After road tripping Madagascar, I was very much looking forward to the pure and utter relaxation in the Seychelles. What I assumed would be a relaxing getaway managed to completely exceed my expectations: the Seychelles aren’t just relaxing, they are paradise. I spent five glorious days lounging about, going from beach to beach to beach.
The funny thing about the Seychelles is many advise to limit your time in Mahe, so I was slightly apprehensive about only spending time on that island. But by choosing to base my vacation out of Mahe, not only were my “relaxation expectations” exceeded, but my Mahe expectations were, too. Most notable were its beaches. After visiting around a dozen of them, here are my favorite beaches on Mahe Island.
Petite Anse is not only my favorite beach on Mahe, but it’s actually my favorite beach in the world. There is no way to describe its jaw-dropping beauty. To get there, you need to either drive or have someone drive you to the entrance of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles. Note that you do NOT need to be a guest of the hotel, but your driver can only go as far as the entrance. You sign up with the Four Seasons employee at the gate, and they will give you a yellow wristband.
Walk about ten or so minutes along a hilly road, and though you’ll feel like you’re lost (like I did), keep going, because you’ll finally turn this magical corner and see the bluest water you have ever seen in your life in the distance.
Keep going until you see yet another Four Seasons employee by a small entrance, and that’s where you’ll turn to trek down some rocks. Once you do that for about three minutes, you’ll be on the beach!
What makes Petite Anse so special is how clean it is. There was hardly a dent in the sand, not even from a footprint, since it was more pact, and those classic Seychellois granite rocks paired against the palm trees just make for a pretty unreal sight. I could have easily spent hours here.
Right next to Petite Anse is Anse Soleil. This beach was pretty incredible, too. The waters, like Petite Anse right next door, are an otherworldly shade of blue, and the sand is just as white. Anse Soleil was a little more crowded than Petite Anse, likely because it’s simply more accessible. There’s a man who walks around selling fresh coconut everyday, so I highly recommend carrying some local currency, because really, does anything beat sipping a coconut on one of the cleanest and clearest beaches in the world? The currents can get rough quite quickly here, so keep your wits about you.
Grand Anse Plage is yet another fever dream of a beach on Mahe Island. The sand has more of beige tone compared to the white sands of Anse Soleil and Petite Anse. The day I visited, the tides were quite high because of winds (June is the beginning of windy season in the Seychelles). This ended up being in my favor, because I had this entire beach to myself, but the currents were too strong to jump in. Still, nothing beats a solo walk along a dreamy honeymoon beach in the Seychelles. The wind added to the drama of it all.
Anse Royale had only a little bit of sand when I went in June, which was likely attributed to the strong currents. But where Anse Royale shined was its rugged rocks and local feel. There were plenty of locals hanging out, eating street food out of tupperware containers, and the dark jarring rocks dotted throughout the beach created a dramatic effect that none of the other beaches I visited had. While it’s probably not the best beach for swimming, or even for sunbathing for too long since the sandbank was on the smaller side, Anse Royale is still worth paying a visit to.
This is up there as one of my favorites with Petite Anse and Anse Soleil. Port Launay Beach is part of Port Launay Marine Park, which has a total of eight beaches, but by far, the most quintessential postcard-worthy one is Port Launay Beach. It consists of s a long stretch of sand with plenty of beds to sunbathe, a few tour operators on site with kayaks, jet skis, and canoes, and plenty of towering palm trees. There are also those quintessential grey granite rocks for the blue water to splash into, and perhaps my favorite part of Anse Royale, aside from its pristine beauty, is the Seychelles flag on the beach! It makes for a great selfie.
I want to preface by saying Beau Vallon was my LEAST favorite beach in the Seychelles, but it still deserves a mention, because it’s a major hub on the northern end of the island. Southern Mahe is where all of the better beaches are, but if you find yourself in the north, Beau Vallon is a solid option. It’s close to Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, a.k.a. one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at in my life (I mean, private villa with my own private infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean? Twist my arm), and is a common jumping ground for day tours to places like La Digue and Praslin.
Beau Vallon is still a nice beach, but in comparison to its southern counterparts, it’s much more commercialized. There are plenty of bars and restaurants (overpriced, at that) to visit, along with shops, and of course, crowds. You still can’t beat jumping in the salty ocean water, so like I said, it’s not a bad beach by any means. But if you have time, I’d highly recommend visiting the south for lesser crowds and prettier scenery.
DISCLAIMER: I might make a small commission from some of the links throughout this article, but the price is the same for you. This helps keep my business running so I can continue to provide free travel tips!
DISCLAIMER II: Hilton hosted me during my stay in the Seychelles.
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