Island hopping in the Seychelles

PART 1: Mahé

The Seychelles are the ultimate tropical (honeymoon) beach destination. Who hasn’t seen the pictures of white sandy beaches, turquoise sea, palm trees and the huge granite rocks in the background? But also for the active travellers Seychelles is a great destination. You could book a super-de-luxe hotel, but there are also plenty of affordable accommodations available, like homestays or B&B’s. The Seychellois speak English, French and Creole, which makes it easy to communicate.

Island hopping in the Seychelles is possible by boat or airplane. If you have enough money to spend, you could also travel by (private) helicopter, but unfortunately I didn’t have that chance (yet). For everyone who also has to wait for the money train, there are cheaper transportation options.

Tip: Click the layers on and off in this map with the (square) button on the left in the grey beam.

I split the information about the Seychelles in 2 blogs. In this first blog I’ll tell about the main island Mahé. Click on the link below to get more information about the subject you’re looking for:

Mahé
– To do
– Sleeping

1. Mahé

Mahé is the main island of the Seychelles and the international airport is located here, so big chance you’ll be visiting Mahé. Mahé has many beautiful beaches, hotels, and restaurants. The island might not seem very big, because Seychelles are just tiny dots on the world map, but because the islands are mountains, it could take some time to get to other parts of the island. Renting a car on Mahé to get to your destinations fast is an option. I also took the super cheap local busses.

To do on Mahé

The beaches of Mahé

Seychelles is almost a synonym for “beach”, so let me start with the beaches. The coast of Mahé is scattered with idyllic white sandy beaches. Either you want to have a beach just for you, or you like the hustling and bustling of (local) island life; there’s plenty of choice! Here is a list with a couple of my favorites:

Beau Vallon: Beau Vallon is the most popular beach of Mahé. It’s a fun mix of locals and tourists. They offer water sports at Beau Vallon as well, like jet ski rental or you could book your scuba diving tours here.

There are many nice restaurants for lunch or dinner, like the Boat House. Or cool down with an Italian ice cream at La Dolce Vita. Enjoy a cocktail or Seybrew (beer) with your feet in the sand at the chill beach bar of the Beach Shak.

Tip: Tout Seychelles gathers on the boulevard of Beau Vallon for casual snacks and drinks on Friday night. They light up the barbecues and sell beers from cool boxes. Most of the time there’s also live music and there are all kinds of souvenir stalls. Be aware: the Seychellois are not rich, so watch your belongings!

Anse Takamaka: This small white beach in the south is a little deserted, but you will be treated with a calm tropical paradise. Enjoy a delicious Creole lunch with fresh fish at Chez Batista Restaurant. Watch out over the beach and the ocean while enjoying your meal.

Anse Royale: Anse Royale is located on the south-east coast and it is another popular beach on Mahé. Anse Royale is a long, stretching bay, divided in a number of smaller beach sections by granite rocks. The offshore coral reef protects the beaches from strong current and big waves. This fact ensures that the water is ideal for swimming or snorkelling. Especially in the months June to September Anse Royale is also good for windsurfing. In the nearby village are plenty of restaurants and shops to rent equipment for fishing or snorkeling.

Grande Anse: Grande Anse is also a long stretched beach, but here are no restaurants at the beach (this might have changed since my last visit in November 2012). An advantage is that most of the time you have the beach for yourself. You could also do a short hike from here to the Grande Anse Waterfall, so don’t forget to bring your sneakers!

Tip: There are also many smaller beaches you could have for yourself. Bring a picnic, drive around the island and enjoy your private beach.

Locations:
Boat House
Beau Vallon, Mare Anglaise, Mahé
Tel: +248 4 247 898
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boathouseseychelles/
La Dolce Vita – Beau Vallon
N Coast Road, De Quincy, Mahé
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Ice-Cream-Shop/La-Dolce-Vita-Seychelles-783936861664718/
Beach Shak
Beau Vallon, Mare Anglaise, Mahé
Tel: +248 2 515 157
Website: https://www.facebook.com/beachshakseychelles/
Chez Batista Villas & Restaurant
Takamaka, Mahé, Seychelles
Tel: +248 4 366 300
Website: villachezbatista.com-seychelles.com

Victoria’s market

Victoria is the capital of the Seychelles. It’s a colourful, cute little town with a couple of nice shops and restaurants. The Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, Victoria’s market, is the most colourful. I really like to spend a morning at the market. Especially on Saturdays it’s very lively and vibrant at the market. From the balconies of the shops on the first floor you’ll have a nice view at the market stalls with fresh fish and fruits. And it’s a good moment to buy your souvenirs!

When you’re done with shopping, cool down with an Italian ice cream or pizza at La Dolce Vita.

Locations:
Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market
Market Street, Victoria, Mahé
La Dolce Vita
Albert Street, Victoria, Mahé
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Ice-Cream-Shop/La-Dolce-Vita-Seychelles-783936861664718/

Hiking at the Morne Seychelles National Park

There are multiple trails set out the in the jungle of the Morne Seychelles NP. The trails start at different points on the island. When you reach the top, the views are stunning! The trails are easy, so you don’t need to bring your hiking boots. But be careful, it can be slippery. Bring a lot of water and some snacks, because there are no shops along the way. Treat yourself with a refreshing dive in the turquoise waters after your hike.

Tip: Leave early when the sun is not too hot and you have the trails and viewpoints all to yourself.

Scuba diving

As you might have thought, the underwater world of the Seychelles is spectacular! The visibility is good and the currents are not very strong at most diving spots. Seychelles is a great place to start scuba diving, but there’s also a lot to discover for the advanced divers, like the offshore ship wrecks. Scuba diving here is not as cheap as some other places in the world, but it’s definitely not expensive for the experience you’ll get here.

Location:
Dive Seychelles – Underwater Centre
Berjaya’s Beau Vallon Beach, Mahé, Seychelles
Tel: + (248) 4247165
Website: https://www.diveseychelles.com.sc/index.html
E-mail: divesey@seychelles.net
Price: 1 short distance dive is 50 euros; Marine Park entrance fee is 15 euros

Sleeping on Mahé

Sunset Beach Hotel

This super nice hotel is located in the north-west of Mahé, ensuring that you’ll see the sun set in the ocean in the evening. And it’s in the name: the sunsets here are breathtaking! The hotel has her own beach in front, but there’s also a pool (if you don’t like salt water). The cottages have sea view and there’s a restaurant serving delicious buffets. The terrace is built on rocks overlooking the sea, so you can gaze at the fish underneath you while sipping your cocktail. During the day you can go snorkeling in the big groups of colourful fish swimming near the rocks of the hotel. The owner of the hotel also has a cool yacht and it’s available for trips.

Edens Holiday Villas

These villas are especially for the active people (who rented a car). The villas are beautifully situated in the lush green area, with views at the bay and the little island Islette. Edens Holiday Villas has no direct beach access, so you’ll have to walk a few minutes or take the car to one of the many other beaches. This is the perfect spot for hikes in nature, like the Morne Seychelles National Park. You could opt for a bungalow with a kitchenette to cook your own meal, but I would recommend the Edens restaurant (serving Creole and international food).

Locations:
Sunset Beach Hotel
Glacis Victoria Mahe Island, Seychelles
Tel: +248 4 261 111
Website: http://www.thesunsethotelgroup.com; You can also make a reservation for hotel Village du Pêcheur on Praslin on this website. I highly recommend staying at those hotels for the ultimate holiday experience.
Edens Holiday Villas
Port Glaud, Mahe Island, Seychelles
Tel: +248 4 378 333
Book via: https://www.safarinow.com/go/edensholidayvillasmaheseychelles/

Island life: A beer, flipflops and a sunset on the beach

Is a trip to Seychelles still a little out of reach (because of the expensive flight tickets), read more about my other experiences at tropical islands all over the world, for example the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia or Bali, Indonesia. Would you like to get more travel inspiration for a beach holiday, take a look at my photo inspiration page “Beach“. I recommend my blog “Whale sharks, manta rays and dhows in Tofo“, Mozambique, if you’re interested in scuba diving.

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