A beautiful semi-circle of sand backed by palms and takamaka trees, Beau Vallon beach is Mahé's most popular. The swimming is excellent, but there can be strong waves from June to November. For day visitors, beach bed rental costs Rs 75/150/225 per one/two/four hours, or Rs 325 per day.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Anse Lazio
28.78 MILES
Anse Lazio, on the northwest tip of the island, is picture-perfect everywhere you look and often turns up in lists of the world's most beautiful beaches…
Vallée de Mai
28.72 MILES
Gorgeous World Heritage–listed Vallée de Mai is one of only two places in the world where the rare coco de mer palm grows in its natural state (the other…
National Museum of History
1.77 MILES
Housed in Victoria's restored colonial-era Supreme Court building (1885), this terrific museum opened in late 2018. While the architecture itself is worth…
Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market
1.63 MILES
No trip to Victoria would be complete without a wander through the covered market. It's small by African standards, but it's a bustling, colourful place…
Takamaka Bay
9.86 MILES
On this popular tour you learn the story behind the island's main distillery and about the rum-making process. The tour runs for between 30 and 45 minutes…
Anse Volbert
29.82 MILES
This long, gently arching beach is among the most popular strands on the island. It's great for safe swimming and sunbathing, and it's also good for water…
Le Jardin du Roi
10.6 MILES
Located 2km up in the hills above Anse Royale, this lush spice garden owes its existence to Pierre Poivre, the French spice entrepreneur. There is a self…
Botanical Gardens
2.1 MILES
The manicured botanical gardens, full of streams and birdsong, are about a 10-minute walk south of the centre. Star attractions are the coco de mer palms…