Anchorage· Mahé (northwest coast)· Seychelles
Port Launay Marine National Park
4° 39.3′ S · 55° 23.5′ E · approximate
A horseshoe of white sand at the mouth of a calm, relatively deep natural harbour; The Moorings calls it sheltered in nearly any wind, and it is the only Mahé marine park you can also reach by road.
Practical
Coordinate derived: inside the bay between the OSM bay label and Port Launay beach, checked to be in the water; anchor by eye on sand in the designated area. Marine park entry Rs200 per non-resident over 12 (one ticket covers Baie Ternay and Port Launay together) plus Rs250 per yacht for an overnight stay; rangers come to the boat, card payment only on site (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, UnionPay) or buy online; keep the ticket (SPGA, undated; verify locally). SPGA lists park hours as 8am-5pm on its visitor page and 9am-5pm on the park pages. Anchor only in designated areas, never on coral; motorised water sports and water-skiing are banned in the parks. Rocky reefs on both sides of the bay; the park is famous for whale-shark sightings in season. There is a little corner store nearby and road access, so buses and taxis are available; restaurants and dive centres at the Constance Ephelia resort and along the road toward Port Glaud. Separated from Baie Ternay by Cap Matoopa.
Best for
An all-weather west-coast overnight with road access
Season
Year-round; most comfortable in SE trades
Nearby
- Port Launay Snorkelling Trail0.1 NM away
- Anse l'Amour (Port Launay)0.3 NM away
- Port Launay Beach (North)0.4 NM away
- Laundry (Port Glaud, L'Islette)0.9 NM away
- Port Glaud and L'Islette0.9 NM away
- Baie Ternay Turtle Nesting Beach1.1 NM away
- Ephelia Mangrove Trail and Nature Hike (Port Launay)1.1 NM away
- Ile Thérèse Anchorage and Snorkel1.1 NM away