Sainte Anne Marine National Park in Seychelles

Features and Nearby Attractions

The park features granitic islands where green and hawksbill turtles, as well as bottlenose dolphins, are found. There are Creole restaurants on Moyenne and Cerf islands and a number of gourmet restaurants on Sainte Anne Island.

Location

Roughly 20 minutes from Victoria harbor by slow boat, the national park is located in the Mont Fleuri district near the capital city of Victoria in Seychelles. Both private boats and shared ferries offer transport to reach the park.

History of Sainte Anne Marine National Park

The area of the park was a private property before it was declared a nature reserve. This marine national park in Seychelles was created in 1973 for wildlife conservation. First of its kind in the Indian Ocean, this marine national park covers a total area of 14.45 square kilometers and a land area of 3.9 square km.

Activities in Sainte Anne Marine National Park

The Sainte Anne Marine National Park is a vital part of the natural and cultural heritage of Seychellois. The islands are one of the major tourist attractions in Seychelles for scuba diving, glass bottom boat excursions, fish feeding, and snorkeling among the coral reefs. Day tours to this park are regularly organized for tourists looking for some fun under the sun.

The lively underwater world attracts tourists from all over the world to encounter magnificent coral gardens, reef sharks, and tropical fish. Scuba diving in Sainte Anne Marine National Park can be enjoyed throughout the year. Local tour operators offer regular day trips to the park from Victoria.

Attractions in Sainte Anne Marine National Park

With an area of 2.27 sq. km, Sainte Anne Island is the largest of eight islands. It features a large luxury resort named Sainte Anne Island Resort. The island has 6 big beaches: Grande Anse, Anse Royale, Anse Tortues, Anse Cimitiere, Anse Manon, and Anse Cabot. Activities such as snorkelling, parasailing, and surfing can be enjoyed at the beaches. Taking a boat tour of these beaches is another fun way to explore the park.

A few of these beaches are popular resting sites for sea turtles between November and February while other beaches are accessible only via foot. The highest point on Sainte Anne Island is 246 meters.

Second largest in size, Cerf Island has three luxury hotels: Cerf Island Marine Park Resort, Fairy Tern Chalets, and L'Habitation. The island also has an art gallery, chapels, and a cemetery. The calm and shallow waters around Cerf Island are an amazing sight to behold. The deepest point of the Marine Park is 250 meters. There are more than 150 species of marine species such as reef fish, crabs, sea urchins, and starfish in the national park.