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Browse and explore the best travel guides in Seychelles.
The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, and what sets it apart from other tropical destinations is geology: the inner islands are granite rather than coral, so beaches like Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue are strewn with enormous weathered boulders that photograph like nothing else. Mahé holds the capital and most of the population, Praslin has the Vallée de Mai where the coco de mer palm grows wild, and giant Aldabra tortoises roam freely on several islands. Roughly half the land area is protected.
Capital
Victoria (on Mahé)
Population
~120,000
Area
459 km² across 115 islands
Time Zone
SCT (UTC+4), no daylight saving
Currency
Seychellois Rupee (SCR); euros and US dollars accepted at many resorts
Languages
Seychellois Creole, English and French are all official
Main Airports
SEZ (Seychelles International, Mahé)
Visa
No visa required for any nationality, but a Travel Authorisation must be applied for online before arrival
Best For
Granite boulder beaches, snorkelling and diving, giant tortoises, island hopping
Typical Cost Level
Expensive
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Entry rules, stay length and passport validity by nationality.
The Seychelles requires no visa from any nationality, which is unusual and one of the country's selling points. You do however need to apply for a Seychelles Travel Authorisation online before departure, which costs a small fee and must be approved before you board. You will also need a passport valid for the duration of your stay, confirmed accommodation, a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds. Apply a few days ahead rather than at the airport.
April to May and October to November are the calmest months, sitting between the two trade wind seasons, with the flattest seas and best diving visibility. The southeast trades from May to September bring cooler, breezier and drier weather, good for sailing but with seaweed on some southeast-facing beaches. The northwest monsoon from November to March is hotter and wetter with short heavy showers. The islands sit outside the cyclone belt, so there is no genuinely bad season.
Most visitors combine the three main inner islands. Mahé has the airport, the capital Victoria, the best infrastructure and Beau Vallon beach. Praslin holds the Vallée de Mai UNESCO reserve and Anse Lazio, regularly ranked among the world's finest beaches. La Digue is the smallest and most atmospheric, largely car-free and explored by bicycle, with Anse Source d'Argent and its granite boulders. Ferries link all three in under an hour and a half.
Yes, though it takes planning, because the Seychelles is best known for private island resorts costing well over USD 1,000 a night. Self-catering guesthouses run by Seychellois families are widespread on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and cost a fraction of that. Public buses on Mahé and Praslin are very cheap, the inter-island ferries are reasonable, and crucially every beach in the country is public by law, so the best beaches cost nothing. Food is the main ongoing expense, as almost everything is imported.
Seven to ten days lets you see the three main islands without rushing. A common split is three nights on Mahé, three on Praslin and two or three on La Digue, using the fast ferries between them. Anything under a week means spending too much of the trip in transit given the long-haul flight. If you only have five days, pick two islands rather than three.
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