Seychelles

Seychelles is 115 islands about 1,600 km east of the Kenyan coast. The ones almost everybody visits are the inner granitic islands, a cluster around 4 degrees south: Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. They are old continental granite rather than coral or volcano, which is why the beaches have those rounded boulders on them.

It is expensive. Food, hotels and transfers all cost more than they would on a comparable island elsewhere, because nearly everything is imported. Self-catering guesthouses on Mahé and La Digue bring it down a long way from the resort price, and they are the reason a Seychelles trip is possible on a normal budget at all.

This is not a wildlife destination in the safari sense. There are no large land mammals. What you get is giant tortoises on a couple of islands, seabird colonies, the coco de mer palm on Praslin, and very good snorkelling and diving. It works as the week of rest either side of a mainland safari; it does not substitute for one.

Three islands in a week is the usual shape: a couple of nights on Mahé either side, three on Praslin or La Digue. Ferries link all three and are straightforward, but they finish in the early evening and sell out in season.

When to go

Months	What it is like
May-Sep	The southeast trade winds. Drier, a little cooler, and breezy. Seaweed washes up on southeast-facing beaches and hotels rake it daily. Ferry crossings are choppier and the sea is livelier. This is the better half of the year for hiking and for sailing.
Nov-Mar	The northwest monsoon. Hotter, more humid, and wetter, with the heaviest rain from December to January, usually in short downpours rather than all-day grey. Seas are calmer and the beaches on the southeast side are clean.
Apr and Oct	The turn between the two wind systems. Calm, clear water and the best diving visibility of the year. These are the two months to aim for if you can choose freely.
Year-round	Temperature barely moves: 26-31°C by day, every month, with sea temperatures around 27-29°C. The southwest Indian Ocean cyclone season runs roughly November to March, but the inner granitic islands sit close enough to the equator that direct hits are rare; distant systems still bring swell and rain. The outer southern islands are more exposed.

Before you go

• There is no visa. Most nationalities get a visitor's permit on arrival, but you must have a pre-approved travel authorisation, proof of accommodation, a return ticket and travel insurance. Check the current requirement before you fly, as the rules have changed more than once.
• Budget honestly. Restaurant meals, taxis and inter-island transfers all cost more than you expect. Self-catering accommodation and the Mahé supermarkets are the practical answer.
• Cat Cocos ferries run Mahé to Praslin in about an hour, and the Inter Island Ferry runs Praslin to La Digue in about 15 minutes. Book in advance in high season; the last sailings are in the early evening, so do not plan an arrival that assumes a late boat. The Mahé to Praslin flight takes 15 minutes.
• There is no malaria. Mosquitoes are still present, particularly at dusk.
• Currency is the Seychellois rupee. Cards work in hotels and most restaurants; carry cash for small shops, buses and takeaways on La Digue.
• Reef-safe sunscreen is required or strongly pushed at many properties, and you are 4 degrees off the equator, so the sun is much stronger than the breeze suggests.
• Public buses on Mahé and Praslin are cheap, frequent enough and cover most of the coast. On La Digue almost everyone uses a bicycle.