Bouillante — Cousteau Reserve
Réserve Cousteau Bouillante · Pigeon Island moorings · Reserve Naturelle Cousteau
16°10.08'N 61°47.52'W
MOORING BUOYS ONLY — NO ANCHORING
This is a protected marine reserve. Anchoring is strictly prohibited. Use mooring buoys provided — contact local dive operators on VHF 16 to reserve before arrival.
Depth
6–20m
Bottom
coral
Alarm Radius
40m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
40m
40m on a park buoy (day use only — no yacht spends the night here). Yachts over 8 m anchor at Malendure outside the core and dinghy in; set the alarm there, not here.
About This Anchorage
The Cousteau Reserve at Bouillante — named for Jacques Cousteau who declared it one of the world's most beautiful dive sites in 1960 — is the crown jewel of Caribbean marine conservation and one of the top ten dive sites on the planet. The reserve encompasses two small islands (Îlet Pigeon Nord and Îlet Pigeon Sud) set against the dramatic volcanic backdrop of Basse-Terre's mountains. ANCHORING IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED — mooring buoys are provided and must be used. Contact local dive operators (Nautilus Club, Les Heures Saines, and others at Malendure beach) to reserve a buoy. The diving here is extraordinary: walls dropping to 60m draped in sea fans and black coral, clouds of tropical fish, sea turtles, nurse sharks, and moray eels. The reserve is patrolled and violations are taken seriously. Even without diving, snorkelling off the mooring buoys reveals one of the Caribbean's most spectacular underwater worlds. This is an essential stop on any Guadeloupe itinerary.
Protected From
E · SE · S
Exposed To
N · NW · W
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- National Park buoys only, free — one boat per buoy, vessels up to 8 m, by day only (no overnight); fuchsia buoys are reserved for the dive operators. Larger yachts anchor on sand at Malendure outside the core and come in by dinghy.
- Permit required
- No
- Permit details
- Regulated by the Parc national de la Guadeloupe under arrêté 2021-504. Buoys are the park's, not the dive shops': no reservation, first come, day only, ≤8 m. The dive operators at Malendure take larger boats' crews in on their own boats.
Restrictions: MARINE CORE OF THE NATIONAL PARK (Réserve Cousteau, arrêté 2021-504 of 13 Oct 2021): all anchoring prohibited — mooring only on the park buoys, one boat per buoy, maximum length 8 m, day use only, no overnight stay. No fishing, no collecting, no touching coral. Visits are capped by the park; a management plan for the Pigeon Islets is in preparation (2025).
Hazards
- !ANCHORING PROHIBITED — the only hazard that matters here; any vessel dropping anchor in this reserve faces immediate enforcement action and serious fines
- !NW swell exposure — the west coast of Basse-Terre can see NW swell in northerly weather systems; buoys can become uncomfortable in these conditions
- !Dive boat traffic — numerous dive boats operate throughout the day; proceed at dead slow speed
- !Currents between the two Pigeon islets can be strong — especially during tidal changes
- !Buoy availability — reserve buoys in advance through dive operators; buoys fill quickly in peak season
Skipper's Tips
- →Book the mooring buoy the day before through Nautilus Club or Les Heures Saines at Malendure — peak season buoys fill by 08:00
- →Night diving at the Cousteau Reserve is permitted with advance arrangement — the underwater world after dark is extraordinary
- →The reserve's most famous dive site (Le Jardin de Corail — The Coral Garden) is accessible at 6–15m depth — excellent snorkelling from the buoy
- →Malendure beach has several excellent seafood restaurants — lunch ashore between dives is part of the classic Cousteau Reserve experience
- →La Soufrière volcano is visible from the water here — one of the Caribbean's great panoramas: active volcano, tropical rainforest, and coral reef
Facilities
Malendure beach (500m south) has several restaurants and the main dive operator bases. No facilities at the mooring buoys themselves. Restaurant and dive shop facilities at Malendure village.
Nearest provisions: Malendure village / Bouillante town (2km) (0.5nm)
Best Months & Season
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May
December–May (lowest NW swell probability). Diving is excellent year-round in the reserve — visibility typically 20–30m. Hurricane season June–November.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 40m
On the Basse-Terre coast, the Cousteau Reserve and volcanic rock hazards make anchor drag particularly serious. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS continuously so you can explore La Soufrière ashore with total confidence.
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