Best beaches in Mahé: 10 beaches compared

The best beaches in Mahé are Beau Vallon for an easy, lifeguarded swim, Anse Royale and Port Launay for snorkelling from the shore, Petite Anse for a calm cove, and Anse Intendance for scenery. Which one is best on the day depends on the wind. From roughly May to October the trade winds churn up the south and south-east coasts, and the north-west is calmer; from roughly December to March it flips.

We ranked the ten below for a visitor who wants to get in the water, then added the two marine park islands you reach by boat.

Mahé beaches compared

Checked October 2026 (SPGA fees; SPTC weekday timetable effective August 2026; Tourism Department Beach and Sea Safety Guide, 2nd edition, 2022; facilities as listed by SeyVillas and Four Seasons).

One rule covers the whole island: the Tourism Department’s safety guide says lifeguards work only at Beau Vallon on Mahé. Everywhere else, you are on your own.

1. Beau Vallon: the all-rounder

Almost 2 km of sand on the north-west coast, shallow water that deepens slowly, and Mahé’s only lifeguards. It is also the busiest beach, with hotels, restaurants, jet ski and water-ski hire, and a Wednesday evening market, Bazar Labrin. The UK government has warned of rip currents here when the sea is rough, so follow the lifeguards. Full details in our Beau Vallon guide.

2. Anse Royale: snorkelling from the sand

A long beach on the south-east coast, about 30 minutes by car from Victoria, sheltered by a reef. The draw is Fairyland at one end: a lagoon 1 to 3 m deep where Snorkeling Report lists angelfish, groupers, wrasse and the odd spotted eagle ray. Stay on the lagoon side of Ile Souris, where the current runs strong. See our Anse Royale guide.

3. Port Launay: a marine park you can drive to

SPGA calls Port Launay the only marine park in Seychelles you can reach by land as well as sea, about 30 minutes from Victoria via La Misère. The bay holds eight beaches, and the reefs on both sides are good for snorkelling. SeyVillas describes the south beach as extremely calm. Entry is Rs 200 for non-residents aged 12 and over, the same ticket as Baie Ternay next door. Whale sharks pass in season.

4. Petite Anse: the quiet cove

A small cove in south-west Mahé, near Anse Soleil, on the grounds of the Four Seasons. An offshore reef keeps the water calm and shallow. Non-guests are welcome: Four Seasons says you park outside the entrance, register at the gate and walk 20 to 30 minutes down a steep road. The resort’s toilets, bars and sunbeds are for guests only, so carry water and food, and save energy for the climb back.

5. Anse Intendance: the looker

Anse Intendance, in the far south about 30 km from Victoria, is the wild one: 1.2 km of white sand facing the open Indian Ocean. There is no protective reef, the water deepens fast, and SeyVillas warns that swimming can be dangerous from May to September. It is also an important hawksbill turtle nesting beach. Read our Anse Intendance guide before you swim.

6. Anse Major: earned on foot

No road reaches Anse Major. You walk 2.4 km from Danzil, above Bel Ombre, on an SPGA trail that takes about 45 minutes to an hour each way (Rs 150 for non-residents). SeyVillas lists no facilities, and SPGA warns the sea gets rough in the north-west monsoon. Our Anse Major guide covers the bus and trail.

7. Anse Soleil

A small beach of about 210 m near Petite Anse, which Four Seasons puts 15 minutes on foot from its entrance and describes as calm with scattered granite boulders. SeyVillas notes the water is deep at high tide and lists toilets, a restaurant and parking but no bus stop.

8. Anse Takamaka

A 500 m beach in the south-west with toilets, a restaurant, parking and a bus stop, according to SeyVillas. It is also a surf spot, and the Tourism Department posts a swimming warning sign here, so treat it as a calm-day snorkel at most. At low tide, Four Seasons points visitors to a rock pool, Ros Sodyer.

9. Carana

A short beach in the north of Mahé, about 300 m, often empty. SeyVillas says the water is shallow with high waves and rates it good for swimming from November to July. The Tourism Department posts a warning sign here, so check conditions first.

10. Police Bay: look, don’t swim

At the southern tip of Mahé, Police Bay is wild and often empty. SeyVillas calls the water deep and choppy and unsuitable for swimming, and the Tourism Department lists Police Bay as a surf break and Grand Police as a beach with a warning sign. Park at Petite Police, about five minutes’ walk away, and enjoy it from the sand.

Beaches by boat: Moyenne and Cerf

Two of Mahé’s best beaches are not on Mahé. The Ste Anne Marine National Park sits about 10 minutes by boat from Victoria, and day trips stop on its islands.

• Moyenne Island has white sand beaches and granite boulders, one of them called Pirate’s Cove, plus free-roaming giant tortoises. There is no jetty, so you wade ashore. Read how to visit Moyenne.
• Cerf Island has shallow reefs for snorkelling, according to SPGA, and is the usual beach barbecue stop on marine park tours.

The park fee is Rs 200 for non-residents aged 12 and over (SPGA, checked October 2026), and Moyenne charges its own landing fee on top. Many tours include both, so check the listing. Our Seychelles snorkelling guide compares the reefs.

Seeing several beaches in a day

The south and south-west beaches sit close together, but the bus from Victoria to Anse Intendance alone takes about an hour, so a car or driver lets you string four or five into one day. The Customizable Private Tour of Island with Driver gives you a car and driver for 7.5 hours and lets you pick the stops. It is the most-reviewed Mahé island tour on GetYourGuide, rated 4.8 from 741 reviews.

If you want a beach outside your door, Beau Vallon is the main hotel area; our where to stay in Mahé guide compares it with Eden Island and Victoria. For the calmest months, see best time to visit Seychelles.