Castaway for a Day: Seychelles’ Most Secluded Beaches & How to Reach Them

The Seychelles archipelago counts 115 islands, yet most visitors see only three or four. On Praslin’s northwest coast, Anse Lazio draws crowds by mid-morning; on Mahé, Beau Vallon fills with day-trippers and jet skis. But the true Seychelles — the one that matches the remoteness you came for — sits a boat ride or a rugged hike away. Anse Cocos on La Digue has fine white sand bordered by granitic boulders and tropical vegetation, reachable only by a coastal trail that keeps the beach nearly empty even in peak season. This article covers the most secluded beaches and coves in the Seychelles, how to reach them, and what tradeoffs each requires.

Getting to these isolated stretches of sand demands planning. Some require permits, others a private charter, and a few a hike through dense coastal forest. The reward is a stretch of coastline where the only sounds are waves and wind.

Understanding Seychelles Seclusion: What Remote Actually Means

Seclusion in the Seychelles exists on a spectrum. On one end, you have Anse Volbert on Praslin, one of the island’s longest strips of sand, which sees steady foot traffic from nearby hotels. On the other, you have Cosmoledo Atoll, which hosts vast colonies of seabirds and receives only a handful of eco-tourist expeditions annually. The difference is access: roads, resorts, and regular ferry routes determine how many people can reach a beach. The outer islands — Aldabra, Farquhar, Cosmoledo — require significant logistical work. Aldabra Atoll has virtually no permanent human settlement and access is heavily regulated. Farquhar Atoll lies about 770 kilometers southwest of Mahé and hosts a small luxury resort, meaning the only visitors are resort guests. For most travellers, the sweet spot is the inner islands’ hidden coves: Anse St José on Curieuse, where hundreds of giant tortoises were introduced between 1978 and 1982, or Anse Archimede on Silhouette Island, with its rugged coastline and crystal-clear waters.

I have spent time on both ends of this spectrum, and the practical difference is clearer than any brochure suggests. The beaches you can walk to from a resort road will never be empty at 10 a.m. The ones that require a boat drop-off or a hike through Morne Seychellois National Park, which covers much of Mahé Island’s interior and offers hiking trails to isolated viewpoints and waterfalls, stay quiet all day.

The Best Secluded Beaches and How to Reach Them

Anse Cocos and Anse Marron: La Digue’s Eastern Secrets

La Digue is small enough to explore by bicycle, but its eastern coast keeps two beaches hidden from casual visitors. Anse Cocos sits at the end of a 45-minute walk through coastal vegetation from Anse Source D’Argent. The trail is unmarked in places, and the final stretch crosses exposed granite slabs. Once there, the beach offers fine white sand, granitic boulders, and consistent waves that make swimming risky — a genuine limitation. Anse Marron, further south, is accessible only by a rugged hike through dense coastal forest and rocky terrain. The path takes about an hour each way and requires scrambling over boulders. The beach itself features granite boulder formations and natural freshwater pools, which are safe for wading even when the sea is rough. Neither beach has shade, facilities, or food vendors. Bring water and sun protection.

Police Bay and Anse Takamaka: Mahé’s Southern Reaches

Police Bay sits on the southernmost point of Mahé, connected to a freshwater lagoon that creates a brackish swimming area. The beach is accessible by a short unpaved road, but most visitors drive past without stopping. The lagoon water is warmer than the ocean and less clear, which puts off swimmers looking for postcard conditions. Further west, Anse Takamaka on the southwestern coast of Mahé is shielded by hills and rainforest, giving it a sheltered feel even though a road runs nearby. The beach has a small restaurant and limited parking, but the water stays calm in the morning before the afternoon breeze picks up. Both beaches lack the dramatic granite backdrops of La Digue or Praslin — the tradeoff is that you will often have them mostly to yourself on weekdays.

Curieuse and Cousine: Islands with a Purpose

Curieuse sits off the northern coast of Praslin and is reachable by a short boat ride from Anse Volbert or Anse Lazio. The island is a national park, and the main attraction is the giant tortoise population — hundreds of tortoises were introduced to Curieuse between 1978 and 1982, and they now roam freely near the ranger station and along Anse St José. The beach itself is broad and quiet, but the water near shore is often murky from sediment. Cousine Island, a private island and an important turtle nesting site, sees more than 12,000 turtle hatchlings emerge from nests each season. Access is restricted to guests of the island’s single eco-resort. Day visits are not permitted. For a traveller without a resort booking, Cousine is visible from the water but unreachable.

Planning Your Secluded Beach Day: Timing, Transport, and Costs

The dry season from May to October offers calmer seas and less rain, making boat transfers more reliable. The tradeoff is that this is also peak tourist season, meaning the accessible beaches on Mahé and Praslin will be busier. Visiting in April or November gives you a window of decent weather with fewer crowds.

Getting There: Boats, Hikes, and Permits

Most secluded beaches require a combination of transport. For Anse Cocos and Anse Marron on La Digue, rent a bicycle for the day and park it at Anse Source D’Argent before starting the hike. For Curieuse and Cousine, book a boat tour from Praslin — operators in Anse Volbert run half-day trips that include snorkelling stops. For the outer atolls like Aldabra and Cosmoledo, you need a special permit and typically a slot on a research or eco-tourist expedition. Cosmoledo Atoll, which consists of several coral islands and hosts vast colonies of seabirds, sees only a handful of eco-tourist expeditions annually. These trips are expensive and require advance booking months ahead.

Costs and Logistics

A half-day boat tour from Praslin to Curieuse typically costs between €60 and €90 per person, including snorkelling gear and a barbecue lunch. Private charters to Anse Georgette or Grande Soeur — a private island with a small boutique hotel where arrangements must be made prior to mooring up — cost significantly more, starting around €250 for a small boat. Hiking to Anse Cocos or Anse Marron costs nothing but requires fitness, water, and sun protection. None of these beaches have food vendors, so pack your own supplies.

On the Ground: What to Pack, Eat, and Know

Packing for a Remote Beach Day

Secluded beaches in the Seychelles have no shade, no fresh water, and no emergency services. A day pack should include at least two litres of water per person, a sun shirt, reef-safe sunscreen, and waterproof footwear for rocky hikes. A dry bag is useful for boat transfers; waves can soak gear during beach landings. For hiking Anse Marron or Anse Cocos, wear closed-toe shoes with good grip — the granite boulders become slippery when dry sand covers them.

For capturing the coastline, a compact drone like the DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo gives you vertical shooting and enough battery life for multiple locations. The 114-minute total flight time across three batteries covers a full day of shooting without needing to recharge. For underwater footage around the granite boulders and coral reefs, the DJI Osmo Action 6 Bundle offers 8K video and is waterproof to 20 metres without a housing.

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Local Etiquette and Wildlife

Turtles nest on Cousine Island between October and March. If you visit during this period, keep at least ten metres from any nest and avoid flash photography. On Curieuse, the giant tortoises are accustomed to humans but should not be fed or touched. The tortoises move slowly but can become stressed if crowded. On all beaches, take all rubbish with you — the outer islands have no waste collection services.

Visitor Questions About Secluded Seychelles Beaches

Can I visit Aldabra Atoll as a tourist?

Not easily. Aldabra Atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with virtually no permanent human settlement. Access is heavily regulated and requires special permits typically arranged through scientific or conservation expeditions. A handful of eco-tourist expeditions visit annually, but they book out months in advance.

The easiest way to see a raised coral atoll without the permit hassle is to take a boat tour from Praslin to Curieuse, which has a similar granite landscape and a large tortoise population.

Is Anse Georgette worth the effort?

Yes, but only if you arrive by water. Travelling to Anse Georgette by land requires navigating a winding trail through a resort area, and the resort restricts non-guest access during peak hours. Renting a kayak from Anse Lazio and paddling around the point takes about 20 minutes and avoids the access restrictions entirely.

The beach itself is one of the most photogenic on Praslin, with calm turquoise water and granite boulders, but it can feel crowded if several boats arrive at once.

What is the most secluded beach I can reach without a boat?

Anse Marron on La Digue. It is accessible only by a rugged hike through dense coastal forest and rocky terrain, and the trail requires scrambling over boulders. No road, no resort, no boat required. The beach features natural freshwater pools that are safe for wading even when the sea is rough.

The hike takes about an hour each way, and there is no shade or water once you arrive.

Are there any hidden beaches near Mahé that are not crowded?

Police Bay on the southernmost point of Mahé is connected to a freshwater lagoon and sees very few visitors. The lagoon water is warmer and less clear than the ocean, which deters most swimmers. Anse Takamaka on the southwestern coast is shielded by hills and rainforest and stays quiet on weekdays.

Both beaches lack the dramatic granite backdrops of La Digue or Praslin, but that is exactly why they remain empty.

Can I visit Cousine Island for the day?

No. Cousine Island is a private island and an important turtle nesting site. Day visits are not permitted. Only guests of the island’s single eco-resort can access the beach. You can see the island from the water on a boat tour, but you cannot land.

For a similar experience with easier access, visit Curieuse Island, which also has giant tortoises and quiet beaches, and allows day visitors by boat.

The Seychelles rewards the traveller willing to trade convenience for quiet. A beach like Anse Cocos or Police Bay does not offer the infrastructure of Beau Vallon or Anse Lazio, but it offers something increasingly rare: a stretch of sand where the only footprints are your own. The outer atolls — Aldabra, Cosmoledo, Farquhar — remain the domain of researchers and the very determined. For everyone else, the best strategy is to pick one inner-island beach that requires a hike or a short boat ride and commit to spending the full day there. That single choice will change your experience of the archipelago more than any resort upgrade. For those looking to explore beyond the sand, the hiking trails through Mahé’s interior peaks offer a different kind of solitude entirely.

Sources and further reading

Most secluded places in Seychelles. Maarco Francis, 2024.

Secret beaches and coves in the Seychelles you can only reach by boat. Super Travelr, 2024.

Exploring the best remote beaches in the Seychelles. Moments Log, 2024.