Seychelles Snorkeling Guide of Top Sites [Reviewed + Rated] 

As passionate snorkelers, I’ve put together a simple rating system to help readers quickly understand what each spot has to offer beneath the surface.

It’s important to remember that snorkeling conditions can change dramatically depending on the time of year or even the time of day. This is especially true in the Seychelles, where shifting weather patterns and ocean currents play a big role.

We explored the waters in early May, which is widely considered one of the ideal times to snorkel. From what I’ve gathered, the months of April, May, October, and November usually offer the most favorable conditions.

SeyVillas notes that April and November tend to have particularly calm seas and great visibility. On the flip side, temperatures can get quite high during these months due to minimal trade winds.

Check out my rating system below to see how each site measured up.

OVERALL SNORKEL RATING KEY

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   World-class snorkeling and worth traveling just for the snorkeling alone!

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Incredible snorkeling and should be on your list of top things to do!

🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Decent snorkeling and worth the effort!

🤿 🤿   =   Worth consideration if you are running out of things to do!

🤿   =   Not worth it!

Below is a snorkeling map highlighting the five unique snorkeling spots we discovered, along with a brief overview of each one.

For every location, I’ve created a detailed mini guide that covers everything you need to know: how to get there, the best entry points, where to snorkel, and the fish sightings we encountered.

If a particular spot catches your interest, be sure to check out its full mini guide for all the specifics.

Each mini guide also includes photos I took while snorkeling, captured with my go-to underwater camera.

Just a quick note. On this trip, we focused exclusively on snorkeling around Praslin and La Digue. We didn’t have the time to explore Mahe, although my research did turn up a few highly recommended spots there as well.

I’ve added those Mahe locations (in addition to a few other spots) for your consideration, though we haven’t personally visited them, so they’re not rated in this guide.

If you’ve snorkeled at any of these additional spots and found them worthwhile, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!

SUPER IMPORTANT

If you’re heading to the Seychelles and enjoy spending time in the water, I highly recommend bringing your own snorkeling gear.

We’ve been traveling with our own masks and travel fins for years, and it truly enhances the experience. Having equipment that fits you perfectly can make a huge difference in comfort and visibility while exploring underwater.

After snorkeling in countless destinations around the world, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to test different gear.

Here are my top gear recommendations based on what’s worked best for me.

Anse Georgette is absolutely breathtaking. It’s truly one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen! It’s even ranked among the top beaches in the world, and once you’re there, it’s easy to see why.

The sand feels like soft flour under your feet (and yes, it sticks too!), and the water is warm, clear, and a stunning shade of turquoise.

It’s a bit tricky to get to and requires some advance planning, but don’t worry, I’ve outlined everything you need to know in my Snorkeling Mini Guide below.

Above the surface, it’s a paradise. I wasn’t expecting much below the surface … But I was pleasantly surprised!

Right after my husband and I got in the water, we spotted a very friendly stingray gliding through the shallow surf. If you’re just wading in without a mask, be careful. You might end up stepping on this laid-back local.

After spending about 20 minutes hanging out with our new ray friend, we swam over to the rocky area on the left side of the beach (left as you’re facing the ocean). That’s where the underwater action really picked up.

We swam through a big, swirling school of convict surgeonfish (reminded me of the experience at the Sofitel in Moorea) and Pacific threadfins.

It’s always a blast to glide among them and watch them part around you. We also came across a few lined surgeonfish and some smallspotted darts along the way.

And just as we were drying off with my favorite travel towel, another traveler pointed out a baby shark cruising the shoreline. Of course, I jumped back in to see it, but it had already vanished.

Maybe you’ll have better timing!

Check out my Mini Guide below for a detailed map, tips on how to get there, and all my snorkeling photos taken with my favorite snorkeling camera.

Anse Lazio is another absolutely stunning beach that you won’t want to miss.

What I loved most was how spacious it is. It’s long, wide, and perfect for a relaxing beach day. On the left side, you’ll find some beautiful granite boulders that are fun to explore and make for great photo ops.

The beach also offers chair rentals and has a convenient restaurant nearby if you’re in the mood for a snack or drink.

We actually ended up visiting Anse Lazio twice.

Our first visit was part of an amazing private tour to Curieuse Island, where we got to hang out with giant tortoises and snorkel.

Captain Jacques dropped us off at the right side of Anse Lazio to explore the reef. Visibility wasn’t the best that day, but we still spotted batfish, needlefish, grey mullets, threadfin butterflyfish, lined surgeonfish, smallspotted darts, and some super friendly scissortail sergeants.

Later, we snorkeled the left side near the massive granite boulders and wow, what a difference!

Remember the weather and conditions can literally change day by day.

The water was much clearer, and we saw an even greater variety of marine life, including sea turtles (one was very closeup), more lined surgeonfish, batfish, oriental sweetlips, clams, Bermuda chub, grey mullets, and a whole school of moonyfish.

I’ve seen French angelfish in Klein Bonaire and pufferfish at Red Beryl in Bonaire, but this was my first time spotting a black-blotched porcupinefish and a pair of semicircle angelfish. Such a cool moment!

For all the details, including a map of the best spots and lots of fun snorkeling photos, check out my Mini Guide below!

Petite Anse Kerlan is yet another stunning beach worth visiting. Nestled in a sheltered cove, the water here is incredibly calm, like a glassy pool. It’s an ideal spot for a peaceful swim.

That said, getting there takes a bit of planning since the beach is located on the grounds of the luxurious Constance Lemuria resort.

If you’re staying at the hotel, you’ll have access to plenty of loungers. Non-guests can still visit, but keep in mind that there are no public facilities available, and you cannot use the beach chairs. 

The good news? You can still snorkel here.

We jumped in and explored both sides near the rocks, but fish sightings were pretty limited. We spotted a few Moorish idols, some lined surgeonfish, and one lone Titan triggerfish. That was about it.

There’s a patch of seagrass in the middle of the cove where I was hoping to see a turtle or ray, but no luck this time.

Bottom line: this spot is absolutely perfect for swimming, but not ideal for snorkeling.

Check out my Mini Guide for gorgeous beach photos and a peek at the few fish we did see!

Some snorkeling spots in the Seychelles are only accessible by boat. 

Felicite Island, home to the ultra-luxurious Six Senses resort, is one of them.

We visited this site as part of our private snorkeling tour with Captain Jacques, and it definitely delivered some memorable moments.

One of the highlights was spotting a tiny eagle ray, the smallest I’ve ever seen! It was pocket size. Absolutely adorable.

We also came across a school of smallspotted darts, grey mullets, threadfin butterflyfish, blue surgeonfish, lively scissortail sergeants, and a large, shy pufferfish.

Want all the details and underwater photos? Don’t miss my Mini Guide below!

The Sister Islands, Grand Soeur (Big Sister) and Petite Soeur (Little Sister), are two picturesque islands sitting right across from each other.

You’ll definitely need a boat to reach them, and Captain Jacques with Tranquility was our go-to guide for this adventure.

Each snorkeling site had its own unique vibe.

→   Big Sister Island

At Big Sister Island, the snorkeling took us over deeper water with dramatic overhangs and canyon-like crevices.

The highlight here was spotting a sea turtle gliding along.

Even after years of snorkeling with turtles (from Tres Trapi in Aruba to Salt Pier and 1000 Steps in Bonaire, and Francis and Maho Bays in St. John), I still get a little thrill every time I see one.

We also saw a good mix of marine life, including scissortail sergeants, bluestreak cleaner wrasses, a few Moorish idols, and a school of Bengal snappers.

→   Little Sister Island 

Little Sister Island offered a much shallower snorkel along rocky terrain. One of the most exciting sightings was a small blacktip reef shark gliding quickly across the sea floor, clearly on the hunt.

I used to be nervous about seeing sharks while snorkeling, but now I love it! (Well, when it’s nurse sharks, blacktips, or whitetips… not tiger or bull sharks!)

If you’re a fellow shark fan, some of our most memorable shark encounters include Moorea, Shark Ray Alley in Belize, the house reef at the Outrigger in the Maldives, and Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa. We even had a cage diving encounter with a great white in Cape Town back before they started vanishing from the area.

At Little Sister, we were also followed around by a group of friendly batfish that acted like underwater puppies. Other highlights included black triggerfish, colorful surge wrasse, bluefin trevally, both blue and lined surgeonfish, smallspotted darts, and the ever-present scissortail sergeants.

Curious to see what it all looked like? Don’t miss my Mini Guide below. It’s packed with photos!

During our private tour with Captain Jacques, we had hoped to snorkel around a beautiful cluster of rocks located between La Digue and Praslin called Avenue Maria.

Unfortunately, the water was too rough that day. Jacques told us that on a calm day, it’s like swimming in an aquarium, so it’s definitely on my list for next time!

Cocos Island was also on our itinerary, but once again, the weather just wasn’t in our favor.

Hopefully, on our next trip, maybe in April, we’ll have better conditions and get to explore both spots properly.

One of the things I absolutely loved about La Digue is how easy and fun it is to get around by bike!

On our first day, we took a short ride over to Anse Severe with hopes of snorkeling. Unfortunately, the waves were a bit too rough that afternoon, making it unsafe to get in the water. Always important to assess ocean conditions before heading out!

I’ve heard this spot can be fantastic when the sea is calm, especially if you’re able to reach the outer side of the reef. Eagle rays are said to be frequent visitors here, and turtles sometimes make an appearance too.

From what I’ve gathered, you can access the outer reef by snorkeling along the rocks on the far left side of the beach at high tide, then making your way to the right.

Apparently, the area around the three central rocks is where the best sightings happen.

If you’ve snorkeled Anse Severe and thought it was worth it, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!

Just beyond Anse Severe is Anse Patates (which I kept jokingly calling Anse Potatoes—couldn’t help myself!).

We stopped here during our bike ride, but quickly saw that this spot was a bit more exposed to wave action.

Unfortunately, like with Anse Severe, the ocean wasn’t cooperating on the one day we had to snorkel. Definitely only attempt this site when the water is calm!

From what I’ve read, Anse Patates is known for turtle sightings, especially beyond the boulders on the left side of the beach.

If you’ve snorkeled here, let me know how it was in the comments!

We had just 5 nights to soak up the beauty of the Seychelles, so we split our time between 3 nights on La Digue and 2 nights on Praslin.

On our final day, we flew from Praslin to Mahe for our international flight. With a little over 5 hours to kill, we made the most of it by booking a private tour with Nils to explore some highlights of the island.

He took us to several gorgeous beaches on Mahe’s southern coast. I was really hoping to squeeze in a stop at Anse Soleil, but we ran out of time.

From what I’ve heard, Anse Soleil is one of the top snorkeling spots on Mahe, especially near the rocks on the left side of the beach, where there’s a chance of spotting angelfish and even eagle rays.

If you’ve been there, I’d love to hear your experience!

Therese Island is located just off the northwest coast of Mahe and is said to have an incredible reef especially on the right side of the beach, according to everything I’ve read.

It’s known as a potential spot to see eagle rays, turtles, and a nice variety of reef fish.

So how do you get there?

I looked into whether Constance Ephelia still offers boat trips to the island (they did at one point), but after emailing them directly, I confirmed they no longer provide that service.

→   Taxi Boat Happiness 

I’d also heard that Mervin from Taxi Boat Happiness might offer trips to Therese. I contacted him back in November to inquire about pricing for a May visit, but he mentioned it was a bit too early to make plans and suggested checking back closer to the date.

What can I say? I’m a serious planner!

Mervin’s WhatsApp: +248 2540454

→   Mickey

Another option I came across was a local named Mickey, who’s often found near the parking lot across from the church in Port Glaud.

From older posts, it sounds like he’ll take you to Therese in his motorboat for a fair price (somewhere between $60–$80 USD), though it might be higher now.

Mickey’s WhatsApp: +248 2558332

Since I wasn’t able to confirm a trip out to Therese Island ahead of time, I ended up focusing my stay on Praslin and La Digue instead.

But hey, that just gives me a great excuse to come back and explore Mahe more thoroughly next time!

This whole setup of accessing a great snorkel spot via a local motorboat reminded me of the amazing time we snorkeled in Jardin de Corail du Motu Ahi in Moorea.

If you’re able to swing a stay at around $1100 USD per night (yikes!), then the private Denis Island might just offer some of the best snorkeling in all of the Seychelles.

Just pull up the satellite view on Google Maps. You can just see how “reef-y” it looks!

The island’s house reef is reportedly teeming with marine life, including rays, sharks, and turtles. Sounds like a snorkeler’s dream!

Maybe one day I’ll have the opportunity to snorkel this site!

Most of the top snorkeling spots are easily accessible right from the shores of the main islands of Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. No boat required! Shore snorkeling here is fantastic.

That said, some of the really good sites are located around nearby islands, which means you’ll need to book a snorkeling tour to reach them.

Three highly rated group tours combine amazing snorkeling, a visit with the famous Aldabra Giant Tortoises, and a tasty BBQ lunch (links below!).

My husband and I wanted something more tailored, with access to the absolute best snorkel sites and the chance to see the tortoises.

So we booked a private tour with the amazing Captain Jacques from Tranquility Charter. Here’s my full review of that tour experience.

All the links to explore these neighboring islands are included below if you’re interested!

Hubby and I have snorkeled at about 74 sites to date. We love snorkeling, and it was one of our favorite things to do in the Seychelles!

Just to be upfront, the snorkeling in the Seychelles doesn’t quite compare to what we’ve experienced in places like the Maldives, Belize, Indonesia, or even French Polynesia.

The real reason you come to the Seychelles is because of its jaw-dropping beaches.

That said, there are still some fun and worthwhile spots to explore beneath the surface. I hope this Seychelles Snorkeling Guide helps you zero in on the best ones for your trip.

Bottom line: if the Seychelles were located in the Caribbean (and not over 30 hours from the U.S.!), we’d probably be visiting all the time.

Happy snorkeling! 🤿 🐠

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Questions about our Seychelles snorkeling experience?

Let me know in the comments below!