Seychelles

Why go

Most trips hop between Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. It is a natural finish after a Kenya, Tanzania, or gorilla safari, and it is also a complete beach holiday on its own.

• 

  Three islands

  Mahé has the airport, Victoria, and Beau Vallon. Praslin is quieter, with Anse Lazio and the Vallée de Mai coco-de-mer forest. La Digue is bicycles, Anse Source d'Argent, and no need for a car.

  • Beau Vallon is the lively bay on Mahé. Smaller southern bays are quieter.
  • Anse Source d'Argent is the boulder beach. Go early, before the day boats.
  • Vallée de Mai is the half-day forest on Praslin, not a beach.
  • Outer islands and one-hotel islands are a different budget, for diving and for being left alone.
• 

  Reefs

  Snorkelling is good year-round. The clearest water is often in the calmer months, with visibility that can reach around 30 metres on a good day.

• 

  Island time

  Domestic flights between Mahé and Praslin are about a quarter of an hour. La Digue is a ferry from Praslin. Private islands exist for people who want a single villa and nothing else.

Where to go

• MahéThe main island. Beau Vallon is the lively bay. The south and west have smaller beaches between boulders. Use Mahé for at least the arrival night.
• PraslinAnse Lazio and Anse Georgette for beaches. Côte d'Or (Anse Volbert) if you want hotels and an easy swim. Vallée de Mai is the half-day in the forest.
• La DigueBicycles, ox-carts, and Anse Source d'Argent. A day trip from Praslin works. Two nights is better if you want the island after the day-trippers leave.
• Private islandsA few islands are one hotel only. They cost more and remove the ferry planning. Worth it only if seclusion is the whole point.

When to go

• 

  April to May, and October to November

  The calmer, less windy windows between the trades. These are the months most people should aim for if swimming and clear water matter most.

• 

  December to March

  Warmer, wetter, and greener. Rain often comes in bursts. Seaweed on some beaches depends on the wind, so the west coast can be cleaner than the east.

• 

  June to September

  The south-east trades. Cooler and breezier. Some eastern beaches collect weed. Diving can still be excellent on the sheltered side.

Travel advice

• 

  Hopping

  Do not book Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue for one night each. Two islands in a week is enough. Keep a buffer if the small plane is late.

• 

  Money

  The Seychelles rupee is the local currency. Cards work in hotels. Creole food and fish are the meal to order, and most resorts are on a meal plan.

• 

  Health

  There is no malaria risk on the main islands. Sun and sea are the practical issues. Ordinary travel insurance should cover the ferries and the small planes.

• 

  Entry

  A visitor permit is issued on arrival for many nationalities, but the rules and the proof-of-funds habit change. Check before you fly.

Accommodation

Costs

From the journal

• 

  Places

  Mauritius vs Seychelles vs Maldives Best

  Mauritius vs Seychelles vs Maldives Best is a planning note from Safari Continents Travel. It sits beside the destination guides for Seychelles, Mauritius. Published trip prices are a guide. You receive a quote before anything is paid.

• 

  Lodges

  The Best Luxury Hotels and Resorts in the Seychelles

  The Best Luxury Hotels and Resorts in the Seychelles is a planning note from Safari Continents Travel. It sits beside the destination guides for Seychelles. Published trip prices are a guide. You receive a quote before anything is paid.

• 

  Places

  The Best Things to Do in Seychelles

  The Best Things to Do in Seychelles is a planning note from Safari Continents Travel. It sits beside the destination guides for Seychelles. Published trip prices are a guide. You receive a quote before anything is paid.

• 

  Places

  10 Days Seychelles

  10 Days Seychelles is a planning note from Safari Continents Travel. It sits beside the destination guides for Seychelles. Published trip prices are a guide. You receive a quote before anything is paid.