10 Best Beaches in Seychelles: What They Are Really Like

The best beaches in Seychelles are not all best for the same reason. Anse Source d'Argent has the granite scenery, Anse Lazio gave us the best swim, Beau Vallon was the easiest beach to return to and Grand Anse was beautiful but far too rough for us to enter in August.

We spent twelve nights across Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and visited every beach in this guide ourselves. This is not a list built from photographs. I have separated the beaches by what they are actually good for, how easy they are to reach and what the sea was like when we arrived.

Best Beaches in Seychelles: My Quick Picks

Scroll to see the full table →

If I could only revisit three, I would choose Anse Lazio for the water, Anse Source d'Argent early in the morning for the scenery and Beau Vallon for an easy sunset day.

Before You Choose a Seychelles Beach

The one thing most ranked beach lists miss is that the best coast changes with the season. We visited in August during the southeast trade winds. Beau Vallon and Anse Lazio were calm enough to swim, while Anse Intendance and Grand Anse were much rougher.

Do not assume one island has one set of conditions. A beach can be flat on one side and powerful on the other. Check the sea when you arrive, listen to local warnings and never enter just because a photo made it look calm on another day. I explain the seasonal pattern in our guide to the best time to visit Seychelles.

Also, Seychelles beaches are generally public, even when a luxury resort sits behind them. Petite Anse was the perfect example for us. We did not stay at the Four Seasons, but we could still access the beach by giving our details at the gate.

Best Beaches on Mahé

Mahé had the widest variety of our three islands. We could swim in calm water at Beau Vallon, drive between beaches on the south coast and walk through one of the country's most expensive resorts to reach a public beach for free.

1. Beau Vallon: Best for an Easy Swim and Sunset

Beau Vallon was one of our favourite beaches in Seychelles because it was so usable. The water stayed flat every day we went in August, the beach is long enough to spread out and we could turn a swim into dinner and sunset without moving the car.

This is the beach I would choose if you want the least complicated day. There are restaurants and takeaways nearby, Ô Saveurs des Iles for ice cream and a free outdoor gym beside the water. It felt like a place we could actually live beside, not just photograph once.

Best for: swimming, sunsets, families and food nearby
Access: easy and free
Our August conditions: calm and swimmable

2. Anse Royale: Best Easy Stop on the South Coast

Anse Royale is an easy beach to include in a Mahé driving day. It did not feel as dramatic as Petite Anse or Anse Intendance, but it was far more practical for a quick swim or fruit stop as you move around the island.

We paired it with the southern beaches rather than building a whole day around it. That is its strength. You can stop, see the water, buy something nearby and keep exploring without a resort gate or long walk.

Best for: an easy road-trip stop and a less complicated beach
Access: easy and free
Our August conditions: calmer than the exposed beaches farther south

3. Anse Intendance: Best for Wild Scenery

Anse Intendance looked powerful when we arrived. The sand and mountain backdrop were beautiful, but the sea was rough enough that this was a look-at-it beach for us rather than a swimming beach.

That is why I would not label it the best beach on Mahé without explaining the season. In calmer months it could be a completely different experience. In August, I would go for the scenery, keep an eye on the surf and drive seven minutes to Anse Takamaka for sunset afterwards.

Best for: dramatic scenery and a south-coast drive
Access: easy by car
Our August conditions: rough and exposed

4. Anse Takamaka: Best for a South Mahé Sunset

Anse Takamaka was our sunset pick on the south coast. It has the palms, pale sand and granite shapes that make Seychelles feel so recognisable, but it felt less like a photo stop than Anse Intendance.

Bring what you need and stay for the light. We had a car, which made it easy to combine Anse Royale, Anse Intendance and Anse Takamaka in one day rather than paying for separate taxis.

Best for: sunset and classic tropical scenery
Access: easiest with a car
Our August conditions: beautiful for the evening, with changing water conditions

5. Petite Anse: Best Free Luxury Beach

Petite Anse looks private because the Four Seasons wraps around the hillside, but the beach is public. We parked outside, gave our details at the gate, received wristbands and walked about ten minutes down through the resort.

There were no public vendors on the sand when we visited, so we packed our own food and water. We had cooked breakfast at our apartment and brought what we needed, which turned a beach that looked completely boujee into a free day.

Best for: a special beach day without paying resort prices
Access: free through the Four Seasons gate, followed by a downhill walk
Bring: water, food and shoes for the walk back up

Best Beaches on Praslin

Praslin gave us the best swimming of the trip. It also gave us the one beach detour I would tell every person to save before arriving.

6. Anse Lazio and the Small Beach Beyond It

Anse Lazio was our number one beach for swimming. The water was clear, the granite boulders were beautiful and it felt like somewhere we could stay for hours rather than take a photograph and leave.

We avoided the long drive to the paid parking beside the sand. Instead, we parked higher up and walked roughly 15 minutes down. You will need to walk uphill later, but it saved us driving around the island and paying to park.

Then keep walking. At the far end of the main beach, turn right and look for the large granite boulders. A path climbs around them to a smaller beach. We had it entirely to ourselves when we arrived.

I cannot promise it will be empty for everyone, and I would not call any public beach truly secret. But this short detour was the beach moment that felt most like we had discovered something for ourselves.

Best for: swimming and a beautiful half-day
Access: parking near the sand or our shorter drive plus a 15-minute walk
Do not miss: the path beyond the far end of Anse Lazio

Praslin is also where we based ourselves for the Curieuse and St Pierre boat trip we booked. It is not a single beach day, but it added giant tortoises, a Creole barbecue and snorkelling in some of the bluest water of our trip.

Best Beaches on La Digue

La Digue is the Seychelles people picture before they arrive. Bikes replace cars, palms lean over the roads and granite boulders seem to appear around every corner. The beaches are close together, but their swimming conditions can be completely different.

7. Anse Source d'Argent: Best for Famous Granite Scenery

Anse Source d'Argent is worth seeing even if you normally avoid famous places. The shallow water glows around the enormous granite rocks, and the beach changes as you walk through each gap.

We paid SCR150 each to enter through L'Union Estate. We went near sunset when it was busy, then returned in the morning and had sections almost entirely to ourselves. Access arrangements can change, so check at the gate rather than relying on an old blog for exact opening hours.

Come for the landscape rather than expecting a huge open swimming beach. The water is shallow, while the small sections between the rocks can fill quickly once day visitors arrive.

Best for: granite scenery, photography and shallow water
Access: through L'Union Estate with an entry fee
Best timing from our visit: early morning for space, sunset for light

8. Anse Severe: Best First Bike-Ride Beach

Anse Severe is one of the easiest beaches to reach when you cycle north from La Passe. It is a good first stop before continuing around the headland, and it helps you see how quickly the coastline changes on La Digue.

We would not make this the only beach of the day. Hire a bike, stop here, then continue towards Anse Patates. That ride was one of the simplest and prettiest things we did on the island.

Best for: an easy stop on the north-coast bike route
Access: simple by bike from La Passe
Plan it with: Anse Patates and a drink farther along the coast

9. Anse Patates: Best Small North-Coast Beach

Anse Patates is small, photogenic and framed by palms and granite boulders. The water was bright blue when we arrived, but the beach does not have the space of Anse Lazio or Beau Vallon.

Treat it as a beautiful stop in a cycling day rather than planning to spend every hour there. Go earlier if you want more room, and always judge the water when you arrive because the north coast can change with the weather.

Best for: a compact, classic La Digue view
Access: easy by bike
How long: one stop in a north-coast ride

10. Grand Anse: Best Wild Beach, Not Our Best Swim

Grand Anse was one of the most dramatic beaches we saw, but it was rough in August. Locals were telling people not to swim, so we did not treat beautiful water as permission to enter it.

Walk to the left when you reach the sand. That was the prettiest part for us, with palms, granite rocks and woven shade huts. The palm forest behind the bike parking is worth slowing down for too.

Best for: wild scenery and feeling the exposed side of La Digue
Access: about 20 minutes by bike from the main town
Our August conditions: very choppy with a strong current, so we did not swim

Which Seychelles Island Has the Best Beaches?

• Praslin had our best swimming: Anse Lazio wins if you want to stay in clear water for hours.
• La Digue had the most recognisable scenery: Anse Source d'Argent and the bike-access beaches look like the Seychelles people dream about.
• Mahé had the most variety: Beau Vallon was easy, Petite Anse felt special and the south-coast beaches ranged from calm to completely wild.

I would not choose an island only by counting beaches. Mahé is best for a rounded trip, Praslin for a slower beach-and-boat section, and La Digue for cycling between beautiful stops. Our guide to where to stay in Seychelles compares the areas and the four apartments we actually booked.

Where to Stay for These Beaches

We stayed in self-catering apartments on all three islands. Kitchens helped us cook, keep some home normality while travelling full time and spend money on the experiences we cared about.

Mahé, near Beau Vallon

Peponi SelfCatering Apartments

Our final Mahé base, close enough to keep returning to Beau Vallon for swims, sunset and food.

Check current Peponi prices

Praslin, with an excellent host

Chez Rona

Our Anse Possession base. A car made Anse Lazio easy, and our host made this one of the most personal stays of the trip.

Check current Chez Rona prices

La Digue, central bike base

MAZU Apartments

Our large apartment with a pool and bikes available directly from the property for SCR100 a day.

Check current MAZU Apartments prices

For the exact island order and every beach pinned, our 8 day Seychelles itinerary and private map saves the route we would recommend after doing it ourselves.

Watch Our Seychelles Vlog

The vlog shows the beaches as they actually looked during our twelve-day trip, including calm water at Beau Vallon and Anse Lazio, the exposed coastlines and the island-hopping days between them.

Watch our full Seychelles vlog on YouTube

Still planning? Here is why the beaches made the trip worth it and how to build these beaches into one trip and what our twelve-day trip cost and where to stay for the beaches on each island and how the trade winds changed our beach choices and more things to do beyond the beaches.

FAQs About the Best Beaches in Seychelles

What is the best beach in Seychelles?

Anse Lazio was our best beach for swimming, while Anse Source d'Argent was best for famous granite scenery. Beau Vallon was the easiest beach for a relaxed swim, sunset and dinner in one place.

Which Seychelles island has the best beaches?

Praslin had our favourite swimming beach, La Digue had the most recognisable granite scenery and Mahé had the greatest variety. A first trip is better when it includes all three rather than choosing one winner.

Are Seychelles beaches public?

The beaches are generally public, including Petite Anse below the Four Seasons. We gave our details at the gate, received wristbands and walked down through the resort without staying there. Resort facilities are separate from public beach access.

Can you swim at Seychelles beaches in August?

We swam nearly every day, but not on every coast. Beau Vallon and Anse Lazio were calm for us, while Anse Intendance and Grand Anse were rough. Choose beaches around the trade winds and make the decision again when you see the water.

Is Anse Source d'Argent worth visiting?

Yes. Go for the granite scenery and shallow glowing water, not for a huge open swimming beach. We found sunset busy and the morning much quieter. We paid SCR150 each through L'Union Estate when we visited.

How many days do you need for Seychelles beaches?

Allow at least a week if you want Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. Our eight-day route gives two nights to each island and returns to Mahé for the final two nights, while a longer trip lets you give La Digue the three nights we wished we had booked.

Do you need a car to visit Seychelles beaches?

A car made beach hopping much easier on Mahé and Praslin. We used K Rent on Mahé and OLA on Praslin. On La Digue, hire a bike instead because the island is compact and cycling is part of the experience.