Level:
This spot has been added by
10 spots added - 171 photos shared
Last updated on February 2, 2023
St Anne Marine National Park was established in 1973 to protect a group of 6 islands laying only 5 kilometers from Victoria, the capital city of Seychelles. It is the South Western Indian Ocean’s first marine protected area. Accessible only by the sea, Sainte-Anne Marine Park provides a unique concentration of underwater ecosystems. It protects coral gardens, but also one of the largest seagrass meadows areas in the granitic bank of Seychelles. In the warm waters surrounding the islands, snorkelers can spot a large number of fish species, including manta rays, which are regular visitors to the area from April to December.
A large number of local tour operators organize day or half-day tours to the National Park, including 1 to 3 snorkeling stops. Most excursions to Saint Anne leave from Victoria and cost approximately $50 per person.
If you prefer to reach the National Park by yourself, the Cerf Island Resort operates a regular boat service between Mahé and the resort. On the island, you will enjoy the only snorkel trail in Seychelles, a great place for beginners and anyone who wants to learn about marine life.
At last, if you stay at a resort located inside the Marine Park (Club Med Seychelles on St Anne Island, or Enchanted Island Resort on Round Island), you will enjoy snorkeling just in front of your hotel room.
Water entrance depends on the option you choose: from the boat if you are participating in an organized tour, or from the beach if you are on the islands.
The National Park perimeter is large (more than 14km²) and almost all the shallow and calm areas can be explored. Seagrass beds, fringing and patch reefs offer an ample and diverse array of environments to explore.
The seagrass meadows provide a habitat for the green sea turtles that are seen frequently in the Park. They are pretty rare in Seychelles, contrary to hawksbill sea turtles, very common in many areas, especially in La Digue and surrounding islands.
In reef areas, the coral is quite damaged, but you will swim among hundreds of fish. Semicircle angelfish, steephead parrotfish and oriental sweetlips, among many others, are easy to see and get close to.
St Anne Marine Park also supports abundant rays populations, including bluespotted ribbontail rays, spotted eagle rays, as well as the iconic manta rays.
Indeed, the high density of plankton found in St Anne waters attracts large numbers of manta rays each year from April to December. To have a better chance to encounter these graceful animals, opt for a snorkeling tour with local operators, as they know exactly the areas where you’ll get the best opportunity to spot them.
Three beach restaurants are located on Cerf Island. If you participate in a snorkeling tour, check with your operator if lunch, drinks or snacks are included.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. 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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
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.
