9 Incredible Things To Do in the Seychelles

When you think of crystal clear waters, golden sandy beaches, ocean changing colours from turquoise blue to teal green, does Seychelles come to mind? It should, because the tropical island certainly delivers on all this and more. Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean on the east side of African continent, and there are many things to do in Seychelles for a fun-filled vacation.

Although Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands, most of them are not inhabited. The 3 main islands are Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. Mahé is the largest and main island of the Seychelles. Mahé features stunning beaches, lush mountains, rich biodiversity, and its capital city, Victoria. So apart from the quintessential beaches and water activities, there are many other things to do in Mahe Seychelles. Praslin and La Digue are the other 2 large islands in the Seychelles, they are equally impressive with spectacular nature and beautiful beaches.

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Best time to visit the Seychelles

Seychelles temperature is consistently balmy, ranging from 27-30°C, making it an almost year-round destination. Summer months are considered the best time to visit Seychelles, with June to August being cooler (24-28°C), drier, but windier due to southeast winds. These sunny, dry conditions are ideal for sunbathing and water sports. The dry conditions are also good for hiking on the islands. The shoulder season of April, May, October, November offer the best balance of calm seas, less rain, and pleasant temperatures between monsoon seasons. 

December to March is the typical rainy season, when the northwest monsoon makes the island warmer and humid. There is more rain in January and February. We went to celebrate New Year in Mahé Seychelles and found the warm temperature reasonable during the day and breezy during evenings. It rained in short bursts during our trip and the ocean was choppier than usual for water activities.

Getting to the Seychelles

Mahé is where the Seychelles International Airport and Port Victoria are located, making it the gateway to other islands. If you’re planning on visiting any island within the Seychelles, then you will have to pass through Mahé. The Cat Cocos ferry from Mahé’s Inter Island Terminal in Victoria connects Mahé to Praslin, La Digue and a few other islands.
 
We took a direct flight from Mumbai to reach the Seychelles. The 4.5 hr direct flight is much shorter than what we encountered to reach Mauritius (located much further south to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean). There are daily connections via Emirates and Etihad from several European cities. The African mainland is connected to Seychelles via Ethiopian and Kenyan airlines.

Best Things to do in the Seychelles

Enjoy the scenic beaches in the Seychelles

I have enjoyed some amazing beaches around the world, from Maldives to Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, and in Jamaica in the Caribbean. But Seychelles beaches are unique. The dramatic granite boulders on the sandy beaches with the azure waters make them distinct and appealing.

Luckily for us, we had chosen to stay at laïla resort on the south east side of the island. The hotel is right opposite Anse Royale, one of the best beaches in Mahé. The kids loved being able to cross the road and spend the day on the beach, swimming, walking and generally mucking around.

If you are on the north side of Mahé, the beach not to be missed is Beau Vallon. Seeing a sunset from here is one of the top thigs to do in Mahé! The sandy beach is popular, and there are plenty of beach bars and restaurants. While driving on the west part of the island, we saw several sandy, scenic beaches close to Four Seasons, Maia and Amani resorts. 

Try water sports

Even though our trip to Seychelles was in winter season, the ocean at Anse Royale was calm on most mornings. We loved kayaking and gazing at the ocean floor through crystal clear water and spotting fish. Kafe Kreol, which is part of Laila resort, provides kayaks for free for hotel guests. Though the water sports and activities in Seychelles is not as diverse as in Mauritius, we had a fun time kayaking, snorkelling and diving.

Anse Royale is not so great for snorkelling though. The initial plan was to do a day trip up north, and take a catamaran tour to swim / snorkel around St. Anne Marine Park. This popular tour also gives an opportunity to see tortoises on Moyenne island, pass by Cerf island, Long island and Round island. All these boat tours start from Victoria and there is an additional charge for hotel pick-up and drop from the southeast or southwest side. And I admit I do have regret for missing out on this scenic cruise around the St. Anne Marine Park. Even more so when I saw all these beautiful islands from high up at the vantage point from Copolia trail!

We decided not want to spend the whole day for this boat tour and instead opted for a 2-hour snorkel boat tour on the west side of the island. There is a huge reef next to the Four Seasons resort beach, which is full of marine life. Despite the choppy waters, we spotted manta rays, eagle rays and a huge variety of fish.

There is plenty of water sports around Beau Vallon, if you are staying in the north – kayaking, surfing and sailing. 

Hiking options on Mahe island

Mahe is not a flat coral island like the Maldives. Mahe Seychelles offers plenty of hiking options. The Morne Seychellois national park takes a large chunk of the northwest part of the island. It is a vital protected area known for its dramatic granite landscapes, lush tropical forests, and exceptional biodiversity. I was reminded of our day trip to Black River Georges in Mauritius.

To avoid logistics issues, we had rented a car with a local driver for half a day to take us to the Morne Seychellois park. The drive on the west coast is beautiful. We passed the Morne Summit hike trailhead, which is a challenging hike to do. The view from the top of Morne Seychellois, the highest point on the island (905 m), provides beautiful views of the western part of Mahe.

I spoke to a fellow traveller who had done both the Morne Seychellois and Copolia trails and he said he preferred the views from the latter. The Copolia Trail hike is easy to moderate, only that the incline is steep and relentless (488 m in about 1.4 km). So do wear trainers or hiking shoes or hiking sandals (not flip-flops). Most of the path in under tree cover. But it can get quite humid so you need to carry water, there is no food or water available on the trail.

The views from the granite summit are mind-blowing. The summit offers 180-degree views of the east coast of Mahé, Victoria, Eden Island, and the St. Anne Marine Park. I am super glad that I got to hike this trail in the Seychellois Park.

Another hike to do on Mahé is Anse Major, which is easy with hardly any climbing involved. It is open to the sky, so you get beautiful views of the water and coastline.

Take a day trip to La Digue

La Digue is one of the 3 main islands in the Seychelles. If you are staying in Mahé , a day trip to La Digue is one of the top things to do. The easiest is to book a full-day boat tour to Praslin & La Digue Islands.
 
Or, for a self-guided option, you can take an early fast ferry from Mahé’s Inter Island Terminal to Praslin, and then a quick hop to reach La Digue. It is only a 15-minute ferry crossing from Praslin and between 75 – 120 minutes from Mahé. 

Rent a bike near the jetty and head to Anse Source d’Argent. It is considered amongst the world’s best beaches. It boasts soft white sand, calm turquoise waters and spectacular granite boulders. Untouched beaches and raw beauty is the major draw to visit Seychelles over Mauritius.
 
Enjoy lunch at a beachside restaurant and relax. If you want to explore more of the island, cycle to other beaches like Grand Anse or the island’s interior before catching the late ferry back to Mahé. 

Take a day trip to Praslin

Praslin is the second biggest island in the Seychelles, and and a day trip to Praslin is one of the popular activities from Mahé. Take an early fast ferry from Mahé (Victoria) to Praslin (approx. 1 hour). Consider this tour on Praslin Island to explore the 2 popular attractions on the island. Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The unique forest is bursting with diverse wildlife and is home to the endemic coco de mer palm species.

And then head to Anse Lazio, one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, to relax. This beach is perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

Explore Victoria

Victoria is the capital of the Seychelles, one of the smallest capital cities in the world! Victoria is half the size of Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius.

We passed through this small town after the Copolia hike on our way to Eden island. This being 2^nd January was a public holiday so the town was shut. Surprisingly, all the restaurants were also shut. We came back on 2nd Jan post the Copolia trail hike. Would you believe it, everything was still shut in the town! So New Year is really a time to relax on the Seychelles.

We saw the National History Museum from outside. It seemed worth checking out. As did the the Selwyn-Clarke Market, which is a local outdoor market. We also passed by the Roman Catholic Cathedral and a Hindu Temple. If interested in more local information, you can take a guided walking tour of Victoria.

Visit Eden Island

Eden Island was artificially created in the 2000s, this man-made island is a luxury residential and leisure destination in the Seychelles. It is located near Victoria and connected via a short bridge to Mahé (to be honest, it doesn’t feel like a separate island). You can enjoy private beaches, water sports, dining, shopping, and relaxing walks here.

What we saw on Eden island was a large marina, shops (Eden Plaza), many restaurants, and high-end villas/apartments. When we first visited on 1st Jan diner, most of the restaurants were closed. Thankfully, the main restaurant of Hotel Eden Blue and open and served us good food and cocktails. The next day, after the visit to Morne Seychellois park, we stopped at Eden island again. Fabulous and fresh seafood at Bravo restaurant.

Dive in the Seychelles

Before visiting the Seychelles, I hadn’t expected much of diving here. Diving is possible year-round here, but April-May and October-November offer the best conditions, great visibility (up to 30m), and warm water. The Inner Islands (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue) are great for beginners to advanced divers.

We dived in the first week of Jan, the ocean was a bit choppy but the water and visibility were fine. Seychelles’s distinct topography leads to unique granite formations, underwater caves, and canyons on the ocean floor. We took a taxi to the southwest part of the island. Dive Resort Seychelles is located here and is the only dive centre in the area. With the ocean being anything but calm, the captain chose to take us to 2 shore dives not too far away to Shark Point. We saw reef sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, and a huge variety of fish.

Enjoy the local cuisine

Seychelles local cuisine is a Creole fusion of African, French, Indian, and Chinese influences, heavily featuring fresh seafood. My friends and I enjoyed a variety of local rums (Takamaka) and local beer (Seybrew and Eku). We also tried octopus curry, creole fish curry, but passed on adventurous dishes like fruit bat curry! I over indulged in freshly caught grilled fish (job fish, red snapper, grouper etc) in different sauces.

Eden Island, with marina-facing restaurants like Bravo and Boardwalk are great for fresh seafood. Another noteworthy restaurant is Lobster Bay, a popular spot near the airport. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Del Place on the western side of the island. Sadly, Marie-Antoinette restaurant in Victoria which serves authentic Seychellois comfort food, was closed when we visited it on 2nd Jan. Other top Mahé restaurants include Trader Vic’s, La Scala, and La Perle Noire. 

So, if you are figuring what to do in the Seychelles, I have convinced you of the diverse activities, ranging from beaches and water sports to scenic day trips to islands, hiking, city walks, and enjoying local cuisine.

Read about other Islands that I have visited in the Indian Ocean

Things to do in Mauritius

Réunion Island Travel Guide

Hard Rock Hotel: Maldives’ first multi-island destination

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