Anse Intendance Beach

Anse Intendance is one of the most stunning beaches in the archipelago, located in the south of Mahé Island, on the edge of thick tropical flora. With its strangely contrasted colors, it resembles a great artwork, bewitching and full of mystery. The white sand contrasts with the turquoise of the water, the green of the tropical vegetation, and the pink of the beach’s granite stones. This is a stunning image that will leave no one unmoved.

This beautiful length of sand is roughly 1 kilometre long and 30 to 40 meters broad, depending on the season and weather conditions. The water here is the kind of turquoise that most of us only see on postcards like one would expect from a beach in Seychelles. There are also some intriguing granite boulders sprinkled throughout the shore, which lend the ideal finishing touch to this lovely area.

Anse Intendance is one of Mahe’s most famous beaches, a wild and secluded yet beautiful length of coastline in the far southwest populated by only one exclusive resort – The Banyan Tree – consisting of pool villas stretched along part of the beach and the headland to the north of the bay.

• Note: The nearby Banyan Tree Resort is closed and will open again in 2023.

What we like at Anse Intendance

• nice location to watch the sunset
• picture-perfect beach with large rocks
• great for sunbathing and picnic
• palm trees provide shade
• the nearby beach bar offers drinks and snacks
• stunnung wild beach on Mahé

A TripAdvisor user said “This is our favorite beach on Mahe island. Great waves, nice little rasta bar with top drinks, not a lot of tourists. Do not swim out due to the strong currents, but the first 20 – 30 meters are not a problem.”

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Be aware of big waves

Anse Intendance, unlike any other Seychelles beach, is not suitable for swimming, snorkeling, or scuba diving. It is, nonetheless, the ideal spot for sunbathing. Big waves are entertaining to see and appreciate. Surfing is a popular pastime among the natives. The large waves provide ideal conditions for surfing and bodyboarding.

The shoreline is lined with coconut palms, providing enough shade to beat the heat. At the same time, be careful not to drop coconuts. Anse Intendance is usually not a place to go for a relaxing swim or a family outing with tiny children, but rather for adults who like to play in big waves.

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How to get to Anse Intendance?

The beach is accessible to the public to the south of the bay, along a well-marked walk through the jungle to the side of the resort, enveloped in the noises and ambience of the forest. There are no businesses or houses here, but the hotel does have a small bar with carved-from-tree-trunk wooden stools where you may enjoy a drink before the sunsets. A lifeguard from Banyan Tree also patrols the beach, albeit it is said to be unsafe to swim from June to September.

The route from Quatre Bournes to Anse Intendance winds through the forest and is a wonderful drive; at points, you can see straight across the forest to the sea, while at other times, you’re in the woodland with rich foliage all around. On the way down, there are a few unusual houses, one of which has a fruit and vegetable stall, but you can sense you’re leaving town far behind. You will arrive at Police Bay if you continue on the route.

Finally, with its perfectly formed waves and earthly paradise environment, the beach is one of the most well-known surfing destinations on the entire island of Mahé.