THE 10 BEST BEACHES ON MAHE

LONELY PLANET MAURITIUS, REUNION & SEYCHELLES (TRAVEL GUIDE)

Lonely Planet Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles is your passport to all the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see, what to skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Dive off the coast of Mauritius, get a sweat up hiking through the dramatic mountains of Reunion, or laze on idyllic beach in the Seychelles; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles and begin your journey now!

We appreciate that everyone will have their own opinion on this, and not everyone has the same tastes when it comes to beaches. However, we've visited many beaches across the world, such as Costa da Caparica, La Graciosa, Hat Lamai and Coogee Beach and developed our own taste. So check out where we like to hang in the Seychelles. 

​

Glacis Beach (Near Bliss Hotel)

Glacis beach is one of our favourites as its close by and has easy access down to the beach. It tends to be the calmest beach near us and is generally quiet. If you swim around the rocks below Bliss Hotel you'll discover a couple of natural rock pools which are great for the kids

​

Sunset Beach (Sunset Hotel)

Sunset Beach is a great spot to catch the sunset and like Bliss, is generally quiet. It's a short walk from the road and keeps the shade due to the large overhanging palms. You can also nip into Sunset Beach hotel for a drink where it is fairly cheap before 5

​

Beau Vallon Beach

We love Beau Vallon beach as its one of the longest stretches of beaches on the island. It tends to be wavy, but not too much, and is still great for the kids. There's also the market that runs along the side so you can pick up some cheap beach snacks, or finish the day with a cheap pizza at Bao Bar. Check out our articles on the Top 10 Cheap Eats on Mahe and Eating on a budget, as well as our restaurant reviews for more information. 

​

Anse Royale (Fairyland)

The rock fringed coves of fairyland make it a favourite on the island. Beautiful, (But busy), with easy access and great snorkelling Fairyland is as it sounds. You can also move south a little to find a much quieter section with deeper water and better swimming. 

​

Port Launay Beach

Port Launay's beach runs along the top of Constance Ephelia (read more about this hotel in our Hotel Reviews). The beach here is stunning, calm, has easy access and lots of shade in the morning/early afternoon. You're also a short drive away from Baie Terney, which isn't a great beach per say, but is definitely a must see for its isolation and superb snorkelling. 

​

Intendance (Near Banyan Tree)

Intendance is one of our favourite beaches due to its absolute tranquility and totally raw vibe. It can have majorly big waves and some strong currents so it's really important you check before swimming there. However, on a calm day it is a postcard location.

​

Carana Beach

Carana Beach just keeps growing on us. The beach outside the hotel is a little rocky, but if you work your way down amongst the rocks it's a beautiful spot. Our kids love it here as they can climb and adventure to their hearts content. Little pools often form which is great as the sea can often be rough. 

​

Anse Major

Anse Major's main charm is that you have to hike to get there. You pop out through a bush line onto a lovely beach. However, take the hike early as it does get surprisingly busy and the hike is exposed to sun most of the way. The sea has been quite rough each time we've visited so check the tide if you hope to swim. There's obviously no lifeguard on duty. Some people chose to do the hike one way and orange for a boat to collect them or drop them off. However, services like that in the Seychelles don't come cheap. Needless to say we walked back. 

Eden Island Beaches

Eden Island's beaches are presumably the safest on the island, as you have to be a resident (or a guest of a resident) of the island to access them. They're manmade but fairly quiet and the snorkelling around some of them is quite good. They're probably the only beaches you'd leave your belongings on whilst snorkelling, although I still wouldn't recommend it. The downside is that you have to make friends with someone from Eden first to be able to access them. 

​

Police Bay / Petite Police (South West Bay)

Last but not least is Police Bay. You have to hit a dirt track to get down there and it's basically the bottom of the island, the end of the line. But what a spectacular bottom. Police Bay is nice, with an abundance of Rock Pools, but Petite Police is worth the 10 minute hike if you're looking for raw, untouched beauty. The tree-line is back from the beach so there's a lot of sun exposure and the waves and tide down here are unpredictable so swim with caution. 

Check out our YouTube Channel

Back to Seychelles Home