Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 breathtaking islands known for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush tropical landscapes. This island nation, often described as paradise on Earth, offers visitors a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. From the famous granite rock formations of La Digue to the powdery white sands of Anse Lazio, every corner of the Seychelles feels like a scene from a dream.
Beyond its postcard-perfect beaches, the Seychelles boasts a fascinating history influenced by African, European, and Asian cultures. Once a haven for pirates, these islands later became a melting pot of traditions, reflected in the local Creole cuisine, music, and architecture. For nature lovers, the Seychelles is home to rare wildlife, including the giant Aldabra tortoises and the iconic coco de mer palm, which produces the world’s largest seed.
I spent just over two weeks traveling through the Seychelles, visiting its three main islands of Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. There aren’t too many tourist attractions on these islands besides the most photogenic beaches you can find. If beautiful beaches are what you’re after, this is the post for you!
Where I went in the Seychelles
I had a total of 15 days in the Seychelles. I didn’t get fancy and stuck with the standard circuit of its 3 most popular islands; Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. These three islands are all well connected by ferry and have plenty of tourist infrastructure for your stay.
The Seychelles is home to 120 different islands but only 4 are populated with locals (Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, and Silhouette Island). There are a few islands that are private islands for hotels but unless you have a budget of $1,500+ a night, you won’t be seeing those anytime soon. Having gone multiple times to the Maldives, nothing can compare to my Ritz Carlton Maldives experience anyway.
In total, I spent 4 nights in Mahe, 5 nights in Praslin, 6 nights in La Digue, and 1 extra night in Mahe on my last night since my flight was out in the morning. If I could do this over again, I probably would have just skipped Mahe and spent the majority of my time on La Digue. Everyone has different preferences but for me La Digue was the most beautiful, compact, charming, and just my style of a destination.
I didn’t enjoy driving so much in Mahe and much preferred the bicycle lifestyle in La Digue which just screams island paradise to me.
How expensive is Seychelles?
Seychelles is not a cheap place. It has the highest GDP per capita in all of Africa for a reason and the prices reflect that. Furthermore, it is an island nation of just 120,000 people which means labor and resources are scarce. It has always marketed itself as a luxury travel destination for the high spenders. It’s not a place for backpackers or those on a budget. You’ll get better value for your money even in places like Zanzibar.
Seychelles is absolutely not digital nomad friendly as the cafe culture is completely non-existent. It was hard to even find a decent coffee in Mahe and nothing is open early.
For me, Seychelles is definitely one of the more expensive places I’ve traveled to and it is on par if not a tiny more expensive than French Polynesia. The only exception is that alcohol is cheaper in French Polynesia and the portion sizes are much larger. You are feeding big islanders after all that would not put up with the smaller portions I saw in the Seychelles.
At the time of visiting, the Seychelles Rupee was trading at 15 to 1 Euro.
Cost of food in the Seychelles
Dining out in the Seychelles can be summarized into three buckets of restaurants:
- Hotel restaurants: Generally the most expensive, and better tasting on average. Price for a seafood dish would be somewhere around 450-700 SCR.
- Local restaurants: Affordable meals in a restaurant setting that taste pretty good. Prices for a fish curry range from 250-400 SCR. I mostly ate at these places in Mahe and Praslin.
- Takeaway: These are the most budget options and are in the form of food trucks or very basic eateries similar to warungs in Indonesia. The food is pretty hit or miss. I went to a bunch of them and wasn’t overly impressed with the quality of the food at these street shacks with the exception of a few in La Digue. They don’t compare to the local snack shops I found in French Polynesia or the Cook Islands for that matter. You can expect to get a local curry dish for about 75-125 SCR.
Even groceries are very expensive in the Seychelles, especially on La Digue. I bought some Greek yogurt for breakfast because the early morning cafe and brunch scene is completely non-existent in the country and it cost me about 20 Euros for a liter.
Even fruit at fruit stands and grocery stores are quite expensive but baffles me since these fruits literally grow down the street from where it’s being sold. Prices for fruit are more expensive than even supermarkets in Europe. A small watermelon cost me 10 Euros as an example.
Accommodations Cost in Seychelles
Accommodations are also very pricey in the Seychelles. We stayed primarily in Airbnbs and struggled to find even the most budget accommodations for under $100 a night. You’ll be much better served with a budget of about $200 USD a night to find a decent place to stay. Fancy hotel resorts like the Anantara, Hilton, or Marriott hotels will be easily $1000+ a night.
Hospitality is . . . lacking
Having spent over 2 weeks int eh Seychelles, I came to the conclusion that the hospitality in the country is generally lacking. I didn’t find the people of the Seychelles to be particularly friendly, especially given that it is an island in the tropics.
While some people were very nice, many others were a bit off-putting with almost a disdain towards tourism. Now I know that seeing tourists day in and day out is tiring, but it is also the largest contributor to GDP by far (45%) which means it’s the backbone of the country. Now I didn’t ind people to be mean or angry, but more than it felt like they were being inconvenienced by the tourists on the island. In many of the restaurants, service was often times rude and lethargic.
This is in stark contrast to other island nations I’ve visited like the Maldives, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Zanzibar, and more where people always had a smile on their face and just felt warmer.
This is of course my personal experience and views. I know many would have different experiences than me but I don’t say these things just out of the blue. I’ve been to almost 100 countries and I speak from my other experiences.
I also exclusively traveled through the islands and did not stay in fancy 5* resorts (where they are paid to be nice to you).
Sim Cards in Seychelles
I thought mobile data in the Cook Islands and French Polynesia were expensive. I figured they are small island nations so limited infrastructure might be an issue. Seychelles takes this to the next level.
Seychelles has the most ridiculous overpriced and expensive mobile plans I’ve ever seen while traveling.
There are two mobile networks in the Seychelles: Airtel and Cable & Wireless. Both providers have roughly the same costs for data packages. The below are data prices for Airtel. Keep in mind they charge you an insane 100 SCR for just the SIM card.
As you can see, something like 10 GB will run you 600 SCR ($40 USD) for very little data over just a three week period.
Buy Sim card when filling out your Seychelles Travel declaration
The best travel hack for the Seychelles sim card is to simply purchase the Sim card travel pack with your health declaration. When you fill out your health declaration, you’ll be offered tourist packages upfront which are much cheaper than what you’ll find at the shop. This is usually not the case for most countries but in Seychelles, you’ll save about 50% doing it this way.
Make sure to fill out your Seychelles Health Declaration!
Seychelles has an online health declaration form that must be filled out prior to entry for citizens of all countries. The form is quite comprehensive and asks you to even attach your flight itinerary and hotel bookings.
The price is €10 per person and takes up to 24 hours to complete. If you’re like me and waited to the last minute, aka only found out at the check in counter, they have a faster option that will process it in 6 hours for €30. I selected the €30 option and received my visa in about 20 minutes. I’m not sure if I needed to pay the €30 in the end because the standard €10 option would have probably been enough!
The restaurants and dining options in Seychelles is lacking
One of the things I noticed about the Seychelles was the general lack of restaurants and decent options for food. I’m not talking about fine dining or things like that as I couldn’t care less. I’m simply talking about good accessible food for a decent price.
I went to many of the restaurants on all three islands and was nothing really wow’d me about Seychellois food. It’s a creole food which mixes Indian, African, and European flavors. Most restaurants would have their standard curry options, grilled options, and burgers.
I thought the food at restaurants were generally okay but usually not worth the price I paid. 450 SCR for a prawn curry (30 Euros) was not a good deal. Portions were generally on the small side from my experiences and I was often left hungry after a meal.
I tried a seafood fried rice dish at a local restaurant (seems to be a popular thing in Seychelles) and it was probably the worst thing I’ve ever tasted. It was neither fried, and was questionably rice with no eggs. Either way, it was not good and I was out almost 300 SCR. I was really dreaming of my favorite Nasi Goreng shops in Bali!
The takeaway casual food stalls in the Seychelles were generally also quite lacking. The food is much cheaper yes but the quality is generally somewhat lower. Takeaway shops largely consisted of fried foods, fried rice, burgers, microwave quality pizzas, and other unhealthy foods. A few takeaway shops on La Digue and Praslin were the exception however.
All in all, I was never really excited about my upcoming meals in the Seychelles. I had fish curry more times than I can count and after awhile it just got old. Paying near Maldives resort prices for a dish at a regular restaurant also didn’t get me going.
In comparison, I had amazing food in other island nations like the Cook Islands and French Polynesia. At restaurants in these two countries, I could eat really delicious local meals for a cheaper price and two times the portion size. Even the casual take out food of poisson cru was delicious, healthy, and cheap.
All Seychelles beaches are public
By law, all beaches in the Seychelles is public. That means no hotel can make a beach private even if it is attached to their property.
Many of the most beautiful beaches in the Seychelles are attached to a super luxurious resort. However, by law, the resort must allow you to enter their property for the sole purpose of visiting that beach. You might not be allowed to use any of the facilities of the hotel (with good reason since you’re not paying), but you can visit the beach no matter what.
Many of the beaches I visited in the Seychelles involved me parking my car outside of the hotel entrance, walking through the front gate, and through the property 10-20 minutes before arriving at the beach. Some of the hotels will even have paths clearly marked for outside guests to use to access the beach which will not interfere with their guests. Many of the hotels will even let you have lunch at their restaurants (but be prepared to pay up).
I really like this system as it keeps the magic and charm of the Seychelles alive without privatizing the natural beauty.
Brief History of the Seychelles
The Seychelles has a fascinating history in that it was completely uninhabited before the arrival of European navigators. While the islands may have been discovered long before that by seafairing Maldivians and Arab traders, it was only formally populated once Europeans settled in the 18th century.
The islands were first settled by the French and then the British gained control. They brought in workers and slaves from their colonies in India and East Africa which make up the genetic profile of the country to this day. The people of the Seychelles are a curious mix of Indian, Black, and everything in between!
Day 1-4: Mahe Seychelles
To start of the trip, everyone will first fly into the island of Mahe, the largest island within the Seychelles.
As I had over two weeks for my trip, we decided to stay and check out Mahe for a few days. Mahe, while large in size, is still home to many incredible beaches and traditional Seychelles culture. I spent only 4 nights in Mahe and even drove around the entire island (about 2h) which in hindsight wasn’t really necessary.
Mahe is very much an island that people live on and Victoria, the capital city is where everyone congregates to work. It is definitely way busier than Praslin and La Digue with the “island vibe” getting lost in some of those moments.
Nevertheless, I had time to spare so I gave Mahe a shot.
Ansze Baie Lazare
Anse Baie Lazare and the immediate vicinity is probably the best area for beaches in Mahe. This very long white strip of sandy beach in Anse Baie Lazare is one of the best and most easily accessible beaches in Mahe.
This was also the first beach I visited and little did I know just how amazing some of the beaches to come would be.
Petite Anse
The Petite Anse is attached to the four seasons and was probably my favorite beach in all of Mahe. It’s an absolutely stunning little beach without many people.
To reach the beach, you’ll need to visit the Four Seasons hotel. There is parking outside of the main gate where you’ll need to park and then walk through the front gate of the hotel. You’ll then need to walk about 15 minutes down a steep hill towards the beach.
Other beaches to visit in Mahe
I didn’t visit too many beaches in Mahe but drove by a bunch of them. Others that are worth visiting are:
- Anse Takamaka
- Anse Royale
- Anse Beau Vallon
Is Mahe worth visiting?
Mahe is the largest and more populous island of the Seychelles. More than 75% of its residents live in Mahe and most of those live in and around the capital city of Victoria.
Personally, I found Mahe to be too big and overwhelming. While it is beautiful and contains very nice beaches, it may not be worth your time depending on how long your trip is. As I had almost 3 weeks, I could easily afford to spend a few nights on Mahe. If you have less than 10 days, I would focus your trip on Praslin and La Digue.
Mahe to Praslin Ferry
After a relaxing few days in Mahe, it’s finally time to explore the smaller islands of the Seychelles. First up on our list was the beautiful island of Praslin. This island is only 1.5h away by ferry and it is one of the most beautiful places in the Seychelles!
There is only one company that does this ferry ride and that is Cat Cocos. The boat leaves from the main port in the town of Victoria and has multiple sailings a day between Mahe and Praslin. The cost of this boat ride is roughly 900-1000 SCR on way depending on the class you choose. Make sure to book the tickets in advance especially during the high season months as it will get booked out!
The boat is quite small and was completely packed when I traveled. It’s not the most comfortable boat ride and they definitely need a bigger boat to accommodate all of their tourists!
Alternatively, you can choose to fly between Mahe and Praslin on Air Seychelles. This flight is only 30 minutes and will cost about 2x that of the ferry.
Day 4-9: Praslin
Praslin, pronounced Prah-lin, is the second largest island in the Seychelles. It’s home to numerous beaches and it immediately feels more of that “island vibe” after having been in Mahe. The streets are smaller, the vibe is more laid back, and the traffic almost non-existent.
Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio is Praslin’s claim to fame. It is one of the most picturesque beaches in the Seychelles and you’ll see videos and pictures of it everywhere. Located in the northern tip of the island, it is only accessible by driving (Car, taxi, or bus).
At the entrance to the beach is a well paved parking lot that charges 100 SCR per day for parking. They even accept credit cards!
The beach itself is as stunning as the pictures. Anse Lazio has hundreds of meters of the softest white sand, turquoise waters, and plenty of palm trees to boost the idyllic setting that it is. Of course, what beach in the Syehclles is complete without its famous granite rocks that seem so perfectly placed all throughout the beach.
Walk to the far right side of the beach for a rocky hill that is perfect for shooting those Instagram worthy shots.
As beautiful as Anse Lazio is, I found the beach to be far too busy for my likings. From 10am onward, it started getting packed with people. By noon, it was too much for me (yes I am picky with my beaches but I have just seen too many good ones!)
For those that want undisrupted beach paradise, walk the 10 minutes through the hills to Petite Anse beach. This beach is a small little crescent bay surrounded on both sides by rocks. It is perhaps the most beautiful beach you will find on Praslin and it really oozes that deserted island in the sun vibes.
Sadly, I only stayed here for a quick minute as it’s not suitable to bring a baby here and I had to run back to my family waiting for me with the hordes of other people!
Best restaurants in Praslin
Praslin has a plethora of restaurants on offer. However, I was not overly impressed with the food options. Most of the restaurants on the island are connected to hotels of various tiers. Most of them will allow you to dine in even without staying at the hotel but some of the fancier ones might not like the Raffles hotel.
There are a few local takeaway restaurants with outdoor dining areas that you can enjoy a nice meal as well. Here are my favorite restaurants on the island.
- La Mer Pizzeria Takeaway: A great little takeaway restaurant with plenty of options. Lots of locals and tourists flokc here at night
- Sea View Bar and Grill: A great restaurant attached to a hotel overlooking the ocean. Great ocurry and fish options
- The Nest: Fancy restaurant overlooking the beach as part of the Constance hotel.
- Cool Licks Takeaway: One of my favorite takeaway shops right next to the port.
- Hall Takeaway: Amazing grilled chicken and beef curries right next to the port.
- Roots Juicery: Only place I could find a decent coffee on the whole island. Decent cakes and great juices
Having lunch at the Nest restaurant
As we were already visiting Anse Georgette, I wanted to have a nice lunch at the Constance. The Nest is one of their restaurants overlooking their property’s two other beaches. The view is absolutely stunning and makes for a great backdrop over lunch. The food was also delicious as their fish and prawn curry was one of the best I’ve had. Expect to pay up though as two curries cost about 1,000 SCR.
Visit the Coco de Mer at Fond Ferdinand
The Coco de Mer is a tropical plant that is native only to Praslin. It is not even found in Mahe! It’s probably the most insane plant that I’ve ever come across and I thought it was a joke when I first learned about it.
The Coco De Mer, or the coconut of the sea, has nothign to do with coconuts. It is a giant palm plant that produces the largest seeds in the entire plant kingdom (up to 30kg). The tree itself has distinctive male and female trees.
The female trees produce the iconic double lobed seed that resembles a woman’s pelvis and the male plant produces a distinctively phallic-like branch. To put it lightly, these are the most sexual plants I’ve ever seen and could never imagine before seeing them! Literally how can something int he plant kingdom be so connected to human and animal anatomy!
Historical Significance
Before the Seychelles were discovered by European explorers, coco de mer seeds would occasionally be found floating in the Indian Ocean, often washing ashore in regions like the Maldives. Since the plant’s true origin was unknown at the time, many believed the seeds came from a mythical underwater tree. This led to the name “coco de mer,” meaning “coconut of the sea.”
In medieval times, these mysterious seeds were considered rare treasures, often believed to possess magical or medicinal properties. Royal courts across Asia and Europe prized them as symbols of fertility, power, and exotic luxury. Some were even decorated with gold and jewels, making them valuable collector’s items.
Fond Ferdinand National Park
A visit to the Fond Ferdinand national park is a must for those wanting to see the Coco de Mer in its natural habitat. This park is a great place to walk around and see the many spices and vegetation of the Seychelles including the famous coco de mer.
Fond Ferdinand along with Valle De Mai are the two national parks on Praslin that are home to the Coco de Mer trees. Fond Ferdinand costs 300 SCR whereas Valle De Mai is 450 SCR. In addition, Fond Ferdinand has a free tour every day at 9:30 and 11am whereas you’ll need to pay for a private guide in Valle De Mai if you want to learn anything.
I found the guided tour at Fond Ferdinand to be very insightful as they explained in great length the history of the tree. In addition, there are so many other things that grow in this national park like countless spices, fruits, and vegetables. It reminded me of the spice tour in Zanzibar.
Anse Georgette
Along with Anse Lazio, the other famous beach of Praslin is Anse Georgette just next to Anse Lazio. The only problem with Anse Georgette is there is no road connecting the two. While Praslin looks like it might have a ring road, it actually stops at the northern tip on both sides. Youll need to drive all the way around the island to visit Anse Georgette.
Anse Georgette is a part of the Constance Lemurien property. As with all beaches in the Seychelles, it is public so you can freely visit the beach via the Constance’s property. You will need to walk about 20-25 minutes from their golf course to reach the beach. It’s not that difficult of a hike but the ups and downs might tire some people out on a hot sunny day.
The beach, however, is worth a visit, especially in the early mornings before the crowds descend. Otherwise, I was not super impressed by this beach because there is very little shaded areas. The few patches of shade are packed with people so close that I could almost cuddle my neighbors. If you’re not fussed about shade and what to get your tan on, this is definitely the beach as there are less people than Anse Lazio.
Day trip to Curieuse Island
One of the highlights of any trip to Praslin must be the visit to the Curieuse Island to the northeast of Praslin. This island is home to the famous Aldabra Giant Tortoise which is endemic to the Seychelles, specifically in the Aldabra Atoll.
These turtles are similar to the giant tortoises in the Galapagos in its rarity and size. These tortoises are also the 2nd oldest animals on earth after the Greenland shark living up to 250 years! Curieuse Island is a sanctuary for these tortoises so they can grow unabated by the rampant poaching threatening their numebrs.
Book a day trip to Cureius Island
To visit th eisland, you’ll need to book a day trip. There are countless operators on Praslin that will make this day trip with all of them offering the same itineraries. This includes a visit to the island, a BQBQ lunch, and a snorkeling stop before returning to Praslin.
I opted for a cheaper trip that did not include the BBQ lunch and paid about 50 Euros per person with Loyalty Tours.
Visiting the Giant Tortoises
Visiting the Giant tortoises on the island was much cooler than I expected especially as I’ve never seen the giant tortoises before. . The turtles are even bigger in real life than I thought! They grow up to 250kg and sleep 18 hours a day. What a good life.
You are also free to pet the turtles as much as you’d like. I’ve always felt a bit weird touching animals but every guide in the park assured that this was okay.
There is also a section of the park where you can see baby giant tortoises and the different stages of their growth. They are kept in cages to reduce the risk of poaching.
After the turtles, we walked across the island through the mangrove forest to the BBQ lunch spot. Like most other mass produced tours, there’s a huge tent set up for all the day trippers which I was happy to avoid. Snorkeling was a brief 30 minutes which was nothing to write home about before returning to Praslin. I definitely recommend this trip just to visit the turtles although I wish there was some sort of cheaper ferry service that I could book without having to enlist a tour.
Also make sure to remember that you’ll need to pay an additional 300 SCR per person as an entry fee to Curieuse island which is not included in the price of tours.
Day 9-15: La Digue
La Digue is the third most populated island in the Seychelles and my personal favorite. It’s much smaller than Praslin and Mahe giving it a unique feel. I just really prefer small islands as it really gives me that island vibe.
La Digue is a very popular day trip destination for those staying on Mahe and Praslin but I made sure to stay here for many nights. For me, La Digue also has the most beautiful beaches in the Seychelles and is home to the world famous Anse Source D’Argent which is the beach you’ll see in most advertisements of the Seychelles.
Getting to La Digue from Praslin
There are two boats that travel between Praslin and La Digue. Cat Cocos is the main ferry that does an L shaped itinerary from Mahe to Praslin to La Digue to Praslin to Mahe. This boat runs 5-6 times a day.
Cat Rose is the smaller ferry that only services Praslin to La Digue. This boat runs about 6x a day with the below schedule.
The journey between Praslin and La Digue is just 15 minutes. The cost is about 300 SCR for a one way journey. It’s perfectly doable to make a day trip from Praslin to La Digue but I actually enjoyed La Digue the most out of the three islands!
Getting around La Digue
La Digue is very small at only 10 square kilometers. You can bike around the entire island in about 30 minutes. The main form of transport on La Digue is by bicycle. You’ll see countless shops by the ferry port that rent out bicycles for visitors.
Bike rentals generally about €10 per day. There are so many bike rental shops so you won’t have an issue finding a bike. There is a lot of quality difference however so make sure you go with a shop that has newer bikes. There are even electric bikes for rent in La Digue nowadays for €40 a day. These bikes are quite dangerous and many people bike way too fast for the small streets of La Digue.
Biking around La Digue is very easy. The roads are well paved and it is not very hilly. The bike ride to Grand Anse has a few hills but nothing that will kill you.
Where to eat on La Digue
La Digue is a small little island but it is filled with plenty of good dining options. In fact, I think the food on La Digue was the best of the three islands I visited. The takeaway options on La Digue were on point.
Here are some of my favorite restaurant son La Digue
- Mimi’s Cafe: The Coconut cheesecake is literally to die for
- Rey & Josh Takeaway: Great Creole style food for very cheap
- Zerof Takeaway: Another amazing takeaway that serves great local food. Get the grilled fish.
- KZ Takeaway: Best fish wraps I’ve had. Lived off of these while I stayed on La Digue
- Ton Greg: Pizza restaurant run by an Italian. Pizzas won’t remind you of Naples but they do the job.
- Glorious Bakery: Open from 7am with various baked goods and the best fish samosas for a cheap price.
Best Beaches on La Digue
Finally onto the good stuff. La Digue is all about the beautiful beaches packed into a small island. I think the beaches on La Digue are the most beautiful in all of the Seychelles and being able to reach them by bicycle makes it even better.
Grand Anse
One of the most popular beaches on La Digue is the Grand Anse on the eastern side of the island. This beach is about 500 meters long and home to some of the softest sand I’ve walked on. It’s also contained on both sides by beautiful granite rocks that make the view almost fake looking.
Grand Anse is easily reachable by bike and is about 20 minutes from the town. There is also a restaurant on the beach as well as juice bars. Expect to pay up though as the coconut at the juice stand was 100 SCR (ridiculous).
From Grand Anse, you can walk to even more stunning beaches in my opinion with less people which is next on my list.
Petite Anse
Petite anse is located adjacent to Grand anse and can easily be accessed through a little trail from Grande anse (10 minutes by foot). The trail is located just 5 meters behind the fruit stand on Grande Anse.
This beach is far less busy than Grand anse and perhaps even more beautiful. There are some insane sandy stretches and there’s a sandy patch in the water where you can walk out for many meters without stepping on any rocks. This is Seychelles paradise in its truest form.
The only downside to Petite anse is that there is not much shade to be had. Given that there are not many people, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding the shaded parts however.
Anse de Cocos
Further past Petite anse is the Anse de Cocos. This beach is even more deserted than the Petite Anse and Grand Anse and is home to some of the best photo opportunities on the island. There’s a huge rock formation right on the beach which makes for an incredible photo opportunity.
There is even a bar and restaurant here which serves decent food and drinks. You’ll need to walk another 20-30 minutes past Petite Anse to reach Anse de Cocos.
Anse Patates
Located i the far north of the island, Anse Patates is one of my favorite little beaches just because it is quicker to get to than many f the others. It’s attached to the Patatran hotel which means you have easy lunch options if you get hungry.
The beach itself is small but very picturesque with crystal blue waters and white sand beaches. As it is so close to the Patatran hotel, it is well groomed every day which means you’ll have the whitest sandiest beaches.
Best time is to get here before 10am as that’s when the crowds really start rolling in.
Anse Source D’Argent
You’ve all seen the photos. Beautiful rocks perfectly placed on white beaches surrounded by crystal clear waters that completely represents the Seychelles. These photos are all from the famous Anse Source D’Argent beach which is located in the southwest of the La Digue.
Anse Source d’Argent is one of the most famous and picturesque beaches in the world, located on La Digue Island in the Seychelles. This stunning beach is renowned for its massive granite boulders, which are sculpted into unique shapes, creating a dramatic and photogenic landscape. The soft, powdery white sand contrasts beautifully with the crystal-clear turquoise waters, making it an ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing.
The shallow, calm waters are protected by a coral reef, making it safe for swimmers unlike most of the other beaches in the Seychelles which are more wild.
Anse Source D’Argent is one of the only beaches in the Seychelles where you need to pay an entrance fee. It is 150 SCR per person per day to enter this beach which is steep if you’re planning to come here on multiple days.
As you enter the national park, you’ll need to bike another kilometer through vanilla fields, coconut palm forests, and more before arriving at the beach. There’s even a small park for the Aldabra Giant tortoise which we saw while on Praslin.
There are multiple beaches within Anse Source D’Argent. As you enter, there are a few small beaches sandwiched between massive granite boulders. A few hundred meters from the entrance is a wider sandy beach with multiple juice shacks. I wasn’t a fan of this beach as it was small and packed with people. I think you come to this beach for the rocks which is what makes it special. If you want beach, Grande Anse and Petite Anse are a million times nicer.
Overall, expect Anse Source D’Argent to be packed full of people. Many of the day trippers from Mahe and Praslin come to La Digue specifically to visit this beach. I would therefore come to this beach between 7-10am or from 4pm-6:30pm for the sunset.
Seychelles Day by Day Itinerary
Here is my Seychelles trip on a day by day itinerary. Note that my trip did not involve staying at any high end resorts but was more of an active trip where our lodging was merely a place to stay. If you’re on a special trip and paying to stay in a super fancy hotel or a private island hotel, then this itinerary will be very different for you!
Again, there’s not a whole lot to do on these islands in the Seychelles besides visiting the various beaches.
Day 1: Land in Mahe, explore the island
Day 2: Full day to explore Mahe, visit the various beaches
Day 3: Full day to explore Mahe, visit the various beaches
Day 4: Ferry from Mahe to Praslin
Day 5: Full day in Praslin to explore the beaches.
Day 6: Full day in Praslin to explore the beaches.
Day 7: Full day in Praslin to explore the beaches.
Day 8: Full day in Praslin to explore the beaches.
Day 9: Praslin to La Digue ferry
Day 10: Full day La Digue. Visit the various beaches.
Day 11: Full day La Digue. Visit the various beaches.
Day 12: Full day La Digue. Visit the various beaches.
Day 13: Full day La Digue. Visit the various beaches.
Day 14: Full day La Digue. Visit the various beaches.
Day 15: Morning in La Digue, ferry back to Mahe in the evening
Day 16: Flight home
Seychelles Travel FAQ
What is the currency of the Seychelles?
The Seychelles uses the Rupee. This is a closed currency meaning you won’t be able to exchange it once you leave the country. Make sure to spend all your Rupees before leaving the Seychelles.
I found that most of the restaurants and even takeaway options in the Seychelles took credit cards. I rarely had to use cash besides paying for taxis and a few random takeaway joints.
Best way to get around Seychelles?
If you’re not staying in a fancy resort, you’ll likely want to get out and explore just what the country has to offer.
For the islands of Mahe and Praslin, you absolutely need a car to see things. Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of tours and public buses. Public buses exist but they run on island time meaning they are infrequent. The bus drivers are also a bit maniacal so take them at your own risk.
For the island of La Digue, you have the option of renting bicycles which greatly enhances the experience in my opinion (walking is also fine). They have cars on La Digue but they are strictly for taxi services and you cannot rent any. The island is so small that you wouldn’t want a car anyway.
Can you visit the 5* luxury hotels?
The Seychelles is much more well known for its high end luxury tourism as opposed to its budget tourist scene. There are many incredible luxury hotels on Mahe and Praslin like the Constance, Four Seasons, Hilton, and more. There are even more luxurious hotels on their own private islands in the Seychelles like the famous North Island and Six Senses.
If you’re willing to spend the cash, you can easily visit one of the hotels on Mahe or Praslin just by phoning ahead and reserving a table at one of their restaurants or bars. I found that these hotels were never busy and always had space available. As long as you book in advance. If you show up unannounced, they will often times refuse you entry by claiming the restaurant is full (it’s never the case).
Many of the nicest beaches in the Seychelles are attached to one of these hotels so you have to walk through their properties anyway (remember all beaches in the Seychelles are public).
