Cote d'Or Footprints

The chalets sit right by the beach, and each one comes with its own little private pool, a full kitchen for self-catering and the shade of the garden around it. It is a place to slow down, cook when you like, swim in your own pool or step straight onto the sand, with the amenities you would expect of a far larger property kept on a personal scale. Guests describe it as spotless, well equipped and quiet.

The host, Annia, is named again and again as the reason the stay felt special. Reviews describe her as warm, attentive and quick to help with anything, from booking a car to pointing out the best places to eat. It is that personal, family-run care, on one of Praslin's finest beaches, that guests remember and recommend.

Côte d'Or, also called Anse Volbert, is the long sweep of beach on the north-east coast of Praslin, a wide arc of soft sand and calm, shallow water that is safe for swimming and easy for families. Along the bay are small shops, dive centres and restaurants, and boats leave from here for the nearby islands of La Digue, Curieuse and St Pierre. The Vallée de Mai, the palm forest where the coco de mer grows, is a short drive inland, and the rest of Praslin is close. For a beachfront self-catering stay on one of Praslin's best beaches, Cote d'Or Footprints is one we are glad to recommend.

Côte d'Or, also called Anse Volbert, is the long curving bay on the north-east coast of Praslin, one of the island's best-loved beaches. It is a wide arc of soft sand backed by takamaka trees, with calm, shallow, turquoise water that is safe for swimming and snorkelling and gentle for children. Along the bay are small shops, dive centres, a handful of restaurants and boat operators, and from the beach you can take a boat to the tiny islet of St Pierre or on to Curieuse and La Digue. Inland, a short drive away, is the Vallée de Mai, the UNESCO palm forest where the giant coco de mer grows. Praslin is the second-largest island, reached from Mahé by a short flight or the fast ferry.