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How to Visit Anse Major Beach on Mahé Island

How to Visit Anse Major Beach on Mahé Island

Olly Gaspar

By Olly Gaspar, full-time traveler for 7 years. I visit every place I write about & share real tips, photos, & advice from my trips.

Anse Major is one of Mahe Island’s most beautiful beaches. Discover everything you need to know about how to get to Anse Major Beach along the Anse Major Nature Trail.

Anse Major Beach is a pristine, white sand beach with crystal clear, deep, turquoise water. You’ll find it located on the northwestern end of Mahe Island in the Seychelles. However, to get here, you’ll need to complete a relatively short but very rewarding nature trail hike.

After visiting this beach myself, I’ve written this guide to help you visit Anse Major, plan a trip, and get inspired about what to expect!

Anse major nature trail, mahe
A scenic, well-maintained trail following the water pipes

Where is Anse Major?

Anse Major Beach is located on the northwestern coast of Mahe Island, the Seychelles. It's considered one of the most remote beaches on the island and it is not accessible via road transport.

The closest village is called Bel Ombre, adjacent to the popular Beau Vallon hotel area. You can reach the beach via a hike or by boat. I took the hike option below and recommend it.

However, if you don't feel comfortable hiking on Mahe Island independently, then you can book a guided nature trail tour to Anse Major instead on Viator. This guide is licensed and has hiked to this beach over 1,000 times.

Anse major nature trail map

How to Get to The Anse Major Nature Trail

The Anse Major trail picks up at the end of Bel Ombre Road near the village of Bel Ombre.

GPS Coordinates: 4°37'07.6"S 55°23'51.1"E

To get here, you'll need to either get a taxi or jump on the bus that runs nearly all the way to the end of Bel Ombre Road from Beau Vallon (14 SCR). If you tell the bus driver you want to hike to Anse Major, they'll know where to drop you off.

As I was staying at the nearby Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort, I just walked the length of Bel Ombre Road to the start of the trail instead.

Anse major, mahe island, the seychelles

Anse Major Hike - Nature trail

  • Hiking Distance: 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) return
  • Duration: 1.5-2 hours return
  • Elevation: 206 meters total elevation gain
  • Difficulty: Easy-moderate
  • Trail Map: My Strava

The Anse Major nature trail begins by climbing a short set of steps at the end of the road before ducking into a dense forested area.

Start of the anse major nature trail
Start of the hike to anse major
Parking space near the trailhead

This nature trail hike is quite flat throughout, with short sections of undulation. The main elevation difference is the descent down to Anse Major once you arrive.

Furthermore, there are signposts at every possible turn on the way. So it is very difficult to get lost.

Anse major trail

At a fairly fast pace, I was able to make it to Anse Major in about 30 minutes from the end of the driveway. However, if you're taking your time to enjoy the palm forests and tropical scenery on the way, you'll likely take a bit more time.

If you're getting thirsty, there's a natural water source with clean water flowing approximately 700 meters from the start. You'll spot it beside a small bridge. This is where I stopped to fill up my Grayl bottle before continuing on to the beach.

Water source next to bridge on mahe island, the seychelles
Water source next to the bridge

What to Expect on the Anse Major Nature Trail

Along with Morne Blanc, the Anse Major trail is one of the most scenic hikes on the island of Mahe, and perhaps even in all of the Seychelles.

While it is only a short walk, it has great variety. What I mean by this is that one moment you'll be walking through a dense tropical jungle and the next along huge granite slabs overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Anse major nature trail, mahe
Anse major nature trail hike on mahe

For much of the Anse Major trail, you'll be following a large steep water pipe. This is a natural catchment to divert drinking water to people in the nearby villages.

As you approach the beach, you'll pass a small rundown Chalet and then a great viewpoint over the beach. This viewpoint is called Point de vue sur Anse Major.

View of anse major beach from the trail

You'll find that there is a quaint, private, and secluded beach just before the official Anse Major beach. This has a small swing and is a great spot to hang out.

Morne blanc viewpoint seychelles

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Private petite beach beside anse major

My Experience at Anse Major Beach

Anse Major is one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches that I visited in the Seychelles. Its secluded nature and untouched paradise give it a deserted island vibe. The soft, white sand shore drops steeply into deep, turquoise water.

Anse major drone photo

I found the beach was lined with coconut palms and there's a cleared section just behind the beach featuring a small beach bar. These guys are super friendly and cook up some great food and serve cold drinks.

Coconuts hanging at the beach bar on mahe island, the seychelles

If you're not a strong swimmer, I'd advise against swimming at Anse Major Beach. That's because the water is very deep and currents and waves can be extremely strong. Coupled with the fact that this is one of the most remote beaches on Mahe– you've got yourself a dangerous combo!

Nevertheless, in calm conditions like what I experienced on my two visits to Anse Major, swimming is perfect!

The bottom is mostly sand with very little coral reef, so it's not that great for snorkeling. However, you will often spot some schooling fish swimming past.

Anse major on mahe island
Palm tree on the beach at anse major

Where to Stay on Mahe Island

Mahé is the main & largest of the inner islands and home to the capital city of the Seychelles, Victoria. It's a great place to stay for beaches & convenience. Here is a quick area guide with the top 4 accommodation recommendations below.

  • Victoria and Eden Island for nightlife
  • Beau Vallon for beaches and restaurants
  • Private islands for the ultimate island experience
Indoor swimming pool at the eden bleu hotel on eden island

1. Eden Bleu Hotel

The Eden Bleu Hotel is one of the best places to stay if you're looking to be close to Victoria and on Eden Island. It's an amazing contemporary hotel on the foreshore of Eden Island's prestigious marina.

Precious residence house on mahe island in the seychelles

2. Precious Residence Budget

If you want to explore Mahé on a budget, then self-catering accommodation is your best bet. Precious Residence is an apartment with excellent reviews (9.5/10), offering budget apartments equipped with free WiFi, air conditioning, and a kitchenette on Grand Anse (west coast).

Berjaya beau vallon bay resort and casino, seychelles

2. Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort

This beautiful, beachfront resort and casino combo offers elegantly furnished rooms with all the facilities you could ever want. Here, you'll find a large pool, three restaurants, a pizzeria, a fitness center, PADI diving center, and a tennis court.

Ja enchanted island resort seychelles pool view with lounging chairs

3. JA Enchanted Island Resort Top Pick

Looking for the ultimate Indian Ocean getaway? JA Enchanted Island Resort is an impeccably beautiful resort located on a tiny private island in the footsteps of the St Anne Marine Park.

More Photos of Anse Major

I hope that this travel guide has inspired you to visit this incredible beach on Mahe! Below are some more photos that I captured during my two visits to Anse Major.

While you're here on my blog, make sure to check out some of my other guides including my La Digue Island Guide and my Ultimate Guide to Praslin as well.

Seychelles accommodation

Plan Where to Stay in the Seychelles

Wondering where to stay in the Seychelles? Don't miss these up-to-date accommodation guides.

Anse major drone photo
Anse major drone
Northwest coast of mahe island
Anse major nature trail
Hiking on mahe, the seychelles
Anse major beach
Anse major private beach

More Amazing Beaches in the Seychelles

Looking for more beaches in the Seychelles? Below are similar guides to some of the best on Mahe, La Digue, and Praslin.

La Digue

Read: Best Beaches on La Digue

Praslin

Read: Best Beaches on Praslin

Anse major drone photo from the northwest of mahe island, the seychelles
Anse major beach, mahe
Thanks for Reading

I’m Olly Gaspar, Australian adventure traveler and founder of We Seek Travel. Seven years ago, I left home to travel full-time and started this website to share my journey. Today, it’s grown into one of the world’s largest free adventure travel resources, now supported by a team of passionate travelers writing travel guides to the places we visit.

We only make genuine, worthwhile recommendations based on our experience, expertise, & research. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, supporting this website and keeping us on the road. Read Olly's Publishing Ethics Statement.

Kathy Bacon-Greenbeg

Monday 26th of August 2024

Hi, we took your enthusiastic advice and walked the trail to Anse Major yesterday, planning to eat whatever the guys cooked up at their small place just off the beach. We also had kept the idea of the water taxi as a good fall back for our return trip, as we're 75 and 76--but in good shape. The trail is indeed beautiful, with lush palms and great tropical vegetation! However, what you might not have known--as you visited the Seychelles in December, their summer--is that in August there can be wind and choppy seas. So...no guys at the cafe and NO water taxi either! The guys had thoughtfully left drinks in ice chests, the chalkboard menu with prices, and a cash box to leave money for what you took, but we only brought little food, thinking we'd take advantage of the nice sounding Robinson Crusoe outpost you described. We think you should mention this aspect for all your May through October readers!

olivera ristic

Wednesday 5th of January 2022

The best blog ever. Bravo.

Olly Gaspar

Thursday 6th of January 2022

haha thanks, glad you enjoyed it