St Anne Marine Park Clear Boat Tour from Eden Island

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St Anne Marine Park Clear Boat Tour from Eden Island

Overview

This St Anne Marine Park clear boat tour is a two-hour shared trip from Eden Island, Mahé, on a transparent-hulled boat, so you watch the coral, seagrass and fish of the oldest marine park in the Indian Ocean pass beneath your feet while sitting dry on deck. Departures are at 10:00 and 13:00. After gliding over the best reef patches with commentary from our English- and French-speaking guide, the boat anchors for a swimming stop in calm, clear water and, weather permitting, lands on a sandbank for photographs. The marine park entry fee and a bottle of water per person are included; hotel pickup is not. It suits families with children from two years, non-swimmers, couples and anyone with only a couple of hours to spare on Mahé.

Highlights

Watch the reef through the transparent hull while staying dry on deck
Corals, seagrass meadows, tropical fish and the chance of turtles and rays
Swimming stop in the calm, clear water of St Anne Marine Park
Optional sandbank stop for photographs, time and weather permitting
English- and French-speaking guide explaining the park and its marine life
Marine park entry fee and a bottle of water per person included
Departures at 10:00 and 13:00 from Eden Island
Only two hours: easy to combine with Victoria or a beach afternoon

Full Description

Eden Island: the departure point

Eden Island is the man-made island connected by a bridge to the east coast of Mahé, a few minutes' drive south of Victoria, with a marina, waterfront restaurants and shops. The clear boat departs from here at 10:00 and 13:00; the exact boarding spot is confirmed after booking. Hotel pickup is not included, but the island is easy to reach by taxi, hire car or the bus from Victoria, and there is parking close to the marina.

Arrive about fifteen minutes early to meet our guide and settle on board. The boat is small and open, with the transparent section of the hull in the middle of the deck, so everyone sits around it and looks down at the same time. Boarding is from a pontoon at water level, which makes it easy for children and older guests.

St Anne Marine National Park: the reef beneath the hull

St Anne Marine National Park, created in 1973 as the first marine park in the Indian Ocean, protects the shallow lagoon around six small islands just off Victoria. Fishing is forbidden, so the reef is busy with life, and the lagoon lies in the lee of Mahé, which keeps the water calm for most of the year. The park entry fee is included in the tour.

The boat crosses the few kilometres from Eden Island in about ten minutes and then slows to a crawl over the reef flats. Through the transparent hull you see coral heads, patches of seagrass, sand channels and the fish that live between them: parrotfish, butterflyfish, sergeant majors, wrasse and sometimes a green turtle grazing or a ray lifting off the sand. Our guide names what passes and explains how the park is managed; a St Anne Marine Park tour by clear boat is the simplest way to see this reef without a mask.

The swimming stop and the sandbank

After the viewing, the boat anchors in a sheltered spot with a sandy bottom and clear water for a swimming stop of about thirty minutes. You can float, swim around the boat or, if you have brought your own mask and snorkel, look at the coral on the edge of the sand. The crew stays on board and watches the swimmers, and children should wear a flotation vest.

When time and weather permit, the boat also lands on a sandbank, a strip of white sand that appears at lower tide inside the park, for photographs with the islands and the Mahé mountains behind you. The sandbank stop is optional and depends on the tide and the sea on the day; it is a favourite for couples and families. Is the clear boat worth it? For a two-hour taste of the Seychelles reef, it is one of the most relaxed things to do in Seychelles from the capital.

The practical visit: what to expect in two hours

The whole tour lasts about two hours from boarding to return at Eden Island. There is no shade cover over the viewing section, so a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen matter, and a light shirt over your swimwear helps on the way back. One bottle of water per person is provided; other food and drinks are not included, and there are cafés at the marina for before or after the trip.

The 10:00 departure usually has the calmest water and the best light through the hull; the 13:00 departure suits guests spending the morning in Victoria or arriving from the north of Mahé. Children from two years are welcome, and because the viewing is from the deck, grandparents and non-swimmers enjoy the tour as much as the swimmers.

Itinerary

Meet at Eden IslandArrive about 15 minutes before the 10:00 or 13:00 departure, meet our guide and board the clear boat from the pontoon.
Cross to St Anne Marine National ParkAbout 10 minutes across the channel with an introduction to the park and its islands.
Clear-hull viewing over the reefAround 45 minutes drifting slowly over coral, seagrass and sand channels while the guide names the fish and other marine life below.
Swimming stopAbout 30 minutes anchored in calm, clear water to swim from the boat.
Sandbank stop (time and weather permitting)A short landing on a sandbank for photographs when tide and sea conditions allow.
Return to Eden IslandBack at the marina about two hours after departure.

What's included

Clear boat trip in St Anne Marine National Park
Entry fee to the marine park
English- and French-speaking guide
Swimming stop
Optional sandbank stop (time and weather permitting)
One bottle of water per person

Not included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks other than water

Meeting point

The tour starts and ends at Eden Island on the east coast of Mahé, just south of Victoria; the exact boarding spot is confirmed after booking. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and Eden Island is a short taxi ride from Victoria with parking near the marina for guests with a hire car. Please arrive about fifteen minutes before your 10:00 or 13:00 departure.

Important information

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included; make your own way to Eden Island.
One bottle of water per person is included; other food and drinks are not.
Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a light cover-up; a dry bag protects phones and cameras.
Snorkelling gear is not provided; bring your own mask if you want to look at the coral during the swimming stop.
The sandbank stop is optional and depends on tide, time and weather on the day.
The swimming stop is from the boat in open water; children should wear a flotation vest and non-swimmers can stay on board.
Do not touch or stand on coral; marine life sightings such as turtles and rays cannot be guaranteed.
Children from 2 years are welcome; the boat has no toilet, so plan accordingly for the two hours.

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.

Is this a shared or a private tour?

It is a shared tour with other guests on the clear boat. If you want the boat for your party only, contact us and we will check a private departure.

Can we change the itinerary or the pace?

The route over the reef and the two-hour length are fixed, and the crew decides on the sandbank stop by the tide and weather; you are free to skip the swim and stay on board.

How many people fit on the boat?

The clear boat carries a small group seated around the transparent section of the hull so that everyone has a clear view down; exact numbers vary by departure.

Is the price per person or per group?

Per person, with a child rate for ages 2 to 11; the booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. The tour starts at Eden Island, a short taxi ride from Victoria and easy to reach from anywhere on Mahé.

What is included in the clear boat tour?

The clear boat trip in St Anne Marine National Park, the marine park entry fee, an English- and French-speaking guide, the swimming stop, the optional sandbank stop when conditions allow and one bottle of water per person. Hotel transfers and other food and drinks are not included.

How long is the tour?

About two hours from boarding to return, with departures at 10:00 and 13:00.

Is it suitable for children and people with reduced mobility?

Yes, children from 2 years love watching the fish through the hull, and non-swimmers see everything from the deck. Boarding is from a pontoon with a step down into the boat; guests with reduced mobility should contact us first.

What should I bring?

Swimwear, towel, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, a dry bag, your own mask and snorkel if you want them, and a camera for the sandbank.

When is the best time for the clear boat?

The 10:00 departure usually has the calmest sea and the clearest view through the hull. Visibility in the park is best from April to May and from October to November, and the lagoon is sheltered all year.

Will we see turtles?

Green turtles feed on the seagrass inside the park and are often seen through the hull, but sightings depend on the day and cannot be guaranteed.

How do I book and confirm?

Choose your date and departure time in the booking panel and send the request; our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes with the boarding spot.