Top 10 Beaches in the Seychelles
The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar. The inner granitic islands — Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette — are the largest and have the beaches that define the Seychelles aesthetic: pale pink-white sand between enormous rounded granite boulders, backed by tropical vegetation, with warm turquoise water. The outer coralline islands are flat atolls with a completely different character.
The Indian Ocean monsoon creates two distinct seasons: the northwest monsoon (November through March) brings calmer seas to the east coasts of islands; the southeast trade (May through September) is stronger and rougher on the east but calmer on the west. The best general period for the inner islands is April and October (transition months) or the calmer months for whichever coast you prioritise.
1. Anse Lazio, Praslin
Anse Lazio on the northwest tip of Praslin island is widely regarded as the most beautiful beach in the Seychelles and one of the best in the world. The combination of the granite boulders, the tall hardwood forest behind, the pale sand, and the transparent Indian Ocean water is as close to a complete beach experience as any single site offers. Swimming is excellent (protected by a headland from the south trade), snorkelling on the rocks at both ends is good. Anse Lazio is in the database.
2. Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue
Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue island is the most photographed beach in the Seychelles — the pink-white sand between the pink-orange granite boulders appears in more travel publications than any other Seychellois beach. Access is through the L'Union Estate coconut plantation (a small fee applies). The beach has multiple distinct sections as you walk north; the further sections are less visited. The water is very shallow and calm. Anse Lazio and Anse Source d'Argent between them define the Seychelles beach ideal.
3. Beau Vallon, Mahé
Beau Vallon on the northwest coast of Mahé is the Seychelles' most accessible beach and the closest to the international airport (30 minutes). The beach is long and relatively straight, with a clear bay protected from the southeast trade. It has the most developed infrastructure of any Seychellois beach: restaurants, water sports hire, and beach hotels. The Beau Vallon market on Saturday evenings is a good food and social venue. Beau Vallon is in the database.
4. Anse Georgette, Praslin
Anse Georgette at the north tip of Praslin is partially private — accessed through the Lemuria Resort for non-guests — though public access is legally required and available by asking at the resort reception or arriving by kayak from Anse Lazio. The beach is smaller than Anse Lazio, more enclosed, and often quieter.
5. Petite Anse, Mahé
Petite Anse (Six Senses Zil Pasyon, accessible from Félicité Island, is a similar experience) on the south coast of Mahé is the private beach of the Four Seasons Seychelles resort. The resort makes the beach accessible to non-guests by boat; the setting in a cove between granite headlands is spectacular. The snorkelling around the headland rocks is among the best on Mahé's south coast.
6. Anse Cocos, La Digue
Anse Cocos on the east coast of La Digue is accessible only by a 45-minute walk from the main La Digue village. The beach is wild, undeveloped, and sheltered by granite outcrops. The combination of the walk, the lack of infrastructure, and the beach's beauty reward the effort. On weekdays in the low season, it is essentially private.
7. Grand Anse, La Digue
Grand Anse on La Digue's southeast coast is a long beach with powerful waves — not for swimming, but for landscape drama. The coconut palms, the wild surf, and the lack of facilities give it an atmosphere unlike the sheltered western beaches. Walking from Grand Anse north to Petite Anse and the smaller Anse Banane takes about 45 minutes.
8. Anse Major, Mahé
Anse Major on Mahé's northwest coast is a remote beach accessible by a 3-kilometre coastal footpath from Bel Ombre village. The path passes through national park land with views of the granite coast and Silhouette Island. The beach is sheltered and snorkelling around the rocks is good. No facilities.
9. Anse Marron, La Digue
Anse Marron at La Digue's southern tip requires crossing granite boulder fields for 45 minutes — a guide is strongly advisable for first visits. The beach is a series of rock pools and natural features rather than a conventional sandy beach. The remoteness and the journey across the boulders creates an experience that is quite unlike the managed beaches of the main island circuit.
10. Anse Intendance, Mahé
Anse Intendance on Mahé's southeast coast is a wild surf beach backed by tropical vegetation — powerful Indian Ocean swell arrives here unimpeded. The beach is wide and the sand pale. Swimming is possible in calm season but the surf energy makes it more appealing for watching than entering. The Banyan Tree Seychelles resort backs onto Anse Intendance.
Planning a Seychelles beach trip
The Seychelles has two optimal weather windows corresponding to the transition periods between monsoon seasons: April through May and October through November. During these months the sea is calmer than during the full southeast trade (May through September, which produces rough seas on east-facing beaches) and the northwest monsoon (November through March, rougher on west-facing beaches). The transitions give the best overall conditions across most beaches.
The northwest monsoon (November through March) makes west-facing beaches rough but east-facing beaches calm. Anse Source d'Argent and Anse Cocos on La Digue, which face east and northeast, are calm and swimmable during this period. Anse Lazio on Praslin faces northwest and can have swell during this season.
The southeast trade (May through September) reverses this: Anse Lazio is calm, Anse Source d'Argent is rough. Knowing which beach faces which direction and matching it to the season in planning is the most important variable for a Seychelles beach visit.
Ferry connections between the inner islands are frequent and reliable: Mahé to Praslin by Cat Cocos ferry takes one hour; Mahé to La Digue takes two hours. The inter-island ferry runs twice to three times daily. Air Seychelles operates small aircraft between the main islands for those preferring to fly, which takes 15 to 20 minutes between islands but costs considerably more.
La Digue is the Seychelles' most charming island for an extended stay: small enough to navigate by bicycle (the primary transport), with a working coconut plantation, a community of giant Aldabra tortoises at L'Union Estate, and the beaches that define the Seychelles visual identity. Staying on La Digue for 3 to 4 nights, with day trips by ferry to Praslin for Anse Lazio, provides a more complete Seychelles experience than staying at a resort on Mahé and taking day trips.
Explore on the map
Open the map to find Seychelles beaches on the main islands of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, and check ferry connections between islands.