St Anne Marine Park Semi-Submarine Tour from Eden Island

Eden Island marina: where the tour starts

Eden Island is a man-made island linked by a bridge to the east coast of Mahé, a few minutes south of Victoria, with a marina, shops and restaurants built around its canals. The semi-submarine departs from the marina here, so the meeting point is easy to reach by car, taxi or bus from anywhere on the island. Hotel pickup is not part of this tour; we confirm the exact boarding spot and your departure time after booking.

Arrive about fifteen minutes before your time to meet our guide and board. The boat is covered with a non-slip surface and fitted with safety handrails, and boarding is from a pontoon at water level, which makes it straightforward for children and older guests. Many visitors combine this hour on the water with a visit to Victoria or lunch on Eden Island, which is why the semi-submarine is one of the most convenient things to do in Seychelles from the capital.

St Anne Marine National Park: the oldest marine park in the Indian Ocean

Just offshore from Eden Island lies St Anne Marine National Park, created in 1973 as the first marine park in the Indian Ocean. It protects a shallow lagoon of seagrass meadows and coral reefs around six small islands, including Ste Anne, Cerf, Moyenne and Round, and fishing is forbidden inside it, so the fish are unusually tame and plentiful. The access fee for the park is included in this tour.

The semi-submarine reaches the reef in a few minutes of gentle cruising, so even guests who worry about seasickness are usually fine. The park is sheltered by Mahé from the trade winds, which means the water inside is calm for most of the year. A St Anne Marine Park tour by semi-submarine is the only way to look at this reef from below the surface while staying completely dry.

The underwater observatory: what you see through the windows

Once over the reef, everyone goes below into the air-conditioned observatory, a wide cabin with large windows on both sides set about a metre and a half under the surface. The boat moves slowly over coral heads, patches of seagrass, granite boulders and sandy plains while the guide, speaking English, French or Arabic as needed, names what swims past: parrotfish, butterflyfish, sergeant majors, wrasse and the occasional moray eel peering from a hole.

Green turtles come to the seagrass to feed, and a pod of dolphins sometimes passes the boat, though sightings of both depend on luck and tide. Children can press their faces to the glass and photograph the fish, and the cabin is cool and dry, which is why the semi-submarine is ideal for toddlers, grandparents and anyone who cannot or does not want to snorkel.

The upper deck and the practical visit

The open upper deck is the place to be on the way out and back: you have a panoramic view of the Eden Island skyline, the coast of Mahé and the mountain tops of Morne Seychellois National Park rising behind Victoria. Bring a hat and sunscreen for this part, and a camera for the colours of the lagoon seen from above.

The tour lasts about one hour in total and runs Monday to Saturday; several departure times exist each day, and the available time for your date is confirmed with you after booking. Food and drinks are not included, so eat before or after at the marina. Is the semi-submarine worth it? If you have an hour on Mahé and want the reef without a wetsuit, it is the most relaxed way to see it.