’s truly unspoiled, with soft sand, clear water, and stunning views. Perfect if you’re looking for a peaceful,...