Seychelles’ Best Beaches: Ranked by Beauty, Seclusion, and Activities

Anse Source d’Argent on La Digue appears in more travel magazines than almost any other beach on earth, and when you step onto its sand, the reason is immediate. The granite boulders smoothed by centuries of sea stack up like sculptures, and the water stays shallow enough that you can wade out a hundred metres. It’s also the only beach in Seychelles that charges an entrance fee — roughly £9 to walk through L’Union Estate — and it draws enough visitors that timing matters more than anywhere else on the islands.

This guide ranks Seychelles’ best beaches by three measures: how they look, how quiet they actually are, and what you can do once you’re there. I’ve pulled together research from local sources and my own time on the islands to help you decide which stretch of sand fits your trip — because the beach that works for a family with kids is rarely the same one a surfer or a honeymooning couple should choose.

How the beaches compare across Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue

The three main islands each offer a different beach personality, and the ferry routes between them make island-hopping straightforward.

Mahé, the largest island, holds the widest variety — from the surf-friendly rollers of Anse Intendance to the resort-backed curve of Petite Anse. Praslin gives you two of the country’s most famous crescents, Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette, both within a 15-minute drive of each other. La Digue, the smallest of the three, packs Anse Source d’Argent and the wilder Anse Cocos and Anse Marron into an island you can cross by bike in under an hour.

Ferries run daily between Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, with crossing times between one and two hours. The trade-off is that you lose half a day each time you move islands, so most travellers pick one base and do day trips. I spent a week on Praslin and found that gave me easy access to both Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette without the packing-and-unpacking rhythm that wears you down.

The beaches that deliver — and the catches you need to know

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue: the famous one

The granite boulders here create a series of small coves rather than one open sweep of sand, which means you can find a semi-private pocket even when the beach is busy. The water stays knee-deep for a long way out, making it one of the safest swimming beaches in Seychelles for children. The catch is the entrance fee — roughly £9 per person to walk through L’Union Estate — and the fact that tour groups arrive from Praslin and Mahé between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Arrive before 9 a.m. or wait until just before sunset, when most families depart.

Anse Georgette, Praslin: genuinely pristine, genuinely dangerous

This small crescent sits within the grounds of the Constance Lemuria resort, but it remains a public beach. The hotel has resisted adding parking, cafés, or sun loungers, which keeps the sand raw and undeveloped. There’s no coral reef, and the steep drop-off creates powerful currents — swimmers should stay alert, and I wouldn’t take the kids here without keeping a hand on them. The walk from the hotel gate takes about 20 minutes through the golf course, and you need to register at reception first.

Anse Lazio, Praslin: the all-rounder with a seasonal undertow

A half-mile crescent of white sand fringed by takamaka trees that cast natural shade — rare in Seychelles, where most beaches offer zero cover. The snorkelling is the best on Praslin, with parrotfish and triggerfish visible just a few metres out. The best spots go early, so arrive before 9 a.m. From June to September, the undertow strengthens, and less confident swimmers should stay in the shallows. Michael and the kids spent a full afternoon here, and the natural shade meant we didn’t have to haul a beach umbrella across the island.

Anse Intendance, Mahé: for surfers and turtle-watchers

Three-quarters of a mile of sand on Mahé’s southwest tip with no reef, which means rough rollers that appeal to surfers but make swimming difficult. Turtles nest here regularly, and the nearby Banyan Tree Resort carries out daily monitoring — look for flipper prints in the sand. The beach faces the open ocean, so the water is noticeably cooler than the sheltered bays on the east coast.

Anse Marron, La Digue: the hike-in secret

Locals speak of this spot with reverence, and the hike keeps it quiet. A steep walk of several hours through forest leads to a semicircle of granite boulders that block off the Indian Ocean, creating a natural saltwater pool. The water is deep turquoise, and the sand is sugar-fine. Hire a guide — going alone is genuinely difficult, and the trail is unmarked in places.

Practical planning: timing, access, and what nobody tells you

The dry season from May to October brings the best weather, but it also brings the biggest crowds and the strongest currents on exposed beaches.

Getting between the beaches

On Praslin, a rental car or taxi connects Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette in about 15 minutes. On La Digue, bicycles are the standard transport — you can cycle from the jetty to Anse Source d’Argent in 20 minutes. Anse Cocos requires a 30-minute walk from La Digue’s main settlement, and you’ll want proper footwear for the trail. Mahé has a public bus system that runs along the coast, but it’s slow and infrequent; most visitors rent a car.

When the crowds and currents shift

The southeast trade winds blow from May to October, bringing drier weather but also stronger currents on west-facing beaches like Anse Intendance and Anse Georgette. The northwest monsoon from November to April brings calmer seas and more rain, but the water is warmer and the snorkelling visibility improves. I visited in late April, just as the winds were shifting, and found Anse Lazio nearly empty on a Tuesday morning.

On the ground: what to pack, where to stay, and how to eat

Gear that makes the difference

The sun in Seychelles is intense year-round, and the sand on many beaches is coarse enough to make walking barefoot uncomfortable for long stretches. A pair of reef water shoes solves both problems — you can wade over coral rubble and walk the hot sand at midday. For snorkelling, the visibility is best on the east coast of Praslin and around La Digue, where the granite boulders create sheltered pockets. A reef-safe mineral sunscreen is essential; Seychelles has strict regulations to protect its marine ecosystems, and many resorts and tour operators require it.

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I carry a waterproof dry bag for phones and cameras on beach days, especially when hopping between islands by ferry. The crossings can be choppy, and salt spray finds its way into everything.

Where to base yourself

On Praslin, the area around Anse Lazio offers the best balance of beach access and amenities. Anse Lazio Lodge puts you steps from the sand, and the nearby restaurants serve grilled fish and octopus curry. On La Digue, guesthouses near L’Union Estate give you walking distance to Anse Source d’Argent. Pension Michel Villa Roche Bois, just northeast of the estate, is a relaxed option that makes it easy to snag a prime beach towel position early.

Eating on the beach — and off it

Most beaches in Seychelles have no food vendors, so you need to bring your own supplies. The supermarkets in Victoria (Mahé) and on Praslin stock fresh baguettes, local cheese, and tropical fruit. The takeaway shops near Anse Lazio sell grilled fish and rice for around £5. For a proper meal, the restaurants at Constance Lemuria and Four Seasons Resort are expensive but reliable — expect £30–50 per person for dinner.

Seychelles beaches — your questions answered

Which Seychelles beach has the clearest water?

Anse Source d’Argent on La Digue has the most consistently clear, shallow water, thanks to the granite boulders that block sediment and wave action. The visibility is excellent for wading and snorkelling, though the beach gets crowded by late morning.

Is Anse Georgette worth the walk through a resort?

Yes, if you want a beach that feels genuinely wild. The 20-minute walk through the Constance Lemuria golf course is part of the appeal — it filters out casual visitors. But the strong currents and lack of shade mean it’s not a full-day beach for most people.

What’s the biggest mistake first-time visitors make?

Underestimating the travel time between beaches. A day trip from Mahé to Anse Lazio on Praslin involves a ferry, a taxi, and the return journey — that’s four hours of transit for a few hours on the sand. Stay overnight on the island where your target beach is located.

Can you visit Anse Marron without a guide?

Technically yes, but the trail is unmarked and the forest is dense. Several travellers have gotten lost attempting the hike alone. Local guides charge around £20–30 and know the route well — it’s money well spent for a beach this remote.

Which beach is safest for children?

Anse Source d’Argent’s shallow, reef-protected water makes it the safest choice for young swimmers. The entrance fee and early-morning arrival strategy keep the crowds manageable, and the granite boulders create natural shallow pools that kids love exploring.

One last thing about Seychelles beaches

The thing that surprised me most wasn’t the colour of the water or the shape of the boulders — it was how quiet the beaches felt once the day-trippers left. Around 4 p.m., the tour boats depart, the families pack up, and the sand empties. That hour between late afternoon and sunset, when the light turns gold and the only sound is the waves, is the real reason people come here. Our full ranking of Seychelles’ most breathtaking beaches covers the logistics for each one.

Sources and further reading

Best beaches in the Seychelles. The Times, 2025.

Best island retreat Airbnb stays in Seychelles with private beaches 2026. TripZilla, 2025.