Plage des Hattes, Nesting beach in Awala-Yalimapo, French Guiana.
Plage des Hattes is a beach on the Atlantic coast with light sand surrounded by palm trees and natural vegetation stretching for several kilometers. The area is designated as a protected zone and serves as a critical breeding site for multiple sea turtle species.
The site gained international attention in the 1970s when researchers identified it as one of the world's largest breeding grounds for leatherback turtles. Scientific understanding of this coastal area's importance has deepened significantly since then.
The local communities who live nearby practice traditional monitoring and protection of the nesting grounds, and they share their knowledge of marine conservation with visitors who come to witness these breeding sites.
The beach is accessible year-round and free to visit, with the best turtle watching season occurring between April and July. Visitors should expect sandy natural conditions and must respect the protection rules in place at the site.
Thousands of leatherback and green sea turtles emerge from the ocean every year to lay their eggs on this protected coastline. This phenomenon makes the beach one of the world's most important places to witness natural nesting behavior.
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