What it is
About 10 square kilometres, 15 minutes by ferry from Praslin, with a few thousand residents and a bicycle-based way of getting around. Anse Source d'Argent is the beach of pink granite boulders and shallow water inside a reef. Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos are on the wilder east side, a 30-minute walk or ride away over the hill.
Why go
It is the slowest place in the country and the easiest to enjoy without spending much. A bicycle costs very little, the island is flat around the edge, and two days is enough to reach every beach on it.
When to go
Any month. Two practical points. Anse Source d'Argent is reached through the L'Union Estate, which charges an entry fee and closes in the late afternoon, and at low tide the water there is ankle-deep, so check the tide if you want to swim. Grand Anse on the east coast has a powerful shore break and strong currents, particularly during the southeast trades from May to September, and is often not safe to swim.
Most people stay 2-4 nights.