Anse Intendance

Anse Intendance runs along the southern end of Mahé as a broad sweep of pale sand backed by takamaka and palms, with no reef offshore, which is why the swell comes in unbroken and the surf here is the heaviest on the island. Hawksbill turtles nest on it, and Cyclone Bondo in 2006 destroyed nearly nine in ten of their nests. There is one hotel set back behind the trees and otherwise nothing, and the beach is generally reckoned the most impressive on Mahé for exactly that reason.

What's there

• The open swell - surf coming in unbroken with no reef offshore.
• The wide sand - a broad sweep backed by takamaka and palms.
• The turtle nesting - hawksbill turtles coming ashore on the beach.
• The absence of development - one hotel behind the trees and nothing else.

When to go

April to October has the calmer conditions on this coast. The southeast monsoon from May raises the surf considerably. Turtles nest from October to February.

Before you go

Currents and shore break here are genuinely dangerous; swimming is often unwise. There are no lifeguards and no facilities. The access road down is steep and rough.

Nearby

Anse Takamaka is west, and Jardin du Roi is inland.

Key facts