SEYCHELLES TRAVEL GUIDE
I’m so excited to finally share our guide to Seychelles! After traveling to places like French Polynesia and Maldives, we’ve seen some of the most incredible tropical waters in the world. Since those trips we’ve been continuing to chase all of the unique islands in the world. We knew we had to get to Seychelles. With it’s smoothed granite rocks, white-sand beaches and lush mountains, this dreamy place should be on your bucket list too!
So here are our top recommendations and answers to your questions!
LOCATION
Seychelles is an ancient archipelago of 115 granite and coral islands in the western Indian Ocean, just off the coast of East Africa. The granitic Seychelles have been separated from other continents for over 75 million years and are the only mid-oceanic granitic islands in the world which makes it a very unique destination.
HOW TO GET THERE
To get to Seychelles you need to fly into Mahé. We flew from JFK to Dubai, then Dubai to Mahé. Most flights from the US have a stop likely in Dubai or Qatar. When you get to Mahé, we recommend staying there for at least 5 days then exploring another island from there via boat or domestic flight. Other islands to explore that we wish we did:
La Digue, Praslin, Grande Sour and Petite Soeur.
WHEN TO GO
For the best weather, you’ll want to visit either in April through May or October through November. Temperatures will be the best and there will be little to no rain.
CURRENCY
Every hotel will accept credit cards but it’s nice to have some Seychellois rupees (SCR) for tipping or smaller purchases.
LANGUAGE
Official languages of Seychelles are Seselwa, English and French. Seselwa is a French-based creole language which is the most common. The people in Seychelles are a mix of African, Indian, Chinese and European.
WHAT TO EAT
The cuisine in Seychelles is a total mix and is influenced by African, French, Indian and Chinese flavors. We ate a lot of grilled fish and curry dishes. Coconuts and fresh fruits are also available everywhere.
WHERE WE STAYED IN SEYCHELLES
We spent 5 days in Mahé which is the main and largest island in Seychelles with an international airport. We stayed at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, but other luxurious properties are Kempinski Seychelles Resort and Banyan Tree Seychelles.
From Mahé we flew south-west to Four Seasons private island of Desroches and stayed at their new property there. It’s about a 30 minute flight from Mahé to Desroches Island. The island has some of the most pristine white-sand beaches that are mostly unoccupied so you truly feel like you’re on your own island. There’s so much to do on the island (biking, surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, yoga, snorkeling, scuba diving)
We highly recommend biking around the island for a day, it’s truly the best way to see the island and make pit stops along the way. Our favorite beaches were Bombay Beach, Aquarium Beach and Madame Zabre Beach and Reef End.
While you’re biking around, look out for Aldabra tortoises. They can be found at the property’s tortoise sanctuary. They one of the world's largest land tortoises; they can weigh up to almost 700 pounds and live up to 150 years old. You definitely don’t want to leave the island of Desroches without seeing these ancient creatures.
