Seychelles Travel Guide: What to Visit in Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue

This year, for my birthday, I landed in the Seychelles. We hadn’t planned much; it was just sitting there on our wishlist as a backup option in case we ran out of other travel ideas.

While searching for flights and hotels, we thought it might be cool to include Mauritius as well, since it’s close to the Seychelles—allowing us to explore two destinations with a single long-haul flight. However, once we mapped out the flights, we realized we would need to stay for about three weeks to truly enjoy everything and move at our own pace—which is basically grandma and grandpa style (mostly *le husband’s, obviously). Since we couldn’t be away from the office for that many days (plus, the budget was stretching considerably), we decided to stick strictly to the Seychelles.

When we landed at the airport in Victoria, Mahé, my very first thought was: “What on earth was I thinking coming here?”. The airport was tiny, the sky was overcast, the wind was blowing, and I felt a deep sense of insecurity—I was on the verge of taking the next flight back home. In my mind, a voice kept telling me that maybe this place wasn’t right for me and didn’t look anything like what I had imagined.

Once we reached the hotel and headed straight to the beach, it felt like stepping into a completely different world—everything was incredibly vibrant and bright, the sand was powder-soft and white, the turquoise water shimmered in the sun, and the waves crashed with a soothing sound. The lush green forest, filled with palm trees and exotic plants, alongside the granite rocks sculpted by the force of nature, created a picture-perfect wallpaper landscape that seemed straight out of a dream 🥰.

We visited 3 of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles: Mahé (where we stayed for the entire trip), La Digue, and Praslin. We reached La Digue and Praslin by catamaran, but I don’t think I would repeat that experience. The distance was quite long, and to get us there on time so we could enjoy the islands, the boat went pretty fast, rocking us so much that we ended up feeling seasick.

What to Visit in Mahé: Beau Vallon Beach and Missed Attractions

We spent most of our days at Beau Vallon Beach, as it was very close to our hotel. Since it was also the first beach we experienced in the Seychelles, it holds a special place in my heart—it was the place with the strongest emotional impact, one that completely shifted my vibe and brought back all my excitement.

We had planned an excursion to explore the island and its main highlights: the Botanical Garden, Sauzier Waterfall, and the Takamaka Rum Distillery. However, it was canceled at the last minute because the weekend we booked coincided with the presidential elections, and all the attractions were closed. We were a bit upset with the tour company for notifying us so late the night before rather than a few days in advance so we could reorganize our schedule. But every cloud has a silver lining, as we ended up enjoying a gorgeous day at the beach instead.

Bonus: on our last evening in the Seychelles, the clouds cleared up, and we were treated to a gorgeous sunset.

La Digue Island: Giant Tortoises, Vanilla Plantations, and Anse Source d’Argent

What truly impressed me about this island was that everyone got around by bicycle. The locals used bikes for absolutely every single activity, and I found that completely fascinating.

The first thing we did upon arriving on the island was visit the giant tortoises at the L’Union Estate farm. I must admit it wasn’t the first time I’ve seen giant tortoises, but I still enjoyed spending time with them.

On our way to the famous Anse Source d’Argent beach, we passed through a vanilla plantation. I was absolutely fascinated by how much the vanilla pods look like our green beans 😁, and of course, being deeply passionate about baking, I couldn’t leave without buying some vanilla right from the source 👩‍🍳.

We admired their crops of various plants and vegetables, and I thought it was incredibly lovely that they had a designated area for medicinal herbs (the locals treat illnesses with the help of plants—they seem to have a plant for every single ailment 😅).

When we arrived at Anse Source d’Argent beach, I once again felt as if I had stepped into another world. It’s as if every single beach is a portal to a different universe—I find that feeling absolutely incredible.

Praslin and the Famous Coco de Mer in Vallée de Mai

We continued our trip to Praslin, and the first stop on our list was Vallée de Mai, located right in the heart of the island. Vallée de Mai is a millions-of-years-old tropical rainforest where the star of the show is the coco de mer—a sort of dinosaur among palm trees 😀 , which grows only here and on the neighboring island of Curieuse. The coco de mer nut is protected by law in the Seychelles and cannot be freely traded. What makes it so special and attractive is its shape—which famously resembles a woman’s bottom 🍑.

We walked through the palm forest hoping to catch a glimpse, or at least hear the call, of the rare black parrot, but we had no luck. However, because the forest has been preserved in its wild, untouched state, we felt as if we had stepped back in time. The place possessed a unique charm, making us feel like we were living in a fairy tale.

The last spot we had left to check off our list in Praslin was Anse Lazio beach. When I stepped onto that sand, I was left completely speechless. I realized there was absolutely no way to capture the true beauty of the place in photos. I could have stayed there for hours on end, staring out at the horizon without ever getting bored. It was one of those rare moments when you don’t feel the need to say anything at all—you just want to be.

Seychelles Trip: Takeaways

What we (well, I) loved:

• The Surroundings: Contrary to expectations, I loved how rural everything was; the places had a unique charm of their own;
• The Jungle: We absolutely loved the rainforest; it felt like it had a different shade of green than what we are used to back home;
• The Beaches: And even at the risk of repeating myself, the beaches are incredibly beautiful!

What we (okay, I) didn’t like:

• The Traditional Food: We weren’t big fans of Creole cuisine; the spices they used just weren’t to our taste;
• The Services: A bit rough around the edges, and the people felt a little reserved, as if they aren’t quite used to tourists yet.

Where we stayed:

We stayed at Gardens Hill Resort & Spa in Mahé. In general, *le husband looks for newly opened hotels when we choose a destination because they are less crowded and the rooms are incredibly clean. This hotel had been open for just two months, which was perfect timing since they already had all the important things fully sorted out.

We opted for half-board accommodation. The buffet-style breakfast wasn’t extremely varied, but the fruits and vegetables were always fresh, and the staff was incredibly kind, making us whatever we craved outside the standard menu.

Dinner was à la carte, and we had a set budget to stay within (naturally, any extra consumption was paid separately). We only exceeded this budget a handful of times, usually when we wanted to try multiple desserts or a more sophisticated cocktail. The hotel’s cuisine is French-inspired, so we enjoyed a fine dining experience every single evening 🙂 . We ate incredibly well, and by the end of our vacation, we had tasted the entire menu—from beef and lamb to lobster and fresh tuna. Every single dish was absolutely delicious.