Praslin & La Digue

Anse Source d'Argent

Anse Source d'Argent is a granite-boulder beach on La Digue's south-west coast, reached only through L'Union Estate (SCR 150 day pass for foreign nationals; estate site, checked 16 September 2026). A reef keeps the water shallow and calm, so swimming depends on the tide: wading at low water, swimmable at high.

Last verified 16 September 2026

Aerial view of granite boulders, pale sand and shallow reef at Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue
Photo by seytales on Unsplash

What it is

Anse Source d'Argent runs along the south-west coast of La Digue inside L'Union Estate, a former coconut and vanilla plantation now run by a government-owned company. Huge granite boulders shaped by the weather line the sand. The Seychelles Tourism Board calls it one of the country's busiest beaches and says it is reputed to be the most photographed beach in the world, a description the estate repeats.

Getting in

There is no free public path. You enter through the estate, which charges foreign nationals SCR 150 for a day pass and opens from 6am to 6pm (L'Union Estate, checked 16 September 2026). Most visitors cycle; the estate puts the ride from the jetty at about 15 minutes, and walking or a car drop-off also work. The ticket also covers the estate's plantation house, copra mill, vanilla rows and giant Aldabra tortoises.

The water

A coral reef shelters the bay, so the sea inside is shallow and calm. That same shallowness means the tide decides your day. At low tide much of the water is too shallow to swim, and at high tide it is deep enough to swim while staying manageable for most people, though high water can also cover parts of the sand. Low tide is when you can walk south over the coral to Anse Pierrot, in reef shoes.

Timing

SeyVillas reports the beach is busiest between about 10.00 and 17.00, so an early start gives you the boulders with fewer people. Check a tide table the evening before and plan swimming around high water.

From here

The estate describes Anse Source d'Argent as the starting point for coastal walks south towards Anse Marron, a hike that SeyVillas says is only possible with a guide. The estate also mentions kayak tours from the beach.

Best for

  • photography
  • families (shallow, reef-protected water)
  • swimming at high tide
  • combining with L'Union Estate heritage sites

Getting there

Access is through L'Union Estate only. Entry fee: SCR 150 for foreign nationals, a day pass; a ticket bought after 4.30pm is valid for the next day, and visitors staying more than 5 days on the island get a special rate (L'Union Estate official site, checked 16 September 2026). The Seychelles Tourism Board listing for L'Union Estate Company Ltd, updated 2 September 2026, shows a rate range of SCR 150 to 175 and does not explain the higher figure, so confirm the price at the gate. Opening hours are 6am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday, including public holidays (estate site, checked 16 September 2026). Bike: about 15 minutes from the La Passe jetty (estate's figure); on foot or by car drop-off also possible. At low tide you can walk south along the coral to Anse Pierrot; wear reef shoes.

Facilities

Inside L'Union Estate: places serving Creole food, small craft and souvenir shops, an art gallery, and a Takamaka rum showroom and tasting bar (added late 2025), per the estate. SeyVillas lists a restaurant, toilets and parking near the beach entrance and fruit stands at the far end of the beach. Natural shade from the boulders and palms.

Swimming

Reef-protected, shallow and calm, so tide-dependent. At low tide the water is too shallow for proper swimming; at high tide it is deep enough to swim while staying within reach for most swimmers, and high tide can cover parts of the beach (SeyVillas). Seaweed is occasionally present. Neither the estate nor SeyVillas mentions a lifeguard.

Snorkelling

SeyVillas rates conditions as good for snorkelling at high tide, inside the reef. The estate's site mentions kayak tours from the beach, and a separate tour seller at lunionestate.com offers transparent kayak tours.

Map of Anse Source d'Argent

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Beach

Anse Source d'Argent

Map of Anse Source d'Argent with nearby beaches and places to stayCoastline © OpenStreetMap contributors. Positions are approximate.
The 50 places on this map

Places to stay near Anse Source d'Argent

  • Villa Roche Bois

    Guesthouse in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Villa Roche Bois is a guesthouse in a quiet garden in the Anse Réunion district of La Digue, run as an extension of Pension Michel, with a fully equipped kitchen, a veranda with a hammock and buggy transfers.

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

    Affiliate link

  • 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
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Chloe's Cottage

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Chloe's Cottage is a self-catering property with a garden and mountain views at Anse Réunion on La Digue, offering buggy transfers, meals on request and bicycle rental.

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

    Affiliate link

  • Mountain View Hotel

    Hotel in Grand Anse, La Digue

    Mountain View Hotel is a ten-room hotel in the hills above Grand Anse on La Digue, reached by a steep access road. It has mountain views, a small outdoor pool, a restaurant and a bar, and SeyVillas puts Anse Source d'Argent about 2 km away.

    • Families
    • Pool
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • Mazu Self-Catering Apartments

    Self-catering in L'Union, La Digue

    Five modern one-bedroom self-catering apartments with a communal pool and pool bar at L'Union, near the Veuve nature reserve. There is a small souvenir shop on site.

    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    • Pool

  • Zanboza Guesthouse

    Guesthouse in South La Digue, La Digue

    Zanboza Guesthouse is a Creole-style house with five bedrooms in the south of La Digue, run by owners Wilfrid and Monica, who put Grand Anse and Anse Source d'Argent five minutes away by bicycle.

    • Families
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

  • The Garden Villas

    Villa in L'Union, La Digue

    The Garden Villas is a two-bedroom self-catering villa near L'Union Estate on La Digue, sleeping up to six, with a private garden, terraces, mountain views and free private parking.

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

    Affiliate link

  • Dan Zoranz Self Catering Guest House

    Self-catering in Grand Anse, La Digue

    A single chalet split into two self-catering studios in a large tropical garden inland from Grand Anse, La Digue. Both studios have a kitchen, air conditioning and wifi, and the whole chalet can be booked by a group.

    • Self-catering

  • La Bel Zilwaz

    Self-catering in Anse Réunion, La Digue

    Two self-catering units in a garden on the mountainside inland of Anse Réunion, La Digue, with breakfast served and dinner on request. The owners also rent bicycles.

    • Self-catering
    Check availability on Booking.com

    Affiliate link

Where to stay on La Digue

Questions

Do I have to pay to visit Anse Source d'Argent?
Yes. The only way in is through L'Union Estate, which charges foreign nationals SCR 150 for a day pass, according to the estate's own site checked on 16 September 2026. A ticket bought after 4.30pm is valid the following day.
When should I swim at Anse Source d'Argent?
Around high tide. The reef keeps the bay shallow, and at low tide much of it is too shallow to swim. Low tide suits walking and photographs instead.
What are the opening hours?
L'Union Estate lists 6am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday, including public holidays (estate site, checked 16 September 2026). During the festive season the estate allows entry after 6pm for its art and light installations.
Do you have to pay to go to Anse Source d'Argent?
Yes. Anse Source d'Argent is reached through L'Union Estate, which charges foreign nationals SCR 150 for a one-day pass and opens daily from 6am to 6pm (estate website, checked 16 September 2026).
How do I get to Anse Source d'Argent from the La Digue jetty?
Follow the coastal road from the jetty to its end at L'Union Estate on La Digue's south-west coast, about 15 minutes by bicycle according to the estate; the path to Anse Source d'Argent runs through the estate park. Foreign nationals pay SCR 150 entry (estate website, checked 16 September 2026). Bicycles are the main way to get around La Digue.
Is Anse Source d'Argent busy?
Yes. Tourism Seychelles lists Anse Source d'Argent as one of the busiest beaches in Seychelles and says it is reputed to be the most photographed beach in the world.
What is L'Union Estate on La Digue?
L'Union Estate is a former plantation at Anse Réunion on La Digue, now a heritage park and the gateway to Anse Source d'Argent. Entry is SCR 150 for foreign nationals, open 6.00 to 18.00 daily (L'Union Estate, checked 16 September 2026). Inside are the plantation house, an ox-driven copra mill, a vanilla plantation and Aldabra giant tortoises.

Sources

Details last verified 16 September 2026.