The Best Beaches in the Seychelles: Mahe, Praslin and La Digue Seen from the Sea

The Seychelles are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, concentrated on three granite islands: Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Anse Source d’Argent (La Digue), Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette (Praslin) consistently feature in global rankings. What sets the Seychelles apart: their distinctive pink granite rocks, turquoise water with a temperature that ranges between 26 and 30 °C all year round, and several beaches that cannot be reached overland, beaches that only a catamaran can reach comfortably.

Beach	Island	Land access	Snorkelling	Family	Reachable by catamaran
Anse Lazio	Praslin	Easy (taxi/car)	Average (no reef)	Yes (lifeguarded beach)	Yes (anchorage facing the bay)
Anse Georgette	Praslin	Tricky (via hotel)	Good	Yes (calm waters)	Yes (direct sea access)
Anse Source d’Argent	La Digue	Moderate (bike/foot, paid entry)	Excellent (coral reef)	Yes (shallow waters)	Yes (cruise stopover)
Anse Cocos	La Digue	Difficult (40 min walk)	Good	No	Yes (direct stopover)
Beau Vallon	Mahe	Easy	Good	Yes (lifeguarded beach)	Yes (bay anchorage)
Anse Royale	Mahe	Easy	Excellent (protected reef)	Yes	Yes (bay anchorage)
Anse Major	Mahe	Difficult (2.5 km hike)	Excellent (reefs)	No	Yes (the only alternative to the trail)

What are the most beautiful beaches in Praslin?

Praslin is home to the two most award-winning beaches in the Seychelles: Anse Lazio to the north-west and Anse Georgette to the north. This island, smaller and quieter than Mahe, concentrates what global rankings cite most often. Two hours by ferry or twenty minutes by plane from Mahe airport are enough to reach it, or else one night of sailing by catamaran from Eden Island.

Anse Lazio - the most photographed beach in Praslin

Anse Lazio is the beach most regularly listed among the ten most beautiful in the world. Its 600 metres of white sand are framed by the granite rocks characteristic of the Seychelles, and the water is deep and crystal clear: with no coral reef, the bay is directly exposed to the ocean depths, which gives it that exceptional clarity and a sandy bottom ideal for swimming. The beach is one of the few in the Seychelles that is lifeguarded, with restaurants, showers and a car park (allow around 10 EUR for parking and 10 to 15 minutes by taxi from the centre of Praslin).

By catamaran, arriving at Anse Lazio radically changes the experience. By anchoring facing the bay early in the morning, before the taxis and ferries drop off land-based visitors, you can enjoy the near-deserted beach at sunrise. This is one of the most concrete arguments for a catamaran cruise in the Seychelles: choosing your arrival time, far from the midday crowds.

Anse Georgette - the unspoilt pearl of northern Praslin

Anse Georgette is the wildest beach in Praslin: no restaurant, no shower, no infrastructure. Its pristine sand stretches across a bay whose turquoise waters quickly become deep, swimming is possible, but the currents must be watched depending on conditions. The beach in theory lies within the grounds of the Constance Lémuria Resort: from land, access runs through the hotel entrance and involves around 30 minutes of walking from the gate.

From the sea, it is another story. Anse Georgette is one of the Seychelles beaches whose natural access is by sea: a catamaran anchored in the bay, with yachts and sailboats facing the white sand, is precisely the visual signature that recurs in accounts of sailing in the Seychelles. Land visitors see the beach from the hotel path; sailors see it from the water. To arrange a stopover at Anse Georgette, the Sailoe Seychelles destination page details the classic itineraries from Mahe.

What are the most beautiful beaches in La Digue?

La Digue is the island of Anse Source d’Argent, the most photographed beach in the Seychelles. Smaller and more authentic than Praslin, La Digue retains a village atmosphere: no cars for visitors, you get around by bike or on foot. The beaches on the east coast (Anse Cocos, Grand Anse) are wild but subject to stronger currents; the beaches on the west coast are sheltered and ideal for swimming.

Anse Source d’Argent - the most famous beach in the Seychelles

Anse Source d’Argent alone concentrates everything that defines the Seychelles in the collective imagination: more than a kilometre of white sand cut through by colossal pink granite boulders, a sea protected by a coral reef that keeps the water shallow and calm, ideal for families, children and snorkelling close to the shore. It is one of the most photographed beaches in the world, featured in publications, advertisements and films. To visit it, you have to cross L’Union Estate, a former coconut farm whose entry is charged per person (price in Seychellois rupees, to be checked on arrival as it is updated regularly). From the port of La Digue, allow 10 to 20 minutes by bike or 25 to 35 minutes on foot. The unanimous practical tip: arrive early in the morning to find the beach almost deserted, before the groups arrive.

By catamaran, the crossing from the Sailoe base at Mahe (Eden Island) to La Digue is about 30 to 35 nautical miles via Praslin, a natural cruise leg. The sailor’s advantage is real: no L’Union Estate entry ticket to reach the beach from the anchorage, and the option of combining Anse Source d’Argent with Anse Royale on the same itinerary.

Anse Cocos - the wild beach at the end of the trail

Anse Cocos is the most secret beach on La Digue. Located on the east coast, it can only be reached on foot via a 40-minute walk from Grand Anse, along a verdant trail that winds through the coconut palms and offers views over the granite rocks. There are no facilities on site: no restaurant, no shower, no car park. The reward matches the effort: a setting of white sand framed by rocks and tightly packed coconut palms, extremely photogenic, with very low visitor numbers guaranteeing peace and quiet.

By catamaran, Anse Cocos is a direct stopover: you anchor in the bay, take the dinghy ashore and enjoy the beach without having walked. For sailors who wish to combine the beaches of La Digue, Anse Cocos and Anse Source d’Argent make up a full day’s stopover.

What are the most beautiful beaches in Mahe?

Mahe is the main island of the Seychelles, the most populated and the most developed. It is home to the capital Victoria and the international airport. Its beaches are less acclaimed than those of Praslin or La Digue in global rankings, but some remain exceptional, and it is from Mahe that most catamaran cruises to the archipelago’s other islands set off.

Beau Vallon - the long, lively beach in northern Mahe

Beau Vallon is the longest beach on Mahe: around 3 kilometres of golden sand, 10 to 15 minutes by car from the centre of Victoria. Its waters are calm and shallow, protected by the layout of the bay, ideal for family swimming. The beach is lifeguarded, with sun loungers, parasols, several restaurants and water sports available on site (diving, snorkelling, water skiing). On Wednesday evenings, a street market is held there with Creole food stalls and local crafts.

For sailors departing from Mahe, Beau Vallon is the bay you skirt as you leave the Eden Island anchorage: it is the first image of the Seychelles from the catamaran’s deck before heading for Praslin. You will find the details of our departures from Mahe on the Sailoe Seychelles page.

Anse Royale - the reef snorkelling beach of Mahe

Anse Royale is the reference point on Mahe for snorkelling. The beach is protected by an offshore coral reef that keeps the water shallow for around fifty metres from the shore: calm conditions, with colourful and varied marine life easily observed from the surface. The beach itself is accessible and well equipped, with the village of Anse Royale right opposite (restaurants, shops, parking on the main road). The best time to enjoy it corresponds to the dry season, from May to October.

From a catamaran anchored in Anse Royale bay, a mask and snorkel are all you need to explore the reef corals. It is a common stopover before weighing anchor for La Digue. The article snorkelling in the Seychelles details the archipelago’s best spots by island and by skill level.

Anse Major - the beach reachable only on foot or by boat

Anse Major lies within the Morne Seychellois National Park, in the north-west of Mahe. No road leads there: you have to take the Anse Major Trail, around 2.5 kilometres from Bel Ombre (30 to 45 minutes one way depending on your pace), or arrive by sea. The bay is wild, with no infrastructure, with coral reefs that offer quality snorkelling and cliffs that drop straight into the water in the background.

For a catamaran, Anse Major is the quintessential sailor’s beach: you anchor in the bay, take the dinghy ashore, and have the beach to yourself during the hours when hikers have not yet covered the 2.5 kilometres of the trail. By leaving Eden Island in the late afternoon and anchoring at Anse Major for the night, you wake up in the bay before the first walkers arrive, an experience that land-based visitors cannot have. This is the central argument for a catamaran cruise in the Seychelles: having a floating hotel positioned where others cannot sleep.

Which Seychelles beaches are accessible only by boat?

Several of the most beautiful anchorages in the Seychelles archipelago are reserved for sailors. A catamaran there is not an added luxury: it is the only way to reach them comfortably, or even the only way at all.

Curieuse Island, off Praslin, is a designated nature reserve with deserted beaches, free-roaming giant tortoises and red laterite landscapes that are unusual in the archipelago. The stopover from Praslin is a classic on cruise itineraries.

Saint-Pierre Islet, also off Praslin, is a small rocky islet whose seabed is among the best for snorkelling in the entire archipelago. The anchorage there is typical and shallow.

Coco Island, off La Digue (accessible from Praslin and La Digue), boasts exceptional seabeds and the granite rocks characteristic of the Seychelles in a scaled-down island version, a not-to-be-missed stopover on the inter-island route.

Grande Soeur, a private island between Praslin and La Digue, offers a beach of ultra-fine white sand in a completely wild setting: no infrastructure, no permanent population. The stopover is spectacular and confidential.

Anse Major (Mahe, described above) rounds off the list of spots best appreciated from the sea. These destinations are part of the standard itineraries of Sailoe cruises departing from Mahe.

What is the best time to visit the beaches of the Seychelles?

The best time for the Seychelles beaches is the dry season, from May to October. It is the south-east trade winds that define this season: dry weather, temperatures around 27 °C, calm seas on the sheltered coasts. The period from November to April corresponds to the north-west monsoon, higher temperatures (27 to 32 °C), late-afternoon showers, warmer sea. Whatever the season, the water temperature stays between 26 and 30 °C all year round.

The months of April and November are appealing compromises: still-warm sea (28 to 31 °C), lower tourist numbers, and generally good conditions on the sheltered beaches. However, some exposed beaches, notably Anse Intendance (Mahe) and Grand Anse (La Digue), have strong currents during the north-west monsoon: swimming is not advised there at this time. The protected beaches (Beau Vallon, Anse Royale, Anse Lazio, Anse Georgette) remain accessible and safe whatever the season.

On a catamaran cruise, the seasonal constraint is partly offset by the flexibility of the anchorage: the skipper chooses the sheltered bay according to the prevailing trade winds and the orientation of the swell. A choppy sea on the east side does not mean you cannot anchor on the west side of the neighbouring island. This is one of the reasons why experienced sailors plan their cruises outside the classic high season.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions about the beaches of the Seychelles

Where is the most beautiful beach in the Seychelles?

There is no single answer: the title of “most beautiful beach” passes between Anse Source d’Argent (La Digue) for its iconic granite rocks and its kilometre of white sand, and Anse Lazio (Praslin) for its 600 metres of perfection and its crystal-clear water. Both feature regularly in global rankings. The main difference: Anse Source d’Argent is protected by a coral reef (ideal for snorkelling and families, calm waters), while Anse Lazio offers deep, clear water with no reef (ideal for open-water swimming). The choice depends on the type of swimming you are after.

Which Seychelles island has the most beautiful beaches?

Praslin concentrates the two most award-winning beaches: Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette. La Digue is home to Anse Source d’Argent, the most photographed in the world. Mahe, the main island, offers a greater number of beaches (Beau Vallon, Anse Royale, Anse Major) suited to every profile, and it is from there that most cruises set off. For the beaches accessible only by sea, the islets off Praslin (Curieuse, Saint-Pierre, Coco) and Grande Soeur between Praslin and La Digue are not to be missed. These spots are not served by the ferries.

Is it better to stay in Mahe or Praslin?

It depends on your priorities. Mahe is the main island: international airport, the capital Victoria, the cruise base. Its beaches are beautiful, but its coastline is more developed and busier. Praslin is smaller, quieter, and home to the two most famous beaches in the archipelago (Anse Lazio, Anse Georgette). The option that avoids the choice: set off from Mahe on a catamaran cruise to freely explore the beaches of Praslin, La Digue and the surrounding islets, with no fixed accommodation constraint and no reliance on ferry timetables.

What is the best time to enjoy the Seychelles beaches?

The dry season (May to October) is considered the best time: dry weather, temperatures around 27 °C, calm seas on the sheltered coasts. The months of April and November are excellent compromises with a warmer sea (28 to 31 °C) and fewer crowds. Whatever the season, the water temperature stays between 26 and 30 °C. Some exposed beaches have dangerous currents during the monsoon (November to April): stick to the sheltered beaches outside the dry season. On a catamaran cruise, the skipper adapts the anchorages to the prevailing trade winds to guarantee optimal conditions.

Are some Seychelles beaches accessible only by boat?

Yes. Several of the archipelago’s most beautiful spots can only be reached by sea: Anse Major (Mahe, otherwise a 2.5 km hike), Curieuse Island with its giant tortoises, Saint-Pierre Islet and its exceptional seabeds, Coco Island off La Digue, and Grande Soeur (a private island, completely wild). These destinations are part of the classic stopovers of a catamaran cruise in the Seychelles. Anse Georgette (Praslin) is also far more pleasant to reach from the sea than from the hotel that borders it: 30 minutes of walking from the resort gate, compared with a few minutes by dinghy from the anchorage.