Tintamarre

Off the northeast coast, about three kilometres out, Tintamarre - some 0.8 square kilometres - lies flat, scrubby and blessedly empty - the nature reserve's flagship islet, where day boats land on white-sand crescents, turtles graze the seagrass at snorkelling range, and the interior's ruins tell the island's eccentric past: a private-kingdom era, cotton ventures and the grass airstrip of a 1940s island airline whose relics rust in the scrub. The reserve's rules keep it simple - no facilities, protected waters, moorings not anchors - and the visit's shape is the classic castaway day: beach, mask, shade tarp and the boat's return.

What you'll find

• The white crescents - the reserve islet's landing beaches.
• The seagrass turtles - grazing greens at mask range.
• The airstrip ghosts - the 1940s airline's rusting relics.
• The reserve waters - protected snorkelling around the shores.

When to go

December to May for settled crossings; mornings land calmest and snorkel clearest. Operators from Cul-de-Sac run the reliable shuttles.

What to expect

No shade, no water, no facilities - the castaway kit travels with you; reserve rules (no take, moorings only) are enforced and correct.

Nearby

Pinel's easier islet, Orient Bay and the northeast lagoons.

Key facts