Choosing the Best Seychelles island to Visit

From the expansive island of Mahe to the tranquility of La Digue, Seychelles Islands has a variety to offer different types of travelers. Whether you’re looking to recharge at a remote resort, spend time mixing with locals at Victoria Market, or be captivated by the greenery and Coco De Mer at Valle De Mai, there’s something for you. Located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa, Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands known for its stunning beaches and breathtaking nature.

Although not all 115 islands are habitable and some are privately owned, there are still multiple islands for travelers to visit. Varying in size, population, and development, each Seychelles island is unique and has its own distinct offerings. Are you planning a trip to Seychelles and trying to decide on which island to visit or where to stay?

This article is for you! To make your experience in Seychelles everything YOU want it to be, it’s crucial to understand your preferences and select an island (and neighborhood) that caters to your needs. Read below for tips and recommendations on how to choose what Seychelles Island to visit.

4 Steps for Choosing a Seychelles Island to Visit:

1.) Start by doing Research:

To kick off finding the best island to visit, start by doing research on the country and its different islands, in order to understand their offerings. As an example, the top three commonly visited islands in Syechelles are Mahe, the largest most populated island and home to the capital city, followed by Praslin, the second largest and populated island, and lastly La Digue, the third most populous island. In addition to being aware of the three different islands, take time to really understand the differences among them and how that impacts you. Additionally, they’re also private islands with resorts, such as Fregate, Cousine, Denis island, and much more.

To get started do a google search for “best or top islands to visit in Seychelles”, “where to stay in Seychelles” or “best places to stay in Seychelles”, and “things to do in Seychelles”. While researching you may notice that there won’t be a central resource that will contain all the information you need. Lean into reading articles by travel bloggers, travel agencies, and hotel enthusiasts, watch YouTube videos, leverage review sites (e.g Tripadvisor, Expedia, Agoda, etc), online publications, and news sites (e.g. Timeout, CNN, planetware, etc). Once you have a better understanding of the different islands, move on to the next step, which is goal setting!

2.) Identify your preferences and needs:

Now that you have an understanding of the different destinations in Seychelles and what each island has to offer, it’s time to identify your preferences, needs, and goals. Answer the questions below to help you identify your goals and narrow down your criteria, in order to ultimately find an island that best suits your needs.

Questions to consider:

While in Seychelles, what is it that you want to do? Do you want to be by the beach, by a nature park or reserve? Do you want calmness, stillness, and complete privacy? Or would you like to be surrounded and immersed in local life? Would you want to partake in water activities or would you like to calmly take in the views while relaxing on the beach?

What type of food do you want to eat? Do you want access to fine dining restaurants, moderately priced restaurants, or beach and street food vendors? How do you plan on getting around, will you be driving, hiring a driver, or taking public transportation?

Now that you’ve thought about your ideal vacation, think about how much you’re willing to pay to fund it...yes you guessed it, it’s time for budgeting!

L'Union Estate, La Digue, Seychelles

Port Launay Beach, Mahe, Seychelles

3.) Identify and build your Budget:

Seychelles is a pricey destination (let’s not fool ourselves lol). Therefore it’s important to be aware of what you’re comfortable with spending and how that can impact the island, neighborhood, or accommodation you choose for your trip. When setting a budget, first evaluate your finances and second allocate a spend amount for the trips costs, such as accommodation, flights, travel insurance, food, transportation, activities, visas, shopping, unexpected costs, etc. Building a budget early on for your trip can be helpful in narrowing down and identifying the best Seychelles island for you to visit.

4.) SELECT YOUR ISLAND:

You’ve done your research, you’ve identified your must haves, and determined a budget, now it’s time to choose the island that best caters to your needs! While staying within budget and leveraging the research you’ve done, select an island (or multiple) based on your criteria, and make your dream vacation a reality. La Digue, Prasline, or Mahe? I’m eager to learn about where you choose. Whether you’re looking to recharge at a remote resort, spend time mixing with locals at Victoria Market, or be captivated by the greenery and Coco De Mer at Valle De Mai, Seychelles has a variety to offer different types of travelers.