Seychelles Islands
Which Island you should choose before travelling to the Seychelles
Choosing between 115 Islands…
Don’t sweat the decision too much. Be it one of the three main islands are Praslin, La Digue or Mahé – its mountainous interior being home to Morne Seychellois National Park – or any outlying island, you’ll strike gold.
Seychelles 115 islands fall into two distinct groups, the granitic Inner Islands that lie within the relatively shallow Seychelles plateau, 4° south of the equator, and the low-lying coralline Outer Islands that lie beyond the plateau up to 10° south of the equator.
The Outer Islands are themselves further divided into five groups, extending in a gleaming arc towards the east coast of Africa: the Amirantes group lying 230km distant from Mahé; the Southern Coral Group; Alphonse Group; Farquhar Group and finally the Aldabra Group, some 1150km from Mahé. There are 43 Inner Islands – 41 granitic islands and 2 coralline islands. All 72 Outer Islands are coralline.
Mahé
When it comes to wishing for the archetypal idyllic island, it’s impossible to think past the glorious bays caressed by gorgeously multihued waters of Mahé. To the northeast, a range of granite peaks, including Mahé’s highest point, Morne Seychellois (905m), adds to this vivid panorama. By far the largest and most developed of the Seychelles islands
La Digue
La Digue. Remember that tropical paradise that appears in countless adverts and glossy travel brochures? Here it’s the real thing, with jade-green waters, lovely bays studded with heart-palpitating gorgeous beaches, and green hills cloaked with tangled jungle and tall trees. Anse Source d’Argent on the west coast, with its picture-perfect, sea-smoothed glacis rocks. As if that wasn’t enough, La Digue is ideally situated as a springboard to surrounding islands, including Félicité, Grande Sœur and the fairy-tale Île Cocos.
Praslin
A wicked seductress, Praslin has lots of temptations: stylish lodgings, high-quality restaurants serving the freshest of fish, tangled velvet jungle, curving hills dropping down to gin-clear seas, gorgeous stretches of silky sand edged with palm trees and a slow-motion ambience. No, you’re not dreaming! Lying about 45km northeast of Mahé, the second-largest island in the Seychelles
With such a dreamlike setting, the Seychelles is, unsurprisingly, a choice place for a honeymoon. But there’s much more to do than simply cracking open a bottle of champagne with the loved one in a luxurious hotel. Having earned a reputation as a paradigm of ecotourism, the Seychelles is a top spot to watch birds and giant tortoises in their natural habitat. And a vast living world lies just below the turquoise waters, beckoning divers of all levels. When you tire of beaches you can venture inland on jungle trails, indulge in fine dining or enjoy the sublime laid-back tempo.
And time has come to spread the word: yes, this paradise is accessible to us all. On top of ultra-luxurious options, the Seychelles Islands has plenty of quaint, affordable self-catering facilities and guesthouses, often situated on some of the best land. Though it remains an expensive destination, its tourist authorities are now targeting non-millionaires, promoting these economy options. But fear not: mass tourism it will never be.
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