Seychelles

⚠️ Entry rules and local regulations change without notice. Before booking, check entry requirements and local rules — visas, access, nature reserves, visitor quotas — with the official authorities.

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 granite and coral islands in the heart of the Indian Ocean, is one of the most beautiful beach destinations in the world. Mahé, the largest island, is home to the capital, Victoria. Praslin is home to the legendary UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai, where the coco de mer — the world's largest seed — grows. La Digue is world-famous for Anse Source d'Argent beach and its pink granite boulders. Extraordinary unspoilt nature: giant tortoises, endemic birds and waters of absolute clarity.

Three main islands, and all the rest

Of 115 islands, three carry most of the journey. Mahé holds the airport, Victoria — one of the smallest capitals in the world — and superb beaches within minutes of landing. Praslin keeps the Vallée de Mai, a primeval forest listed by UNESCO where the coco de mer grows; its seed, the largest in the plant kingdom, cannot simply be picked up: sale is regulated and every exported nut carries a number. La Digue, finally, is explored by bicycle and holds Anse Source d'Argent, probably the most photographed beach in the Indian Ocean.

What sets Seychelles apart from the rest of the region is geology: the inner islands are granite, not coral. Hence those rounded blocks of pink granite set on the sand, seen nowhere else. The outer islands are coral — among them the Aldabra atoll, also UNESCO-listed, where more than a hundred thousand giant tortoises live wild.

Two monsoons, two moods

There is no bad season — 24 to 30 °C all year — but two wind regimes. The south-east monsoon, from May to September, brings cooler air, a livelier sea and seaweed on some exposed beaches. The north-west, from November to March, is warmer, more humid, with a glassy sea. The transition months, April and October, give the best underwater visibility: they are the ones divers choose.

Ferries, prices and pleasant surprises

You move between the three main islands by fast catamaran: about an hour from Mahé to Praslin, a quarter of an hour from Praslin to La Digue. Book online in advance in high season, and take something for seasickness on the first crossing, which is often rough.

The reputation for being out of reach is only half true. Private-island hotels reach dizzying prices, but Seychelles has built a network of guesthouses and self-catering rentals that divides the bill by three or four. The trade-off is cooking a little — and shopping in Victoria, where everything can be found, rather than in the beach grocers.

Essentials & your questions