Watersports are excellent across the island. Orient Beach in the northeast is the watersports centre of the island, with a host of outlets along the bay renting jet skis, windsurfers, hobie cats and snorkelling gear as well as parasailing and boat trips out to nearby Green Cay and Ilet Pinel. On the Dutch side of the island, Simpson Bay also has plenty of operators hiring out the same equipment.

Diving on the island is good, though not in the top league, with four main schools. The Scuba Shop (tel 590/87 48 01 or 599/545-3213, ) has outlets on both sides of the island, Dive Safaris (tel 599/542-9001) and Ocean Explorers (tel 599/544-5252) are on the Dutch side while Scuba Fun Caraibes (tel 590/87 36 13) is on the French side. Among the highlights are the dive to HMS Proselyte , a shipwreck from 1801 now home to an artificial reef teeming with marine life, including nurse sharks and schools of fish, and a series of fabulous coral reefs at The Maze.

There are some fine windsurfing spots on the island, with the calm waters of Coconut Grove on the northeast coast providing the main centre for beginners. You can rent boards there at Le Galion Watersports (tel 590/87 37 09) and at Windy Reef (tel 590/87 08 37). Orient Beach is also good for windsurfing, and you'll see operators renting boards along the beach.

Sailing trips are offered by a number of operators. The 75ft Scoobidoo catamaran (tel 590/87 20 28) takes daily sailing, snorkelling and beach tours from Anse Marcel, charging US$30 for a sunset cruise, US$45 for a half-day cruise and US$75-85 for a whole day, which might be to Anguilla or the deserted Prickly Pear island. The huge catamaran Golden Eagle (tel 599/530-0068) takes daily trips from Philipsburg to St Barts and various offshore islands, stopping for snorkelling and shelling en route. Tahuna Charters (tel 590/27 33 43 or 599/544-4354) offers private charters by catamaran from Marigot to Anguilla, St Barts and offshore islands.