Plage Des Amandiers is a great beach to visit if you want crystal clear waters, fine sand, and do not want to be surrounded by crowds! You won’t even have to fight the crowds during the high season! Talk about a rare find.
Guadeloupe is home to so many great beaches, yet the crowds of tourists haven’t figured it out yet. In fact, even though Guadeloupe is in the Caribbean and quite close to the United States, it attracts way more European visitors than American ones.
The visitors come from Europe because it is a French overseas territory and they know what type of amazing experience they can get at beaches like Plage Des Amandiers.
Plage des Amandiers Quick Information
- Other names:Â Amandiers beach (translates to Almond Beach)
- Good for:Â Relaxing away from crowds
- Known for: Windsurfing and kitesurfing
- Facilities:Â Bathrooms, beach bar, showers, pavilions, and kitesurfing rentals
- Sand Color & Quality: Fine brown sand
- Water color: Crystal clear turquoise water
- Sea bottom: Fine sand
- Swimming conditions: Waves can get pretty intense so watch out for children
- Lifeguard: none
- Cost: Free
- Parking: large lot all along the beach
Where is Plage des Amandiers located?
It is located in the Sainte-Rose town on the northern coast of Basse Terre in Guadeloupe. If you are driving here from the main airport it will take you about 35 minutes. It’s not the first beach you will encounter when coming up from the airport, but if heading north i think it is the first really good option.
It is about 15 minutes away from Grande Anse which is where more of the population and tourist developments are. You won’t find as many restaurants and bars in this area.
Parking
There is a huge parking lot with tons of space. Even on a busy Sunday afternoon the lot was less than half full. You can likely park where you like and walk directly out on to the sand!
What you can Expect at Plage Des Amandiers
First off, this beach is a lot bigger than most people realize. You enter at the middle and can park in either direction. The sand also extends in either direction.
You might not be able to see how far the actual beach extends because there are a lot of trees blocking the view from the parking lot. These trees are actually amazing because they provide a shaded area for you to lounge under when you want a break from the hot sun.
Trees at the beach are also great to hang your clothes in to dry or keep way from getting too sandy.
Water And Sand Conditions
Even though the water can be a little rough, it is still the clear blue color you hope for. The sand is fine and golden brown.
Windsurfing and Kite Surfing
The beach is popular with windsurfers and kite surfers due to the consistent winds coming towards the shore. We enjoyed watching the windsurfers getting blown around the ocean.
Amazing sand in and out of the water, great for relaxing.
Snorkeling
Unfortunately, Plage Des Amandiers is not great for snorkeling as it pretty consistently has rough waters.
Swimming conditions
The waves can get pretty intense so you will want to watch out for children. I found them fine to swim in, but they can pull you out if you aren’t careful. Thankfully the ocean floor isn’t littered with rocks so you don’t have to worry about hurting your feet.
If you are looking for a more shallow, calm beach I recommend Plage de la Perle or Plage de Grande Anse that are just a few minutes further around the top of the island. Driving around the top of the island makes all the difference in avoiding the waves.
Other Amenities
The beach has restrooms, showers, pavilions, and even one restaurant and bar that sits directly on the beach.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Trees provide shade
- Fine, soft sand in and out of the water (nothing worse than getting in the water and finding out the ocean bed is covered in rocks)
- Easily accessible
- Not crowded even during high season
Cons
- Doesn’t have a lot of amenities
- Rough waters can make it hard for some to swim
Conclusion: Is Plage Des Amandiers worth visiting?
Yes! For those looking for an amazing beach without the crowds I recommend driving a little bit further away to this beach. It isn’t as close to the the tourism infrastructure surrounding Granse Anse and Plage De La Perle, which can be annoying but is actually advantageous since it keeps the crowds away.
Things to do near Plage des Amandiers
There are 9 more beaches located within a 5 km (3 mile) radius. The best one (highest rated) is Plage Du Souffleur.
- Plage de la Perle
- Plage Du Souffleur – highest rated beach nearby
- Plage Du Cluny
Most Popular Tours on Basse-Terre
What to Bring to the Beach
Travel towel – So much easier to pack these quick dry microfiber travel towels than go without or be forced to buy one once there. We always travel with at least two of them.
Dry Bag – There are some lessons you just don’t want to learn the hard way. Ruining your phone, camera, or other valuables at the beach is a very expensive lesson to learn. This dry bag is amazing and works for any and all water activities.
Reef-safe sunscreen – The sun here can be very strong. Make sure to wear a reef safe sunscreen or a rashguard.
Rash guard or long sleeve swim top – I wear the one from Skims and I love not having to worry about getting burned when I am out in the sun ALL DAY. Free people also has some amazing rash guards you can shop here.
Backpack or waterbottle sling – I am obsessed with my Beis travel backpack. I never travel without it. It is seriously the perfect size. Not too big, not too small. If you don’t want to bring a full backpack this waterbottle sling is my absolute favorite. It fits a waterbottle, iPhone 14 pro max, plus some extra space for bars or snacks or your wallet.
Packable snacks – I always travel with these That’s it bars from Amazon. OMG, they are sooo good and only have a few minimal ingredients.