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Madininasnorkeling
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Îlet Thiery is part of the Ilets du Francois, a small archipelago of 8 islets located off the east coast of Martinique. It hosts a snorkel trail, made up of 6 buoys, which allows exploring sandy bottoms, seagrass beds, and a coral cay. In the shallows, many fish and invertebrates can be spotted from the surface.

Ilet Thiery snorkel trail, St François
Ilet Thiery snorkel trail, with the islet’s small beach in the distance.

How to get to Ilet Thiery snorkeling spot?

This spot is located at Ilet Thiery, about 5 km off Le François. It is accessible by sea, either by your own means or via tour operators (snorkel tours, kayak rental, etc.).

You can explore this spot on your own, or by booking a guided tour with a diving instructor from the Le Carbet des Sciences association. Guided tours include boat transfer to the islet and snorkeling equipment. More info on guided tours here (in French).

Ilet Thiery snorkel trail map, Martinique

Water entrance for snorkeling Ilet Thiery

It is recommended to enter the water from the small sandy beach at the western tip of the islet, in order to be very close to the snorkeling area.

Ilet Thiery snorkeling exploration tips

The recommended snorkeling area includes the snorkel trail that stretches opposite the small beach. Yellow beacons delimit the snorkeling area, where boat traffic and fishing are not allowed.

Cushion sea star in seagrass
Cushion sea star is a common sighting in the shallow seagrass beds.

The snorkel trail is made up of 6 buoys which form a loop of approximately 800m passing through the various marine environments of the area.

After taking a look at the sandy bottom (buoy 1), you’ll “fly” over the seagrass beds (buoys 2-3), where cushion starfish, reef squids, sea urchins, and juvenile reef fish are easy to spot.

Coral and small fish at Ilet Thiery
Small fish shelter around the coral.

Around buoy n°3, you will notice an artificial reef that starts recruiting marine life. You can then head to the cay built by corals and calcareous algae (buoys 4 to 6). This reef area, where patches of elkhorn coral are found, serves as a habitat for many fish such as wrasse, grunt and damselfish.

Caribbean reef squid Ilet Thiery
An occasional Caribbean reef squid in Ilet Thiery.

An educational panel on the beach provides information on the habitats and marine species that can be encountered on this spot. Le Carbet des Sciences also offers a nice virtual visit to the site.

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

There is no restaurant on Ilet Thiery but there are a few options near Port du François (Kay Nono and Chez Milo restaurants). You can spend the night on the islet at Habitation de l’Ilet Thiery or on the neighboring Islet Oscar at La Maison de l’Ilet Oscar, at swimming distance from the snorkel trail.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Protected areaÎlets protégés du François
  • Maximum depth15ft/5m
  • Water entranceFrom a small sandy beach
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersMedium
  • Access costsCost of a boat tour or kayak rental

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.