There’s no doubt about it, the Seychelles boasts some of the finest beaches in the world. They are postcard perfect; some are made of bone-white crushed coral, lapped by translucent waters in every hue of blue and shaded by languidly leaning palm trees. In the Outer Islands, beaches are immense, wild swatches of sand. Many are surrounded by healthy seagrass meadows that are grazed by turtles.
Meanwhile, on the main Inner Islands, you’ll often find them served by cute beach shacks offering up fresh coconuts and fruit smoothies.
All our recommendations have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best beaches in the Seychelles. Find out more below or for more inspiration, see our guides to the country’s best hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Beau Vallon Beach, Mahé
Beau Vallon, a three-kilometre-long arc of powder soft sand, is Mahé’s popular main beach. It’s fantastically family-friendly as the sand slopes gently into the water. It is also well sheltered from the trade winds. Locals say it’s “busy”, but that is a relative term and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find just a smattering of sunbathers, kids playing football and office workers enjoying a beer to the backdrop of the sunset. At the northern end of the beach are a small clutch of popular Creole restaurants and bars.
Insider tip: Nearby activity outlets offer a range of marine park trips, as well as windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkelling and fishing.
How to get there: Public buses, including Routes 20, 21, 22 and 24, stop by the beach and there’s plenty of parking.
Anse Lazio, Praslin
Located on the north-west tip of Praslin, Anse Lazio is regularly lauded as one of the world’s best beaches thanks to its photogenic golden sand, tumble-down granite boulders and a deep-green backdrop of palms and takamaka trees. It’s perfect for sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling, and there’s a smart beachside restaurant, Mabuya. There’s also an “Honesty Bar” where you can help yourself to drinks, leaving the appropriate payment.
Insider tip: The beach is family-friendly, but the water quickly gets deep, so young children and less confident swimmers should stick to the designated swimming area.
How to get there: By car, there are three parking areas along the beach. Some hotels offer shuttle services.
Anse Cocos, La Digue
Getting to Anse Cocos is an adventure requiring a 30-minute walk through a cinnamon-scented forest from the larger Grand Anse beach. When you reach it, you’ll be glad of the effort, given its Robinson Crusoe vibes, dazzling white sand and friendly beach shack where you’ll be handed a lopped off coconut full of refreshing water. Settle down to sunbath here while you await a beach feast of grilled fish.
Insider tip: The sea can be rather dramatic during the south-east monsoon, but you can always wander down the beach and paddle in natural pools that form around the granite boulders.
How to get there: Take the 1.3km-long hiking trail from the restaurant on Grande Anse.
Anse Volbert, Praslin
Although less stunning than other Praslin beaches, Anse Volbert offers plenty of other benefits: easy access, calm, safe water and a stretch of sand around three kilometres long to sun yourself on. It’s also one of just a handful of places in the Seychelles that you’ll find motorised watersports. Charter a boat for an island-hopping excursion or spend the day kayaking, paddleboarding or snorkelling around Chauve Souris, a tiny cluster of rocks just 400 metres offshore.
Insider tip: Café des Arts, set on the beach, is a great place for a casual lunch or a romantic dinner – with the added bonus of local art.
How to get there: There are several bus stops along the beach, serviced by routes 61, 62 and 63, as well as parking.
Anse Sévère, La Digue
West-facing Anse Sévère is a great beach to while away the day on. There’s plenty of shade and the water is perfect – warm, calm and shallow – thanks to an offshore reef. At one end there are granite rocks where you’ll find great wallowing pools as the tide goes out. Families will appreciate the handy beach bars serving casual food and there’s even a small playground set under the trees at the back of the beach.
Insider tip: This is a superb place to enjoy the sunset. Grab a rum-laced fruit cocktail from the Bikini Beach Bar, settle in and enjoy.
How to get there: It’s a 20-minute walk from La Passe, La Digue’s main centre.
Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue
Anse Source d’Argent is regularly voted one of the world’s most beautiful beaches and appears on so many influencers’ alluring Instagram feeds. It really is a beauty; its pure white sand framed at either end by huge granite boulders and lapped by brightly coloured water. You can explore the dramatic coastline further in transparent kayaks, which you’ll find just behind the beach. And, if you get hungry, buy some sweet potato chips and a beer from the cute beach kiosk.
Insider tip: The beach can get crowded – especially at high tide when the sand area shrinks – but if you visit early or late in the day, it’s possible to have it almost to yourself.
How to get there: From Anse Reunion, wander 10 minutes through L’Union Estate coconut plantation (150 rupees [£8] for admission).
Takamaka Beach, Cerf Island
The Sainte-Anne Marine National Park offers exceptional snorkelling around six tiny islets. Day trippers are permitted on just two of them; the pirate island of Moyenne and Cerf, where you’ll find Takamaka Beach. The water here is stunningly clear and calm thanks to a surrounding reef. It teems with fish and can be explored by following a signed snorkelling trail – buoys mark the sites that promise particularly vibrant coral or dense marine life. At low tide you can also wade to the picturesque islet of Île Cachée.
Insider tip: Places to eat are limited, so it’s worth either packing a picnic or reserving a table for lunch ahead of time at the Cerf Island Resort.
How to get there: Take a 10-minute private boat transfer from the Eden Island marina on Mahé.
Petite Anse Kerlan, Praslin
Wrapped in the luxurious embrace of the Constance Lemuria Resort, Petite Anse Kerlan is a horseshoe-shaped beach backed by a thick palm grove. The water runs deep quickly, so young children should be supervised, but otherwise the swimming in the protected bay is superb. The wilder, unspoilt beach of Anse Georgette can also be found within the resort’s grounds if you fancy a change of scenery.
Insider tip: As accessing the beach is slightly complex due to its location within a resort (you’ll need to phone in advance if arriving by car), it’s worth making a day of it. Try out some of the other amenities such as a round of golf, a spa treatment, a beachside lunch or a romantic dinner at The Nest.
How to get there: The resort is just less than a 15-minute drive from Grand Anse. You can also take a taxi boat from Anse Volbert.
Anse Royale, Mahé
Anse Royale is an inviting stretch of beach within easy access of facilities. Kafe Kreol is a prime spot to park yourself for lunch, cocktails or DJ nights. Alternatively, rent some snorkelling gear and set off exploring in the calm, clear water. Between June and September you can also indulge in a spot of windsurfing thanks to the trade winds.
Insider tip: If you want to introduce a bit of variety to your day, the Takamaka Rum Distillery is just a five-minute drive north, offering tours and tastings.
How to get there: Public buses, including route number 5, stop beside the beach where there’s also parking.
Bird Island
Unsurprisingly, Bird Island is famous for its avian action. It’s small, at just 1.5km long and less than a kilometre wide. Its five kilometres of sand (split into seven beaches) are as soft as talcum powder and dazzlingly white, while the sea is the most striking shade of blue. It is also a favourite spot of Hawksbill turtles. Dolphins play in the inky blue waters of Sooty Tern Beach in summer, while Passe Coco and Crested Tern beaches are great for snorkelling and spotting green turtles. To wrap up the day, head to West Beach where you can enjoy a spectacular sunset almost every single evening.
Insider tip: Be prepared and come armed with food – even the lodge is self-catered. You can tuck into the daily meal in the restaurant, but there is no menu.
How to get there: This is slightly more complex as Bird Island is technically a private island. You need to charter a flight from Mahé, but this can be arranged by the lodge.
How we choose
Every beach in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of areas and styles, from popular city beaches to lesser known corners – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Paula Hardy
An Africa-focused travel journalist for over 20 years, Paula Hardy was born and raised in Kenya, a short hop from the Seychelles where she spent many happy family holidays. She has authored dozens of Lonely Planet Africa guides.