A large number of reefs within the inner granitic islands of the archipelago of Seychelles could be entirely lost, unless concerted action is taken soon to control crown of thorns, warns Dr. Udo Englhardt, the expert on on the management of crown of thorns in a...
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Petite Anse, Mahe
Petite Anse (meaning ‘little cove’), also known as Anse La Liberte, is in the territory of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles. Entrance to the beach is free for all hotel guests. Outsiders wishing to go to the beach need to get approval in advance from the resort management by phone but the entrance is still free. A second option is to ask at the entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel to get to the beach. Near the western entrance to the beach, locals sell fresh coconuts and juices.
The Beach
The coastline is 200 meters long and 20 meters wide with powder-soft white sand and turquoise waters. Along the perimeter of the beach, there are high granite rocks, which offer scenic views of the bay, boulders, and astoundingly dense tropical vegetation.
Petite Anse beach is only 5 meters away from Four Seasons Resort Seychelles.
Activities
The beach is suitable for beach games, sunbathing, windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and picnicking. The beach is suitable for families, as it has lifeguards around the clock, and the wind is light because there are huge rocky cliffs around the beach that prevent the wind from passing through, and therefore the waves are calm. The best time for swimming, diving, and snorkeling is October and November, as well as the period from February to May. For surfing and sailing, it is advisable to set out from October to March.
Facilities
This is a well-developed beach and has dozens of modern facilities, including luxury hotels, clean toilets, washrooms, restaurants, and cafes that serve the most delicious local and European dishes. Visitors can use the hotel’s beach restaurant for food and drinks.
If you have booked the Four Seasons Hotel there are enough sun-chairs under palm-thatched umbrellas that don´t even disturb the look of the beach.
Access to the beach
However, if you are not staying at Four Seasons you should plan to arrive early to find a spot at the parking place. Once the vehicle is parked, be ready to hike 20 minutes down the trail to reach Petite Anse. Do not forget that a more exhausting uphill journey back to the parking spot is more difficult than walking down to the beach.
Hotels near Petite Anse
Although Four Seasons is convenient, not all can afford it. There are many cheaper options available nearby. A couple of them are given here.
Maison Soleil
Maison Soleil is a three-star guest house within 15 minutes of walking distance from Anse Soleil Beach and Petite Anse Beach. The guest house offers free self-parking, and in-room kitchens, and free WiFi. Other amenities include a snack bar, deli, and laundry facilities. There’s also the convenience of an airport shuttle. Club Liberté Casino is only a stone’s throw away from this property,
Anse Soleil Resort Self Catering
Anse Soleil Resort Self Catering is within 15 minutes of walking distance from Anse Soleil Beach and Petite Anse Beach. There are four villas. All villas are equipped with a coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, stove top, shower head, and safe. WiFi is available in all public areas. Limited housekeeping is also provided.
Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts
This is a five-star luxury property that is about 3 kilometers away from Anse Petite beach. It received the prestigious Conde Nast Hot List award in 2022.
Mango House is the former family home of Milanese fashion photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri. Today, it’s a 41-key boutique resort under LXR Hotels & Resorts—Hilton’s indie luxury collection brand.
Each morning cooked-to-order complimentary breakfast is served. There are three restaurants and three swimming pools. The restaurant, Muse, serves Italian cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kokoye is the hotel’s own bar.
Nid d’Aigle seychelles
Nid d’Aigle (meaning: ‘The Eagle’s Nest’) is one of the most visited places on La Digue island. A four-kilometer hike goes up to the highest point (333 meters)of the Nid d’Aigle. From there you get a panoramic view of La Digue beaches, Praslin, Felicité, Marianne, the sea, and nearby islands.
Climbing Up
You can take one of the many tour packages available or you can hike yourself. You will also get cultural, botanical, and geographical sights. You will trek through the soft forest floor, granite, and reddish earth. When passing through the forest, you may be able to pick some fresh fruits like Mangoes, Oranges, Golden Apples, and Custard fruits, if they are in season. On your way, you will see creatures up to 30 cm long, including the giant millipede, snails, bugs, and spiders on both sides of the path. You will also see typical plants from this area like cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemongrass.
There is minimal shade available along the trek, therefore it is better to start early in the morning to avoid the sun and heat. You may carry a bottle of water as the journey is dehydrating. A hat also may help.
On the way up near the top there is a cafeteria called Snack Bellevue. After this restaurant, there are only a fifteen minutes walk left.
If you have a mobility problem you can take a taxi up to halfway to the top.
Return Journey
For the return journey, you can either take the same route that you used to climb or walk in the northerly direction. This will go through a number of small footpaths down to the main path and then the valley below. The journey up will take one-and-a-half hours and the return journey will also take about the same amount of time.
Halfway down you may get another panoramic view of “Petite Anse”, and “Grand Anse”.
Down below you will see the fine beaches and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Those who do snorkeling here will get a treasure trove of marine life. Nid d’Aigle is also a terminus that takes you from La Fayet through the slopes of Mont Blanc. It takes about 45 minutes to get here offering scenic views en route.
When to visit?
La Digue has a tropical climate around the year with high humidity and occasional rain. The hottest period is from March to June. You may also want to avoid the rainy season from November to March as the paths may be slippery.
Accommodation nearby.
Nid’Aigle Lodge
Nid’Aigle Lodge is a private accommodation in a beautiful garden setting, with private parking. The lodge is just by the side of the beach. The lodge is located in Praslin which is 15 minutes drive from the airport. There are groceries and restaurants nearby. European or American breakfast is available on request.
The units have air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a fridge, an electric teapot, a shower, free toiletries, and a closet. All rooms have a private bathroom with a hairdryer, while selected rooms will provide a kitchen with an oven. All guest rooms come with a seating area.
Anse Cocos Beach Seychelles
Anse Cocos in the east of La Digue, just along the coast from Petite Anse. The beach offers golden sand, shallow natural pool water, and shade from casuarina trees and craning palms. Swimming should be reserved for confident swimmers only but swimming is safe so long as you stick to the protected natural pools of water. Expert swimmers can swim anywhere in the sea. The sea is generally calm here, but during the trade winds, the waves can be large.
The beach is not normally crowded; there will be only about 10 visitors on a normal day. So you can easily find a spot for yourself away from others.
Anse Cocos Beach Facilities
As there are no shops on the beach you should take food, drinks and beach accessories along with you. The closest facilities are found in Grand Anse, which is about 30 minutes from the beach. The facilities in Grand Anse include hospitals which are open 24 hours, regional police station, post office etc.
The accommodation available in Grand Anse are:
La Digue Holiday Villa which is 3 minutes walk from the beach and within a 2-minute walk of Anse La Reunion Beach and 1 km of Anse Source d’Argent,
JMS Ventures Seychelles is about 15 minutes away from the beach of Anse La Reunion on La Digue. There are 4 double bed rooms which can accommodate 8 guests.
Calou Guest House is a 3-star guest house, located just off Inter Island Ferry, and 1.7 miles from Anse Cocos beach and is a short walk from Anse Reunion. The guest house offers on-site breakfast in the restaurant. Guests can enjoy dining at the a la carte restaurant.
Anse Cocos Beach Location
Calou Guest House is a 3-star guest house, located just off Inter Island Ferry, and 1.7 miles from Anse Cocos beach and is a short walk from Anse Reunion. The guest house offers on-site breakfast in the restaurant. Guests can enjoy dining at the a la carte restaurant.
Anse Cocos Beach Location
There is a 900m-long path from Grand Anse that leads straight to Anse Cocos through Petite Anse. In total, it’s a 1.3km walk from the restaurant on Grande Anse. The trail is not marked, so it will be difficult to find the way without a guide.
Despite its lack of facilities, Anse Cocos Beach is considered to be a worthy attraction. it is well-worth a visit.
The best time for swimming, diving, snorkeling is October and November, as well as the period from February to May. For surfing and sailing, it is advisable to set out from October to March. Swimming should be reserved for confident swimmers only, but if you stick to the protected natural pools of water, you should have no problems.
Anse Cocos Village
Anse Cocos was actually one of the very first settlements on La Digue. The island used to have a large copra production facility. It was then a small village. Just off the beach, you can still see the abandoned buildings, as well as the remains of the kiln they used to dry the coconuts.
Fears of crown of thorns Starfish outbreak in Seychelles Coral Reefs
A large number of reefs within the inner granitic islands of the archipelago of Seychelles could be entirely lost, unless concerted action is taken soon to control crown of thorns, warns Dr. Udo Englhardt, the expert on on the management of crown of thorns in a presentation of his most recent findings. Dr Udo Englhardt, believes this outbreak of the deadly starfish is due to increasing levels of human development in the Seychelles coupled with rising sea temperatures. Dr. Engelhardt has conducted this research as part of their ‘Mainstreaming Biosecurity’ project organised by the UNDP and Global Environment Facility (GEF) in conjunction with the government of Seychelles. The outbreak which was in the north western areas of Mahé two months ago, has now spread further down the western coastline as the starfish continue to spawn. The starfish can be seen on reefs between five and 25 metres deep and are not commonly found in shallow waters. It preys on strong hard coral polyps and is named crown of thorns as its upper surface is covered with thorn like spikes.
The crown of thorns starfish, one of the largest in the world, occurs at tropical and subtropical latitudes and have been found from the Red sea, across the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. This venomous starfish has been found in Seychelles as early as the 1960s in small numbers and an extensive eradication programme was conducted in 1997. During the 1998-99 El Nino coral bleaching, the crown of thorns died off too. However, they began to re-emerge in 2001-2003 and have now bounced back in alarming numbers. This April, a coral reef survey by Dr Engelhardt found that numbers of Crown of thorns in the reefs were 20 to 30 times greater than sustainable levels. He also found that there were at least three generations present, including a substantial number of juveniles in the under reef strata – a good predictor of future outbreaks reports the Seychelles news agency.
10 Reasons to Visit the Seychelles
There is no doubt that Seychelles should be given priority on everyone’s list of dream vacations. This archipelago nation is beautifully located in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles is composed of 155 islands, filled with beautiful sights, exciting adventures and activities, as well as plenty of opportunities for relaxation. Whether you are searching for a secluded vacation or a romantic getaway with a loved one, Seychelles has something to offer to everyone.
If you still need more reasons to be convinced, consider these 10 reasons why you should visit the Seychelles:
#1: The Attractive Beaches
The number one reason why a lot of people travel to the Praslin Island is to take advantage of its sandy beaches and sparkling blue water. On top of that, you also have the chance to enjoy the waves, the sun, the scenery, as well as a whole bunch of beach activity options. This beautiful island is home to many of the most gorgeous beaches in the world. You will certainly feel relaxation here.
#2: Seclusion
While it is true that there are a lot of beautiful beaches in the world, Seychelles is still very special because of the seclusion that it offers. If you want to simply getaway from the hustles and bustles of the city life, this is your best option.
#3: The Wonderful Culture
One of the most wonderful things about this paradise is the wonderful culture that it offers. The culture is an interesting mix of Asian, African, and European cultures.
#4: Unique Cuisine
The local food is one good reason why you should visit this paradise.
#5: Amazing Dive Spots
Snorkelling and scuba diving are some of the most famous activities that most tourists enjoy when visiting La Digue.
#6: Flora and Fauna
When talking about sea life, the waters surrounding the area are home to tropical fishes, which are also completely diversified.
#7: Opportunities for Hiking
Perhaps your concept of a perfect vacation means exploration. You will certainly enjoy Morne Seychellois National Park. You may also visit the World Heritage Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve for another option.
#8: Island Hopping Opportunities
There are 155 islands in the nation, and none of them are exactly alike. Therefore, you can experience something different when you do island hopping.
#9: Parasailing Activities
From the top, you can have an amazing view on the beaches, as well as the amazing rock formations surrounding the area.
#10: Good Weather
Because you are in a tropical area, you can expect a warm weather all year round. Therefore, it can be considered as a perfect destination on your next travel adventure.
Now that you have added ten more reasons on why you should visit Seychelles, why not start planning your itinerary now and have that dream vacation you have always wanted.
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