Anou al Moris
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Beach walk: Belle Mare → Palmar
Photo:NOTE: This image is a panorama consisting of multiple frames that were merged or / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🚶 Walks · East

Beach walk: Belle Mare → Palmar

Five kilometres along one of the island's longest white beaches, on the calm east-coast lagoon, from Belle Mare to Palmar.

🚗 From the villa1 h 25 · 63.8 kmoff-peak estimate
⏱️ Time needed2–3 hnot counting the drive
🕓 Best time of day🌅 Sunrise · ☀️ Morning
💰 PriceFree
🚶 Trail10.3 km · flatEasy · out and back · guide not needed

Belle Mare is the great beach of the east: white sand, casuarinas and a pale turquoise lagoon stretching for kilometres. From the public beach, walk south past the hotels to Palmar, with the reef breaking far offshore.

About 5 km each way. Walk in the early morning, when the lagoon is flat and the light is soft, and stop for swims along the way.

  • One of the longest beaches on the island
  • Calm turquoise lagoon
  • Sunrise over the reef

Trail map

Traced along the shoreline (OpenStreetMap coastline): walk on the firm sand near the water.

Trail (easy)
0 m50 m 0 km1 km2 km3 km4 km5 km 0 m
One way; you come back the same way. Elevation from SRTM satellite data (±10 m).

Trail traced on OpenStreetMap paths: check the signs on the ground, and take the OSM or an offline map app (Organic Maps, maps.me) with you.

What to expect on this walk

MudLow
ShadeSome
🌊 TideAny tide
👟 FootwearBarefoot is fine
🏊 Swim on the wayYes, along the way
🔁 Getting backSame way back
🚧 ObstaclesNone
🌅 Best lightSunrise, Morning
📍 Where it starts
Belle Mare public beach, on the east coast (≈ 1 h 20 from the villa).
🧭 The route
South along the sand past the hotels to Palmar public beach (≈ 5 km). Back the same way.
🪨 Terrain
Fine, firm sand.
👁️ Views
The lagoon and the reef all the way.
🌅 Best light
Sunrise over the reef: the east coast faces the morning sun; windier after noon.
🌊 Tide
Fine at any tide.
🏊 Swimming
Calm lagoon all along: swim whenever you like.
👟 Footwear
Barefoot or flip-flops on soft sand all the way.
🔁 Getting back
Same way back (or a taxi from Palmar).
🦟 Insects
None.
💧 Water
Snack vans at the public beaches.
👥 Crowds
Quiet in the morning.
📶 Phone signal
Good coverage.
🎒 Bring
Hat, sunglasses and reef-safe sunscreen · 1–1.5 litres of water each · Sandals or water shoes (some rocky bits) · Swimsuit and a towel · Cash for a drink or a taxi back
  1. Belle Mare public beach
  2. Palmar public beach

Getting there

Driving route from the villa

🚗 By car: 1 h 25 (63.8 km) off-peak. Belle Mare public beach car park. Directions in Google Maps ↗

Tips

  • 💡 The east coast is windier in the afternoon: go early.
  • 💡 It's an 80-minute drive: pair it with Île aux Cerfs or a night on the east coast.