Cycling to Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue

A bicycle ride past plantation buildings and giant tortoises ends at a beach framed by granite boulders roughly 750 million years old.

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue

La Digue is small enough that bicycles are the standard way to get around, and the ride to Anse Source d’Argent is the best argument for that. The island sits about a 15-minute ferry ride from Praslin.

Leaving the Jetty

Bike hire is available near the ferry jetty. The ride from the jetty to the L’Union Estate entrance takes about 20 minutes on flat road and passes La Passe village and its Creole architecture. The island covers roughly 4 square miles, and most points can be reached by bike in 20 to 30 minutes, so there is no reason to hurry.

Through L’Union Estate

The beach is reached through L’Union Estate, a working coconut and vanilla plantation that is also a heritage site. A small fee is paid at the gate. The estate holds an old plantation house and copra mill, along with a pen of giant tortoises. Active vanilla plantations lie about 0.4 miles from the beach, and the landmark Giant Union Rock sits roughly half a mile away. The path from the estate to the sand is signposted.

The Beach Itself

Anse Source d’Argent runs about 3,600 feet and is only around 65 feet wide in places, so the boulders are never far from the water. The granite dates to roughly 750 million years ago, and the inner islands are fragments of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Weathering has rounded the stone into smooth shapes. In places you navigate around boulders rather than walk straight along the sand. The beach is often called the most photographed in the world.

When the Tide Matters

Tide decides the swim. At high tide the water is deep enough to swim and still shallow enough to be safe for most swimmers. At low tide the lagoon almost dries out, and the beach is better for walking than swimming. Check the tide tables the day before and plan around them. Early morning and late afternoon give softer light on the granite. Your Out Of Office specialist can plan La Digue days around the tide and the ferry timetable, and arrange bikes in advance.

Good to Know

La Digue suits couples looking for a quiet day together. Same-sex relationships have been legal in the Seychelles since 2016, and same-sex couples are welcomed as couples at hotels across the islands. The Out Of Office island hopping itinerary begins with a sail to La Digue, and it is one of the honeymoon itineraries Out Of Office suggests as a starting point.

Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel specialist that builds every Seychelles itinerary from scratch.

Planning Your Visit

Out Of Office plans tailor-made trips to the Seychelles. The island hopping itinerary shows how La Digue fits with other islands, and the pages on gay honeymoons in the Seychelles and Seychelles travel guides cover the wider planning.