Beach guide · 6 July 2026

The best beaches on Mahé you can reach by car

Mahé has more than sixty beaches, and the wonderful thing about driving yourself is that they're all — at most — forty minutes apart. Buses reach a few of them; a rental car reaches every single one, with your towel still dry. These are the ones our customers rave about, in the order we'd drive them.

Beau Vallon — the classic

The island's big, friendly bay on the northwest coast: calm swimmable water most of the year, restaurants and takeaways along the sand, and the famous Wednesday and Saturday street-food market. Parking is free and plentiful along the beach road. Best in the late afternoon — it faces west, so sunsets are the show.

Anse Intendance — the wild one

In the deep south, a broad ribbon of powder sand with serious surf and not a building in sight. Swimming is for strong swimmers only (there's no reef), but for a walk it's arguably the most beautiful beach in Seychelles. Free parking under the takamaka trees behind the beach. Go in the morning before the light gets harsh.

Anse Royale — the snorkelling spot

On the southeast coast, twenty minutes from the airport. A reef sits close to shore, keeping the water calm and full of fish — bring a mask. Small islets to swim to, shade under the trees, and easy roadside parking. Lovely at sunrise, when you'll often have it to yourself.

Port Launay — the marine park

A sheltered horseshoe bay on the west coast inside a marine national park — glassy water, great snorkelling, and between October and December the chance of swimming beside whale sharks. Park along the road by the public stretch.

Anse Soleil & Petite Anse — the hidden pair

Down a signposted side road near Baie Lazare: two small, postcard-perfect coves. Anse Soleil has a beloved little beach café for grilled fish; Petite Anse is calm and turquoise. The access road is steep and narrow — exactly the kind of drive where our automatic cars earn their keep.

Practical notes

• Parking is free at every beach listed here.
• Never leave valuables visible in the car — standard advice worldwide.
• Beaches on the east coast are calmest May–September; west coast beaches October–April. If one side is choppy, the other usually isn't — a 30-minute drive fixes it.
• Check our driving guide for road tips before you set off.

More reading: A one-day Mahé road trip itinerary