Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on July 29, 2021
Anse des Salines is the last beach before Pointe des Châteaux, which marks the end of Grande Terre. If you visit this iconic Guadeloupe landscape, take the opportunity to explore the small lagoon of Anse des Salines. Quiet and shallow, it is home to interesting underwater life, including numerous reef fish. In addition, the setting is superb, with La Désirade and the sharp rocky peaks of Pointe des Châteaux in the distance.
Anse des Salines (or Grande Anse des Salines) is located east of Grande Terre, after Saint-François, and just before Pointe des Châteaux. You can park on the edge of the D118 just before arriving at Pointe des Châteaux, or directly in the Pointe des Châteaux car park (see map). Access to the beach is easy, by a small path.
You can get in the water wherever you want from the beach. In general, a slight current going to the left is present in the lagoon (in this case, better get into the water from the right part of the beach).
You can snorkel throughout the “lagoon”, between the beach and up to the coral reef, which are 100 to 150m apart depending on the location. The depth is around 3-10ft/1 to 3m, which makes this spot quite suitable for beginners when there is no current.
On this spot, the seabed is diverse, with many corals, sea fans, and rocks covered with different types of algae. Many typical Caribbean reef fish can be seen here. Sergeant majors, blue tang, and yellowhead wrasse are among the most common.
In the sandy areas, yellow goatfish are busy scouring the substrate for food, while glasseye hides in small caves on the reef.
There is no restaurant at Pointe des Châteaux, but you will find several options along the D118, on the way back to Saint-François. There is no shade on the beach.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
