Best Places to Visit in Seychelles — Islands, Beaches & Yacht Destinations

Apr 21, 2026

Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, located roughly 1,500 kilometers east of mainland Africa and 1,100 kilometers northeast of Madagascar. The places worth visiting fall into two geographic groups — the Inner Islands (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, and a dozen smaller granitic islands) and the Outer Islands (coral atolls including Aldabra, Desroches, and Alphonse). Destinations are divided into five categories: inhabited islands, beaches, nature parks and reserves, cultural sites centered on the capital Victoria, and yacht-accessible anchorages and remote atolls reached only by private boat. The sections below catalog the specific places in each category, with access notes, traveler-type guidance, and seasonal timing.

Seychelles Places Overview Table

The table below summarizes the main places covered in this guide, with the island or area they belong to, their type, the traveler profile they suit best, the access method, and the optimal season.

Place	Island or Area	Type	Best For	How to Access	Best Time
Mahé	Main island	Inhabited island	Arrival base, full amenities	International flights to Seychelles International Airport	Year-round
Praslin	Main island	Inhabited island	Nature, iconic beaches	15-min domestic flight or 1-hr Cat Cocos ferry from Mahé	April–May, October–November
La Digue	Main island	Inhabited island	Cycling, slow-paced stays	15-min Inter-Island Ferry from Praslin	April–May, October–November
Silhouette	Inner Islands	Inhabited island	Hiking, seclusion	45-min resort boat transfer from Mahé	May–September
Curieuse	Inner Islands	Day-trip island	Giant tortoises, history	15-min day boat from Praslin	Year-round
Cerf Island	Inner Islands	Inhabited island	Quiet stay near Mahé	20-min boat from Eden Island, Mahé	Year-round
North Island	Private islands	Resort island	Ultra-luxury, honeymoon	Helicopter or boat transfer by resort	May–September
Anse Source d'Argent	La Digue	Beach	Photography, shallow swimming	Bike through L'Union Estate from La Digue jetty	All day, best at low tide
Anse Lazio	Praslin	Beach	Swimming, sunsets	Car from Anse Volbert (30 min)	Early morning or late afternoon
Anse Georgette	Praslin	Beach	Seclusion, photography	Through Constance Lemuria Resort or by yacht	Morning
Anse Intendance	Mahé	Beach	Surfing, walking	Car from Victoria (45 min)	May–September for surf
Beau Vallon	Mahé	Beach	Families, dining, sunsets	Car from Victoria (15 min)	Year-round
Anse Cocos	La Digue	Beach	Hiking reward, natural pools	1-hour walk from Grand Anse	Low tide
Anse Takamaka	Mahé	Beach	Swimming, beachside food	Car from Victoria (50 min)	Year-round
Anse Volbert	Praslin	Beach	Children, calm water	Car within Praslin	Year-round
Anse Major	Mahé	Secluded beach	Yacht anchorage, hiking	Yacht anchorage or trail from Bel Ombre	May–September
Baie Ternay Marine Park	Mahé	Marine park	Yacht-based snorkeling	Yacht anchorage or boat tour from Beau Vallon	Year-round
St. Pierre Islet	Near Curieuse	Islet anchorage	Classic yacht snorkel stop	Yacht anchorage or Curieuse day-trip combo	Year-round
Grande Soeur & Petite Soeur	Inner Islands	Uninhabited islands	Yacht day trip, snorkeling	Yacht or private boat charter from Praslin	April–November
Coco Island	Near La Digue	Marine reserve	Snorkeling, yacht day stop	Day boat or yacht from La Digue	April–November
Vallée de Mai	Praslin	UNESCO nature park	Coco-de-mer, endemic birds	Car from Anse Volbert (20 min)	Year-round, mornings cooler
Morne Seychellois National Park	Mahé	National park	Hiking, endemic flora	Trailheads reached by car	May–September (dry season)
Aldabra Atoll	Outer Islands	UNESCO coral atoll	Specialist expeditions	Charter vessel with SIF permit	October–December
Aride Island	Inner Islands	Nature reserve	Seabird colonies	Day boat or yacht from Praslin	October–April
Cousin Island	Inner Islands	Special reserve	Hawksbill turtles, seabirds	Guided landing from Praslin	September–February for nesting
Sainte Anne Marine Park	Near Mahé	Marine park	Snorkeling, yacht day trips	Boat or yacht from Eden Island (30 min)	Year-round
Victoria	Mahé	Capital city	Culture, markets, history	Walking from any Mahé base	Weekday mornings

The table works as a shortlist filter. Identify which categories match your trip length and travel style, then read the detailed descriptions in the relevant sections below. Most seven-day itineraries combine three to five places across two or three islands.

Main Islands to Visit in Seychelles

Of the 115 islands in the archipelago, about 10 are regularly visited by travelers. The three main inhabited islands — Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue — receive roughly 95% of tourist traffic. The remaining visitable islands divide into two groups — small-boat-accessible day-trip islands (Curieuse, Cerf, Moyenne, Aride, Cousin, Sainte Anne) and private-island resorts (North Island, Cousine, Denis, Frégate, Desroches, Alphonse).

Mahé

Mahé is the largest island in the Seychelles, at 155 square kilometers, and the entry point for nearly all international arrivals. It hosts Seychelles International Airport, the capital, Victoria, and more than 50 named beaches. The island's spine runs along the Morne Seychellois mountain range, whose highest peak reaches 905 meters. Mahé suits travelers who want a single base, road access to varied coastlines, and proximity to boat excursions. Roads circle most of the island, and car rental is the most practical way to explore.

Praslin

Praslin is the second-largest island at 38 square kilometers and home to some of the archipelago's most photographed landscapes. Its core attractions include the UNESCO-protected Vallée de Mai forest, the beaches of Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette, and the endemic coco-de-mer palm that produces the world's largest seed. Praslin works well as a second base after Mahé, and its flat coastal roads make it easier to drive than mountainous Mahé. The island connects to Mahé by a 15-minute flight or a one-hour Cat Cocos ferry and to La Digue by a 15-minute Inter-Island Ferry.

La Digue

La Digue is the third-largest inhabited island at 10 square kilometers and the traditional face of Seychelles tourism. Motorized vehicles are sharply restricted, and residents and visitors move almost entirely by bicycle or on foot. The island holds Anse Source d'Argent, the granite-boulder beach seen on countless travel posters, as well as Anse Cocos, Grand Anse, and Petite Anse. La Digue suits travelers willing to slow down — the island can be cycled end to end in under an hour, yet rewards multi-day stays with quiet beaches that empty out by late afternoon.

Silhouette

Silhouette is the third-highest island in Seychelles, rising to 740 meters, and one of the least developed. Roughly 93% of its area is protected as Silhouette National Park, leaving a small resort footprint dominated by Hilton Seychelles Labriz. Access is by a 45-minute boat transfer from Mahé, arranged through the resort. Silhouette suits hikers, nature photographers, and travelers wanting true isolation within easy reach of Mahé.

Curieuse

Curieuse is a small granite island 1.5 kilometers north of Praslin, managed as a Marine National Park. It is one of only two islands in Seychelles where Aldabra giant tortoises roam freely outside a sanctuary, with a resident population of around 300. A boardwalk crosses the mangrove interior from Anse St. José to Baie Laraie, passing the ruins of a 19th-century leprosarium. Curieuse is visited only on organized day trips, typically combined with snorkeling at nearby St. Pierre islet.

Cerf Island

Cerf Island sits inside Sainte Anne Marine Park, a 20-minute boat ride from Eden Island on Mahé. The island is less than 2 kilometers long and has fewer than 100 permanent residents, a handful of small hotels, and several private villas. Cerf suits travelers who want a quiet marine-park stay with easy access to Mahé's restaurants and Victoria. Day visitors typically combine snorkeling trips inside the marine park with lunch at one of the island's beach restaurants.

Private Islands

The private islands of Seychelles operate under an exclusive-use model, where the entire island is reserved for guests of a single resort. North Island, Cousine, Denis, Frégate, and Desroches are the principal private-island lodges. Accommodation rates range from roughly USD 3,000 to over USD 10,000 per night, full-board. These islands suit honeymooners, families seeking full privacy, and travelers drawn to the turtle and bird conservation programs several of the resorts run in partnership with scientific bodies.

Best Beaches to Visit in Seychelles

Seychelles has more than 65 named beaches distributed across Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, and smaller islands. Eight beaches appear consistently in global rankings of the world's best coastlines. The beaches differ by access method, seabed conditions, and suitability for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, and photography.

Anse Source d'Argent — La Digue

Anse Source d'Argent is a beach on the southwest coast of La Digue framed by weathered pink-granite boulders. Access is through the L'Union Estate park, which charges an entrance fee of 150 Seychelles rupees per adult. The shallow, calm water is suitable for young children and inexperienced swimmers, though snorkeling visibility is limited by suspended sand. Early morning before 9 a.m. and late afternoon after 4 p.m. offer the least crowded conditions.

Anse Lazio — Praslin

Anse Lazio is a 400-meter crescent of white sand at the northwestern tip of Praslin, backed by takamaka trees and hemmed by granite outcrops. The water deepens gradually and supports safe swimming in most conditions. Access is by car along a paved road that ends at a small parking lot, with no ticket or gate. A single restaurant serves lunch near the middle of the cove, and the best light for photography falls between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Anse Georgette — Praslin

Anse Georgette is a 350-meter beach on the northwest of Praslin, accessed through the Constance Lemuria Resort golf course. Day visitors must contact the resort in advance to reserve access, which is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. The beach is also accessible by sea, and yacht charters frequently anchor offshore without requiring resort clearance. Currents can be strong outside the bay's sheltered center, and swimming is inadvisable during the northwest monsoon.

Anse Intendance — Mahé

Anse Intendance is a one-kilometer stretch of sand on the southern coast of Mahé, exposed to open-ocean swell. The lack of a fringing reef produces consistent surf from May to September, making it one of the better beach breaks in Seychelles. The same swell makes swimming inadvisable, especially for families with children. The beach suits walkers, photographers, and surfers rather than bathers.

Beau Vallon — Mahé

Beau Vallon is the most popular and developed beach in Seychelles, running three kilometers along the northwestern coast of Mahé. A paved promenade, multiple hotels, and beach restaurants line the bay, and a fish market operates at the north end on Wednesday evenings. The water is calm year-round, with safe swimming and a gentle slope that suits children. Beau Vallon is the default base for first-time visitors seeking beach access and full amenities.

Anse Cocos, Petite Anse, and Grand Anse — La Digue

Grand Anse, Petite Anse, and Anse Cocos form a sequence of three beaches on the east coast of La Digue, connected by a forest footpath. The full walk from Grand Anse to Anse Cocos takes approximately one hour one-way over uneven terrain. Grand Anse and Petite Anse have strong currents and are unsafe for swimming. Anse Cocos has shallow natural rock pools that provide the only safe bathing on this stretch of coast.

Anse Takamaka — Mahé

Anse Takamaka is a 500-meter beach on the southwest of Mahé, shaded by takamaka trees and backed by green hills. The seabed slopes gently, and calm conditions prevail except during the peak of the southeast monsoon. The Chez Batista restaurant sits at the southern end of the beach and handles most of the dining traffic. Anse Takamaka pairs well with a same-day visit to nearby Anse Intendance.

Anse Volbert — Praslin

Anse Volbert, also known as Côte d'Or, is a 1.5-kilometer beach along Praslin's east coast and the island's main tourism strip. A protective reef keeps the water shallow and calm, which makes the beach the safest swimming option on Praslin for children. Hotels, guesthouses, dive centers, and casual restaurants line the road behind the beach. Anse Volbert is a common base for travelers who want amenities within walking distance rather than relying on a car.

Nature Parks, Reserves, and Protected Atolls

Seychelles contains two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Vallée de Mai and Aldabra Atoll), one terrestrial national park (Morne Seychellois), one marine national park around Mahé (Sainte Anne), and several dedicated island reserves. Access varies from open gates with entrance fees to permit-only expeditions.

Vallée de Mai — Praslin

Vallée de Mai is a primary forest on Praslin, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The reserve holds roughly 4,000 mature coco-de-mer palms, the endemic palm species that produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom. It is also the last refuge of the Seychelles black parrot, the national bird. Three marked trails run between 60 and 180 minutes. The entrance fee for non-residents is 350 Seychelles rupees, and the park opens daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Morne Seychellois National Park — Mahé

Morne Seychellois National Park covers roughly 20% of Mahé's total area and protects the island's mountainous interior, including the 905-meter Morne Seychellois peak. A network of hiking trails crosses ridges, streams, and an endemic mist forest. Notable routes include the Copolia trail (1–2 hours round trip) and the Trois Frères trail (3–4 hours). The park is free to enter and has no single gate — trailheads are distributed around the island and reached by car.

Aldabra Atoll

Aldabra is the world's second-largest coral atoll by area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It lies approximately 1,150 kilometers southwest of Mahé and hosts a giant tortoise population of roughly 100,000, the largest in the world. Visits are restricted to scientific or educational groups authorized by the Seychelles Islands Foundation and are conducted exclusively from chartered or expedition vessels. Independent travel to Aldabra is not possible.

Aride Island Nature Reserve

Aride is a small granite island 10 kilometers north of Praslin, managed as a nature reserve by the Island Conservation Society. It holds the largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the western Indian Ocean, including lesser noddies, sooty terns, and roseate terns. Day visits from Praslin depend on sea conditions — landings are sometimes canceled from May to September due to the southeast monsoon swell. Visitors are guided on foot through a loop trail that includes the island's single beach.

Cousin Island Special Reserve

Cousin Island is a 27-hectare granite island between Praslin and Aride, designated a Special Reserve under BirdLife International management. It hosts breeding populations of endangered species, including the Seychelles magpie-robin and the Seychelles warbler, and is a major nesting ground for hawksbill sea turtles between September and February. Landings are permitted only on guided tours from Praslin, typically in the morning. Swimming is prohibited around the island to protect juvenile turtles.

Sainte Anne Marine National Park

Sainte Anne Marine National Park covers 14 square kilometers of water and six islands off the northeast coast of Mahé. The park protects seagrass beds, coral reefs, and the main nesting habitat for green sea turtles around the central islands. Moyenne Island, within the park, hosts a small population of giant tortoises and the ruins of an 18th-century settlement. Half-day and full-day boat tours depart regularly from Eden Island Marina on Mahé.

Cultural and Urban Attractions on Mahé

Victoria, on the northeast coast of Mahé, is the only city in Seychelles and has a population of approximately 26,000. The city center covers less than one square kilometer, and the main cultural sites can be covered in half a day. Beyond Victoria, Mahé holds a botanical garden, colonial-era plantations, and several viewpoints with architectural or historical significance.

Victoria City Center

Victoria's city center clusters around the Clock Tower, a scaled-down 1903 replica of the clock outside London's Victoria Station. Within a three-block radius sit St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and the Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Hindu temple — one of the few Hindu temples in the Indian Ocean region. Government buildings, the Court of Appeal, and the old State House frame the central streets. Most visitors walk this circuit in one to two hours.

Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market

Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market has operated at its current Market Street location since 1840. The market runs three halls — fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and spices and crafts — under a renovated covered structure. Fish deliveries peak before 9 a.m., when fishermen unload tuna, snapper, and parrotfish from overnight catches. The market is closed on Sundays and slows significantly after lunch on weekdays.

Seychelles National Botanical Garden

The Seychelles National Botanical Garden occupies five hectares on the southern edge of Victoria and was established in 1901. It holds mature specimens of most native palm species, including coco-de-mer, as well as a small population of Aldabra giant tortoises in an open enclosure. Signposted paths cover the collection in 60 to 90 minutes. An entrance fee applies for non-residents.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum on Independence Avenue displays the flora, fauna, and geology of Seychelles, including fossils, preserved specimens, and a replica of a giant clam shell. The collection also includes historical items from the French and British colonial periods. The museum is small and can be visited in 30 to 45 minutes. Hours are limited on Sundays and public holidays.

Mission Lodge Viewpoint — Sans Souci

Mission Lodge, also known as Venn's Town, sits on a ridge in the Sans Souci hills above Victoria. It preserves the ruins of a 19th-century school for children of liberated African slaves, run by the Church Missionary Society between 1876 and 1889. A short marked trail leads from the parking area past the ruins to a gazebo overlooking the western coast of Mahé. The viewpoint is free to enter and most often visited in combination with a drive across the island toward Port Launay.

Tea and Vanilla Plantations

Mahé's inland hills support a small agricultural zone of tea, vanilla, and cinnamon plantations, mostly clustered around Sans Souci and Morne Blanc. The Seychelles Tea Factory offers guided tours that cover processing and tasting. The Takamaka Bay Distillery, on the southern coast, produces sugarcane rum and runs a one-hour tasting tour. Both sites operate on weekdays and close early on Saturdays.

Places to Visit by Yacht in Seychelles

A private yacht opens a layer of Seychelles destinations that road and ferry routes do not reach. Several islets, marine parks, and remote anchorages have no regularly scheduled service, and a handful of beaches can be reached only by sea. Chartering a yacht also compresses multi-island itineraries into continuous travel, eliminating hotel transfers between Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. The sections below cover four distinct yacht-based destination categories.

Inner Islands Yacht Route

The standard Inner Islands yacht route runs Mahé → Sainte Anne Marine Park → Curieuse → St. Pierre → Praslin → La Digue → Coco Island → Grande Soeur → Aride or Cousin, then returns to Mahé. The full circuit takes four to seven days at a comfortable pace, allowing morning snorkel stops and afternoon anchorages in sheltered bays. Distances between stops are short — most legs run 10 to 25 nautical miles, under two hours at cruising speed. The route covers every major granite island and all the main marine parks in a single unbroken itinerary.

Sainte Anne Marine Park by Yacht

Sainte Anne Marine Park is the most accessible yacht destination from Mahé and lies 30 minutes from Eden Island Marina by motor yacht. The protected waters hold shallow coral gardens around Moyenne, Round Island, and Cerf, with turtle sightings common during snorkel stops. Overnight anchorages are permitted inside the park, subject to the park fee. A typical half-day charter covers two or three snorkel stops plus lunch at anchor; full-day charters add a landing at Moyenne to see the resident giant tortoises.

Secluded Yacht-Only Beaches and Anchorages

Several Seychelles beaches and bays are practically inaccessible except from the water. Anse Major on northwestern Mahé has no road — it is reached by yacht or by a 45-minute coastal hike from Bel Ombre. Baie Ternay Marine Park on the same coast is a protected bay with calm conditions and high-visibility snorkeling, used as an anchorage by day charters. Grande Soeur and Petite Soeur, two uninhabited islands between Praslin and La Digue, offer pristine beaches without infrastructure and make for good lunch stops on yacht itineraries. Anse Georgette on Praslin and the northern anchorages off Félicité round out the list of yacht-preferred spots.

Outer Island Yacht Expeditions

The Outer Islands — Desroches, Alphonse, Farquhar, and the Aldabra group — are reachable only by yacht, private charter flight, or scheduled resort transfer. Yacht expeditions to these atolls run 7 to 14 days and require capable long-range vessels. Aldabra itself is accessible only to yachts carrying a valid permit from the Seychelles Islands Foundation; this restriction caps visitor numbers to a few hundred per year. For experienced divers and fly-fishers, Alphonse and Desroches offer reef and flats conditions not available in the Inner Islands.

Charter operations for all these routes originate from two main hubs — Eden Island Marina on Mahé and Baie Sainte Anne on Praslin. CharterClick operates from Eden Island Marina with a fleet covering day charters, 3- to 7-day Inner Islands itineraries, and long-range passages to the Outer Islands. Standard inclusions across full-service charters are captain and crew, fuel, safety equipment, snorkeling gear, and drinking water, with optional catering and water sports added on request.

Private Boat and Yacht Charters

Private charters provide the only practical means of reaching Aride, Cousin, the Outer Islands, and several yacht-only anchorages outside of fixed day-trip schedules. Day charters from Mahé and Praslin cover Curieuse, St. Pierre, Sainte Anne Marine Park, Coco Island, Grande Soeur, and other granite-island destinations. Multi-day yacht charters operate primarily from Eden Island Marina on Mahé and from Baie Sainte Anne on Praslin, connecting Inner Islands stops into continuous itineraries. For the Outer Islands, charter flights and long-range crewed yachts are the only two options.

On-board activities vary by vessel and itinerary but typically include snorkeling at anchor, reef and sport fishing, paddleboarding and kayaking, and tender landings on beaches without jetty access. Longer charters add water sports gear (jet skis, wakeboards, inflatable toys) and on-board dining ranging from basic catering to a full-service chef. Overnight anchorages in sheltered bays such as Baie Ternay, Anse Lazio, and the inside of Sainte Anne Marine Park are standard stops on multi-day routes.