Praslin & La Digue

La Digue

La Digue is a granite island in Seychelles, 7 km from Praslin and about 40 km from Mahé, with no airport. Ferries take 15 minutes from Praslin, bicycles are the main way around, and its beaches range from Anse Source d'Argent, reached through L'Union Estate, to the rougher east-coast bays around Grand Anse.

Last verified 16 September 2026

A granite boulder in shallow water off La Digue, framed by palms and coastal plants
Photo by Christian Cacciamani on Unsplash

The island at a glance

La Digue lies 7 km from Praslin and about 40 km from Mahé, and the tourism board ranks it the fourth-largest island in Seychelles. It covers about 10 km² and measures roughly 5 km by 3.3 km. The 2022 census counted 3,133 people on the island.

There is no airport. Visitors arrive by boat at the jetty in La Passe, and the tourism board describes La Digue as a place where the bicycle still holds sway. The highest point, Nid d'Aigle, reaches 333 m. The Notre Dame de l'Assomption church was the island's first Catholic church, built in 1864, and its feast on 15 August is a major event on La Digue.

Where to base yourself

The tourism board notes that most hotels are on the west coast, while the east coast is wilder. On 16 September 2026 its website listed 89 places to stay on La Digue: 51 self-catering, 28 guesthouses and 10 hotels, with none classed as resorts.

La Passe, around the jetty, is where bike hire shops and the ferries are. Anse Réunion, south along the west coast, is home to the Veuve Special Reserve and L'Union Estate, and the tourism board files 46 of its La Digue listings under Anse Réunion or La Réunion. L'Union, further south, is where the estate opens onto Anse Source d'Argent. Grand Anse on the south-east coast is about a 40-minute bike ride from the harbour.

Getting around

Cat Cocos fast ferries take 15 minutes from Praslin, 1 hour 10 minutes direct from Mahé, or 1 hour 45 minutes from Mahé via Praslin.

A transport policy approved in 2022 keeps bicycles as the main way around, and petrol motorbikes and scooters are not permitted. Under the 2022 transport policy, bicycles must be licensed and insured and e-bike riders must wear helmets. Amendments approved in March 2024 limit e-bikes to 300 W, bar riders under 16 and require helmets for children under 14 on bicycles. Bike hire businesses must supply helmets to customers under 14. The 2022 policy allowed up to 12 club cars to work as taxis alongside 8 licensed taxi operators. A 2019 Seychelles News Agency guide reported no car hire on the island, with bikes available from guesthouses, hotels and shops in La Passe.

The tourism board noted in 2025 that one ox cart remains, used mainly for weddings, and that buggies take visitors to the sights.

Beaches

Anse Source d'Argent is reached through L'Union Estate, and the tourism board lists it among the busiest beaches in Seychelles. About 1 km south, Anse Pierrot is shallow and shaded but can disappear at high tide. Anse Marron at the southern tip has a shallow, sheltered pool, but the path is slippery, the tourism board advises booking a guide, and it does not recommend bringing children.

On the east coast, Grand Anse has deep water and rough seas in the south-east monsoon. The tourism board says it is not safe to swim there or at neighbouring Petite Anse, where signposts warn swimmers (tourism board listings, updated September 2024). Anse Coco can only be reached on foot from Grand Anse or Anse Fourmis. It is more sheltered than its neighbours, but currents can still be strong. In the north, Anse Sévère has shallow water and a reef for snorkelling, and Anse Patates, close to the road, has calm water for swimming and snorkelling.

What to do

L'Union Estate is a former coconut and vanilla plantation with a plantation house, an ox-driven copra mill, a vanilla plantation and Aldabra giant tortoises. A Takamaka Rum tasting bar opened there in late 2025. The Veuve Special Reserve covers 21 ha of the island's western plateau and protects the black paradise flycatcher, and its staff help visitors find the birds.

The tourism board recommends the hike to Nid d'Aigle, transparent-kayak trips at Anse Source d'Argent and day trips to Félicité and Coco. Ile Cocos Marine National Park is a 10-minute boat ride away. It is known for hawksbill turtles, and whale sharks can be seen there from around August to November.

Practical notes

L'Union Estate opens daily from 6:00 to 18:00. Entry for foreign nationals is SCR 150 and lasts for the day, or for the next day if bought after 16:30, and stays of more than five days qualify for a special rate (L'Union Estate, checked 16 September 2026). The Veuve Special Reserve opens Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 15:00, with entry at SCR 150 for non-citizens or SCR 200 for a guided tour. Ile Cocos Marine National Park opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00 and charges SCR 200 for non-residents over 12 (Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, checked 16 September 2026).

La Digue at a glance

Area
10.08 km²
Length and width
About 5 km long and 3.3 km wide
Population
3,133 (2022 census, La Digue island)
Size ranking
Fourth-largest island in Seychelles, after Mahé, Praslin and Silhouette
Distance from Mahé
About 40 km
Distance from Praslin
About 7 km
Ferry from Praslin
15 minutes by Cat Cocos
Ferry from Mahé
1 hour 10 minutes direct, or 1 hour 45 minutes via Praslin, by Cat Cocos
Airport
None
Arrival point
Jetty at La Passe
Main settlements
La Passe and Anse Réunion (La Réunion)
Highest point
Nid d'Aigle, 333 m
Main transport
Bicycles; bikes licensed and insured, helmets for e-bike riders, no petrol motorbikes or scooters (2022 policy); e-bikes up to 300 W, no riders under 16, helmets for children under 14 on bicycles (2024 amendments)
Taxis
8 licensed taxi operators plus up to 12 club cars permitted as taxis (2022 policy)
Protected bird
Seychelles black paradise flycatcher, protected in the Veuve Special Reserve
Places to stay listed by the tourism board
89 on 16 Sep 2026: 51 self-catering, 28 guesthouses, 10 hotels, 0 resorts
Food and drink listings on the tourism board site
29 on 16 Sep 2026
Island feast day
15 August, Feast of the Assumption

Map of La Digue

622312321198424438722385
Map of La Digue: places to stay, beaches and things to doCoastline © OpenStreetMap contributors. Positions are approximate.
The 127 places on this map

Places to stay on La Digue

112 places to stay

  • Agnes' Cottage

    Guesthouse in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Agnes' Cottage is a four-room, family-run self-catering guesthouse at Anse Réunion on La Digue, away from the busier roads and about five minutes from Anse Source d'Argent.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Ambiance Villa

    Villa in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    A self-catering family house with a pool and garden at Anse Réunion, on La Digue's west coast, a short walk from the beach. The owners mention a reggae bar next door.

    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    • Pool
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Anse Grosse Roche Beach Villa

    Self-catering in Anse Grosse Roche, La Digue

    Four self-catering villas on La Digue's quiet north-east coast, facing Anse Grosse Roche beach across a road used mostly by bicycles. Three suit couples and a two-bedroom bungalow takes families.

    • Beachfront
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Auberge De Nadege

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    A small self-catering guesthouse at Anse Réunion on La Digue, registered with the tourism board for four rooms. The owners offer free wifi, beach towels and dinner on request.

    • Self-catering
  • Badamier Self Catering

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Badamier Self Catering is a small self-catering guesthouse at Anse Réunion on La Digue, with air-conditioned rooms and barbecue facilities, not far from shops and Anse Source d'Argent.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Belle Amie Self Catering

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Self-catering apartments in a Creole-style house and garden at Anse Réunion on La Digue, across the road from La Digue Island Lodge. The owners put the beach about 70 metres away, and the owner cooks Creole dinners on request.

    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Belle des Iles Guest House

    Guesthouse in La Digue

    A small self-catering guesthouse with three units in a garden, inland on La Digue. Each unit has cooking facilities, and guests share a small pool and barbecue.

    • Self-catering
    • Pool
  • Benjamine Guest House

    Guesthouse in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Benjamine Guest House is a guesthouse at Anse Réunion on La Digue, about seven minutes' walk from the nearest beach, offering jetty pick-ups, bicycle rental, garden barbecues and fishing and island trips.

    • Families
    • Pool
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Bethel's Villa

    Self-catering in Anse Sévère, La Digue

    A licensed self-catering property at Anse Sévère on La Digue, with five rooms and ten beds on the Tourism Department register. Few details are published, so check rooms, meals and facilities with the owners.

    • Self-catering
  • Bois d'Amour

    Chalet in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Bois d'Amour is a group of wooden Creole-style self-catering chalets in a large garden at the foot of a hillside in Anse Réunion, La Digue, about 1 km from the jetty.

    • Self-catering
  • Bord Mer Luxury Apartments

    Apartment in La Passe, La Digue

    Air-conditioned studios and a penthouse apartment in La Passe, near La Digue's harbour. Breakfast and dinner are served at the Fish Trap restaurant across the road.

    • Couples
    • Self-catering
  • Buisson Guest House

    Guesthouse in La Passe, La Digue

    A small family-run guesthouse in a leafy garden at La Passe, a few minutes' walk from the La Digue jetty. Guests have use of a fully equipped kitchen and a communal lounge, and dinner can be booked on site.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Bwaver Cottage

    Guesthouse in L'Union / Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Bwaver Cottage is a simple five-bedroom Creole-style guesthouse in L'Union village on La Digue, where the host serves local breakfasts under the veranda and cooks Creole meals.

    • Families
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Casa de Leela

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Casa de Leela is a complex of self-catering bungalows and apartments around a swimming pool in a tropical garden at Anse Réunion on La Digue, five minutes' walk from the beach, with bicycle rental on site.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    • Pool
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Chalets d'Anse Réunion

    Chalet in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Chalets d'Anse Réunion is a set of three self-catering bungalows at Anse Réunion on La Digue, each sleeping up to four, five to ten minutes from the jetty with shops and restaurants within walking distance.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Chateau St Cloud

    Hotel in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Chateau St Cloud is a 24-room hotel in a tropical garden at the foot of Eagle's Nest Mountain, in the Anse Réunion area of La Digue. It has a pool, a Creole restaurant, a poolside bar and bicycles to rent, and Anse Réunion beach is about 15 minutes' walk away.

    • Families
    • Pool
    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Chez Marston

    Hotel in La Passe, La Digue

    Chez Marston is a five-room small hotel at La Passe on La Digue, about 300 metres from La Digue Marina. Built in 1993 and, according to SeyVillas, renovated in 2024, it has a garden, café, restaurant and bar, bike hire and air-conditioned rooms with a balcony or terrace.

    More information
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

Areas of La Digue

Beaches on La Digue

Things to do on La Digue

Itineraries

Questions

How do I get to La Digue?
By ferry, since the island has no airport. Cat Cocos takes 15 minutes from Praslin, 1 hour 10 minutes direct from Mahé, or 1 hour 45 minutes from Mahé via Praslin. Boats arrive at the jetty in La Passe.
Can I hire a car on La Digue?
A 2019 Seychelles News Agency guide reported no car rental on the island and only a handful of taxis. A 2022 transport policy allowed 8 licensed taxi operators plus up to 12 club cars to run as taxis.
Can I ride an e-bike or scooter on La Digue?
Under the 2022 transport policy, bicycles must be licensed and insured and e-bike riders must wear helmets. Amendments approved in March 2024 limit e-bikes to 300 W, bar riders under 16 and require helmets for children under 14 on bicycles. The 2022 policy does not permit petrol motorbikes or scooters.
How do I get to Anse Source d'Argent?
Through L'Union Estate, about a 15-minute bike ride from the jetty. The estate opens daily from 6:00 to 18:00, and entry for foreign nationals is SCR 150 for the day (L'Union Estate, checked 16 September 2026).
Can I swim at Grand Anse on La Digue?
The tourism board advises against it. Its listings (updated September 2024) say it is not safe to swim at Grand Anse or neighbouring Petite Anse, where signposts warn swimmers, and describe deep water and rough seas in the south-east monsoon. For calmer water, it points to Anse Sévère and Anse Patates in the north.
Where can I see the paradise flycatcher?
In the Veuve Special Reserve at Anse Réunion, where staff help visitors find the birds. It opens Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 15:00, and entry is SCR 150, or SCR 200 with a guide (Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, checked 16 September 2026).
Can I visit Ile Cocos from La Digue?
Yes. Ile Cocos Marine National Park is about 10 minutes by boat, with trips run by tour operators and boat charters from La Digue or Praslin. The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority lists entry for non-residents over 12 at SCR 200 (checked 16 September 2026).
How many people live on La Digue?
The 2022 census counted 3,133 people on La Digue island.
What happens on 15 August?
It is the feast of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the island's first Catholic church, and the tourism board describes it as a major event on La Digue.
How far is La Digue from Praslin and Mahé?
La Digue is about 7 km from Praslin and about 40 km from Mahé, according to Tourism Seychelles.
Which islands can I visit from La Digue?
Tourism Seychelles names La Digue as a stepping stone to Grande Soeur, Petite Soeur, Félicité, Coco and Marianne, all reached by boat trips from the island.
What does the Veuve Reserve on La Digue cost to enter?
Non-citizens over 12 pay SCR 150 to visit the Veuve Reserve on La Digue unguided or SCR 200 with a guide, by card on site (Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, checked 16 September 2026). It opens 8am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 3pm on Saturdays.
Can I swim on La Digue in July?
You can, but choose west- or north-west-facing beaches. The Seychelles Meteorological Authority says south- and south-east-facing beaches are not very pleasant in July, with weed washed ashore, and UK government advice (checked 16 September 2026) is that east coasts are generally unsafe from around May to September.
What are the top things to do on La Digue?
Things to do on La Digue include visiting Anse Source d'Argent, reached through L'Union Estate; looking for the black paradise flycatcher in the Veuve Special Reserve; and walking to Anse Coco, which can be reached only on foot. La Digue is also a stepping stone for boat trips to Félicité, Coco, Marianne and the Sister islands.
Where can I see the black paradise flycatcher on La Digue?
Visit the Veuve Special Reserve on La Digue's west side, a 21-hectare reserve set up for the rare Seychelles black paradise flycatcher, with a visitor centre and staff who can help you find the birds.
Are there supermarkets on La Digue?
La Digue has small convenience stores, which Tourism Seychelles (checked 16 September 2026) says often open between 7.00 and 9.00 and close between 20.00 and 23.00, even on Sundays. The major supermarket complexes it names are all on Mahé.
Are there mosquitoes and sandflies on La Digue?
Yes, there are mosquitoes: TravelHealthPro (checked 16 September 2026) reports a risk of the mosquito-borne diseases dengue and chikungunya in Seychelles, and Tourism Seychelles lists insect repellent as a year-round essential.
Do I need to cover up away from the beach in Seychelles?
Yes, a little. Tourism Seychelles advises beachwear only on beaches and at pools, modest dress in towns and shops, and shoulders and knees covered at religious sites.

Sources

Details last verified 16 September 2026.