Anse Petite Cour Beach

From the west coast road near Grand Anse, a rough track leads to the beach — allow around five minutes by car from the main road. There is no formal parking; leave your vehicle at the end of the rough track as best you can. No entry fee applies, but the track and the rock shelves at the shore demand sure footing and a willingness to navigate without signage. Ferry access to Praslin is available from Mahé, with the nearest major gateway being Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), approximately 47km away.

Just 0.2km away there's a noted snorkelling spot — a small passage from the road where locals go to observe fish, worth a look if you're in the water during calm months. A short drive brings you to the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 5km away protecting the extraordinary coco de mer palm forest — don't skip it. Anse Kerlan, roughly 4km north, is a broad bay and a significant hawksbill turtle nesting site. Giant tortoise encounters are possible around 1.1km from the beach.

The closest option is St Pierre Beach Restaurant, about 0.9km away, followed by Cafe des Arts with its seafood focus at 1.1km. Le Dauphin sits 1.2km out, and a pizzeria is reachable within 1.4km if you want something casual after the trek. Pack your own water and snacks regardless — there is nothing at the beach itself.

Le Domaine de La Réserve is the closest property at just 0.2km, making it the obvious base if you want to return to Anse Petite Cour at different times of day. Hotel Berjaya Praslin at 1.3km and Laurier Eco Hotel at 1.4km offer further options nearby. Village du Pecheur and Villa Rafia are both within 1.5km if you prefer a smaller-scale stay.

The granite outcrops at either end of the beach make the strongest compositional anchors — shoot from the rock shelves at low tide in the early morning when the golden sand catches warm directional light. The blue water framed between the boulders works best on clear-sky days between May and October when the swell is calm and the light is sharp.

Avoid visiting between November and March — northwest swell makes conditions rough and the water unsafe during those months. There is no shade anywhere on this beach, so bring strong sun protection and cover up; sunburn risk is real and high. Carry out every piece of waste you bring in, as there are no bins or facilities of any kind. Local knowledge genuinely helps here — if you can ask someone in Anse Boudin village for the current track condition before you set off, do it.