Marie offers an outing 5 evenings a week to watch sea turtles laying their eggs, timed to coincide with high tide. This activity is reserved for hotel guests for better organisation. However, it may happen that on certain evenings no egg-laying is observed. You can find Marie’s work on her Instagram account @carnetdebord. Once a week, you can also attend a talk at the N’Gouja beach bar. The programme includes a film and a quiz on sea turtles.
Just step into the clear water of the lagoon and, just a few metres from the shore, you can enjoy the unique pleasure of swimming with the turtles. The beach is a nesting ground for these marvellous animals, and the gently sloping sea grass is their pasture. They are placid and fearless in their company. Green and hawksbill turtles are plentiful, and you’ll come across them while swimming on the beach at Jardin Maoré
Always heard about the enchanting sunrise from the summit of Mont Choungui? Join us for a morning hike to the summit of Mont Choungui, where you can revel in the breathtaking views over the island of Mayotte and its lagoon, reputed to be one of the largest and most beautiful in the world.
Sunrise over the Indian Ocean: our experienced guide will take you on a technical but accessible hike, while telling you the stories and legends surrounding Mont Choungui.
Once at the summit, we’ll set up a breakfast of local specialities so you can relax and enjoy the magnificent scenery. This excursion is perfect for those looking to relax and enjoy the beauty of the island early in the morning.
Included:
Have you always wanted to find out how vanilla is grown and take part in the birth of a vanilla pod? Come and discover vanilla growing in the commune of Kani-Kéli on an unforgettable excursion.
You’ll be accompanied by experienced guides with Malinois dogs for your safety, then welcomed by a passionate farmer who will explain the process of growing vanilla in a responsible and sustainable way.
Depending on the season, you can play the role of the little pollinating bee by helping the farmer to pollinate the vanilla flowers, or take part in harvesting the pods. You will also be able to witness the preparation of the vanilla, from picking to bagging.
This excursion is suitable for all physical levels, but it is preferable to have some mobility to fully enjoy the experience.
Lagon Maoré is a diving centre where you can discover the extraordinary marine biodiversity of Mayotte and immerse yourself in the reefs of the Lagoon and the Passes du Sud.
The activities offered by the Lagon Maoré diving centre are suited to all tastes and levels. Half-day snorkelling excursions are organised, giving you the chance to discover the well-preserved mangrove swamps of Kani Bé, the fringing reef and the double barrier reef. If you’re lucky, you may even come across a few cetaceans and/or manta rays. Lagon Maoré’s professional divers will accompany you in complete safety and share their knowledge of the mangrove swamps, Mayotte’s geology, species and environmental issues linked to Mayotte’s formidable lagoon.
Set off on a scent trail with our partner Baobab Tours. Start your day in the heart of nature in Coconi by immersing yourself in the Botanical Gardens. Surrounded by all the different varieties of trees and plants endemic to the island, discover the hidden treasures of Mayotte’s forests and gardens. Turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, fruit trees… Then visit the Pôle Excellence Rurale (P.E.R.) and discover the history of the flower of flowers: ylang-ylang. The centre welcomes you to its museum, where you can find out more about the history of the golden star and test your knowledge with fun games. A discovery full of history that gives Mayotte, the island of perfumes, its full meaning. And finally, visit a vanilla field in the heights of Barakani, in the commune of Ouangani, where your guide will take you on a tour of the cultivation of this black gold with its gourmet scent. For the full day, the Jardin Maore will provide lunch and you’ll also have the chance to visit Mamma Shingo, the Bandrélé Mangrove Salt and the largest banana plantation in Mayotte.
Baobab Tours takes you on a half-day discovery tour of the wild south. On the programme: visits to remote villages, outrigger canoes, mangroves, the Dapani padza, a visit to Mayotte’s largest banana plantation and the Saziley viewpoint, Chirongui and the Bouéni peninsula.
Discover the entire path bordered by Baobab trees with splendid views and panoramas over the lagoon, the coral reef and the Sable Blanc islet… with its padzas (completely eroded sections of earth) so characteristic of the south of Maoré… This nature reserve is one of the sites most frequently visited by turtles when they lay their eggs, so it’s not unusual to see traces of torture in the sand… Lunch provided by Jardin Maoré and time for a swim. Return along the GR bordered by centuries-old baobabs.
Follow Baobab Tours for a half-day hike to the ancient Choungi volcano.
Departure is from the village of Choungi. On this 6km round trip, you’ll head deep into the forest of an ancient volcano. Surrounded by trees and plants of all kinds, discover the island’s natural wealth. Enjoy a magnificent panorama with a 360° view.