Seychelles

The Photographs Are Accurate, and That Is Unusual

The rounded granite boulders on the beaches of Praslin and La Digue – stacked, fractured, draped in tropical vegetation at the water’s edge – look exactly like the photographs that made Seychelles internationally famous as a luxury beach destination. Most places promoted through their most idealised images disappoint somewhat when you arrive. The granite islands of Seychelles do not disappoint. Anse Lazio on Praslin’s northwest coast is consistently named one of the best beaches in the world, and it is, and that is the honest situation.

Seychelles is 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, 1,500 kilometres east of Nairobi. The inner granite islands (Mahe, Praslin, La Digue) are geologically unusual – Precambrian granite outcrops in a tropical ocean setting that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the world. The outer islands are coral atolls, mostly uninhabited.

The place is expensive. A mid-range hotel on Mahe runs USD 200-400 per night. The luxury island resorts charge USD 800-2,000 and up. Understanding this before arriving avoids the specific discomfort of being surprised by it on-site.

The Three Islands

Mahe is the largest (27 kilometres long), holds the capital Victoria, the international airport, and most of the population. It is the most infrastructurally complete but not the most photogenic island. Victoria is a functional small town with the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market (fresh fish, tropical fruit, spices – worth a morning visit), the Clock Tower (a miniature Big Ben, sent from Britain in 1903), and enough of its own character to be genuinely interesting.

The Morne Seychellois National Park covers 20% of Mahe with hiking trails through cloud forest. The summit of Morne Seychellois (905 metres) takes 4-5 hours return; the view from the top on a clear morning before the clouds build covers the island and the Indian Ocean in all directions. Anse Intendance on the southeast coast is one of Mahe’s more striking beaches – wide, forest-backed, with surf that makes it unsuitable for young children in some conditions.

Praslin is 45 minutes by fast ferry from Mahe (approximately USD 100-120 return). Anse Lazio on the northwest is the beach. Go on a weekday morning before the day-trip boats from Mahe arrive and the granite-and-palm cliche briefly looks like a genuine discovery.

The Vallee de Mai in Praslin’s interior is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a palm forest of the endemic Coco de Mer – which produces the largest seed of any plant on earth, a double coconut that can weigh 25 kilograms. The forest also holds the Black Parrot, found only on this island. The 2-3 hour trail walk is worth doing before or after the beach. Entry runs around USD 25.

La Digue is a 15-minute ferry from Praslin. No cars except a few trucks; bicycles and ox carts are the transport. Population around 2,700. Anse Source d’Argent – the boulder-strewn west coast beach that appears on most Seychelles postcards – requires entry through a copra plantation, roughly USD 10. The island takes about 3 hours to cycle end to end on the main road.

Eating

Creole cooking – curried fish, grilled octopus, ladob (coconut milk and banana dessert), fresh tuna in various preparations – is the baseline of Seychellois food. Eating at a restaurant in Victoria costs less than at a resort restaurant and is often better quality. Takeaway Creole food from local snack bars (universally called “takeaways” regardless of whether they have seating) runs USD 5-10 per meal.

When to Go

The northwest monsoon (November through April) brings calmer seas and better snorkelling conditions on the east coasts. The southeast trade winds (May through October) make west coast seas rougher and the east coasts calmer. There is no bad month for the main islands, but diving and snorkelling quality varies by season and island orientation.

Ferries to Praslin and La Digue are operated by Cat Cocos and Inter Island Boats; schedules and bookings are available online. Within Mahe, car hire is practical; within La Digue, a bicycle is the only sensible option and is easily rented.