An inspiring travel guide featuring 6 of the best hiking and nature trails on La Digue. Strap up your laces and discover these incredible La Digue hikes on your next visit to the Seychelles.
When people think La Digue island, what pops to mind is usually pristine, granite-dotted white-sand beaches and tropical, turquoise waters.
But, did you know that La Digue is also a hiker’s paradise?
For the adventurous travelers out there, I’ve compiled this list of the 6 best hikes on La Digue Island. Here, you’ll find the best hiking and nature trails on the island, as well as tips on how to complete each one. All the photos you see are from my recent trip, which I hope will inspire you to visit this hiker’s hidden gem in the Indian Ocean.
Things to Know About Hiking the La Digue Nature Trails
- Hiring a local guide is the best way to experience the awesome hiking trails on La Digue. This way, you'll not only get to enjoy nature, but you'll learn so much about the endemic plants and animals of the Seychelles. Furthermore, you'll be supporting local tourism, which the islands rely on for 70% of their income.
- Internet & LTE connectivity is not great on the eastern side of the island. If you plan to walk some of the more remote nature trails on La Digue, it's best to know this in advance. You can pick up a sim card with Airtel at the Mahe airport or at Cable & Wireless Kiosks on the main islands.
- Hiking on La Digue is one of the best activities to do on the island. La Digue is mountainous with lots of untouched, jungle interior that is rich in biodiversity and has several maintained nature trails.
- The Granitic Islands of the Seychelles are very unique. This is the only place on earth where granite islands exist mid-ocean.
- Getting to La Digue Island is very easy and there are three main options. The most popular is to take the Cat Cocos ferry from Mahe Island.
- Endemic species are abundant in the Seychelles. La Digue in particular is one of the only islands where you can spot the elusive Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher.
6 Best Hiking & Nature Trails on La Digue
Without further ado, let's dive into the 6 best hikes on La Digue. I've formulated this list to inspire you to visit and to showcase the incredible opportunities this island has for outdoor adventure.
Also read: 9 Best Accommodation & Hotels on La Digue
1. Anse Marron Hike
Anse Marron has long been a secluded, hidden gem but has recently blown up on an international scale thanks to social media. This sheltered, private beach is one of the most breathtaking beaches I've ever laid my eyes on. Even better yet, you have to earn it, with a short jungle trail starting from L'Union Estate.
However, before you head out, it's best to know that tourists are highly discouraged from commencing this La Digue hike independently. Apparently, I was told that a lot of tourists get lost on this trail and require rescue and I was told I shouldn't post directions for this reason.
Luckily, there are small-group, guided trips that are going to be your best bet. In fact, this particular trip to Anse Marron is one of the most-booked and highest-rated tours on La Digue Island. It has 5-stars on Viator– one of the world’s best booking websites, with a Badge of Excellence on Tripadvisor. Best of all, it only costs around €40 for a whole day!
Book now: Anse Marron Guided Walk (full-day)
2. Nid d'Aigle Hike (Eagle's Nest) - Highest Point on La Digue
The Nid D'Aigle hike, also known in English as the Eagle's Nest is the highest point on La Digue Island. The summit of Nid D'Aigle mountain rises 333 metres above the tropical Indian Ocean and is one of the steepest nature trails on La Digue.
The starting point for this trail is directly behind the Belle Vue Restaurant. This restaurant is already quite high, so most of the elevation will be covered on the very steep and winding concrete road on the way up. Again, this road is very steep and taking a bicycle up here is not a good idea.
The hike itself is very scenic, offering breathtaking views of the western side of La Digue on the way up. Overall, it's quite a short walk, reaching the summit after about 500 metres (roughly 120 metres of incline).
The summit offers the best views you'll find on La Digue. You'll get clear views of L'Union Estate, Anse Source D'Argent and even Praslin Island in the distance.
Book: Guided experience to Nid D'Aigle with my guide Henry.
WhatsApp: +248 2 580 533
3. Anse Cocos Hike
Another one of the best beaches on the island is Anse Cocos. This beach is famous for its incredible natural swimming pool and blue water.
There are two options to get to Anse Cocos on La Digue and both of them require nature trail hikes. I've covered both options extensively in my guide to Anse Cocos.
The trails leading to this beach are very scenic, with plenty of opportunity to spot endemic animal and plant life. In particular, keep an eye out for the illusive Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, the Seychelles Bulbul, the Seychelles Giant Day Gecko and the hard-to-spot Seychelles Bronze Gecko.
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4. Romeo & Juliet Viewpoint Hike (Unique Viewpoint)
This next La Digue hike is quite remote and I was shown it by my guide Henry. He has visited this spot since he was a young kid but in recent years, a German wedding photographer, with the help of some viral photos, made the spot blow up. He named it the Romeo and Juliet viewpoint, but Henry prefers to call it his Unique Viewpoint.
The track begins off the Belle Vue Road (same road leading up to Nid D'Aigle). In total, expect roughly 2 kilometers of undulating jungle trekking to reach the viewpoint. Furthermore, getting here involves navigating a maze of rocky, jungle trails with plenty of wrong turns down logging tracks. Instead, it's a good idea to contact Henry on the WhatsApp number above and he can take you out here.
Once you arrive at the Romeo and Juliet Viewpoint (Unique Viewpoint) on La Digue, you'll be awarded with some of the most breathtaking views on the island. The eastern side of La Digue is my personal favorite due to it being devoid of housing development. Instead, you'll get to experience untouched nature and incredible views over Grand Anse, Petite Anse, and Anse Cocos.
Finishing up the hike, it's better to continue down to Anse Cocos, where you can then take the shorter trail back to Grand Anse to reach the road.
Book: Guided experience to Romeo and Juliet Viewpoint (Unique Viewpoint) with my guide Henry.
WhatsApp: +248 2 580 533
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5. Anse Songe Nature Trail
The hike to Anse Songe is another great short nature trail on La Digue.
This trail begins just a few hundred meters before the access to Grand Anse beach on the southeastern end of La Digue. The track begins by winding through flat, sandy jungle before climbing over a short hill. In total, this La Digue hiking trail should only take about 20 minutes and you could even ride your bicycle to the short hill, cutting down some time.
Anse Songe is a rocky beach which you'll often have all to yourself. This beach is a little shallow and there is a small stretch of sand below a large granite boulder that is great for swimming and cooling off after the walk.
6. L'Union Estate
While not technically an official La Digue nature trail, walking through the palm forests and discovering the historic highlights of L'Union Estate is a great way to stretch the legs.
While many people decide to ride their bicycle through the estate, there are plenty of scenic trails between each attraction that you can walk instead.
In case you didn't know, the estate provides access to Anse Source D'Argent, which is La Digue's most famous beach.
How to Get to La DIgue Island
Ready to start exploring the incredible hiking and nature trails found on La Digue Island, the Seychelles? Still in the planning stages of your trip? Here are some useful travel tips, starting with how to get to the island!
If you want more information, I’ve gone into a lot more detail on the options for how to get to La Digue here.
However, in general, you have 2 options. Firstly, you could take the Cat Cocos (fast ferry) directly to La Digue Island from Mahe, which costs roughly €60 and takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Otherwise, you’ll want to take the Air Seychelles scenic flight to Praslin, then take the Cat Rose to La Digue Island. This is a scenic option and includes a breathtaking low-flying flight over the islands.
Where to Stay on La Digue
La Digue is quite a small island and you can get anywhere on a bicycle within 20-30 minutes. You'll find a lot of hotels on the west side of the island near the jetty but only a few along the narrow stretch of coastal road on the mostly inhabited eastern side.
On La Digue, there are a wide variety of hotel and resort offerings ranging from relatively "budget friendly" self-catering lodges to incredible luxury resorts.
Below is a quick summary of the best picks.
- Amazing Chateau: Hotel Chateau St Cloud (Mid-Range) - This is where I stayed on La Digue and I can personally recommend it as one of the best accommodation options on the island. This three-star hotel is perfect as a mid-range option as the location is excellent– just a little out from the main area on a quiet street that is close enough to both the incredible southwest beaches and the port.
- Waterfront Hotel: Le Nautique (High-end) - Rated as one of the best waterfront accommodations on La Digue, Le Nautique is a luxurious offering combining traditional Creole architecture with modern comforts including king-sized beds and rain-showers. Here, you'll also discover an amazing outdoor restaurant and beautiful garden surrounds.
- Self Catering: Dream Holiday (Budget) -located on the northern end of the island very close to the ferry terminal. Offers queen rooms with air-conditioning, TV, private bathrooms, and even a balcony. This is a great option if you're visiting La Digue on a budget while comfort and location are still a priority for you.
- ...9+ more top hotel picks on La Digue
More Photography from My Hiking Adventures on La DIgue
Here are some more of my favorite shots during my time hiking on La Digue. I hope you enjoy!
More Seychelles Travel Inspiration
And that's a wrap for this hiking guide covering the 6 best hikes on La Digue Island! I hope I've inspired you to ditch the beach and discover some of these awesome La Digue hiking and nature trails on your next visit to the Seychelles.
Also, if you're into adventure travel, or if you want to do something unique, make sure to check out some of my other Seychelles travel guides below.
Simomi
Monday 8th of August 2022
Hello Olly,
How hard was the Unique Viewpoint trail and how much time does it take?
Thank you!