FAIRYLAND BEACH

A little snorkelling gem at the southern end of Anse Royale. Sheltered by a reef and looking out to a tiny island, its calm, clear shallows are among the best easy places to swim with the fish on Mahé’s south-east.

The good end of Anse Royale

Fairyland is the local name for the beautiful southern corner of the long Anse Royale beach, on the south-east coast of Mahe near Pointe au Sel. A reef lies close offshore here, and the tiny green islet of Ile Souris sits just out in the bay, so the water is unusually calm, clear and shallow, a natural swimming and snorkelling pool sheltered from the open sea.

That protection is the whole point. While much of the Seychelles coast can turn rough, this sheltered pocket stays gentle and inviting for much of the year, which makes it a favourite with families and with anyone who wants to snorkel without a boat.

Snorkelling and calm swims

Slip in with a mask on a calm day and the reef comes alive with fish in the warm shallows, an easy and rewarding snorkel straight off the sand. The little island offshore adds to the postcard setting, and the pale sand and clear water make it a lovely place to spend a lazy few hours. It sits within the greater Anse Royale beach, so parking and a swim are simple, and the wider bay stretches away for a walk.

Nearby  Anse Royale · Le Jardin du Roi · Kot Man-Ya flower garden

Bring your own mask and pick a calm day. This reef-sheltered corner of Anse Royale is one of the easiest and most rewarding places to snorkel straight off the beach on the whole south-east coast.