Things to see and do Petite-Terre

On the parking lot there are a few kiosks for picnics and a house of the forest protection office. It is a fairly busy beach, especially at weekends. On the other hand, try to check the tide times before coming to Moya, because as it is located on the flats, if the tide is very low, you may not be able to swim. But Moya is especially famous for its turtles laying eggs. Unfortunately, poaching is still present. That's why patrols take turns to avoid poaching. The turtles are often there at nightfall, on a small moon evening and at high tide. Officially the beach closes at 6pm to respect the peace of the turtles, the guard watches over them. If you want to see the turtles laying eggs, you have to go through the Oulanga Na Nyamba association which organizes night outings regularly. However, if you are lucky enough to see them during the day, especially the emergence of babies joining the sea, respect the instructions of the approach charter (be discreet, don't touch anything, avoid making too much noise and no lights...). It can be tempting to help the small turtles to reach the sea by taking them in your hands to make their task easier, but this will harm them in the long term: it is by crawling on the sand while their belly is still soft that the turtles get used to the granulometry of the sand, which will allow them to recognize the beach and to come back to lay their eggs throughout their life.

A walk not to be missed. The main natural curiosity of the island, the Dziani lake or Dziani Dzaha (in shimaore) has the originality to be emerald green. Its exceptional color is due to the sulfur it contains. You can go by taxi to the beginning of the trail and climb to the crater in a few minutes. Avoid going there when it has rained, as the ground is very slippery. Once you reach the top, you will be transported to another place, and why not to Vietnam, by contemplating the lake and its sulphurous water, with the blue lagoon in the background. This lake is located in a collapsed crater and bears witness to the volcanism that brought Mayotte up from the bottom of the Indian Ocean. According to the Mahorais, it is a sacred place where people come for ceremonies. It takes about an hour to walk around it, but be sure to bring water, as this walk is not at all shaded. Following the small path around it, there are views of Grande-Terre, Mamoudzou, and the outer barrier reef. Go around it to find a sign that will show you the path that leads to the Papani beach, which is quite difficult to access, only at low tide, or more simply to the superb Moya beach.

Lake Dziani is a curiosity that is increasingly exciting the scientific community. A team from Montpellier revealed that the composition of the water is similar to the oceans of 3 billion years ago, it would contain 100 times more inorganic carbon than sea water

The "S" shaped pass, or Longogori pass, shares the coral reefs of Hajangoua and Pamandzi, over a length of about 4 km. The pass appeared more than 20,000 years ago during the last ice age and originated from a river bed, which explains its sinuous shape that gave it its name Longogori (sinuous path).

The reserve, created in 1990, has an exceptionally beautiful and diverse seabed and is a favourite site for divers and photographers.

Impossible to miss: the Faré beach stretches along the Boulevard des Crabes, a few meters from the barge. Apart from the children who splash around and the fishermen who stroll along it at the end of the day, it is mostly frequented by the M'zungus who play beach volleyball, beach tennis, mölkky and other beach sports. It is also the starting point for Maoré Jet's nautical activities. Ideal on your arrival or when you leave to enjoy the beautiful view over Grande-Terre and the lagoon. A superb point of view to photograph.