Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth

In the hills of the south-west, a patch of bare earth formed from weathered volcanic rock has settled into gentle dunes striped in red, brown, violet and yellow. The colours glow best in the low light of morning or late afternoon, and the sands are said to separate again even when mixed.

The same park includes a viewpoint over the Chamarel waterfall, which drops about 100 metres into a forested gorge, and an enclosure of giant Aldabra tortoises. Nearby, a rum distillery and small restaurants serving Creole lunches make easy stops.

We usually combine Chamarel with the Black River Gorges viewpoint, Grand Bassin and Le Morne on a full day touring the south-west. Allow one to two hours here. Wear shoes with good grip for the viewpoint paths.