Aerial view of Anse Lazio in Praslin, white sand and turquoise water

🇸🇨 Seychelles · Praslin

Praslin: Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio and 2026 tips

Second island of the Seychelles, Praslin holds UNESCO Vallée de Mai (coco de mer), Anse Lazio ranked among the world's best beaches and Anse Georgette. Here's how to enjoy it over 3 to 5 days.

📍 See 📅 When to go 🗺️ Itinerary

Praslin at a glance

Area

38 km², ~7,500 pop.

Airport

PRI (domestic)

Ideal stay

3 to 5 days

Budget / day

€100-600

Mahé access

Ferry 1h or 15-min flight

Time diff

+3h winter, +2h summer

Current climate

Best season

Photo : Johnny Africa / Unsplash

In brief

Praslin in brief

1

UNESCO Vallée de Mai: 450 SCR (~€25)

19.5-ha forest reserve, the only place on earth where the sea coconut grows (Lodoicea maldivica, the famous coco de mer). UNESCO since 1983. Pay at the gate, 1h30 visit.
2

Anse Lazio regularly ranked the world's best beach

White sand, turquoise water, granite boulders, no coral barrier. Drivable from Anse Possession. Bonbon Plume restaurant on site for Creole lunch.
3

Anse Georgette: by boat or Lemuria

Paradise beach unreachable by road, on foot via the Constance Lemuria golf course (hotel permission) or by kayak/boat. For persistent walkers.
4

Cat Cocos ferry from Mahé

Cat Cocos links Mahé-Praslin in 1h, 4-5 daily departures, ~€60 round trip. Air Seychelles internal flight 15 min ~€100 round trip. Ferry more scenic, plane faster.
5

Pair Praslin + La Digue

Cat Cocos ferry Praslin-La Digue in 15 min (~€25 round trip), many rotations. Most visitors combine both: 2-3 nights Praslin + 1-2 nights La Digue.

Must-see

What to see in Praslin?

★ #1 📍

Vallée de Mai (UNESCO)

19.5-ha forest reserve, the only site on earth holding the sea coconut (coco de mer, Lodoicea maldivica). UNESCO 1983. Endemic black parrots.

⏱ 1h30-2 h 💰 450 SCR (~€25) Must-see

★ #2 📍

Anse Lazio

Beach regularly ranked among the world's best. White sand, turquoise water, granite boulders. Calm Bonbon Plume restaurant.

⏱ Day 💰 Free Must-see

★ #3 📍

Anse Georgette

Paradise beach accessible on foot (Constance Lemuria permission) or by boat. Immaculate white sand, lightly visited, ideal swimming.

⏱ Half-day 💰 Free Postcard

★ #4 📍

Anse Volbert (Côte d'Or)

Main beach and tourist zone, restos, hotels. Calm water, white sand, handy base to explore Praslin.

⏱ Day 💰 Free Base

★ #5 📍

Curieuse Island (day trip)

Neighboring island by boat (~€50 day). Aldabra giant tortoises semi-roaming, mangrove, snorkeling, BBQ beach lunch.

⏱ Day 💰 €50-80 Giant tortoises

★ #6 📍

Saint-Pierre Islet

Granite islet facing Anse Volbert, among Praslin's best snorkeling. 1h boat trip from the beach.

⏱ Half-day 💰 €30-50 Snorkeling

★ #7 📍

Grande Anse

Long wild southwest beach, exposed to trade winds (Jun-Aug). Ideal stroll and sunset, less so for swimming in season.

⏱ Half-day 💰 Free Wild

★ #8 📍

Anse Possession

Isolated northwest beach, access point to Anse Lazio via trail. Crystal water, quiet.

⏱ 1-2 h 💰 Free Quiet

★ #9 📍

Glacis Noir Nature Trail

Hiking trail through primary forest. Panoramic view of Curieuse and La Digue. 2h30 round trip.

⏱ 2-3 h 💰 Free Hike

★ #10 📍

La Digue (day trip)

15-min ferry from Praslin, day by bike (~€10 rental), Anse Source d'Argent and Veuve Reserve.

⏱ Day 💰 €25 RT Pair with

Choose your district

Where to stay in Praslin?

Anse Volbert / Côte d'Or

Central tourist zone, walkable beach, restos, mid-range hotels and resorts. From €150/night.

★ Central

Grande Anse (southwest)

Quieter, wild beach, small hotels and guesthouses. Far from the buzz. From €120/night.

Quiet

Baie Sainte Anne

Ferry arrival port, less touristy. A few guesthouses and domestic airport access. From €100/night.

Port

Anse Lazio (northwest)

A few boutique hotels near the iconic beach. Exclusivity, absolute quiet. From €400/night.

Premium

Getting around

Getting around Praslin

🚗

Rental car

Nearly essential. Compacts €40-60/day, agencies at Baie Sainte Anne and Côte d'Or. Left-hand drive, narrow roads.

🚌

SPTC public bus

Reduced network covering Côte d'Or, Anse Lazio, Vallée de Mai, Grande Anse. ~7-12 SCR a ride.

🚖

Taxi

Official zone fares, negotiate long trips. Airport-Côte d'Or ~€30, Côte d'Or-Anse Lazio ~€25.

🚲

Bike

Rental €10/day in Côte d'Or. Hilly roads, more practical for the central coast than for Anse Lazio.

Climate & crowds

When to visit Praslin?

Ideal Fair Avoid

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Inter-monsoon

Apr-May & Sep-Nov · 26-30°C, calm sea · Ideal: best visibility, perfect snorkeling, moderate winds

SE monsoon

Jun to Aug · 24-28°C, strong winds · Fair: dry winds, rough SE sea, Anse Lazio intact

NW monsoon

Dec to Mar · 26-30°C, short rains · Fair: brief showers, calm NW sea

Price peak

Dec-Jan & Jul-Aug · All seasons · Rates +30-50%, book 3-6 months ahead

How much

Praslin budget (per day, per person)

Backpacker

€100

per day

🏨 Self-catering guesthouse: €55
🍽️ Take-away and market: €20
🚌 Bus + bike: €5
🎫 Vallée de Mai included: €20

Recommended

Comfort

€240

per day

🏨 Côte d'Or boutique hotel: €160
🍽️ Creole restos: €35
🚗 Rental car
🎫 Curieuse + Vallée de Mai

Premium

€650

per day

🏨 Constance Lemuria, Six Senses, Raffles: €500
🍽️ Hotel & fine dining: €80
🚗 Private driver + boat
🎫 Spa & private outings

Our tested itinerary

Praslin in 3 days

Day-by-day program.

Day 1: arrival and Vallée de Mai

Morning Ferry from Mahé (1h) or internal flight (15 min)
11am Hotel check-in in Côte d'Or
2pm Vallée de Mai (UNESCO reserve, 1h30)
5pm Anse Volbert beach, first swim
7pm Creole dinner in Côte d'Or

Day 2: Anse Lazio (the beach)

9am Drive to Anse Lazio (20 min)
10am Beach, swim, snorkel
1pm Lunch at Bonbon Plume (Creole)
3pm Relax on beach and granite boulders
6pm Back to Côte d'Or, sunset

Day 3: Curieuse Island (day trip)

9am Boarding Côte d'Or to Curieuse
10am Aldabra giant tortoises at Curieuse
1pm BBQ beach lunch
3pm Snorkeling at Saint-Pierre Islet
5pm Back to Praslin
8pm Hotel fine-dining dinner

Day 4: Anse Georgette or La Digue

8am Option A: walk to Anse Georgette (via Constance Lemuria)
8am Option B: ferry to La Digue (15 min), day by bike
8pm Back to Praslin for the last night

Detailed itinerary →

Around

Day trips from Praslin

📍

La Digue

15-min ferry · Anse Source d'Argent, island by bike

📍

Curieuse Island

20-min boat · Aldabra giant tortoises and mangrove

📍

Saint-Pierre Islet

10-min boat · Snorkeling on granite reefs

📍

Mahé

1-h ferry · Main island, Victoria, Beau Vallon

FAQ

Praslin FAQ

How many days for Praslin? +

Three nights cover Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio, Curieuse and Anse Volbert. Four to five nights add Anse Georgette, a La Digue day and some leisure. Most visitors fold Praslin into an 8-10 day Mahé-Praslin-La Digue combo.

How do you get to Praslin from Mahé? +

Cat Cocos ferry: 4-5 daily departures, 1h crossing, ~€60 round trip. More scenic but subject to cancellations in rough seas (SE monsoon, Jun-Aug). Air Seychelles internal flight: 15 min, ~€100 round trip, 8-10 daily flights, more reliable. PRI airport 5 min from the east coast.

What's the Vallée de Mai entry in 2026? +

450 SCR (~€25) per adult non-resident, free for children under 12. Card or cash payment at the entrance gate. Self-guided visit 1h30-2h, or naturalist guide (~€30/person) for more context. Open 8am-5pm daily.

Anse Lazio or Anse Georgette? +

Anse Lazio is the more accessible (road, parking, restaurant), big, lively but photogenic. Anse Georgette is more paradisiacal but reachable only on foot (via Constance Lemuria golf course, hotel permission) or by boat. Do both if you stay 3+ nights.

Do you need a visa for Praslin? +

No visa for the Seychelles but Travel Authorization mandatory online before departure (seychelles.govtas.com, ~€10-15). Confirmation to show at boarding and on arrival in Mahé. See our [Seychelles formalities guide](/en/destinations/seychelles/practical/visa-seychelles/).

Is Praslin expensive? +

Yes, but slightly less than Mahé on average. Count €240/day in comfort, €600+ in premium. Self-catering possible in guesthouses, shopping at STC or Coral Coast Supermarket in Côte d'Or. Beach restaurants Bonbon Plume or Café des Arts €35-50.