Birds Islands

If you’re a bird lover, this island is the most obvious place to visit. Home to over a million sea birds, it’s a 30 minute flight from Mahe and relatively remote.
There is only one place to stay here, Bird Island Lodge, but many visitors find the experience addictive, returning again and again to enjoy its simplicity. While there is not a huge range of activities on offer, guests on Bird Island are encouraged to roam freely and to participate in the island’s turtle conservation project.

The island is also a popular game fishing destination. The best time to see the birds is between April and October – their breeding season. An enormous tern colony takes over a chunk of the island and the sheer number of birds has to be seen to be believed.

Denis

As with several of the smaller islands in the Seychelles, there is only one place to stay on Denis Island, but it may be one of the best.
You have to stay at Denis Island Lodge for a minimum of three days, but it is doubtful anyone would actually want to leave sooner. Denis Island is an excellent game fishing destination and several records have been broken in its surrounding waters. Tuna, bonito, barracuda, sailfish and marlin are plentiful in season.

There is also an old lighthouse (still operational) that you can climb to the top of for a fantastic view.

Aride

Aride, perhaps the most unspoiled of all the islands, is situated 10km north of Praslin and is known as the ‘seabird citadel’ of the Indian Ocean.
The island became protected as a reserve in 1967, and since 1973 when it was purchased by Christopher Cadbury for what is now the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, seabird numbers have multiplied and five endemic land birds have now returned after having been wiped out with the introduction of man.

Aride’s seabirds include the world's only hilltop colony of sooty terns, the only breeding sites among the granitic islands for the red-tailed tropic bird and roseate tern and the world's largest colony of lesser noddies.

Aride also boasts one of the densest population of lizards on earth and a unique flora, being the only natural home to one of Seychelles' rarest endemic plants, Wright's gardenia, as well as to a species of 'peponium' that might also be endemic only to Aride.
In 2004, management was passed to the Island Conversation Society (ICS), which opened a new conservation centre to support some of the longest continuous scientific monitoring programs in Seychelles.
No accommodation is available, but Aride is open to day visitors 3 days a week (Sun, Mon, Wed). Excursions can be arranged.

Curieuse

Curieuse lies just off the north-western coast of its close neighbour Praslin and is now a reserve managed by the Seychelles Centre for Marine Technology - Marine Parks Authority.
Once known as Ile Rouge on account of its red earth, Curieuse was eventually named after one of explorer Marion Dufresne's vessels which explored the islands of the Praslin group in 1768.
This rugged island was once home to a leper colony situated at Anse St. Joseph, and whose resident doctor's house dating back to the 1870's has recently been converted into an eco-museum and visitors centre.

Aside from Praslin, Curieuse is the only other island where the Coco-de-mer grows naturally, and also boasts an endemic vine and eight different species of mangrove.
Today Curieuse is home to an exciting giant land tortoise rearing project. The island is also an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles.
No accommodation is offered on this island, but excursions can be arranged.

Cousin

Cousin lies just off the southwest coast of its close neighbour Praslin, just next to its island neighbour Cousine. Cousin is a special nature reserve home to some of Seychelles’ rarest birds, such as the Seychelles bush warbler and the Seychelles magpie robin. Cousin has been a nature reserve since 1968 when it was purchased by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. In 1975 it was declared a special reserve by the Seychelles government, first managed by Birdlife International and now by local environment group Nature Seychelles.

Cousin is one of nature's treasure troves where every year 250,000 birds nest, among them the Seychelles sunbird, red turtle dove and moor hen. The island is also home to many fairy terns, noddies, frigate birds and shearwaters as well as being a place where certain species such as the Seychelles bush warbler have recovered from the edge of extinction.

There is a population of geckoes on the island, giant tortoises introduced from Aldabra and Cousin is also a favourite nesting site for hawksbill turtles.
Cousin is a popular venue with visitors for day trips that offer guided tours of this magnificent island sanctuary. Visits are limited to 4 mornings a week on Tuesday to Friday (closed on weekends and public holidays).

La Digue

La Digue is the island where tourism meets the traditional way of life. The fourth largest island of the Seychelles group, La Digue is considered to be one of the most beautiful islands with palm–fringed beaches, towering granite boulders and turquoise waters.
Most of the tourist accommodation is situated on this island and you are only a short sail away from the larger island of Praslin.

There is much to explore on the island – the fish market in La Passe is often bustling with fishermen selling their catch, bicycles are also for hire and provide the best way to explore the flat coastal plateau and beaches from Grand Anse to Anse Fourmis.

The upmarket resort of La Digue Island Lodge is situated further inland close to the Veuve Reserve, home to a variety of birds including the beautiful Seychelles paradise flycatcher. The wild, unspoilt scenery and friendly, laid back atmosphere of this exotic island make it a destination not to be missed.

Praslin

The second largest island of Seychelles, Praslin, is home to sheltered valleys, ancient palm forests, glorious beaches of soft white sand and the Valee de Mai – a designated World Heritage Site.

The pace of life on this dreamy island is very leisurely and although public transport does exist, car, bicycle and foot are probably the best methods for island exploration. The Air Seychelles flight from Mahe takes 15 minutes whereas aspirant seafarers have an option of a fast catamaran ferry or a more relaxed paced schooner to get to Baie Ste Anne on Praslin.

Notable highlights of Praslin include the pretty village of Baie Ste Anne – one of the island’s “capitals” and your first sight of the island if you arrive by boat. The Cote d’Or, also known as Anse Volbert is the island’s main tourism centre, which hosts safe swimming beaches ideal for snorkelling. A myriad of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, boat operators and souvenir shops make Cote d’Or relatively vibey and busy by Seychelles standards.

Other destinations for exploration include Grand Anse, the largest village on Praslin, the Vallée de Mai, a primeval forest and one of the Seychelles greatest natural treasures, as well as Curieuse Island (“The Red Island”), just off the north coast of Praslin in the centre of a Marine National Park.

Silhouette

Lying within a Marine National Park, Silhouette’s main attraction may be its huge diversity of plants and animals. In fact, ecologists see it as one of the most important hotspots of the Indian Ocean.

Silhouette lies about 20km from Mahe to the northwest and can only be reached by helicopter. Largely undeveloped, it has no roads whatsoever and its forest trails will take you through untouched virgin vegetation.

The island does have a small settlement called La Passe, but there are only about 130 permanent inhabitants. The other inhabitants of Silhouette include giant tortoises for which a captive breeding programme has been started. There are several beautiful palm–fringed beaches – usually deserted – but only one hotel.

Cerf

Cerf Island was named for the French frigate “Le Cerf” which docked at Port Victoria almost 250 years ago in 1756. The island is about one mile long and almost ¾ mile wide, and lies just over 1-1/2 miles east of Mahé.

The surrounding waters of the Marine Park are spectacular, with more than 150 species of reef fish, crabs, sea urchins, starfish, octopus and many, many more, making snorkeling one of the most popular guest activities at the Resort. Cerf Island is located only 15 minutes by boat from Victoria, capital city of Seychelles and the main city on the major island of Mahe

Sainte Anne

The largest of the satellite islands around Mahe, Sainte Anne is also one of the less known islands of the Seychelles. Although the first settlers of the Seychelles lived here, the island has mainly been left to the coconuts since. It was used as a whaling station, as a fuel store during the Second World War, and as the headquarters of the Marine Parks Authority. Now it is the site of a five star hotel, which controls access to the island.

Moyenne

Some 6km east of Mahé and located within the Ste Anne Marine National Park, Moyenne is situated in close proximity to its neighbours, Round Island, Long Island and Ste Anne.

This beautiful, 10 hectare island is awash with tales of concealed treasure and the ghosts who have remained to guard it, presumably arising from the time when it was a pirate haunt.
The island was once owned by an eccentric English lady, Miss Emma Best, and her menagerie of stray dogs and other animals. From 1915 to the early 1970’s the island was abandoned before being purchased by Brendon Grimshaw, an English newspaper editor who’s restored the island into an easily accessible tropical garden, where he now lives Robinson Crusoe-style.

The island offers excellent swimming, snorkelling and trekking - a leisurely stroll around the island will take approximately 1 hour. There is no hotel accommodation offered on Moyenne, but excursions can be arranged.

Mahe

Mahe is the main and largest island of the Seychelles. Most of the Seychelles’ population lives here on the north and east coasts of the island.

Many visitors arrive here only to carry straight on to their hotels on one of the other islands, but Mahe is certainly worth a look if you have the time and inclination. Away from the beaches, the landscape climbs up hills covered in dense rainforests frequently shrouded in mist. There are also plenty of art and cultural attractions. On the east coast of Mahe is Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. Mahe’s main tourism centre is at Beau Vallon, on the west coast just opposite Victoria.

Beau Vallon has a great bathing beach and there are also good facilities for sailing, waterskiing, windsurfing, parascending and banana rides. Other places to visit include Baie Lazare with its long expanse of beach and the Seychelles’ largest hotel, the Plantation Club, and the artists' studios in Anse a la Mouche and Anse aux Poules Bleues in the south. Mahe is surrounded by a string of satellite islands, six of which are found just off the east coast and help to create Victoria’s natural harbour.

Round

Standing on the coral reef at the entrance to Baie Ste. Anne, Round possesses few beaches but waters renowned for the excellent snorkeling.

One of the many satellite islands of Praslin, this wonderfully rounded, lushly vegetated, 20-hectare isle is just about as round as and island can be. This granitic island was also once home to the Coco-de-Mer before the palms were cut down to make way for a coconut plantation.
In the era when coprah still fetched relatively high prices on the world market, Round was once famed for the quality of its coconuts. Diving here uncovers multiple treasures such as giant stingrays and sleeping reef sharks. Bumphead parrotfish often swim past while several species of large grouper can also be found, concealed under overhangs and in holes around the rocky shoreline.

Frégate

The only way to get to stay on this exclusive island is as a guest at the hotel there, Fregate Island is “private” !

Fregate is the most isolated of the granite islands and is surrounded by coral reefs. Fregate is the stuff of island paradise dreams, but it is also part of a conservation success story. The Seychelles magpie–robin, which was found only on Fregate, was down to fewer than 20 birds not so long ago. It is now thriving again on Fregate and is being introduced to other islands to breed.

Vallée de Mai

The Vallée de Mai, a primeval forest and one of the Seychelles greatest natural treasures, as well as Curieuse Island (“The Red Island”), just off the north coast of Praslin in the centre of a Marine National Park.

Anse source d'argent

The island also features one of the Seychelles’ most beautiful beaches, Anse Source d’Argent where silver white sand and exotic palms make it look like something out of a photo shoot.

Anse lazio

Beautifully framed by granited rocks, Anse Lazio has soft white sand and regularly appears in the liste of the ten top beaches. The calm (generally) clear waters make it absolutely perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

Desroche Island

True Paradise - this small, coral island is 6 km long and 1 km wide, has acres of shady coconut palms fringed by 14 km of white sandy beaches, lapped by crystal clear turquoise waters sheltered by the encircling reef. Desroches Island is part of the Amirantes Group of island, a remote coral atoll. Spared by the flow of time, the pearl of the Amirantes archipelago stands as a real jewel to host an exceptional stay devoted to fine living, well being, leisure and sport. The flight from Mahé takes only 35 minutes and operates daily. This amazing coral island claims one of the finest coconut groves of the archipelago.

Enjoy free of charge windsurfing, the pedal boats, kayaking, canoeing, snorkelling, the floodlit tennis courts, table tennis, French bowls and bicycles. At a fee you could also try your hand at scuba diving, big game fishing and boat excursions to the neighbouring Amirantes Isles (Poivre Island and Arros Island).

You could explore the surroundings by bicycle or on foot. The coconut groove, the island village, the northern lighthouse - all are waiting to be discovered as are the many secret tracks that lead to secluded beaches.
The coral reef at the lagoon offers a superb opportunity to swim in a safe area, snorkel in the turquoise lagoon as well as windsurf.

Petite Soeur

The islands of Grande Soeur and Petite Soeur are commonly referred to as 'The Sisters Islands.'

Situated 6km northeast of neighbouring La Digue and in close proximity to Félicité and to Ile Cocos, these two islands are a popular venue for excursions on account of their spectacular ocean panoramas and the excellent opportunities they offer for trekking and picnicking.
These islands are also famous for snorkelling and diving in waters where the marine life is prolific. The hotel Château de Feuilles on Praslin manages the islands.

Grande Soeur

The islands of Grande Soeur and Petite Soeur are commonly referred to as 'The Sisters Islands.'

Situated 6km northeast of neighbouring La Digue and in close proximity to Félicité and to Ile Cocos, these two islands are a popular venue for excursions on account of their spectacular ocean panoramas and the excellent opportunities they offer for trekking and picnicking.
These islands are also famous for snorkelling and diving in waters where the marine life is prolific. The hotel Château de Feuilles on Praslin manages the islands.

Félicité

Félicité is located 4km from its neighbour La Digue and in close proximity to other La Digue satellites such as the Sisters Islands, Mariannne and Ile Cocos. This picturesque and steep granitic island was a coconut plantation up to the 1970s and supported a population of some 50 people. In the late 19th century, Félicité was home to the Sultan of Perak, one of Seychelles’ most colourful exiles, who spent five years on the island before moving to Mahé.

More recently, the island has become an up-market lodge offering an exclusive island experience to the likes of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Félicité’s beautiful beach at La Penice offers marvellous swimming and snorkelling while guests of the island also have access to water-sports, fishing and sailing.

Félicité is associated with the La Digue Island Lodge, which handles all reservations for this exclusive island paradise, catering exclusively for a maximum of eight guests in two luxury bungalows set against a backdrop of lush vegetation and spectacular, steep granite outcrops.

Marianne

This island belongs to the granitic group of the islands of the Seychelles. These are the only islands of granitic origin in the middle of an ocean in the world. The island is heavily wooded with palm trees and on the western side there is a long beach (approx. 200 meters). The present owners have used this island for farming since generations. Marianne Island has good potential with excellent snorkelling areas.

Iles aux récifs

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Cousine

Cousin’s close neighbour, Cousine is situated approximately 6km off the west coast of Praslin and offers an exclusive island experience with complete privacy found in very few other places on earth.

Cousine is a private nature reserve, home to five of the Seychelles endemic birds such as the Seychelles magpie robin and Seychelles brush warbler, as well as a variety of endemic fauna and spectacular marine life.

There are some large specimens of the giant land tortoise wandering the island, which is also a nesting site for the hawksbill turtle.

Cousine was once a coconut plantation but is now home to a superb resort that offers an exceptional experience within a private nature reserve. With four individual Old French Colonial style villas, exclusivity is the order of the day as a maximum of only ten guests are accommodated at any one time.

Victoria

Although it is the capital of the Seychelles, Victoria on Mahe island is not a very big city and it’s still the kind of place where everybody knows everybody else. It was originally settled in 1778 by the French but was eventually named after Queen Victoria. There is an old part of town with narrow streets and dilapidated colonial buildings, and a new part of the city with wider avenues and tropical gardens.

The centre of the city is pinpointed by the clock tower, a copy of the Little Ben outside Victoria station in London, next to which stands the court house. The Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals are just a couple of blocks away from one another, but they are both outdone by the impressive Capuchin House, a seminary for priests.

For a taste of the islands’ history, you can visit the National History Museum, or you can visit the Natural History Museum with its displays of the birds, tortoises, marine life and geology of the Seychelles. A more lively pleasure is to be found at the morning market where the stalls are stacked with tropical fruits, spices and freshly caught fish.