Anse Mamin

Anse Mamin is the next bay north of Anse Chastanet and is reached on foot along the shore, which keeps it quieter than its neighbour. The sand is volcanic and dark, the water is clear, and behind the beach the valley holds the ruins of an eighteenth-century French plantation, with the mill, the aqueduct and the stone works among the trees. A network of mountain bike trails has been cut through the plantation land and up the ridge, run from the resort at Anse Chastanet and open to visitors, which is an unusual thing to find in a Caribbean rainforest valley.

What you actually see

• The dark volcanic sand - a different beach from the pale coral ones.
• The plantation ruins - mill, aqueduct and works in the valley behind.
• The bike trails - cut through the plantation land and up the ridge.
• The walk from Anse Chastanet - fifteen minutes along the shore.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. Mornings are quieter and cooler for the walk and the trails. The bay is sheltered and swimmable most of the year. Snorkelling is better at Anse Chastanet next door.

Honest expectations

Access is on foot along the shore or by boat; there is no road. Facilities are limited to the resort operation. The bike trails are charged and are steep and technical in the upper sections. The plantation ruins are unlabelled and easily walked past.

Nearby

Anse Chastanet is fifteen minutes south along the shore; Soufrière is beyond.