The Seychelles is one of the Indian Ocean’s most beautiful destinations, boasting 115 lush green islands and a gentle, peaceful community. However, many tourists tend to spend most of their on the beach or in the capital city of Victoria, missing most of the stunning scenery and natural wildlife on offer. Most hotels will help you book excursions from Mahé to the other islands, to allow you to really take advantage of your surroundings – with the help of the Kempinski Seychelles Resort, we’ve put together some of our favourites.
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Praslin
Praslin is home to the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site well-known for its peaceful palm forests and wealth of rare wildlife, including parrots and reptiles. Have a guide take you through if you want to know more about the area, or just take off along one of the footpaths for a quiet and tranquil afternoon. If you do choose to do a little wildlife spotting, look out for the Coco de Mer, the island’s native fruit, and the beautiful vanilla orchids used by the locals for fragrance and flavour.
La Digue
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La Digue is very much a beach island, containing the stunning L’Anse Source D’Argent, voted Lonely Planet’s best beach in the world. With soft white sands, pink boulders rounded by the ocean, rock pools full of marine life and a border of palm trees along the spine, this is one of the most idyllic spots you’ll ever visit, so make sure you save plenty of time for exploring and taking photographs. Cycling routes around the island are another great way to discover the beautiful rolling hills and villages, while snorkelling here is some of the best in the region.
Silhouette Island
Much of Silhouette Island is privately owned, and is undergoing a serious conservation project. However, trails around the island allow visitors to see the “Noah’s Ark” at work, with some of the most diverse wildlife and tranquil beaches in the Indian Ocean. It’s exclusive, but well worth a visit!
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The Corallines
If you’d rather sit back and let yourself be taken along somewhere, head out for a boat trip around the Corallines for the day. These small islands are home to only 500 people, and from the shore you can often see people fishing and working, as well as the lagoons and rocky coves along the shore. This is a fantastic way to relax out on the water, and if you’re lucky you’ll be able to enjoy fresh fish in the afternoon for lunch!
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