There are platforms in the ocean which you can swim out to, and the local resort lets non-residents use its beach loungers and bar. Beau Vallon village has a petrol station, a bank and some souvenir shops. The beaches in the southern part of the island are prettier and quieter than those in the north. The nicest area for swimming and snorkelling is opposite tiny le Souris, on the east coast. If you like to watch, the surf at Anse Intendance is incredibly wild and completely unsuitable for swimming, but great for solemn gazing during pensive beach walks.
Buses run from Victoria to most of the island.
There are six islands lying within the park a few km off Victoria. The snorkelling here is superb. Moyenne is probably the best island to visit, although you can only get here on a tour. The island is known for its buried treasures and ghosts, and you can have a look at the House of Dogs, built at the turn of the century by an eccentric English woman as a home for stray dogs. Round Island was once a leper colony - the chapel of the colony is now a restaurant.