Plage Les Hattes

Top choice in French Guiana


This long stretch of beach is a very important nesting ground for giant leatherback turtles, which can grow up to 600kg. The females come ashore from April to July, and their young hatch and make their way into the sea between July and September.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby French Guiana attractions

1. Maison de la Reserve Naturelle l'Amana

0.15 MILES

Amerindian settlements and thick clouds of mosquitoes populate Awala-Yalimopo and Plage Les Hattes, one of the world's most spectacular nesting sites for…

2. Galibi Nature Reserve

4.27 MILES

On Suriname's eastern shoulder, Galibi Nature Reserve faces French Guiana across the Marowijne River. Here, hordes of sea turtles, including the giant…

3. Musée Hmong

12.35 MILES

This small museum gives an interesting overview of Hmong culture, history, tools and handicrafts.

4. Camp de la Transportation

17.95 MILES

The eerie Camp de la Transportation, where prisoners arrived for processing, was the largest prison in French Guiana. Convicts arrived exhausted after 20…

5. Fleuve de Maroni

20.15 MILES

Explore the Amerindian and Maroon cultures that inhabit the shores of this great river. You'll usually also visit the island of an old leper colony …

6. Camp de la Relégation

25.78 MILES

The Camp de la Relégation, aka St Jean, is another abandoned prison camp 17km from St Laurent. It's accessed via two-hour tours offered by various…