Moyenne Island Cruise from Mahé — Saint-Anne Marine Park Snorkeling & Island Lunch
The Moyenne Island cruise from Mahé is the premium version of the Sainte Anne Marine National Park experience — a 4.6-star rated full day departing from Eden Island Marina with snorkeling at the marine park reef, a deep dive into the remarkable conservation history of Moyenne Island, a Creole lunch on the island, and time with the Aldabra tortoise colony in a less crowded environment than the group tours allow. At $162, it is the highest-priced standard Mahé seychelles boat tour and delivers a proportionally more premium experience. Here is what justifies the price. (Compare all seychelles boat tours.)
About the Moyenne Island Premium Cruise
Full refund up to 24 hours before departure
Premium private marina — more relaxed than Victoria harbour
Full-day cruise departing from Mahé
Lunch on the historic private conservation island; giant tortoises included
Coral reef snorkeling — mask and fins provided
Smaller, better-equipped vessel than standard group cruises
Check Live Availability & Prices
Real-time dates and prices for the Moyenne Island cruise from Mahé.
What Makes This the Premium Mahé Marine Park Cruise
The standard Mahé marine park cruises operate large group boats out of Victoria harbour, covering multiple islands quickly. This Moyenne Island cruise takes a different approach: it departs from the quieter Eden Island Marina (Mahé's private island marina development), uses a smaller, better-equipped vessel, and treats Moyenne Island as the centerpiece of the day rather than a 45-minute lunch stop. The result is a more relaxed, less crowded experience at every stop.
Moyenne Island itself warrants the premium. Most group tours spend 45–60 minutes there for lunch. This cruise allocates 2+ hours on the island — enough time to properly explore the nature trail, spend time with the tortoise colony in the interior of the island (where the group tours rarely go), visit the 18th-century French colonial graveyard, and understand the extraordinary story of Brendon Grimshaw, who bought the island for £8,000 in 1962 and spent 40 years restoring it alone, planting 16,000 trees and introducing 120 giant tortoises, before the Seychelles government accepted it as a national park after his death in 2012.
Moyenne Island — The Seychelles' Most Remarkable Conservation Story
The Moyenne Island story is one of the most remarkable individual conservation achievements in the Indian Ocean. The key facts:
- Brendon Grimshaw, a Yorkshire-born journalist, bought Moyenne Island in 1962 for £8,000 — then derelict and abandoned
- With one Seychellois helper, René Antoine Lafortune, Grimshaw spent 40 years planting 16,000 trees, creating walking trails, and restoring the island to its natural state
- He introduced 120 giant Aldabra tortoises to the island — now at over 150 animals; they roam freely throughout
- The 18th-century French graveyard on the island is one of the oldest documented sites in the inner Seychelles
- Grimshaw refused offers of $50 million to sell the island, preferring to ensure it remained a nature reserve
- After his death in 2012 at age 86, the island was formally accepted as a national park by the Seychelles government
- Today it is the smallest national park in the world — 9 hectares
What's Included — and What's Not
Included
- Full-day cruise from Eden Island Marina on Mahé
- Snorkeling at Sainte Anne Marine Park — mask, fins, and snorkel
- 2+ hours on Moyenne Island — nature trail, tortoise encounter, historical graveyard
- Creole seafood lunch on Moyenne Island
- Giant tortoise viewing on Moyenne Island
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Not included
- Hotel pickup — taxi or self-drive to Eden Island Marina (a 5–10 minute drive from Victoria)
- Expert guide (unless specifically stated in your booking) — check with the operator
- Gratuity for crew — customary for a premium tour experience
- Reef-safe sunscreen — mandatory in marine national parks; not provided
Full-Day Itinerary — Moyenne Island Cruise from Mahé
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8:00
Departure from Eden Island Marina
Board at Eden Island Marina — Mahé's private island marina, a 5–10 minute drive east of Victoria. The marina is quieter and more organized than Victoria harbour. Equipment briefing on board during the 15-minute crossing to the park.
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8:30
Snorkeling — Sainte Anne Marine Park reef
The boat anchors over the Sainte Anne marine park coral reef. 60–75 minutes of snorkeling — coral garden, parrotfish, surgeonfish, hawksbill turtles. The marine park here is calm and in excellent condition.
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10:00
Arrive at Moyenne Island
Transfer to Moyenne Island pier. The island's nature trail begins from the pier — the crew or a Moyenne Island caretaker provides orientation. Giant tortoises are encountered within the first 100 metres of the trail.
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10:15
Moyenne Island nature trail
Self-guided or crew-assisted exploration of the island: the interior tortoise habitat (more sheltered and quieter than the beach), the 16,000-tree reforestation, the 18th-century French colonial graveyard, and the endemic bird species including white fairy terns that nest at eye level on the island's trees.
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12:30
Creole lunch on Moyenne Island
Lunch is served on the island — Creole-style grilled fish, rice, salad, and fruit. The lunch setting, under the trees planted by Grimshaw on the island's south beach, is one of the most atmospheric in the Seychelles.
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14:00
Free time on Moyenne Island
Additional time on the island after lunch — swim off the beach, re-walk the nature trail, or simply sit among the tortoises. This extended time on the island is what differentiates this cruise from the shorter group tours.
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15:30
Return to Eden Island Marina
Boat returns to Eden Island Marina, arriving approximately 15:30–16:00.
Important Things to Know
Practical information for the Moyenne Island cruise:
- Eden Island Marina is a gated private marina development — drive or taxi to the main gate and follow signs to the marina; parking is available
- The marine park reef snorkeling is self-guided; if you want species narration, consider pairing this with the [reef safari](/reef-safari-seychelles/) on a different day
- Reef-safe mineral sunscreen is mandatory — Sainte Anne Marine National Park rangers enforce the ban on chemical sunscreen; bring zinc oxide-based sunscreen
- The Moyenne Island tortoises roam freely throughout the island — the interior forest tortoises are the most relaxed and easiest to spend time with
- Motion: the Eden Island Marina to marine park crossing is only 15 minutes and very sheltered; seasickness is rarely an issue on this tour
Eden Island Marina and Moyenne Island — Map
Who This Tour Is For
The Moyenne Island premium cruise is the best Mahé option for travelers who want more than a rushed island-hopping day — specifically guests who appreciate conservation and natural history, those who want a less crowded marine park experience than the standard group cruise, and couples or small families who value the quieter Eden Island Marina departure over the bustle of Victoria harbour.
- Not suitable for: budget travelers — at $162 this is the highest-priced standard Mahé tour; the [St Anne Marine Park cruise](/st-anne-marine-park-cruise/) ($87) covers the same destinations at lower cost
- Not suitable for: guests who want an expert marine guide specifically for the snorkeling — the [reef safari](/reef-safari-seychelles/) is better suited to that need
- Not suitable for: guests who prefer a high-energy group tour with many participants
What to Bring
- Reef-safe mineral sunscreen (mandatory)
- Camera or action camera — the tortoise interior trail photography is exceptional
- Hat and sunglasses for the boat crossing and beach time
- Light footwear or sandals for the Moyenne Island trail
- Small dry bag for phone and valuables
Not Allowed
- Chemical sunscreen — banned in Sainte Anne Marine National Park
- Touching or feeding the Moyenne Island giant tortoises
- Collecting any natural material from the island or reef
- Bringing outside alcohol onto the island
Moyenne Island Cruise from Mahé — FAQ
Why does this cruise depart from Eden Island Marina rather than Victoria harbour?
Eden Island Marina is closer to Sainte Anne Marine National Park (approximately 15 minutes versus 20–25 minutes from Victoria harbour), offers quieter and more organized boarding, and is associated with the premium boat tourism operators in Mahé. The marina is inside a private residential island development accessible via a short bridge from Mahé's eastern coast, approximately 5 km from Victoria.
What is the difference between this tour and the St Anne Marine Park cruise?
The St Anne Marine Park 3-island cruise ($87, 4.1★) visits three islands (Sainte Anne reef, Moyenne, Cerf) in a large group format out of Victoria harbour with a Creole lunch and glass-bottom viewing. This Moyenne Island cruise ($162, 4.6★) is a smaller-group premium tour departing from Eden Island Marina, with extended time on Moyenne Island (2+ hours vs 45–60 minutes) and a more relaxed overall experience. Choose this for depth and quiet; choose the cruise for breadth and value.
Is the Moyenne Island nature trail physically demanding?
No — the Moyenne Island trail is a gently sloping, well-maintained path through the island's reforested interior. It takes 30–45 minutes at a relaxed pace and requires only basic mobility. The terrain is gravel and packed earth with some tree roots — sandals or light footwear are adequate.
Why does the Seychelles have giant tortoises — aren't they native to the Galapagos?
Aldabra giant tortoises are the Seychelles' own species — distinct from Galapagos tortoises and native to the outer islands of the Seychelles (primarily Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The inner islands (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse, Moyenne) host introduced populations for conservation and tourism purposes. The Aldabra tortoise is one of two surviving giant tortoise species in the world, with a wild population of approximately 100,000 on Aldabra Atoll.
Is the Creole lunch a beach BBQ or a sit-down meal?
The lunch on Moyenne Island is a served Creole meal, typically at a designated picnic or outdoor dining area on the island rather than a beach BBQ format. It generally includes grilled local fish or seafood, rice, salads, and fruit. Vegetarian options are available on request — mention at booking.
What Guests Say About the Moyenne Island Cruise
The Brendon Grimshaw story alone makes Moyenne Island worth the price — we knew nothing about it before arriving and found it genuinely moving. The snorkeling at the marine park was the best of our Seychelles trip. Eden Island Marina is beautiful. Completely different experience from the standard group cruises.
We paid the premium over the cheaper tours and it was absolutely right. More time on Moyenne Island than any other tour we compared — we walked the trail three times and had a long, relaxed lunch. The tortoises in the interior forest are extraordinary. Very glad we didn't book the budget option.
A genuinely premium experience in every way. The boat was beautiful, the crew were attentive, and Moyenne Island is unlike anywhere we've visited. Saw a hawksbill turtle during the snorkel stop within the first five minutes. The Creole lunch was one of the best meals of the week.