Plage Les Hattes Sea Turtle Reserve

Plage Les Hattes at Awala-Yalimapo in northwestern French Guiana is one of the world's most important leatherback sea turtle nesting beaches, hosting thousands of females each season. The beach stretches roughly 4 km along the Atlantic coast, backed by sea grape scrub and the Maroni River estuary. At night from April through August, female leatherbacks — among the largest reptiles on Earth, weighing up to 900 kg — haul themselves ashore to excavate nests above the tide line. Visitors who arrive after dark during peak season (May–July) will typically see dozens of turtles in varying stages: emerging from the surf, digging chambers with powerful rear flippers, and laying clutches of 80–120 eggs. From July through September, hatchlings erupt from nests at dawn and scramble toward the ocean. The reserve is managed by the Réserve Naturelle de l'Amana, which also protects the adjacent wetlands and mangroves inhabited by manatees and caimans. The beach itself is flat and open, with few facilities; a wooden observation platform at the reserve entrance allows overviews of the nesting stretch. Photography with flash is strictly prohibited near nesting turtles. Reserve guides, mandatory in restricted zones, assign groups to active nests so that no female is disturbed by multiple parties simultaneously. The round trip from Cayenne takes around six hours by road, making this an immersive overnight excursion rather than a casual day trip.