Cote d’Or (Anse Volbert), Praslin: The Complete Beach Guide

Cote d’Or, which you will also see written as Anse Volbert, is Praslin’s easygoing main beach and one of the most comfortable places to stay in the whole archipelago. Where Anse Lazio is a wild day-trip beauty, Cote d’Or is the long, calm, lived-in bay you can walk out into before breakfast. It suits families and first-timers especially well.

Where it is and getting there

The beach runs along the north-east coast of Praslin and is one of the island’s main hubs. The public bus runs along the road behind it, and a hire car makes it simple to combine with the rest of the island. Because so many places to stay sit right on or behind the sand, plenty of visitors barely need transport once they arrive.

The beach and the swimming

Cote d’Or is a long, gentle arc of pale sand with shallow, sheltered water held calm by a reef further out. That calm is the whole point. The swimming is easy and safe, the entry is gradual, and on most days it stays flat and clear. This is the kind of beach where children can paddle for hours and where a nervous swimmer feels comfortable.

Boat trips to St Pierre and Curieuse

Cote d’Or is the main departure point for some of Praslin’s best days on the water. Short boat trips run out to the tiny St Pierre islet, a cluster of granite rocks and palms with good snorkelling around it. Longer trips head to Curieuse, the nature island where Aldabra giant tortoises roam freely and where a path crosses an old mangrove. Boats and operators line the beach, so this is the natural place to arrange a trip.

Food and facilities

The back of the beach is dotted with restaurants, beach bars, hotels and shops, so eating, drinking and resupplying are all easy. This is a place with real infrastructure rather than a remote cove, which is exactly why it works so well as a base. You will find takeaways, sit-down Creole restaurants and a few small shops within a short walk.

The best time to go

Because it is reef-sheltered, Cote d’Or stays usable in a wider range of conditions than the open-ocean beaches, so it is a safe choice in the windier months. Mornings are calmest and best for snorkelling trips, and the bay is large enough that it rarely feels crowded even when the island is busy.

What is nearby

From Cote d’Or you are well placed for the whole of Praslin. Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette sit at the north-west tip, the Vallee de Mai forest is a short drive inland, and the smaller east-coast beaches like Anse La Blague are within reach. La Digue is a quick ferry hop from the Praslin jetty.

Where to stay and how to plan

Cote d’Or is one of the smartest bases on Praslin precisely because it gives you a calm beach, food and boat trips in one place. The choice of hotels, guesthouses and self-catering places is wide. Browse verified Praslin stays in our directory, add a hire car if you want to roam the island freely, and check the ferry schedule for hops to La Digue and Mahe.