Epic Mahé Snorkeling Boat Trip to Sainte-Anne Marine National Park (2022)

Epic Mahé Snorkeling Boat Trip to Sainte-Anne Marine National Park (2022)

Complete Seychelles island hopping guide to an unforgettable snorkeling trip by boat in Sainte Anne Marine National Park from Mahe. Discover the best snorkeling spots on Mahe and explore island gems like Moyenne Island and Round Island.

Looking for the best snorkeling experience on Mahé Island, Seychelles. Look no further than a boat trip to Sainte Anne Marine National Park. This area has the richest marine life and is home to over 150 species of fish and other magnificent marine life, making it the best snorkeling spot on Mahé.

In this guide, I unpack everything you want to know about touring Sainte-Anne Marine National Park. I give tips on booking the best boat trips, what to expect and of course photos from my trip.

#2 in 26 best things to do in Mahé
alt=“Island in the Sainte-Anne Marine National Park”>

Mahe snorkeling trip to Sainte Anne Marine National Park

The best way to get to Sainte Anne Marine National Park and enjoy a fantastic day of island hopping and snorkeling is to book a trip from Victoria.

Most island hopping trips to the marine park usually depart from Mahe Marine Charter. You will find this next to the Seychelles Yacht Club in Victoria. However, when you book a trip online, you also get hotel pickup and drop-off from anywhere on Mahé Island.

Most day trips by boat take a similar route and stop at several snorkeling sites and islands, including:

• Cerf Island Reef (verschiedene Spots)
• Moyenne-Insel
• Runde Insel

Book in advance: Mahe: Snorkeling and Boat Trip
alt=”Drone photo of Sainte-Anne Marine National Park”>

The ultimate Seychelles travel resource

Looking for more Seychelles travel guides and inspiration? Below are my most comprehensive travel guides that will serve as a great resource for your trip.

– 50 Things to Do in Seychelles – Seychelles Accommodation Guide – 18 Best Beaches in Seychelles – 10 Best Islands in Seychelles – 15 Best Hikes in Seychelles

About Sainte-Anne Marine National Park

The Sainte Anne Marine National Park is a nature reserve on the east coast of Mahé Island in the Seychelles. It was the first marine protected area to be established in the Western Indian Ocean (March 1973). The park is directly opposite Victoria and Eden Island.

The Sainte Anne Marine Park is a network of six islands where you can snorkel, wildlife view, hike and relax in the crystal clear waters. These islands include:

• Ste Anne Island
• Ile Moyenne
• Ile aux Cerf
• Chachée-Insel
• Ile Ronde (Runde Insel)
• Insel Longue (Long Island)

Unfortunately, due to the El Nino (El Niño) weather event in the western Indian Ocean, which dates back to 1998, 90% of Seychelles' corals have been bleached. Today, much of the coral reef is still recovering. Fortunately, there is an initiative to restore the coral reefs of Sainte Anne Marine Park called the MCSS Coral Restoration Program. This program continues to produce great results and has seen a 10% increase in coral cover, fish density and diversity in the marine park since inception.
alt="Mahé Coral Reef">

Best snorkeling in Mahe

The Sainte Anne Marine National Park Tour is the best snorkeling experience you can have on Mahe and perhaps even all of the inner islands of the Seychelles.

The first site on our Mahe snorkeling tour was a coral reef on the western side of Cerf Island (pronounced “surf”). I spent about 30 minutes free diving and exploring the underwater world, with some of the deeper sections of the reef being around 10-12 meters.

Something that really gave me a positive outlook was that the deeper coral patches were much healthier. The abundance and diversity of fish and marine life was also impressive! Below are some photos I took while snorkeling in Sainte Anne Marine National Park so you know what to expect on your tour.
alt=“Snorkeling in Mahé, coral reefs”>
alt="Mahe Snorkeling Tour, Sergeant Major Fish">

Visit to the island of Moyenne

The second stop on our island hopping day trip was a visit to Moyenne Island. This special island has a turtle breeding program, several hiking trails and a unique history.

The island is approximately 9.9 hectares or 24 acres and was historically a private island. The most notable resident and owner was the very famous Mr. Brandon Grimshaw. This single life terraformed Moyenne Island, bringing with it several fruit trees and native plants to serve as his private oasis. Interestingly, Mr. Grimshaw also brought several Aldebra tortoises to the island, most of which are still alive.
alt="Baby giant tortoise on Moyenne Island, Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Mahé, Seychelles">
Today Moyenne Island is part of the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, but Mr. Grimshaw's story is painted everywhere. We spent a lot of time exploring the hiking and nature trails to some great viewpoints, learning about the island's history at the on-site history museum, and admiring all the diverse plants and animals that call the island home.

There are also some beautiful secluded beaches on Moyenne that rival some of Mahe's most famous beaches such as Anse Major.

Before revving up the boat engines and continuing the Mahe snorkeling tour, we had time to enjoy an amazing traditional Creole BBQ lunch prepared by our boat driver and guide.

Below are some more photos I took on Moyenne Island.
alt="Beach on Moyenne Island, Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Mahé, Seychelles">
alt=“Moyenne Island, Sainte-Anne Marine National Park, Mahé, Seychelles”>
alt="Graves on Moyenne Island">Brandon Grimshaw, his father and an unnamed pirate are buried next to each other on Moyenne Island
alt=“Moyenne Island boat trip from Mahe”>
alt=“Fresh Creole BBQ on a Mahé boat trip”>
alt="Moyenne Island Hiking Trail Overlook">
alt="Beach on the island of Moyenne">

Visit to Round Island

After Moyenne Island, our boat driver took us to a few more great snorkeling spots. While turtles often pass by, I wasn't lucky enough to see one during my visit. However, I saw many more species of fish and a huge school of sergeant major fish, as well as batfish and other species common to coral reef systems in the West Indian Ocean.

Before we ended the marine park excursion, we made one last stop at Round Island (Ile Ronde). This is a tiny island where you can actually stay.
alt=“Round Island, Ile Ronde, in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles”>
alt=“Fish on a snorkeling tour from Mahe”>

Stay in Sainte Anne Marine National Park

For those on their honeymoon or looking for the ultimate private island getaway, you should definitely consider a stay at Sainte Anne Marine National Park. The top-rated private island resort is called Ja Enchanted Island Resort on Round Island.

Since I was visiting the region on a one-day snorkeling trip, I didn't stay at the resort. However, I was able to take a look at some of the facilities and let's just say they blew me away!

Further accommodation recommendations for Mahé

Mahe is the main island and home to Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. It is the largest of the inner islands and has several great places to stay. Here is a short travel guide with some recommendations.

Complete Guide: I've written a comprehensive guide to where to stay on Mahé, including a breakdown of the best areas and fantastic resort and hotel recommendations.

• Victoria und Eden Island für das Nachtleben
• Beau Vallon für Strände und Restaurants
• Private Inseln für das ultimative Inselerlebnis

Best selection

Best choice on Mahé: Eden Bleu Hotel (Eden Island)

The Eden Bleu Hotel is one of the best places to stay if you want to be near Victoria and on Eden Island. It is an amazing modern hotel located on the shores of Eden Island's prestigious marina.

Visitors love the infinity pool, clean, modern rooms and world-class restaurant. I stayed at Eden Blue Hotel for 3 nights and it was my favorite accommodation in Seychelles!
alt=“Eden Bleu Hotel, Seychelles”>
Mid-range resort: Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort

This beautiful beach resort and casino combination offers elegantly furnished rooms with all the facilities you could wish for. Here you will find a large pool, three restaurants, a pizzeria, a fitness center, a PADI diving center and a tennis court.

The location is great as it is away from the hustle and bustle of Victoria with lots of lovely beaches and restaurants around.
alt=“Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino, Seychelles”>
Self-catering budget studio: Precious Residence

If you're looking to explore Mahe on a budget, self-catering accommodation is your best bet. Precious Residence is an apartment with excellent reviews (9.5/10) and offers budget apartments with free WiFi, air conditioning and a kitchenette on Grand Anse (west coast).
alt="Precious Residence Self Catering Resort on Mahé Island, Seychelles">
Ultimate Getaway: JA Enchanted Island Resort

Looking for the ultimate Indian Ocean getaway? JA Enchanted Island Resort is an immaculately beautiful resort on a tiny private island at the foot of St. Anne Marine Park.

The French colonial-style villas feature a private infinity pool, a terrace with panoramic views, and a private walkway to the beach. If you are looking for a unique honeymoon vacation, this is your best choice.
alt="Yes Enchanted Resort, private island accommodation on Mahe Island">
Alternative: Stay on the mysterious Island of Silhouette (Hilton).

alt=“Silhouette Island Private Resort, Seychelles”>

More photos from the My Mahe snorkeling trip

Below are a few more photos from my boat trip.
alt="Sainte-Anne Island, SEychelles">
alt=“Mahé boat trip”>
alt="Port of Mahe">
alt=“Mahe Boat Trip Day Tour, Seychelles”>
alt="Moyenne Island, Seychelles">
alt="Eden Island, Mahé">
alt="Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles">
alt=“Mahé Marine Park”>

More Seychelles travel guides

I hope that my experience on a snorkeling tour on a Mahe boat to Sainte Anne Marine National Park in Seychelles has inspired you to take your own trip. If you have any questions or news about snorkeling in Mahe, the Marine Reserve, or traveling in Seychelles in general, please leave a comment below!

Otherwise, while you are here on my blog, check out some of my other articles. I have written extensively about traveling on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue and I am sure you will find something to inspire your adventures in the Seychelles.
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