The Best Beaches in the Seychelles

The Best Beaches in the Seychelles

Our top recommendations for Seychellois seaside perfection

The idyllic Seychelles offer travelers the chance to experience some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but if you really want to immerse yourself in this tropical paradise, far from the madding crowds and away from the selfie seekers, then check out these picture-perfect off-the-beaten track alternatives…..

Mention the Seychelles and you’re most likely going to conjure an image of Anse Source d’Argent – its soft white sand beach fringed by dramatic boulders and an exceptionally turquoise sea with gently swaying palm fronds providing the cherry on top of this slice of paradise that’s located on the island of La Digue. It’s one of the most photographed beaches in the world.

Likewise, a Google search of the top beaches of the Seychelles throws up gorgeous options like Beau Vallon Bay on the main island of Mahé, Anse Lazio and Anse Volbert on Praslin – the Seychelles’ second-largest island – and Grand Anse, also on La Digue.

Here at Stanley Safaris we don’t do mainstream, preferring to send our clients to the smaller, more intimate and exclusive destinations where they can immerse themselves in local culture, explore untouched landscapes and enjoy unrivalled hospitality. So when it comes to the Seychelles we just love the more remote islands that lay further away from the main tourism hubs, where the beaches are just as drop-dead gorgeous but are more in the mould of Robinson Crusoe than Ipanema on the weekend!

So let’s have a look at some of our recommendations for absolute beach perfection, served up Stanley Safaris Seychelles-style…

Can you La Digue it?

La Digue is the fourth largest island in the Seychelles and has the country’s third largest population, but don’t be fooled, because that’s only 2,800 people! What makes La Digue special for us is that it can only be reached by boat and there are very few cars on the island (and fewer roads), meaning that the best way to get around is on a bicycle or on foot.

It’s got a wonderful old world charm about it and is easy to explore, which is why we just love it. And as mentioned, its beaches are just sublime.

Outer this world…

With our partners Blue Safaris Seychelles we take you to the outer rim of the Seychelles, to the islands and atolls that are furthest from the crowds and the hustle and bustle of Mahé and Praslin, etc.

These outer islands – Poivre Atoll, Desroches, Alphonse, Cosmoledo Atoll and Astove Atoll – are filled with incredible fauna and flora and offer a more authentic brand of paradise that imbues the notion of untouched! Then there’s North Island – located at the most far-flung northern corner of the Seychelles archipelago and an absolute legend when it comes to remote, exclusive and completely sustainable barefoot luxury.

These wonderful retreats, then, are where you’ll find what we think are some of the best stretches of sand in the world because they’re completely authentic and absolutely untouched.

Life’s a beach…

First up is Alphonse Island – actually a group of three atolls – Alphonse, St Francois and Bijoutier. Alphonse itself is entirely ringed by perfect, powder-soft white sand encircling a dense natural forest that’s interrupted only by the remnants of old commercial coconut groves. Walking on the beach offers a circuitous adventure like no other, bringing you into contact with giant tortoises, a plethora of crabs and fabulous array of bird species.

Desroches – the main island in the Amirantes chain of 20 islands, atolls and islets – offers 14km of beach heaven, complete with ubiquitous palm trees and obligatory crystal-clear, impossibly blue ocean. It’s a private island meaning that there’s just one place to stay and a limited number of guests leaving their footprints in that super-soft sand.

Cosmoledo Atoll is sand central, with its wonderful wadable flats and undulating sand dunes setting it apart. More beach than land and created from a coral reef, Cosmoledo’s beaches encircle a central lagoon that’s fringed by mangroves and is filled with a rich variety of marine life.

Poivre Atoll is the quintessential beach destination, being uninhabited and offering that castaway immersion we all dream about. Leave your footprints (and ONLY your footprints) on silken white sand or just lay back and soak up the African sun on this hidden gem in the Seychelles crown.

Astove Atoll, like its cousins in the outer islands, is a remote and untouched circle of land with a large central lagoon. More rugged than its neighbours but stunningly beautiful nonetheless, its gently sloping beaches are home to free-roaming Aldabra tortoises, nesting turtles and wonderful bird life.

North Island needs no introduction. It’s one of the most renowned and exclusive private island destinations in the world and offers what just might be the most perfect luxury beach experience out there. It’s superlative, private soft sand beaches are the stuff of legend and include the uber-romantic Honeymoon Beach, lauded as one of the world’s most romantic places. It’s quite simply incomparable!