Holiday On Seychelles Beaches

 

 

The Seychelles Islands:

This cluster of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of eastern Africa was a British colony from 1812 to 1976, when they gained independence.
The Seychelles are located not far from Mauritius, Madagascar and Zanzibar and are close to being a classic tropical paradise - more so than their South Pacific or even Caribbean rivals - with crystal waters, brilliant white sands, lush vegetation, perfectly contrasting granite outcrops and coral atolls. Throw in friendly locals, a few passable sights such as the Spice Garden Plantation, the lush and buzzing Valle de Mai nature park, classy cuisine, the supreme comfort of a chic luxury beach hotel for newly-weds or the simply rich with a touch of exotic Africana and you're in a glorious, tranquil seaside heaven, save for the occasional questionable level of service.
Only those with fat wallets, little desire for physical activity outside the bedroom and limited cultural interest need apply, though for honeymoon couples the place works like a wet dream.
Nightlife? Nope, post-dinner action mainly involves getting plastered and chasing the [new] ball-and-chain around the beach/bedroom.

Planning a Seychelles holiday:

The average tourist holiday to these islands is about one week and consists of a few days on each of the three main islands: International flight to Mahé - light plane to Praslin - ferry to La Digue; then out via ferry to Praslin and light plane back to Mahé, sayonara.
Opinions differ of course, but generally La Digue, the smallest and least developed of the three is the chosen one, the greatest Seychelles hit, while Praslin is the most costly.
Very experienced travellers expecting dramatic cultural stimulation, exotic wilderness or totally empty paradise beaches are likely to be disappointed, particularly if they have travelled long-haul to get there.
Keep expectations down to a brilliant beach environment not dissimilar to the best of the Caribbean or Hawaii and you won't go home disgruntled.
One pleasant lowish-cost week-long vacation might go like this: two nights based on/near Mahé's Beau Vallon beach while exploring the island; one night passing thru Praslin; three nights on La Digue; the last night back on Mahé.
A quote from our favourite writer, AA Gill of the Sunday Times in 2008:
'The beaches are the best in the world. We can argue about this, but I'd win. The sand is white and fine; the sea that iridescent, butterfly-wing blue that you only get on atolls and a temperature that's like being peed on by somebody you love. There is little that stings or bites; there are no indigenous Marxist guerrillas or fundamentalist terrorists. The polyglot mix of people makes it very uncliquey, even allowing for the fact that they were once French. And the islands have always made a living from looking out to sea, not looking in each other’s windows.'

Weather:

The Seychelles are more or less a year round destination but perhaps the best months are around April and October, though it's humid then. November to March is the rainy season but rains are short, the seas are calm and it's hot and humid, so these months are OK too.
Worst months are July-September due to the south-east trade winds bringing less clear, rough seas, beach debris and a lot of visitors but it's sunny, dry and pleasantly cool.
Windsurfing and sailing are usually best at the beginning and end of the windy May-October period, while diving is best March-May.
Temperatures range from low 20'sC [70'sF] to low 30'sC [90F], which is perfect, it's the humidity that can get uncomfortable when it heads over 75%, which is commonplace.

Best Beaches:

Anse Lazio, Praslin island
Although it's often voted as the world's best beach by many travel publications, Anse Lazio's development is still limited to a handful of small hotels and family-run restaurants and rarely busy. Like its buddies on Mahé and La Digue islands Anse Lazio sports strategically placed lumps of pinkly interesting granite to accent the dazzling sand and turquoise sea and useful hanging palm fronds acting as natural parasols.
Lazio is encircled by a fish-friendly reef making swimming and snorkelling particularly hypnotic and agreeable, while on shore a little restaurant offers succulent fruits de mer.
Lazio is popular with yachties but roadies can also share the pleasure by taking the ribbon of concrete out to the far north-west of Praslin.

Apart from watersports Praslin island also offers tourists gentle hikes through Vallée de Mai nature park, a delightful World Heritage slice of evocative jungle known for the unique coco de mer, a coconut shape like a woman's buttocks - and the world's largest seed - though few men are going to be excited by the latter factoid. The Vallée is not far from the beach and the pleasant coast road is good for biking.
Anse Georgette is another terrific beach on Praslin.
Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue island
This sensational beach comprises the obligatory powder sand and gently shelving turquoise water backed by monstrous granite outcrops and lolling palm trees; it's also is one of the world's most photographed beaches and quite heavily visited.
Situated on La Digue, the third largest, least developed and most popular of the Seychelles islands, Anse Source d'Argent's waters are calm, reef-protected and excellent for snorkelling or swimming; footwear is advisable due to lurking coral chunks; modest surfing is possible off Grand Soeur beach.
Grand Anse is another one of several excellent beaches on this island, leading to Petit Anse and Anse Cocos if you want total solitude but some walking will be required so bring decent shoes or walking sandals.

La Digue island. Click to see more Seychelles Pictures.

Ile Souris [Mouse Island], east coast of Mahé island.
Mahé is the first island you're likely to land on and doesn't offer the best beaches but Ile Souris is a classic, cool sand, warm water and hot rocks - pristine and unspoilt with very limited development. This tiny island is within swimming distance of another lovely beach Anse Royale, Mahé's longest.
The tiny town of Victoria on Mahé is the capital of the Seychelles and offers a modest market, but merits little time.
Cousin Island.
Accessed via Praslin Island, Cousin Island is about bird watching, not flopping into glassy waters for a post-prandial paddle. With a quarter of a million avians including shearwaters, noddies, fairy terns and Seychelles warblers on a tiny island no more than half a mile across this is a screeching, flapping, peckpecking sight to delight any bored beach goer, let alone serious twitchers.

General Information:

Costs: this is a pricey destination, even if you do crash at a guest house rather than in a luxury hotel. Double rooms will generally cost $100+ per night. Changing hard currency into rupees on the black gets a favourable rate but most establishments require payment in dollars or euros.
Cuisine: dishes are a fine, subtle fusion of Indian, African, Chinese, Arab and European, while the Sechelles speciality is bat curry.
Electricity: 240v, 3 flat pin British style plugs.
Languages: English and French.
Religion: 98% Christian.
Visas: not required; an onward plane ticket and sometimes reserved accommodation gets the average traveller a one month visitor's permit.
Wildlife: The most impressive critters in the Seychelles are undoubtedly the giant Aldabra tortoises found on many islands though the big guys on La Digue and Praslin are particularly accessible. Turtles nest on various islands e.g. Cousin, Aldabra, Silhouette, as do large colonies of birds e.g. Bird, Aride, Aldabra and Cousin Island, see above.
Marine life: Many reefs have become bleached of colour but the waters are warm, clear, generally calm and fish plentiful and kaleidoscopic, so snorkelling is fine.
Scuba divers tend to prefer Mauritius to the Seychelles, particularly for the prices, but manta rays, turtles, dolphins and monster whale sharks do make appearances from time to time in the Seychelles [around December]. Good dive centres can be found on Beau Vallon beach, Mahé.
Health: pharmacies are rare and medicines may be difficult to acquire so bring everything you may need with you.
Mosquitoes, as usual, are the snake in this beach-front Eden and though they don't carry malaria they can be troublesome. Take the usual precautions; read our anti-mozzie pages for a reminder.
Getting around: buses are common, costing just a few rupees while reasonable taxis can be found too. Bikes are the way to go perhaps on Praslin and definitely on La Digue.
Between islands it's pricey flights and cheap ferries. Most travellers fly from Mahé to Praslin then ferry to La Digue and the do the same to return.
Getting there: there are direct flights from London to the Seychelles and indirect flights from just about anywhere but the cheapest departure point is probably South Africa's Johannesburg or neighbouring Mauritius.
The bigger international flights land on Mahé's Seychelles International Airport and some on Praslin Island Airport while there are another twelve small island airstrips for light planes and helicopters.