Praslin and La Digue
Seychelles · a week from Baie Sainte Anne, Praslin · about 43 nautical miles
The narrated video for Praslin and La Digue is being recorded
It will appear here shortly. Everything you need for the week is below: the route, ports, mooring and weather.
The inner Seychelles are granite islands ringed by reef and white sand, close enough together for short, easy hops. Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse and the small islands around them hold the marine parks, the giant tortoises and the famous beaches. This loop is gentle: most days are under ten miles, which leaves long afternoons for snorkelling and walks ashore.
Where the charter boats are
Most charter fleets in the Seychelles are based at Baie Sainte Anne on Praslin, a short ferry ride or flight from the international airport on Mahé. The best islands for a week are all within a few miles of here. Some companies also sail from Eden Island marina on Mahé, some 20 to 25 miles to the south west, which adds a longer crossing at each end of the week.
Main bases: Baie Sainte Anne, Praslin. Marinas: Eden Island Marina, Mahé
When to go
- You can sail here all year: the inner islands lie outside the cyclone belt and the sea stays warm.
- The calm months between the monsoons, April and October to November, bring light winds and the clearest water for snorkelling.
- The south-east trades blow from May to October, strongest from June to September: dry, breezy and great sailing, with choppy crossings.
- The north-west monsoon, December to March, is hotter and wetter, with lighter winds and the odd squall. Christmas, New Year and the European summer holidays are the busiest weeks.
Weather
Warm all year, with the sea around 27 to 30 degrees. The year turns on two monsoons, with calm months between them.
south-east trade wind
from the south-east
Blows from May to October, usually 10 to 20 knots and fresher in July and August. Dry and cooler, with a short, steep chop in the channels between the islands.
north-west monsoon
from the north-west
Blows from December to March, usually light to moderate, with heat, humidity, heavy showers and the odd squall. Bays open to the north and west, such as Anse Lazio, can get rolly.
Forecasts
- Seychelles Meteorological Authority forecasts, online and on local radio.
- Wind apps such as Windy or PredictWind for the week ahead.
- Your charter company's briefing at check-in; the base can be reached by phone or radio during the week.
Sea temperature: About 26 °C in July and August, rising to 29 or 30 °C in March and April.
Where you moor
marina
Eden Island on Mahé is the only full-service marina. At Baie Sainte Anne the base team shows you where to berth.
town quay
Very few. The small harbour at La Passe on La Digue is busy with ferries: ask the harbour staff for space, or anchor just outside.
buoy
Some marine parks have moorings. Use them where provided, and expect rangers to collect the park fee.
anchor
The usual way to spend the night. Drop on clear sand, never on coral, and snorkel over the anchor to check it.
Filling up: water, power and fuel
| Port | Type | Water | Power | Fuel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baie Sainte Anne | Marina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Charter base: start and finish. Fuel from the station near the jetty: the base explains how to refuel. |
| La Digue | Anchorage | – | – | – | Small, busy ferry harbour at La Passe. Anchor outside or ask the harbour staff about space inside. Ask the base whether water or fuel can be arranged here. |
| Félicité | Anchorage | – | – | – | Sand off the west coast, sheltered from the south-east trades. Private resort island: check before landing. |
| Curieuse | Anchorage | – | – | – | Baie Laraie, inside the marine park. Park fee collected by rangers. Anchor on sand only. |
| Anse Lazio | Anchorage | – | – | – | Sand off the beach. Sheltered in the south-east trades; open to the north and west. |
| Grand Anse | Anchorage | – | – | – | Off Praslin's main village, with shops and restaurants ashore. Shallow reef close in: anchor in good light. |
A sample week
Saturday: Saturday is check-in day. Most crews fly into Mahé, then take the fast ferry or a short flight to Praslin. Boats are usually ready in the afternoon: do the boat briefing, stow the shopping and spend the first night aboard in Baie Sainte Anne.
Sunday · about 4 nm
Baie Sainte Anne → La Digue
A short hop across the channel to La Digue, so the afternoon is free to explore ashore. In the trade wind season the crossing can be choppy, but it only takes an hour or so.
- Cycle to Anse Source d'Argent
- Visit the tortoises at L'Union Estate
- Watch the sunset over Praslin
Overnight: At anchor off La Passe, or inside the small harbour if the harbour staff can find you space.
Monday · about 5 nm
La Digue → Félicité
North round La Digue to Coco Island, the smallest marine park in the Seychelles, for a morning of snorkelling, then across to Félicité for the night.
On the way: Coco Island is open in the daytime only and park fees apply. Use a park mooring if one is free, and never anchor on the coral.
- Snorkel the reef at Coco Island
- Swim off Félicité in gin-clear water
- Watch the sun set behind La Digue
Overnight: At anchor on sand off the west coast of Félicité, sheltered from the trade wind. Most of the island is a private resort, so check before landing.
Tuesday · about 10 nm
Félicité → Curieuse
The longest sail of the week, west along the north coast of Praslin, past the long beach of Anse Volbert, to the marine park on Curieuse.
- Meet the giant tortoises by the ranger station
- Walk the mangrove boardwalk
- Snorkel the reef in the marine park
Overnight: At anchor in Baie Laraie, inside Curieuse Marine National Park. Rangers come by to collect the park fee.
Wednesday · about 4 nm
Curieuse → Anse Lazio, Praslin
A short morning sail by way of the tiny granite islet of Saint Pierre for a snorkel, then west to Anse Lazio, often listed among the finest beaches in the world.
On the way: Saint Pierre: snorkel on the Praslin side, where the water is calmest. There is no landing.
- Snorkel the boulders at each end of the beach
- Lunch at a beach restaurant
- Stay for the sunset after the day trippers go
Overnight: At anchor on sand off the beach. Good shelter in the south-east trades, but open to the north-west monsoon: ask the base for the best spot in that season.
Thursday · about 10 nm
Anse Lazio → Grand Anse, Praslin
Round the west end of Praslin to Cousin Island, a bird reserve, for a guided visit, then a short hop to anchor off Grand Anse.
On the way: Cousin Island is open on weekday mornings only, and visitors land by the reserve's own boat. Leave early, anchor off on sand and ask the base how the landing works.
- Walk the reserve with a ranger
- Look for the rare Seychelles warbler
- Have dinner ashore in Grand Anse
Overnight: At anchor on sand off Grand Anse, Praslin's main village on the south-west coast. Keep clear of the reef close inshore.
Friday · about 10 nm
Grand Anse → Baie Sainte Anne
Round the south coast of Praslin and back into Baie Sainte Anne, with time for a last swim on the way.
- See coco de mer palms in the Vallée de Mai
- Stop for a last swim on the south coast
- Refuel before the base closes
Overnight: The last night is back at the base, with a farewell dinner ashore.
Friday evening and Saturday: Be back in Baie Sainte Anne by Friday afternoon, refuelled, for the check-in inspection. Saturday morning is check-out, so allow time for the ferry or flight back to Mahé.
Navigation and mooring
- The granite islands are fringed by coral reefs and isolated coral heads. Navigate in good light, with the sun high or behind you, and keep a lookout on the bow.
- Never anchor on coral. Drop on clear sand, which shows as pale turquoise patches, and check the anchor by snorkelling.
- Sail in daylight only. Charter contracts generally ban night sailing, and it is dark by about half past six all year.
- Small fishing boats, pots and floats are often unlit. Another reason to be at anchor well before sunset.
- Marine park boundaries are marked by buoys. Inside them there is no fishing and no collecting, and rangers collect the park fees.
Provisioning
- Small supermarkets on Praslin and La Digue; the biggest choice is on Mahé, in Victoria and at Eden Island. Most food is imported, so prices are high.
- Many charter companies deliver a pre-ordered shop to the boat. Bring any special items from home.
- Buy fresh fish where the fishing boats land. Creole restaurants and beach cafés at most stops.
Rules and fees
- The charter company arranges the cruising permit and the crew list. Any permit fees are settled at check-in: ask the base for the current amount.
- Marine parks and reserves, including Curieuse, Coco Island and Cousin, charge fees, collected by rangers or at the landing. No fishing, no collecting shells or coral, and no anchoring on coral. Check the current fees and rules before you go.
- Cousin Island is open on weekday mornings only, and visitors land by the reserve's own boat. Skippers need a recognised licence: add a skipper if nobody aboard has one.
A planning guide, not a navigational publication. Maps are simplified and distances approximate (Coastline © OpenStreetMap contributors). Always use official charts, the current pilot book, local notices and the latest forecast, and follow your charter company's briefing.