SEYCHELLES ISLAND TRAVEL GUIDE

After exploring Kenya for our first destination of our honeymoon we flew to Seychelles for our last leg of our vacation. We knew we wanted to spend time relaxing on a beach after a week in Kenya and had a few options before selecting Seychelles. Both of us already been to the Maldives so our three choices were Seychelles, Zanzibar, and Mauritius. After our research and asking others, Seychelles won our vote and we absolutely loved it!

Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. It has some of the most stunning beaches, coral reefs, and nature reserves. If you’re looking for a tropical destination here’s my complete Seychelles island travel guide.

Since we were already in Kenya we flew direct from Nairobi to Seychelles with Kenya Airways. The flight is 3 hours, there is typically 1 direct flight every few days so it’s not the easiest to get to.

SEYCHELLES MAP

Below is a map of Seychelles to give you a better idea of where the islands are located.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP

The currency is Seychelles rupees. However, visitors can pay in Euros, USD, and GBP
Seychelles is not cheap! It’s one of the top-rated honeymoon destinations
Best time to visit: between April and May, or October and November. These are the calmer periods in between the two trade winds the island experiences each year. We visited the first week of January and had some showers but the weather was perfect
Renting a car is not necessary unless you plan to drive and explore the larger islands like Mahe or Praslin
I recommend a minimum of 4 nights
Surprisingly I had no issues with insects and/or mosquitoes!

BEST SEYCHELLES RESORTS (MAHE ISLAND)

Depending on which Seychelles island you plan to stay there’s plenty of beautiful resorts. We stayed on the main island in Mahe at Hilton Northolme in the Grand Ocean View Pool Villa with Infinity Pool. This resort is the smallest Hilton in the world but it’s a beautiful property with two private beaches and three restaurants.

Hilltop Restaurant: local and international themed buffets
Les Cocotiers: dine under the stars at this fine dining restaurant
Oceanview Bar and Restaurant: casual dining with live music at dinner

The property offers fun activities: golf oversea experience, floating ping pong session, floating aperitivo in the villa, and romantic bath experience. The Hilton also has one other property in Seychelles, Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa which is one of the only properties on the island. It’s located on the famous white sand shore of Silhouette Island. Guests staying at either property are able to do day trips by ferry.

Other options: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, Maia Luxury Resort & Spa Seychelles

THINGS TO DO IN SEYCHELLES

Ryan and I stayed on the main island is Mahe and did a day trip to the two most popular islands: Praslin, and La Digue. Our hotel at the Hilton arranged our day trip which cost $200 USD per person. This included transportation and lunch. If you have extra days to spend in Seychelles I recommend island hopping and spending a few nights on Praslin.

Getting to each island in Seychelles is easy. You can choose from ferries or flights. The speed ferries from the main island, Mahé to Praslin is a little over an hour and 15 minutes from Praslin to La Digue. A flight from Mahé to Praslin is 15 minutes and will cost a little more.

PRASLIN

When visiting Seychelles you cannot miss a trip to Praslin. If you decide to spend a few days on this island I recommend staying at Raffles Seychelles or Constance Lemuria.

Anse Lazio beach has been voted as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches and a must-visit when traveling in the Seychelles Islands. It was not crowded, soft white sand and stunningly clear blue waters.

Other beaches worth visiting: Anse Georgette, Anse Volbert, Anse Consolation and Cote d’Or Beach

Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to where the ancient Coco de Mer trees are protected.

LA DIGUE

La Digue is another island visitors must visit when visiting Seychelles Islands. We loved the beaches here and could have spent the entire day just on this island.

Rent a bike or go on a bike tour: once you arrive at port you will notice a few bike rentals. The best way to get around is by bike.

Anse Source D’Argent Reserve: the best beaches on La Digue is in a reserve and all visitors will need to pay 100 SCR or $7 USD entrance fee in cash. You will likely spend the full day here:

Anse Source d’Argent beach (the most photographed beach in Seychelles)
Vanilla plantation with the old plantation house and an old mill
Giant tortoises (some are over 150 years old)

COUSIN ISLAND

We did not have time to visit Cousin Island but I highly recommend it. It’s once a coconut plantation and located one mile off of Praslin Island with lush mangroves, many birds and where the giant tortoises roam freely.

The entrance fee is $37 USD for all visitors over 12 years old. Visitors can book a trip to Cousin Island from the hotels.

THINGS TO DO ON MAHE ISLAND

While on Mahe Island, Ryan and I spent all of our time at the resort to relax. If you have time to explore the island here are a few things you should do.

Morne Seychellois National Park for many hiking trails and outdoor activities
Seychelles National Botanical Gardens
Snorkeling & Diving
Beaches: Anse Soliel, Beau Vallon, Anse Royale, Petite Anse

I hope this helped give you a better idea of what to expect in Seychelles and the best things to do on the Seychelle Islands. We had the most amazing honeymoon and highly recommend it! Don’t forget to read about our experience in Kenya for 8 days!