Seychelles Destinations
Five island regions — from Mahé, Praslin and La Digue to the remote coral atolls of the Outer Islands.
Hero image: La Digue asv2024-10 img31 View from Nid d'Aigle.jpg by A.Savin, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Seychelles destinations in this guide are organised by island region, because that is how a trip here is actually planned. Every international flight arrives on Mahé; from there, most travellers combine two or three islands, linked by short flights and inter-island ferries. Each region has its own character — mountains and the capital on Mahé, palm forest and famous beaches on Praslin, bicycles and granite boulders on La Digue, and island resorts and remote atolls beyond.
The five regions
MahéThe arrival island: Victoria, Beau Vallon, the mountain national park and the quiet south.Explore Mahé →
PraslinThe Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio and Côte d’Or, and boat trips to Curieuse.Explore Praslin →
La DigueBicycles, Anse Source d’Argent and a slow village pace, a short ferry ride from Praslin.Explore La Digue →
Silhouette & Other Inner IslandsSilhouette, Félicité, Frégate, Denis, Bird, North and Cousine — island stays reached by boat or air.Explore the inner islands →
Outer IslandsDesroches, Alphonse, Platte, Astove, Cosmoledo, Farquhar and Aldabra — remote coral atolls.Explore the Outer Islands →Mahé
Mahé is the largest island and the gateway to the country. It has the international airport, the capital Victoria, the mountainous Morne Seychellois National Park and dozens of beaches. Most travellers spend at least a few nights here.
- Beau Vallon & North Mahé — the main beach resort area.
- Victoria & Eden Island — the capital and the marina island.
- East Mahé & Anse Royale — reef-sheltered bays and villages.
- South Mahé — wild beaches and quieter stays.
- West Mahé — marine parks and sunset coves.
- Ste Anne Marine Park Islands — island days off Victoria.
- Morne Seychellois National Park — the island’s mountain heart.
Praslin
Praslin is the second-largest island, north-east of Mahé. It is known for the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai and for beaches such as Anse Lazio and Côte d’Or.
- Côte d’Or & Anse Volbert — the main beach strip.
- Grand Anse & West Praslin — the west coast near the airport.
- Baie Ste Anne — the ferry village.
- Vallée de Mai — the palm forest.
- Curieuse Island — giant tortoises and mangroves.
La Digue
La Digue is small and car-light, with granite-boulder beaches and village life centred on La Passe.
- La Digue Island — the practical base guide.
- Anse Source d’Argent & L’Union Estate — the famous beach.
Silhouette & Other Inner Islands
The smaller inner islands are mostly single-resort or conservation islands, reached by boat, light aircraft or helicopter: Silhouette, Félicité, North Island, Frégate, Denis, Bird Island and Cousine.
Outer Islands
The Outer Islands are low coral islands and atolls far to the south-west, reached by small aircraft and visited by few travellers: Desroches, Alphonse, Platte, Astove, Cosmoledo, Farquhar and Aldabra.
Choosing your Seychelles destinations
- First visit, one week: Mahé and Praslin, with a day on La Digue.
- Ten days or more: Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, perhaps with a smaller island to finish.
- Beach-focused: Praslin and La Digue.
- Hiking and nature: more time on Mahé, plus the Vallée de Mai and Curieuse.
- Remote and special-interest: an inner-island resort or an outer-island stay.
See Seychelles Island Hopping for how the islands connect and Seychelles itineraries for day-by-day plans.
Accommodation and tours by island
Each region has its own accommodation catalogue — start with the Seychelles accommodation guide — and the tours & activities guide explains the organised options on each island.
Continue planning
- Things to do in Seychelles
- Travel Planning
- Official visitor information: seychelles.travel