Praslin & La Digue
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Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

A long, open bay on Praslin's south-west coast beside Grand Anse village, with shallow water, shops, restaurants and bus stops along the road behind it. The Seychelles Meteorological Authority puts weed on south-facing beaches from June to September, SeyVillas from May to September, and parts of the sand go under at high tide. Kite Seychelles calls it the home spot of Praslin's kitesurfers and windsurfers.

Last verified 16 September 2026

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The beach

Grand Anse is the long bay on Praslin's south-west side, beside the village of the same name. SeyVillas and Tourism Seychelles describe it under the name Fond de l'Anse, and SeyVillas gives its size as 2,000 m by 20 m. How far the name reaches is not settled: seychelles.cc describes Grand Anse as running from the airport to the point where the road turns inland for the Vallée de Mai, and the OpenStreetMap outline called Grand'Anse Praslin Beach has extreme points about 5.2 km apart in a straight line. Praslin Island Airport is about 1.2 km from the middle of the bay in a straight line.

Getting there

SPTC bus stops are mapped in both directions behind the sand at Amitie Agri, Tambi Shop, St Joseph School and Ex F. Dutchman, on routes 61, 62 and 63, two of them tagged via the Vallée de Mai (OpenStreetMap, 20 September 2026). SPTC publishes no Praslin timetable: the downloads on its timetable page, dated August 2026, cover Mahé routes only. Its Visitor Travel Card gives unlimited travel on standard buses on Mahé and Praslin at SCR 100 or EUR 5 for one day, SCR 198 or EUR 12 for four consecutive days and SCR 363 or EUR 22 for eight, tapped on the bus reader, one card per passenger (sptc.sc, 20 September 2026).

What is there

SeyVillas lists a WC, restaurant, parking, shade, a bus stop and a coral reef for the beach. OpenStreetMap has no public toilet, shower, drinking water point or car park mapped within 1.5 km of it (20 September 2026), so the two accounts disagree and what can be relied on sits behind the road: three grocery shops, Josephs Takeaway, Le Paradisier, Breeze Garden with its bar and pizzeria, Beach House at Bliss Hotel and KokoSol at Indian Ocean Lodge, which calls this a west-facing beach and one of the better vantage points for the sunset.

Wind, weed and the seasons

The Seychelles Meteorological Authority's climate guide says the south-east trades set in during May, are well established and windy through June, and peak in August, when the sea is "certainly forbidding for amateurs". Of July it says: "The beaches exposed to the southeast winds (south and southeast) are not very pleasant with high incidence of weeds washed onshore ... (This condition are prevalent between June and September)." SeyVillas reports seaweed here from May to September. seychelles.cc describes the lagoon as covered with seaweed except where small rivers carry sand in, and says people snorkel in it looking for seahorses; it also describes erosion along this stretch and the long stone wall built behind the beach. The calm months in the same guide are April, the monsoon reversal, and November, when the winds drop and swing to the west.

Swimming

Tourism Seychelles says the water is shallow enough to swim without any problems, while SeyVillas' south-west Praslin page says the beach is good for walks but not ideal for swimming at all times, with small waves, shallow water and parts of the sand going under at high tide. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says there are not many lifeguards in Seychelles and that beaches do not always have safety information; no source consulted names a lifeguard service here.

Kitesurfing and windsurfing

Kite Seychelles calls Grand Anse the only kite spot in Seychelles that works in both seasons: the south-east trades from May to September and the north-west monsoon from November to March. It describes waves on the reef, flat water inside the lagoon and a beach wide enough to make launching and landing easy, calls it the home spot of Praslin's kitesurfers and windsurfers, and says slalom races run there between May and September on an open-to-all basis. SeyVillas says snorkelling and windsurfing equipment can be hired nearby.

Best for

  • Kitesurfing and windsurfing in both monsoons, with slalom races from May to September (Kite Seychelles)
  • Long beach walks (SeyVillas south-west Praslin guide)
  • Staying close to shops, takeaways and restaurants (SeyVillas; OpenStreetMap)
  • Reaching the beach by bus, on routes 61, 62 and 63 (OpenStreetMap)
  • Sunset on a west-facing beach (Indian Ocean Lodge)

Getting there

Walk from nearby accommodation, drive (SeyVillas counts parking by the main road and at hotels, though OpenStreetMap maps no car park within 1.5 km) or take the bus: SPTC stops at Amitie Agri, Tambi Shop, St Joseph School and Ex F. Dutchman are mapped in both directions on the road behind the beach and belong to routes 61, 62 and 63 (OpenStreetMap, 20 September 2026). SPTC publishes no Praslin timetable; its August 2026 downloads cover Mahé only. Its Visitor Travel Card gives unlimited travel on standard buses on Mahé and Praslin for SCR 100 or EUR 5 (one day), SCR 198 or EUR 12 (four consecutive days) and SCR 363 or EUR 22 (eight days), tapped on the bus reader, one card per passenger (sptc.sc, 20 September 2026). Taxi fares are set by distance at a single rate day and night, with meters sealed, calibrated and used whenever a passenger is aboard (Department of Transport, Taxi Operation Policy, May 2016). Praslin Island Airport is about 1.2 km away in a straight line (OpenStreetMap).

Facilities

Restaurants, takeaways and shops at points along the beach, snorkelling and windsurfing rentals from nearby establishments, and plenty of shade (SeyVillas), whose at-a-glance list for the beach also includes a WC, parking and a bus stop. OpenStreetMap has no public toilet, shower, drinking water point or car park mapped within 1.5 km (20 September 2026); among what it does map along the road are Sri Sai Supermarket, Tamby Store, Pick&Pack Minimarket, Josephs Takeaway (Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 20:00) and Le Paradisier (Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 to 21:00). Breeze Garden serves breakfast 08:00 to 11:30 and lunch and dinner 11:30 to 22:00, its bar to midnight and to 02:00 on Friday and Saturday (breezeseychelles.com, 20 September 2026); Bliss Hotel gives 08:00 to 21:30 for its Beach House restaurant; Indian Ocean Lodge has KokoSol on the beach.

Swimming

Shallow water with generally calm, small waves; some parts of the beach disappear at high tide; seaweed present from May to September (SeyVillas beach page). Tourism Seychelles says the water is shallow enough to swim without problems, while the SeyVillas south-west Praslin page says it is not ideal for swimming at all times. The Seychelles Meteorological Authority's climate guide says beaches exposed to the south-east winds have a high incidence of weeds washed onshore between June and September, that the sea gets rough as the trades peak in July and August, and that amateurs should then keep to the near-shore area. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says the west coast is unsafe during the north-west monsoon, around December to March, and the east coast during the south-east winds season, around May to September, that there are not many lifeguards, and that beaches do not always have safety information. No source consulted names a lifeguard service at this beach.

Snorkelling

SeyVillas and Tourism Seychelles describe the bay as good for snorkelling, and SeyVillas says equipment can be hired nearby. seychelles.cc says the lagoon is covered with seaweed away from the river mouths and that some visitors snorkel in it looking for seahorses. SeyVillas' own pick of the best snorkelling around Praslin is Anse Lazio and Anse Boudin rather than this bay.

Map of Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

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Beach

Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

Map of Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse) with nearby beaches and places to stayCoastline © OpenStreetMap contributors. Positions are approximate.
The 38 places on this map

Praslin or La Digue for beaches?Every beach on Praslin and La DigueWhat lives on the reef here

Open stays with live Booking.com links near Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

Distances are measured in a straight line from the beach; the walking or driving route may be longer.

Explore every bookable stay

  • Villas De Mer Hotel

    Hotel in Amitié, Praslin

    162 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Villas De Mer Hotel is a family-run hotel of 12 rooms directly on Amitié beach on Praslin's south coast, a few minutes from Praslin airport. It has a pool and a beachside restaurant and bar, and looks towards Cousin and Cousine islands.

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

    Affiliate link

  • Bijoutier Apartments

    Apartment in Amitié / Grand Anse, Praslin

    170 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Contemporary self-catering apartments with a pool and balconies at Amitié on Praslin, a few steps from Grand Anse beach and a short drive from the airport. No children under 12.

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

    Affiliate link

  • Villas des Alizes

    Guesthouse in Amitié, Grand Anse, Praslin

    182 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    A small beachfront guesthouse at Amitié on Grand Anse beach, on Praslin's west coast, with beach suites, a pool-view room and a two-bedroom garden villa around a small pool. Most units are self-catering, and breakfast can be added.

    • Beachfront
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • Villa Confort

    Guesthouse in Amitié, Praslin

    262 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    A family-run guesthouse at Amitié on Praslin, close to the airport, with guest rooms and a garden pool. The whole five-bedroom house can also be booked, and the beach at Amitié is about 200 m away.

    • Families
    • Pool
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • Ocean Jewels

    Self-catering in Amitié, Praslin

    269 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Ocean Jewels is a complex of four self-catering apartments and two small villas in a large tropical garden at Amitié, on Praslin's west coast, with a sandy path to Grand Anse beach about 50 m away. Breakfast can be added on request.

    • Beachfront
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
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  • Villa Aya

    Villa in Amitié, Praslin

    280 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Four self-catering villas of different sizes in a garden with a shared pool at Amitié, on Praslin's west coast, about 150 m from Grand Anse beach. The owners say the largest takes up to seven, and SeyVillas lists a free airport transfer on request.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    • Pool
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • Villa Laure

    Self-catering in Grand Anse, Praslin

    351 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Two self-catering two-bedroom villas, Villa Laure and Villa Lil, in a garden at Grand Anse on Praslin's west coast, about 260 metres from the beach. Each has its own kitchen, veranda and air conditioning.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • Le Tropique Villa

    Villa in Amitié / Grand Anse, Praslin

    373 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Le Tropique Villa is a beachfront self-catering property at Amitié, Grand Anse, on Praslin's west coast, with Creole-style garden and sea-view villas, beach loungers, pedalos and breakfast on request.

    • Beachfront
    • Self-catering
    More information
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  • Residence Praslinoise

    Self-catering in Grand Anse, Praslin

    475 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Residence Praslinoise is a self-catering guesthouse of studios, bungalows and two-bedroom apartments in gardens at Grand Anse, Praslin, a short stroll from the beach, with a pool, a communal barbecue area and gardens the owners say black parrots visit.

    • Families
    • Self-catering
    • Pool
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • Seashell Beach Villa

    Self-catering in Amitié, Praslin

    475 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    An eight-room self-catering villa on the beach at Amitié, on the Grand Anse coast of south-west Praslin, about 1 km from Praslin airport. Rooms are air-conditioned and en-suite, and three of the four room types take adults only.

    • Beachfront
    • Honeymoon
    • Self-catering
    More information
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  • Bliss Hotel Praslin

    Hotel in Grand Anse, Praslin

    547 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    Bliss Hotel Praslin is a hotel at Grand Anse on Praslin, split between Beach House rooms on the sand and Eden Garden rooms and chalets on the hillside behind. It has a pool, the Beach House restaurant and bar, and the Pure Bliss spa.

    • Beachfront
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Pool
    More information
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    Affiliate link

  • La Voi Del Mare

    Self-catering in Amitié, Grand Anse, Praslin

    686 m straight-line from Grand Anse (Fond de l'Anse)

    La Voi Del Mare is a Creole-style self-catering guesthouse on the beach at Grand Anse, Praslin, about 500 metres from the airport, with its own beach bar and bicycle rental. Local shops, a café and bus stops are within walking distance.

    • Beachfront
    • Self-catering
    More information
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Read the full where-to-stay guide for Praslin

Villas De Mer Hotel162 m in a straight line

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Questions

Is Grand Anse on Praslin good for swimming?
It is shallow and usually calm, but parts of the beach go under at high tide and SeyVillas reports seaweed from May to September. SeyVillas' area guide says it is good for walks but not ideal for swimming at all times, while Tourism Seychelles says the water is shallow enough to swim without problems. The FCDO says Seychelles beaches do not always have safety information and that there are not many lifeguards.
Is Fond de l'Anse the same as Grand Anse?
SeyVillas and Tourism Seychelles describe the Grand Anse beach under the name Fond de l'Anse.
When is there seaweed at Grand Anse?
SeyVillas gives May to September. The Seychelles Meteorological Authority's climate guide says beaches exposed to the south-east winds have a high incidence of weeds washed onshore and that the condition is prevalent between June and September. seychelles.cc describes the lagoon as covered with seaweed except where small rivers bring sand in.
Can you reach Grand Anse by bus?
Yes. OpenStreetMap maps SPTC stops in both directions at Amitie Agri, Tambi Shop, St Joseph School and Ex F. Dutchman on the road behind the beach, on routes 61, 62 and 63 (20 September 2026). SPTC does not publish a Praslin timetable, but it sells a Visitor Travel Card for unlimited travel at SCR 100 or EUR 5 for a day, SCR 198 or EUR 12 for four days and SCR 363 or EUR 22 for eight (sptc.sc, 20 September 2026).
Is Grand Anse a kitesurfing beach?
Kite Seychelles calls it the only spot in Seychelles that works in both the south-east trades (May to September) and the north-west monsoon (November to March), with waves on the reef and flat water inside the lagoon, and says kitesurf and windsurf slalom races run there from May to September, open to all.
Are there toilets at Grand Anse?
SeyVillas' at-a-glance list for the beach includes a WC, but OpenStreetMap has no public toilet, shower or drinking water point mapped within 1.5 km of it (20 September 2026). The restaurants and hotels along the road are the reliable option.

Sources

Details last verified 16 September 2026.