Beau Vallon

Beau Vallon is the beach that does the practical work on Mahe. It is a long, broad sweep of pale sand on the north west coast, the widest and most easygoing beach on the main island, and it is where most first time visitors end up basing themselves. If the granite coves of La Digue are about scenery and solitude, Beau Vallon is about convenience, a place where you can swim, take a lesson, eat well and watch the sun go down without arranging a thing.

The swimming is reliable and that matters. The bay is usually calm and shelves gently, which makes it one of the more dependable swimming beaches on Mahe for families, although a seasonal swell can roll in and lifeguard cover is only sometimes present, so the usual judgement applies. Around the water you will find dive centres, water sports operators and boat trips, because this is the hub for getting out on and under the sea on the main island.

The trade off is that it is busy and built up by Seychelles standards. A run of hotels lines the bay, among them Coral Strand and the Savoy, and their frontages bring bars, loungers and service to the sand for guests and, in places, day visitors. That gives Beau Vallon a sociable, almost resort town feel, with a lively evening scene and a popular bazaar nearby on certain days. People who want wild emptiness should look south to Anse Intendance, but those who want one easy base will find it hard to beat.

Think of Beau Vallon as the anchor for a Mahe trip rather than its most beautiful beach. Use it to swim, learn to dive, eat by the water and catch the sunset, then take day trips to the wilder bays. The hotel frontages handle daybeds and drinks, and for organised clubs and current spend bands across Mahe, our Seychelles beach clubs directory is the place to start.