Travel Tips
Seychelles- Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. It's home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises. Mahé, a hub for visiting the other islands, is home to capital Victoria. It also has the mountain rainforests of Morne Seychellois National Park and beaches, including Beau Vallon and Anse Takamaka. Unwind with us in the beautiful islands of the Seychelles. We explore the palm-lined beaches of Praslin and visit the forest of Vallée de Mai, home to the famous Coco de Mer Palm. In Morne Seychellois National Park we hike along forest trails to Trois Frères peak to enjoy spectacular views over the island and its beach fringed shores.
Trip Planning: The planning stage of your trip can be instrumental in its success and an enjoyable part of the experience itself. You have a world of options...and plenty to consider.
Entry and Exit formalities: Visitors must hold a passport valid for at least six months & beyond at the time of entering the country. Some nationalities can obtain visa on arrival and for nationalities who requires visa please refer to Seychelles consulate website: https://www.mfa.gov.sc/
Transportation: Figuring out how to get around is one of your biggest pre-trip decisions. Get our holiday expert best advice on deciding between your options.
Based on your trip itinerary, our experts will help you choose wisely. You'll also find a wealth of practical travel tips.
Money: Use your money wisely. Know the best time to use cash or card — and how to avoid unnecessary fees either way — as well as tipping etiquette.
Phones and Technology: Phones and other smart devices can be huge time-savers...or expensive distractions. Get our tips for making the best use of technology during your trip, and for calling home with or without your own phone.
Packing Light: On your trip you'll meet two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wish they had.
Sleeping and Eating: Your hotel and restaurant choices can be a matter-of-face chore…or they can provide rich opportunities to connect with locals and their culture.
Health & Hygiene: Take comfort: Doctors, hospitals, launderettes, and bathrooms aren’t that different. Dealing with them can even be part of the fun of travel.
Sightseeing & Activities: Once you're on the ground, the real fun begins…but it pays to have a thoughtful plan. Our experts will help you get oriented to your surroundings, use your sightseeing hours wisely, and find your way off the beaten path.
Things to see & do:
Mahé-is the largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, in the Indian Ocean off East Africa. Its terrain is defined by white-sand beaches such as those in the popular resort area of Beau Vallon, and granite peaks including the rainforested Morne Seychellois. The island is also home to Victoria, Seychelles' capital, known for Creole architecture and a colorful covered market with wares like fish, fruit and clothing.
La Digue-is an island in the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean off East Africa. It’s known for its beaches, like Anse Source d’Argent, dotted with granite boulders, on the west coast. To the south, isolated Anse Bonnet Carré Beach, with calm, shallow water, is accessible only on foot, as is Anse Cocos Beach, in a protected bay on the east coast. La Digue’s diverse wildlife can be seen in the Veuve Nature Reserve. Inhabitants of the reserve include terrapins and the rare Seychelles paradise flycatcher. Offshore are snorkeling and dive spots with coral and abundant marine life, such as angelfish and whale sharks. L’Union Estate heritage site, a former coconut farm, features the 19th-century, thatched-roofed Plantation House, along with a cemetery where colonial settlers are buried. The island’s main settlements are La Passe and La Réunion villages, where bicycles and ox-carts are the preferred mode of transport. La Digue is a gateway to the nearby Félicité and Grande Soeur islan
Praslin-is an island in the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean. It’s known for palm-fringed beaches, like Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio, both bordered by large granite boulders. The main beach, Anse Volbert-Côte D’Or, faces the offshore islet Chauve Souris. Praslin’s rugged, jungle-covered interior is home to Praslin National Park, which encompasses Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve.
Covered by a network of trails, the reserve is known for the abundant wildlife and plants in its dense, ancient forest. These include Seychelles black parrots, bulbuls, tree frogs and native palms, as well as the coco de mer plant, which bears gigantic seeds. Praslin Museum has displays on the island’s farming traditions and culture, along with a garden full of endemic plants. Praslin is a gateway to neighboring Curieuse Island, a nature reserve with coral reefs, sea turtle nesting sites and a breeding center for giant tortoises.
Curieuse-Island is a small granitic island 1.13 sq mi in the Seychelles close to the north coast of the island of Praslin. Curieuse is notable for its bare red earth intermingled with the unique coco de mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only growing on the two neighboring islands.
Sainte Anne Marine National Park-comprises 6 islands off the northeast coast of Mahé Island, Seychelles. The islands are known for their beaches, luxury resorts and Creole restaurants. Offshore, dive sites have coral reefs and swaths of seagrass with dolphins and hawksbill turtles. Moyenne Island is home to pirates’ graves and the ruins of early settlers’ homes. Tiny, uninhabited Ile Cachée is a nature reserve.
Cousin Island-is a small granitic island of Seychelles, lying 2 km west of Praslin. It is a nature reserve protected under Seychelles law as a Special Reserve. It is a nature reserve protected under Seychelles law as a Special Reserve. It is managed by Nature Seychelles, a national nonprofit organization and Partner of BirdLife International, by which it has been identified as an Important Bird Area.
Aride Island-is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles. A nature reserve, it is leased and managed by the Island Conservation Society of Seychelles. A visit to Aride Island is an essential part of the itinerary for any visitor to Seychelles to discover what the islands were like 250 years ago before human settlement. Aride is the northernmost island of the granitic Seychelles. A visit to Aride Island is an essential part of the itinerary for any visitor to Seychelles to discover what the islands were like 250 years ago before human settlement. Aride is the northernmost island of the granitic Seychelles.
Anse Lazio-is a beach situated in the northwest of Praslin Island, Seychelles, considered by Lonely Planet to be the best beach on Praslin, and one of the best in the archipelago.
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve-("May Valley") is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. It consists of a well-preserved palm forest, flagship species made up of the island endemic coco de mer, as well as five other endemic palms. The coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica), a monocot tree in the Arecaceae (palm family), has the largest seeds (double nut seed) of any plant in the world. Also unique to the park is its wildlife, including birds such as the rare Seychelles black parrot, mammals, crustaceans, snails, and reptiles. There has been a determined effort to eliminate all the introduced exotic species of plants from the area but this has not been successful in eliminating coffee, pineapple, and ornamental palms thus far. This forest, with its primitive plant and animal species, is a relict from the time when the supercontinent of Gondwana was divided into smaller parts, leaving the Seychelles islands between the present day Madagascar and India.
Morne Seychellois Park-is the largest in Seychelles and was created in 1979. It covers a total surface area of 3045 hectares, more than 20% of Mahé . It is 10km in length and between 2km and 4km wide and equipped with an extensively trail network covering more than 15km.
