Sunrise to Sunset: Chasing the Best Views in the Seychelles

The granite boulders at Anse Source d’Argent on La Digue catch the late light in a way that turns the sand pink, but the tide dictates the show. Around 80% of visitors to the Seychelles head straight for the coast, yet the best light often arrives when most people have already packed up their towels. This guide covers where to stand at dawn and dusk across Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, with the specific tide and access details that make or break a shoot.

I spent a few weeks moving between the three main islands, chasing the golden hours with a tripod and a lot of patience. What follows are the specific beaches, viewpoints, and practical shortcuts I found useful — plus a few honest caveats about access, tides, and crowds.

Island Hopping for Light: Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue

Each island offers a different relationship with the sun. Mahé, the largest, has the most accessible sunrise spots on its east coast and sunset beaches on its south side. Praslin balances both ends of the day well, with Anse Lazio facing east and Zimbabwe Viewpoint offering a high-altitude sunset panorama. La Digue is smaller, which means you can cover a sunrise at Grand Anse and a sunset at Anse Source d’Argent in the same day without rushing. Ferry times between islands run roughly 15 minutes to an hour, so planning a dawn-to-dusk circuit across two islands is feasible but tight.

One limitation worth flagging: Praslin has fewer reliable sunrise locations than La Digue. I found Anse Boudin worked reasonably well, but the beach is small and the rocks make it tricky to move around with gear. If you’re based on Praslin and want a guaranteed sunrise, Anse Lazio is the safer bet.

Where to Stand at Dawn and Dusk

Anse Lazio, Praslin — The Reliable Sunrise

Anse Lazio faces east, so the sun rises directly over the water. The southern end of the beach has small coves that give you more compositional options than the main stretch. Tide matters here — at high tide, some of those coves become inaccessible. Arrive at least thirty minutes before dawn to watch the light shift from deep blue to orange. The beach is popular, but at 6 a.m. you’ll have it mostly to yourself. Bring a flashlight for the path through the trees from the car park.

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue — The Sunset Show

This is the beach you’ve seen in photos, and it earns the reputation at sunset. The granite boulders catch the low light and cast long shadows across the sand. High tide adds drama as waves crash around the rocks, but it also limits access to certain sections. Check the tide table before you go — at low tide, you can walk further south along the beach for different angles. Entry requires a small fee at the L’Union Estate, and the gate closes before dark, so factor that into your timing.

Zimbabwe Viewpoint, Praslin — Sunset from Above

For a different perspective, drive up to Zimbabwe Viewpoint, one of Praslin’s highest points. The view takes in the neighbouring islands and the sea turns gold as the sun drops behind the horizon. The road up is steep and unpaved — a 4×4 with good ground clearance makes the drive much more comfortable. I’d recommend starting at Vallée de Mai in the late afternoon, then heading to the viewpoint before finishing with dinner at Cote d’Or Beach.

Grand Anse, La Digue — Sunrise with Fewer Crowds

Grand Anse faces east, making it one of the few La Digue beaches that works well at sunrise. The southern end has interesting rock formations and the wave action adds motion to long exposures. It’s less photographed than Anse Source d’Argent, which means fewer people competing for the same frame. The beach has strong currents, so keep your gear away from the waterline.

Petite Anse Lazio, Praslin — High Reward, High Effort

This tiny beach — maybe 20 metres wide — sits below a thick forest and requires an unmarked walk over rocks. I used a tracking app to mark the route because the path is easy to lose, especially in low light. Local guides offer to take you if you’re unsure. The payoff is a secluded cove with lots of angles, but the access difficulty means it’s not a casual sunrise stop.

Timing, Tides, and Getting Around

Ferries run between Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue multiple times daily, but the first crossing usually departs around 7 a.m., which means you’ll miss the earliest light if you’re island-hopping on the day. Base yourself on one island for at least two nights to cover both golden hours properly. On La Digue, bicycles are the main transport — the island is small enough that you can cycle from Grand Anse to Anse Source d’Argent in about 20 minutes.

On the Ground: What to Pack and Know

Gear for the Golden Hours

A tripod is essential for long exposures at dawn and dusk, especially if you want to capture wave motion or smooth water around the granite boulders. The mornings near the coast can feel cool, so a light jacket is useful even in the tropics. A flashlight helps with the forest paths on Praslin and La Digue before sunrise. For photographers, a camera with good dynamic range handles the contrast between bright sky and shadowed rocks — a compact drone with a 4K HDR camera adds a vertical perspective that’s hard to get from the beach.

A quick heads up — some links here are affiliate links. If you buy through them, it costs you nothing extra but earns IslandHopperGuides a small commission. Honestly, that’s a big part of what funds the travel and research that goes into guides like this one. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases — and I really do appreciate the support.

Local Etiquette and Practicalities

The Seychelles is a conservative country in many ways, and that extends to beach behaviour. Topless sunbathing is not permitted on any public beach. Nudity is illegal. When photographing locals, especially at markets or fishing villages, ask first — a simple smile and gesture goes a long way. On La Digue, bicycles are the primary mode of transport, and the main road gets busy with trucks delivering supplies in the morning. Stick to the left and use a bell when overtaking.

What to Avoid

Don’t rely on phone signal for navigation on the smaller islands — coverage drops in the forested areas and along some coastal stretches. Download offline maps before you arrive. Also avoid swimming at Grand Anse on La Digue; the currents are strong and there are no lifeguards. Stick to the calmer waters at Anse Source d’Argent or Anse Lazio for a dip between shoots.

Sunrise to Sunset in the Seychelles — Your Questions Answered

Which Seychelles island has the best sunrise spots?

La Digue has the most reliable east-facing beaches, including Grand Anse and Anse Palate. Praslin’s Anse Lazio is also strong, but the island has fewer sunrise options overall. Mahé’s east coast works, but the best spots are more spread out.

The tradeoff is that La Digue’s sunrise beaches are less crowded than Praslin’s, but the island has fewer accommodation options near the coast — you’ll likely need to cycle in the dark to reach Grand Anse before dawn.

Is Anse Source d’Argent worth the entry fee for sunset?

Yes, but only if you check the tide first. At high tide, the waves crashing around the boulders create dramatic compositions. At low tide, you can walk further south for different angles. The fee at L’Union Estate is small, but the gate closes before full darkness, so you lose the post-sunset blue hour.

The tension here is that the beach is famous for a reason, but the access restrictions and entry fee mean it’s not a spontaneous stop — you have to plan around both tide and gate hours.

Can you photograph sunrise and sunset on different islands in one day?

Technically yes, but it’s tight. The first ferry from Praslin to La Digue departs around 7 a.m., which means you’d miss the earliest light. A better approach is to spend two days on La Digue — sunrise at Grand Anse, sunset at Anse Source d’Argent — then move to Praslin for Anse Lazio at dawn and Zimbabwe Viewpoint at dusk.

The practical limitation is that ferry schedules don’t align with golden hour timing, so same-day island hopping for both ends of the day isn’t realistic without missing the best light.

What’s the biggest mistake photographers make in the Seychelles?

Arriving at a beach without checking the tide. Several top locations — Anse Source d’Argent, Anse Lazio, Anse Palate — change dramatically between high and low tide. At high tide, you lose access to coves and rock formations. At low tide, the water recedes and the compositions look different.

The other common error is underestimating the forest paths. Petite Anse Lazio and some viewpoints on Mahé require navigating unmarked trails that are easy to lose in low light, especially if you’re carrying camera gear.

Do I need a 4×4 to reach the best sunset viewpoints on Praslin?

For Zimbabwe Viewpoint, yes — the road is steep and unpaved, and a standard rental car will struggle on the last section. A Suzuki Jimny or similar vehicle with good ground clearance makes the drive straightforward. For beach locations like Anse Lazio and Cote d’Or, a regular car is fine.

The catch is that 4×4 rentals cost more and book out quickly during peak season, so reserve one in advance if you plan to include the viewpoint in your sunset itinerary.

One Last Thing About the Light

The thing that stayed with me wasn’t the postcard shot at Anse Source d’Argent — it was the quiet half-hour before sunrise at Grand Anse, when the only sound was the waves and the only light was the sky turning from indigo to pink. That kind of stillness doesn’t show up in photos, but it’s the reason I keep a tripod in my bag. For more ideas on how to spend the hours between golden moments, hiking the peaks of Mahé offers a completely different perspective on the islands.

Sources and further reading

9 Photo Locations in the Seychelles. Ollie Watts Photography, 2024.

Chase the Sunset on Praslin Island. Bliss Car Hire Seychelles, 2024.

Best Place to See Sunrise in Seychelles. Maarco Francis, 2024.