If you travel to the Seychelles with an open heart, you will find paradise there.
Because then, according to some people there, you will connect with all that is around you: the turquoise-colored gentle sea, the blue sky, the fine sand, the wild granite rocks, the lush green of nature, the diversity of wildlife and the wonderful people.
My heart is still leaping as I write this article, and I almost don’t know where to start because so many powerful words and colorful images want to reach out to you.
Keep reading for some of my best Seychelles travel tips.
Overview:
Insider Seychelles Travel Tips: Best Islands and Beaches to Visit
Let me start with what makes these islands so visually unique: the light-colored beaches with their dark granite rocks.
Each one looks like a work of art created by nature. The bays are framed by granite rocks or decorated with large stones in ever-changing constellations, offering beach walks of a special kind. Here, you can stroll from bay to bay, protected from the sun and framed by lush vegetation, and each new bay offers different formations of rocks in different shades of color. Gentle and powerful at the same time, they nestle between the sand and the waves.
42 of the 115 islands of the Seychelles are made of granite, including the island of Mahé, where the capital Victoria and the airport are located. It’s incredible to think that they are all connected under the sea by a plateau that was once part of the ancient continent of Gondwana. The remaining islands – the so-called “outer islands” – are made of limestone and have grown to the north and southwest of the granite islands as a result of coral growth.
La Digue
La Digue is the smallest of the three main inhabited islands in the Seychelles, and its inhabitants call themselves Diguois. It is a cycling island, which makes it wonderfully relaxing and an Eldorado for explorers.
It is also magical. 😉
World-Famous Beach: Anse Source d’ Argent
This island is home to one of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world:
Anse Source d’ Argent.
This is where the Bacardi and Raffaelo commercials and films such as Castaway and Crusoe were filmed. This beach gives you the typical Insta-motif, but I can give you a precious tip…
Be curious and keep walking from the beach section, past the small beach bars, through the tropical forest close to the beach, wander around the granite rocks and enjoy the endless perspectives, play of colors and motifs that present themselves to you on your way.
The further you walk, the fewer people you encounter, and you will find the beaches largely deserted. That is paradisiacal!
You can’t stop looking, marveling and taking photos. Have you noticed the Kissing Rocks? They are enthroned above the famous bay.
Or the Shark Rock? You’ll find it if you continue along the beach.
What if I told you that the pictures only show a fraction of the beauty of these beaches? Then you’ll book a plane ticket immediately? I understand that!
The Anse Source d’Argent—Anse means “beach” in Creole—is located in L’ Union Estate, a nature reserve. Here, you can also admire coconut and vanilla plantations, turtles and a few typical historical buildings, such as the Plantation House.
Incidentally, the world-famous Seychelles palm tree and its fruit, the coco de mer, grow only on La Digue, Praslin, and Curieuse.
If you travel to La Digue on a tour, the entrance fee to the nature reserve, 150 SCR, or approximately 10 euros, is already included.
The advantage of these tours is that you get a map of the island plus a speedy bike and can then set off on your own to explore the island.
Some routes are super flat and easy to cycle, others are a little hilly, but that shouldn’t stop you from riding them, as you will be rewarded 100-fold.
Be sure to cycle to Grande Anse. This route will also give you an impression of the lush nature inland.
Grande Anse and Anse Cocos
This bright white and 1.3 km long Grande Anse beach is breathtaking.
I think I was saying “Oh my God!” on a continuous loop because I’ve never seen such an intense light turquoise color mixed with the first transparent, then white-foamy crests of the waves! Above all, this secluded beach gives you the feeling of completely alone on the island.
Unlike Anse Source d’Argent, there is no shade here, but there is a small beach restaurant as a refuge from the sun.
And the same applies here. The photo only captures a fraction of the feeling that takes hold of your heart when you stand there on this beach, the sound of the waves in your ears, the warm wind on your skin, with a view of the white sand and the turquoise, wide sea.
It goes even further.
Via an adventurous and hilly path through the jungle, past Petite Anse, you will reach Anse Cocos after 30 minutes. There is a small bar there, but make sure you take enough to drink with you. And flip-flops or waterproof shoes if you can, as the path not only takes you over hill and dale, but also through a few pools of water. But it’s worth it.
At Anse Cocos, you will also be blown away by the mixture of palm trees, the turquoise sea and the shimmering red granite rocks. Don’t miss the “water basin” that nature has conjured up between the rocks on the left-hand side of the beach.
An absolute insider Seychelles travel tip!
If you have booked a day trip, now is certainly the time to turn around and cycle back to the harbor, although you could easily continue exploring this island.
If you’re there for several days and are staying in one of the lodges or guesthouses, then be sure to visit Anse Severe, have a leisurely meal in the Natural Bar Grill & Drinks near the port and visit the colorful shops where you will have great conversations with the islanders.
Discover Sainte Anne
Sainte Anne is an island near Mahé. It is home to the wonderful Club Med Seychelles and the Marine National Park.
It is the perfect oasis from which to get an impression of the country, its people, nature and culture, or simply to relax and unwind.
Zenventure is the name of the program offered here: Adventure and relaxation in harmony with nature.
Some people want to be active on vacation, do sports, dance, talk, dive, snorkel or go on excursions. Others want to relax on the beach in a hammock and read or rest, take a dip in the pool and then enjoy a delicious buffet afterwards.
Here, young and old, men and women, active and quiet, will find exactly what they are looking for.
Activities to do in Seychelles
What you should experience if you are one of the active holiday types:
I had imagined the Seychelles to be far less mountainous. And that totally delighted me. Climbing the summit at 9 o’clock in the morning and admiring the small islands in the middle of the turquoise blue, which lie before you like sleeping turtles snuggled into the sea, is an experience that leaves your soul rejoicing.
Not only because it’s a physical adventure to climb mountains in the heat, but also because it’s so beautiful to look out into the distance and see the sky and sea merge and, of course, because you are incredibly proud to have made it to the top.
Related read: Top Things to do in the Seychelles
If you don’t want to tackle such a steep climb, you can take the 3-hour island tour or the hike to Anse Cabot, which is quite flat and ideal for both trained and untrained people.
This gives you a great impression of the diversity of the island.
Every Saturday afternoon there is a sunset kayak tour to Long Island. Paddling about 4 km, chilling out there, nibbling coconut and kayaking back home are one of my absolute feel-good sports moments.
It’s a paradise for water sports enthusiasts anyway. Whether sailing, snorkeling, stand-up paddling or diving, there’s never a dull moment at Club Med.
The Robinson is an old wooden house on the edge of the club. A sunset event is held here once a week, with fresh coconut, delicious drinks and chilled music.
In the small, hidden bay behind it, you can also search for a wonderful variety of shells.
Wildlife in Seychelles
Just like granite rocks on the beaches, there are huge tortoises on the island’s lawns that you can visit and stroke at any time.
They radiate so much peace and wisdom and are the highlight for animal lovers big and small.
When it flutters above you, sometimes it’s birds, but often it’s flying foxes whizzing through the air or hanging out in the big trees and relaxing.
And when it creeps and crawls around you, it’s either the green Seychelles day-geckos or crabs.
The widowbird is particularly native to La Digue.
The most beautiful decoration on the islands of the Seychelles is certainly the frangipani flowers in various colors.
Do you love snorkeling and diving? Then you probably also love gliding through schools of fish, watching colorful fish swim by or watching sea turtles eat.
Do you dream of diving with dolphins? Then go for it! And with a bit of luck, meet these friendly sea creatures underwater at Dolphin Rock.
Exploring Victoria: The Capital of Seychelles
Whenever I’m in a place, I want to learn as much as possible about the country and its people and get an impression of everything.
The main island of Mahé is just a dolphin jump away from Sainte Anne. It is home to Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. There are a few sights there that you practically can’t walk past when coming from the port.
The famous Clock Tower, the replica of the clock tower on Vauxhall Bridge in London is now the symbol of the Seychelles, the National Museum and the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market.
You won’t have an appetite for fish when you see the leftovers swarming with flies and occupied by birds on the counter of the open and covered Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market at 3 pm.
But the selection of fruit, local delicacies and colorful clothes is impressive. The market hall alone is colorful and radiates cheerfulness.
On Saturdays in particular, many locals gather here and the streets are bustling with activity. During the week it is quieter and after a visit to the Hindu temple and a stroll past the art market to buy a few souvenirs, you can end the day with a coconut ice cream in the Lansiv Café.
Locals in Seychelles
The capital Victoria is home to around 25,000 inhabitants, which is around a quarter of the Seychelles’ population.
Incidentally, the Seychelles are part of the African continent and are the smallest country belonging to it. Most of the people who live here are Christians. Due to the country’s history, which was shaped by French and British settlers, the inhabitants of the Seychelles mostly speak three languages: Creole, English and French.
When you talk to the locals, you realize that a lot has changed there in recent years. It is the first generation to make a living from tourism in addition to fishing. The focus is on sustainable tourism, nature conservation and the preservation of marine ecosystems so that the Seychelles remain a paradise for us all.
Explore Mahé by boat
I highly recommend a tour with Lorenzo and Johan from Blueline Charter. They will show you the most beautiful beaches in the northwest of Mahé. Love Beach is named for the rocks on the right-hand side, which are shaped like hearts.
Another wonderfully idyllic beach is Rice Beach because the sand here is the consistency of rice. When we dock, we are the only people on the beach; it is as if we are stranded on a desert island. This is because many of the beaches are only accessible by boat or on foot.
For more boat tours in Mahé, check out Get Your Guide.
Behind a large rock is the end of a river with golden yellow water. The water is cold and a perfect contrast to the warm sea.
In the bay of the Baie Ternay Marine National Park, you can snorkel wonderfully and watch lots of colorful fish on a tour along the reef.
The water is as deep a turquoise as I have rarely seen it.
Moyenne Island – National Park
At the end, we moor at Moyenne Island, which is part of Saint Anne Marine National Park and is considered the “smallest national park in the world”.
It is home to more than 120 giant Seychelles tortoises from the Aldabra Atoll. You can also admire very rare birds and plants on the circular route around the island.
There is a Creole restaurant at the jetty. To visit the island, you pay an entrance fee of approximately 150 SCR (approximately 10 euros).
The Moyenne Island Foundation still protects the island from hotel investors with the status of a “protected national park.” This was the last wish of British conservationist Brendon Grimshaw, who bought the island in 1962 and ensured that native animal and plant species could thrive there undisturbed. His determination to protect Moyenne Island, even though he could have made a lot of money from it, is a great inspiration.
Island-Love in Seychelles
Yes, I have fallen in love. With these islands in the Indian Ocean.
And I still carry all the colors, powerful moments, inspiring conversations deep in my heart.
And what makes me smile in particular? When I asked a local how to say goodbye in Creole, he said: “We don’t really say goodbye at all.” I know why! Because you come back anyway. 🙂
Maja Sommer
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