Plages de Moya

The Moya beaches sit below a cliff on the eastern side of Petite-Terre, two coves of pale sand reached down a flight of steps through the vegetation, with reef offshore and green turtles nesting on the sand at night. The water is clear and the snorkelling is good directly from the beach. It is a short drive from the airport and the busiest beach on Petite-Terre. Petite-Terre is the smaller of Mayotte's two main islands and holds the airport, so these beaches are what most arrivals see first.

What you actually see

• The two coves - the beaches at the bottom of the cliff steps.
• The reef - coral within snorkelling reach of the sand.
• The turtle nesting - green turtles coming ashore at night.
• The cliff descent - the steps down through the vegetation.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. Turtles nest year round with peaks mid-year. Weekends bring crowds from Mamoudzou.

Honest expectations

The steps down are steep and the climb back is hard. It gets crowded at weekends. Turtle nesting means the beach should be left alone at night unless with a guide.

Nearby

Dziani Dzaha is north, and Pamandzi is west.