The Seychelles
The Seychelles, in a few days
From green Mahé to the palm forest of the Vallée de Mai on Praslin, then the sculpted boulders of La Digue, by ferry: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Mahé Days 1-2
- 2 Praslin Days 3-4
- 3 La Digue Days 5-7
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Mahé
The largest island, green and mountainous, home to Victoria, one of the smallest capitals in the world, and to the long beach of Beau Vallon.
- Island tour and national park, guidedFull day · from €40A day around Mahé with a guide, including the forest trails of Morne Seychellois National Park.
- Snorkelling in Sainte Anne Marine ParkHalf day · from €55A short boat ride from Victoria to reefs with tropical fish and turtles.
- Beau Vallon beach
- Victoria market
- The Morne Seychellois trails
Praslin
Home to the Vallée de Mai, the UNESCO-listed palm forest where the coco de mer grows, and to Anse Lazio on the north coast.
- Vallée de Mai and the coco de mer (UNESCO)Half day · from €25An ancient palm forest, home of the coco de mer, which bears the largest seed in the plant world, and of the rare Seychelles black parrot.
- Boat trip to Curieuse and its tortoisesFull day · from €75An island off Praslin where giant Aldabra tortoises roam free, with a walk through the mangroves.
- Anse Lazio
- Anse Georgette
- The native palm forest
- Empty beaches and pink granite
La Digue
A small island you get round by bicycle, with very few cars. Its pink granite boulders at Anse Source d'Argent are among the most photographed rocks in the Indian Ocean.
- La Digue by bike and Anse Source d'ArgentFull day · from €20A day on two wheels round the island, ending among the granite boulders of the most photographed beach in the country.
- Snorkelling around the nearby isletsHalf day · from €45A boat out to Coco Island, Félicité and the Sisters, where the water is at its clearest.
- La Veuve Special Reserve
- The beaches by bike
- Anse Cocos and its natural pools
Worth sorting before you go
Inter-island ferries · Fast catamarans, Cat Cocos among them, cross from Mahé to Praslin in a little over an hour, and a short hop takes you on to La Digue. Book ahead in high season.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Fish curry: fish cooked in coconut milk and spices, the everyday dish of the islands.
- Grilled fish: caught that morning, served with rice and Creole sauces.
- Rougaille and chatini: a spiced tomato stew, and sharp relishes made from fruit or vegetables.
- Ladob: plantain or cassava cooked in sweetened coconut milk, eaten as a dessert.
- Coconut water and Takamaka rum: one straight from the nut, the other distilled on Mahé.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Budget more than you expect: almost everything is imported, down to many of the vegetables.
- Do not touch coral or turtles, and do not take a coco de mer nut home without an export permit.
- Use reef-safe sunscreen and reapply often. The sun burns fast even under cloud.
- Drive on the left on Mahé and Praslin, on narrow, winding roads with steep drops.
Words that help
English ↔ French
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour |
| Thank you | Merci |
| Please | S'il vous plaît |
| Yes | Oui |
| No | Non |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi |
| Goodbye | Au revoir |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ? |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ? |
| Where are the toilets? | Où sont les toilettes ? |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît |
| Help! | Au secours ! |
| Cheers! | Santé ! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/seychelles
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.