Beaches in Seychelles

Granite, not coral, is what makes these beaches recognisable. The inner islands are the peaks of a submerged continental fragment, and the boulders lying on the sand are that granite weathered into shapes nothing else produces. Reefs sit close in, so the water is shallow and calm, and building is limited by law and terrain alike. Every beach is public by law, which matters here because much of the best shoreline sits behind hotels and access is by arrangement rather than by right of way. The south-east trades from May to September bring seaweed and swell to some coasts while leaving others calm, and the reverse applies from December. Currents on the unprotected eastern shores are genuinely dangerous and have caused drownings; the reef-protected western beaches are where the swimming is. Practicalities: inter-island travel is by ferry or light aircraft, several of the best beaches are reached only on foot or through a resort by arrangement, and there are no lifeguards anywhere in the country.

Each is a different kind: four shores across four beach worlds. The sand is coral sand throughout. Together they account for 2.3 km of shore. · computed from the 4 records below