Anse Takamaka on Mahe's southwest coast is a quieter alternative to Beau Vallon — a broad sweep of sand sheltered by the island's hills, with calmer water than the exposed southern beaches. The beach is backed by takamaka trees (after which it is named), a species of tropical tree that provides dense shade. A small beach bar operates in season.
The southwest coast is less visited than the northwest partly because it requires a car to reach and partly because the accommodation concentration around Beau Vallon has shaped where most visitors end up. That makes beaches like Anse Takamaka, Anse Soleil to the north, and Petite Anse to the south genuinely uncrowded even in the busy months of December and January.