Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee. Resort nearby
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Last updated on August 18, 2023
Lazare Bay, graced with a lagoon and lined with palm trees, is one of the finest beaches in Mahé. Partly protected by a barrier reef, it includes an excellent spot for snorkeling, where you can explore both the lagoon and the outer face of the reef. Here you will find, in particular, several species of angelfish and impressive shoals of green humphead parrotfish.
Lazare Bay is on a small peninsula to the far southwest of the island of Mahé. From Victoria, cross the island from east to west via Fairview and Souvenir towards Anse Boileau, then continue south along the West Coast Road. Soon after the Anse à la Mouche, turn right onto the Anse Soleil Road, then ask for directions to Anse Gouvernement.
A narrow, shaded road runs down to finish behind the beach. This is the only public access to Lazare Bay beach. From the airport, the shortest route goes through Anse Royale. It takes about thirty minutes by car in both cases.
We recommend exploring the far west of the bay, near Anse Gouvernement. This is the most accessible spot, the safest and one of the most interesting areas for underwater life.
You will be free to swim between the beach and the coral reef, which are about 150 meters apart. The further you go to the left as you face the sea, the nearer you come to a channel (see map below), which is a much less safe area. Enter the water from the sandy beach, opposite the car park, near the granite rocks encircling the bay.
Lazare Bay is next to a small “lagoon”, sheltered by a coral barrier. But you can generally cross the barrier at high tide, making it possible to explore the reef drop-off facing the open sea.
For the first 30 yards from the beach, you cross a sandy bed, sprinkled with coral (2-6ft/0.5-2m), which becomes denser and denser as you get closer to the barrier reef. At the reef, at high tide, the water level falls (2-3ft/0.5-1m), but you can still move on to the reef drop-off.
The reef flat is shallow but inhabited by multitudes of hard coral. Their condition varies (in some places the sea bed has none). As you explore, it is easy to come across several species of angelfish (semicircle, threespot and emperor), a large number of butterflyfish and particularly colorful surgeonfish.
At the reef drop-off, you may get the chance to see a shoal of green humphead parrotfish. They can grow up to 3ft/1.30 meters long, and as they are particularly impressive, as they devour food along the sea bed with their strong jaws.
At certain periods of the year, the bay is covered in seaweed, which is particularly prevalent at low tide. From June to October, this side of the island is exposed to winds, and sea conditions deteriorate. Snorkeling is not recommended in this period.
Don’t hesitate to combine this visit with an exploration of Anse Soleil, a few minutes drive from Anse Soleil. It is only a mile away, but on foot, it can be grueling due to the steep climb.
Lazare Bay beach is mainly occupied by the Kempinski Seychelles Resort, giving direct access to the snorkeling spot. You can have a meal there, even if you are not staying at the hotel. Around Anse Gouvernement Road (the public access to the beach), you will find other places to eat, although options are limited.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
