Côte Sauvage

The Côte Sauvage is the stretch of Atlantic shore running along the western side of Pointe-Noire, a long open beach with heavy surf coming in off the ocean and a strong undertow, backed in places by bars and restaurants and in others by nothing at all. It is where the city goes at weekends. Fishing pirogues work off the sand and the sunsets over the water are the reason people stay into the evening.

What you actually see

• The open beach - a long shore with unbroken Atlantic surf.
• The fishing pirogues - the boats worked off the sand.
• The beach bars - the places along the developed stretches.
• The sunsets - the light over the ocean from a west-facing coast.

When to go

June to September is the dry cooler season. The rains fall from October to May. Weekends bring crowds from the city.

Honest expectations

The undertow is severe and drownings happen; swimming is genuinely dangerous. Litter is a serious problem on the busier stretches. Petty theft on the beach is common.

Nearby

Pointe-Noire is beside it, and Pointe Indienne is north.