Itsandra, a small town about 7 kilometres north of Moroni along the coast road, has a beach that is more accessible and less crowded than those near the capital. The reef extends close to shore and snorkelling is possible at high tide. The town itself has historical significance — Itsandra was the seat of one of the island's most powerful sultanates before French colonisation, and the ruins of old buildings can be found among the coral-stone village houses.
The beach is most pleasant in the mornings before the day's heat intensifies. A taxi from Moroni takes about twenty minutes. Itsandra makes a good half-day trip from the capital, particularly combined with a drive along the island's west coast road north toward Mitsamiouli, which passes through small villages, volcanic rock coastline, and patches of intact forest.