Anse Lazio sits on the northwest corner of Praslin, reached by a short walk from the road end through the palms. It is consistently ranked among the finest beaches in the world, and the ranking, for once, is not an overstatement. The sand is white and deep, the water a layered spectrum from turquoise at the shallows to deep blue offshore, and the enormous granite boulders at either end of the bay frame the scene in a way that feels composed.
Swimming is excellent in calm conditions — the bay faces west and is sheltered from the southeast trade winds that blow from June to September. At high tide the water comes right to the palms. At low tide the reef at the northern end of the beach is accessible for snorkelling, with healthy coral and a dense population of fish. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon; midday is hot and the beach gets busy with boats from Mahé.