Anse Mamin, Black sand beach in Soufrière District, Saint Lucia.
Anse Mamin is a beach with black volcanic sand on the western coast of Saint Lucia, bordered by tropical plants and turquoise water. The area sits near coral reefs and has loungers, snorkeling gear, and a restaurant available.
Anse Mamin was a sugar cane plantation in the 18th century. A flood in 1845 destroyed the plantation, which was then abandoned; only ruins remained at the turn of the millennium. When Saint Lucia was a British colony, byeways built in the early 20th century linked the bay to the Soufrière Highway, and at that time Anse Mamin was called "the first maroon village" in the colony.
Anse Mamin was called "the first maroon village" in the colony in the early 20th century, when British authorities cut byeways linking it to the Soufrière Highway. The name Mamin also belongs to the nearby river, village and estate.
Snorkeling is best in calm water, which usually happens in the early morning hours. The beach is reached by a coastal path, and shade is limited, so sun protection is important.
The beach lies beside the Anse Mamin River mouth, and the wooded trails behind it run for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi). In 1991 the bay was listed in Saint Lucia's environmental profile for its coral reef and the risks it faced from fishing and recreational over-use.
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