The Seychelles

April 2022 – 10 days with the family

Depending on where you live, Seychelles may not be the easiest place to get to, but we promise that it will be worth the inconvenience. This group of 115 islands off the east coast of mainland Africa is a tropical paradise with warm island culture and hospitality. In the end, it’s not the travel distance that is the biggest challenge to this trip! The greatest challenge might just be narrowing down the pictures for this post since every spot is so unbelievably beautiful.

The Seychelles boast the best beaches in the world, and judging from the beaches we’ve visited over the years, their boast is accurate by far (sorry Hawaii, Bora Bora, Greece, and Sardinia). Here the beaches are distinguished by incredible colors and distinct rock formations, long sandy shores that don’t burn your feet, hot tub-like water, shady spots offering a break from the sun, and the huge bonus of having very few people around.

Like the rest of our travel guides, this is not an all-encompassing account of everything we did. We do not want to make a list of ‘Best’ or ‘Must-do’ experiences since we know it depends on your personal preferences. These are only our personal favorites, and they are divided into two groups: “Avventura Favves” and “Other Things We Liked.”

The Avventura’s Seychelles Map

Overview

At the top of the Copolia Trail within Morne Seychelles National Park

Many people choose to visit Seychelles by staying in a fancy resort as one would when traveling to Bora Bora or the Maldives. That option was out of our budget for five people. But even if we could, it is not the way we like to travel. As a family, we believe the small self-catering hotels we visited have made for a better experience than an exotic resort because they have allowed us more chances to explore and enjoy more of the country.

Usually, we plan our vacations in advance so that it’s more likely that our preferred activities/restaurants/hotels are available, but because of so many unknowns around Covid during the spring of 2022, we booked this one “last minute” (two months before we left). As a result, we spent a lot of time trying to piece together a few nights at different hotels and Airbnbs. Based on how much difficulty we had selecting accommodations, we thought that the island would be packed with tourists. We found the exact opposite when we arrived. Perhaps all the tourists are concentrated in the five-star hotels on the island, but most of the public beaches, hikes, and restaurants were empty. We loved feeling like we were one of the locals.

We chose the month of April because we read that it is one of the driest months with little wind. It’s warm year-round in Seychelles and during our trip, it was consistently hot and humid – every day was about 85F (30C). In fact, Dave had to change his shirts several times throughout the day. Remarkably the water temperature was also about 85F! After some of the cold water we’ve had during other beach vacations in Portugal and Sardinia, this was so wonderful and relaxing.

As with most Lewin adventures, this one involved a combination of hikes to beautiful beaches and mountaintops, relaxing days on boats, and continuously seeking out the best food on the islands. We spent most of our trip on the main island of Mahè, and then took ferries for overnight visits to the islands of La Digue and Praslin. It is about two hours to La Digue and we stayed there for one night and after a 15-minute ferry spent three nights on Praslin. Despite its small size, this definitely was not a sufficient amount of time for La Digue. It’s an adorable place with lots of bikes and barely any cars. It felt like visiting Nantucket in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Praslin was nice but Mahe and La Digue are much better in our opinion. Overall we absolutely loved this group of islands and there is still so much more to explore.

Avventura Favves

Beaches and Hikes – Mahé

Anse Intendance and Summer Bar (Mahé)- This was the perfect beach. Its white sand went on forever. There were about 10 other people there and the water was warm with stunning blue color. There was also a local bar with two friendly guys playing fun music and serving up refreshing cocktails that were perfect for the day on the beach.

Anse Major Trail and Beach (Mahé) – It takes a bit to get our kids to go on hikes (particularly in the heat), but when the end of the trail is a beautiful beach, they always are super happy that we did it. We started this roughly three-hour hike off on the wrong foot when we made a wrong turn and were venturing through old rundown shacks near the water’s edge. Eventually, we found ourselves almost in somebody’s kitchen while she was doing dishes and realized we were on the wrong path. We found our way to the trail and were rewarded at the end with a fabulous white sandy beach with gentle waves and a local beach bar. The way back was a lot more downhill and easier on all of us after the refreshments. TIP: So you don’t repeat our mistake, we parked at La Scala restaurant and started walking along the beach thinking that was the trail. However, from La Scala continue to walk along the road away from the water a bit and the trail actually starts at the end of the road after 1km (10 minutes).

Morne Blanc Trail within Morne Seychelles National Park (Mahé) – This was a very steep, but short, hike up to the highest point on Mahe. Roundtrip was about 90 minutes and the views were spectacular. The trail is very well-maintained but can be quite slippery with all the rain that Seychelles gets. Wear good footwear and bring plenty of water (and extra shirts if you are like Dave).

Copolia Trail within Morne Seychelles NP (Mahé) – We were catching a ferry later in the day to La Digue, but that didn’t stop us from getting one more sweaty hike in. This is probably the most famous hike on the island and you have to pay an entrance fee to get in. The views from the top were spectacular and we caught sight of the local species of carnivorous plants at the top along with lots of birds. Dave was practicing his bird sounds for most of the journey to keep Joy entertained.

Anse Soleil Beach (Mahé) – We checked out this beach which is nestled right next to the Four Seasons Resort (always a good sign) late in the day for a quick swim and the sunset. It was beautiful. Perfect sand and water. There was about a 10-minute steep walk down to the beach, but you might be able to score some parking closer by if your car can make it back up the hill.

Anse Royale Beach (Mahè) – Another relatively empty beach with lots of sand, beautiful water, and a local woman selling fresh coconut and mangoes. Paradise.

Police Bay (Mahé) – This is one of the more “wild” beaches we have ever visited. It requires about a 10-minute walk through vegetation (flip-flops are okay). We stopped and hugged some palm trees and enjoyed a quick dip along the way in some natural pools at Petite Police Beach (and danced along to the music of the local teenagers). At the end of the trail is Police Bay with huge waves. We were mesmerized by the mist coming off the sea. We were the only people on the beach for as far as we could see, aside from a few stray pups, but it didn’t seem safe enough for a swim here. We just relaxed on the sand for a bit.

Sunset Beach (Mahé) – We stopped here on our last night in Mahé before catching our flight back home. It’s a small beach with only a few locals hanging out. The sunset was spectacular.

Beaches and Hikes – La Digue and Praslin

Anse Source d’Argent (La Digue) – An advantage of only having 24 hours on an island is that we could get the kids up bright and early to ride bikes to this piece of paradise without any complaining! Hailed as the most photographed beach in the world, it is consistently on the list of the world’s top beaches. We understood why as soon as we stepped onto it. You arrive through rock formations to perfect sand, perfect water, and only a scattering of people taking Instagram-worthy photos! We snapped a few of our own and took a swim in the crystal clear waters where we could see so many fish swimming around us. We imagine that this beach gets busy later in the day so go early. Important note: You must ride through the L’Union Estate Farm to reach this beach (and pay an entrance fee). While inside the property we did stop quickly to see their tortoises and buy spices, coconut oil, and bowls made from coconuts.

Anse Lazio Beach (Praslin) – This is one of the two most famous beaches on the island. Not quite as perfect as those La Digue beaches, but pretty close. Long and sandy, with plenty of spots for shady reading.

Anse Georgette Beach (Praslin) – This award-winning beach requires a bit more effort to get to. You can either hike two hours from Anse Lazio or make a reservation with the fancy hotel (Constance Lemuria) that owns the property leading up to it. We chose the latter and had our hotel make the reservation for us. We parked outside the hotel and then walked a very hilly, very hot 20 minutes to the beach. Like all the beaches in Seychelles, it is incredibly beautiful with perfect water and sand and lots of shade. Since it is attached to the resort there were a few more people than usual (but not crowded) and the waves were intense (but fun), so we probably wouldn’t rank it as high on our list compared to the others on Mahè and La Digue.

Excursions

Atoll Divers with a visit to Baie Ternay Marine National Park (Mahé) – We love it when companies do all the small things right and Atoll Divers made this scuba day so fun and easy. The older kids were excited to use their new Padi Open Water Diver certifications (they did the course the previous summer in Naxos) and while the four of us did a couple of dives in a marine park, Joy did a first-time Discovery dive with an instructor and saw a shark, a turtle, a ray, and tons of other fish. Not a bad first dive! We all had a great time with this incredibly professional and fun group of people.

Boat tour to Ile Moyenne (Mahé) – This tiny island off the coast of Mahe is a nature preserve with tons of free-roaming giant tortoises. It has an interesting history and some beautiful isolated beaches. It takes about 20 minutes to walk the island’s nature trail and is well worth it. We did a boat tour that included this, as well as one of the best BBQ lunches (with grilled fish) on an empty beach that we have experienced.

Boat tour, including Curieuse and Coco islands with Geoli Charter(Praslin)- We booked a private tour to cruise around the smaller islands off the coast of Praslin and highly recommend it. There were lots of good snorkeling stops and incredible close-up views of some gorgeous islands. We especially loved the BBQ lunch at the Curieuse Island National Park, where we hung out with the very friendly tortoises. We couldn’t understand why so many people had them as pets, but we soon realized that they are incredibly social and funny animals.

Vallée de Mai National Park (Praslin) – This protected tropical forest is home to the famous Coco de Mer Palm trees, which produce the largest nut in the world. We did a guided tour and learned a lot about this and several other types of palm trees. It was super interesting and although we wanted to take home the shell of the nut as a souvenir, we didn’t have an extra $500!

Food and Drink – Mahé

Jules Takeaway (Mahé) – Of the many food trucks and takeaway restaurants on the islands, this has some of the reviews so we couldn’t pass up trying this place before heading out on the ferry. There was a line of locals out the door and the food was worth waiting for. There is no place to eat in the area, so we ended up eating in our car on the side of the road surrounded by banana trees.

Maria’s Rock Cafeteria (Mahé)- This unique restaurant sits high on a rock and serves delicious fresh fish and meats that you cook directly on a hot stone at your table. The service was friendly and efficient, and we enjoyed it so much we didn’t remember to take a picture until the food was all gone!

Koko Zerm (Mahé)- This fast lunch spot was delicious, fast, and friendly. We loved the fish burger with pineapple and salsa, as well as the fish and chips. Definitely hits the spot after Dave makes you do a long hike somewhere!

La Gaulette Restaurant (Mahé) – After the sunset at Anse Soleil, we had a quick change in the car and stopped here for dinner. It was excellent. There were delicious cocktails, fresh grilled snapper, and lots of other good choices. I’m not sure why we only have a picture of Ali drinking a Pina Colada from this place, but you’ll have to trust us, we highly recommend it.

Beach Shak (Mahé) – If you’re in the area, this is a great classic beach bar. Strong and fruity cocktails, and a live DJ at night. A perfect spot to watch the sunset over Beau Vallon beach.

Any’s Snack and Takeaway (Mahè) – Since the Takamaka Rum Distillery didn’t have its food truck open, we stopped at this nearby truck. Good thing since the fish curry was on point. A delicious and inexpensive quick lunch.

Food and Drink – La Digue and Praslin

Rey and Josh Cafe Takeaway (La Digue) – As soon as we arrived on La Digue we felt that it had a level of refinement that we didn’t find on Mahè. A quick dinner the first night was evidence of that. Even though it is a takeaway, they had nice picnic tables, good drink options, and a warm fun atmosphere in which to enjoy your food. Unfortunately, we arrived right before closing and although there had been a lot of variety, we all ate the only dish that was left, the pork curry. It was phenomenal and, you could tell, made with a lot of love.

Mimi’s Café (La Digue) – On our way back to the ferry, we stopped at this small, cute café for a great meal. Lynn had the grilled snapper and the kids loved the burgers and sandwiches. Highly recommended.

Sunset drinks at Les Rochers Restaurant (Praslin) – We were happy to snag a reservation at this restaurant for a cocktail on the beach for the sunset and then dinner afterward. The service was a bit slow, but the grilled fish was delicious and the sunset views were some of the best we’ve seen. The prices seemed quite high, but since the dishes are large and shareable you only need to get two or three.
Ma’s Takeaway (Praslin) – Consistent with all the islands, most food choices on Praslin come from takeaway restaurants and this is the best on Praslin. It was always crowded, and we had some delicious grilled fish, curries, and garlic prawns. There are a few tables on the side of the street, but we took it back to our hotel, which was next door.

Accommodations

Villas de Jardin(Mahé) – We enjoyed these villas nestled in the quiet hills in the northwest part of the island. Our modern two-bedroom villa had everything you need along with incredible views, a beautiful large deck, and outdoor showers. The villas also shared an infinity pool with incredible views. The only drawback was the location. It is very remote with only one or two restaurants in the area, of which most were closed for the Easter holiday. It was no problem for us, but you have to be prepared to drive to other parts of the island for most of the amenities and restaurants. We joked that everything was 30 minutes away.

Eden Island Airbnb (Mahé) — This was a different type of accommodation for us. It is a collection of villas and condominiums that are individually owned in a fully functioning community. For some, there is no need to leave the resort, as you can drive around in the golf cart they provide to private beaches, pools, restaurants, and grocery stores. It was beautifully done, but not a very local experience. The Airbnb we stayed in though was super comfortable and we enjoyed the luxury and strong air conditioning for a few nights.

Les Lauriers Eco Hotel (Praslin) – We saved the lux place for last in our journey and we were excited when we arrived in Praslin for three days. This hotel is owned by a Belgian couple who came to the island 30 years ago and meant to stay for only a couple of years. Over time, they bought and expanded this property and they have done an amazing job. Across the street from the Cote D’Or beach, it boasts a gorgeous pool and a nice restaurant that makes a great buffet breakfast. We enjoyed the rain showers and flowers on the bed! Overall we preferred La Digue as a side trip but this hotel is amazing without breaking the bank as would’ve happened at the five-star resorts.

Other Things We Did and Ate

Buisson Guest House (La Digue) – We were met at the port by the owner and walked 10 minutes inland to this small guest house. They served us fresh juice and took out a map to help us make the most of our short 24 hours on the island. We decided on a plan to hit up some of the more famous beaches and the owner organized bikes for us. The breakfast was hearty and delicious (crepes, eggs, and lots of fresh fruit) and the owner encouraged us to take some along for our beach day. The room was basic, but the air-conditioning worked well and it was a great cost-effective option with extremely friendly service.

Takamaka Rum Distillery (Mahé)- After drinking this local rum almost daily while in Seychelles, we wanted to visit the distillery. We didn’t have time for a tour, and although there’s supposed to be a food truck, it hasn’t opened up since Covid. But the space is really beautiful and we bought a few bottles of different kinds of rum to bring home with us.

Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market (Mahé) – It was interesting to walk around and see how the local citizens shop. It reminded us a bit of Porta Palazzo in our hometown of Torino. The best part was seeing all the different kinds of fruits and vegetables. We drank coconut water directly from a coconut and tried a spiky cucumber, soursop, and passion fruit. We got excited for a second when we saw them selling ‘pawpaw’, but it was only the usual papaya not the cultish fruit from North America. Oh, and since Dave can’t pass by an interesting-looking local bakery, we grabbed something that seemed like a fish samosa.

Baobab Pizza (Mahé) – One of the few places where we have ever eaten on vacation without thoroughly checking out reviews first! On the last night of our trip, our phone had run out of data and we were hungry and just passing by after watching the sunset. The kids were begging for something easy and so we at this super casual, sand-on-the-floor, pizza spot. It was mostly filled with locals and was surprisingly good. Not Italy good. But good.

Beau Vallon Beach (Mahé) – We walked along this more famous beach late at night. It seemed smaller than some of the others and definitely with more activity, but we would have to visit during the day to know if it’s Favve worthy.

Maison Marengo (Mahé)- This was a decent stop for a nice dinner. There were local choices, like the prawn curry and blackened seared tuna steaks, but also some stuff that was easy for the kids, like crispy chicken sandwiches. The food was good and there was live music.

La Goulue Restaurant (Praslin) – Walking distance from our hotel on the Cote d’Or Beach was this favorite restaurant of our boat guide. It was very popular (especially with locals) and you need a reservation. There were lots of options and our food was tasty.

Logistics and Miscellaneous Notes

Ferries – We used seychellesbookings.com to check the times of the ferries between islands and purchase tickets. Reserve ahead of time since there aren’t that many ferries for all routes and they do get crowded. Tip: the times vary by day, so check the schedule carefully. We thought there would be a morning ferry to La Digue from Mahé, but we transferred on a Wednesday and the only option was late afternoon. Unfortunately, we had already booked all of the hotels and couldn’t move things around.
We can’t recommend enough the idea to use a local car rental company when vacationing on an island. We had good experiences with both Grace Car Rental (Mahè) and Capricorn Car Rental (Praslin). They met us at the ports, the transfer was quick and easy, and the cars were clean and new.
Flights – Seychelles is not the easiest place to get to. People were continuously surprised by our accents as they don’t get too many American visitors. As usual, we just chose the cheapest flights we could find, and our flights on Qatar Air were great, but we should have taken the timetable into account a bit more. We had long layovers in the middle of the night in Qatar (Doha) that were pretty terrible. Next time we won’t assume all of us will get a good night’s rest sleeping in uncomfortable airport chairs at the gate in the middle of an overnight flight.

Next Time We Go

Spend more time on La Digue, and make it all the way to Anse Cocos Beach (without getting lost in the jungle and swarmed by wasps), hike up to Nid D’Aigle, and enjoy a cocktail at the Bikini Bottom near the northern point of the island.

Check out some of our other adventures on our Travel Guide page.

Have any questions or suggestions? Post them in the comments below or contact us at LewinAvventura@gmail.com.