Mayotte Lagoon
Encircling Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre, Mayotte, France
The lagoon is the reason many visitors come to Mayotte at all. Enclosed by barrier reef and broken by passes, it supports the island’s defining water-based experiences: snorkelling, diving, boat trips and wildlife watching. Rather than a single site with gates and opening hours, this is a landscape-scale visitor experience that ties together multiple parts of the island, from the south coast to the reef passes and offshore islets. It belongs near the top of any Things to Do list because it explains the destination’s identity: Mayotte is at its most compelling from the water, and the lagoon is the common thread that connects most memorable outings.