Your hotel or travel agent should have a list of the day or half-day tours available. All of the full-day tours should include lunch.

On Praslin there is a full-day tour to Curiuise (sp) Isl where there are tortoises and the fairy terns and magpies... they also include snorkling off one of the nearby islands. There's a half-day visit to the Vallee de Mai (rainforest and very interesting). And if here for 4-days, be sure to schedule a day-trip to La Digue Isl. by ferry from Praslin. It's been a few years since we've been, but figure the full-days at about $100 +/- and half-days in the $45/$50 range person.

On Mahe there are a number of tours offered, but can't think of these off-hand. You may want to rent a car for the day and just drive around the island. It's easy enough, though driving is on the wrong side (if you're American). These rental cars are usually convertible and cute little things - rent a yellow or red one. You can then stop where you wish - tea/coffee plantations, gardens, secluded beaches - for as long as you wish.

Be aware that the heat and humidity are about the same/equal - high.

Hope this gives you some ideas and helps.

There is good current information at http://www.sey.net with a full page showing pretty much all the excursions available.

Thank you for all of the information. Renting a car for the day sounds like a good way to see things at your own leisure. Will definetly take the ferry over to La Digue.

As Sandi suggested, do the full-day three islands tour from Praslin: Curieuse, Cousin and St. Pierre. Any local operator will offer it. Curieuse has a small museum, pretty walking trails, a great beach & swimming and it is also the site for the BBQ lunch, Cousin is a designated bird sanctuary and besides the species Sandi listed for Curieuse, you would also see white-tailed tropic birds (Seychelles' national bird and in my opinion the prettiest) and noddies. I found St. Pierre to be THE best snorkeling spot - clear as a bell; even those not snorkeling could see lots of fish and water turtles from the boat. You swear you could touch the ground, but it is really about 60 feet deep.

Definately do La Digue, and while you're there you may want to rent a bike to get around (or almost) around the island - there is a section that is not passable except on foot. Find a secluded cove along Anse Source D'Argent. When you see postcards of the Seychelles with the pretty granite boulders along the beach - this is the spot!

From Mahe, I suggest you take a tour to the Ste. Anne Marine National Park, and if you like some physical activity, hike to Morne Blanc. Besides a beautiful outlook over the neighboring islands and the turquoise to royal blue ocean, if you take a guide, you would also see piping pigmy frogs (no more than a fingernail long) buried in the ground, pitcher plants and some other unique flora. Start out early before the sun gets too hot. You can do it leisurely with lots of stops in half a day, round-trip.

You may also want to check out the Seychelles Tourism Office's website: http://www.aspureasitgets.com - and the Seychelles ARE as pure as it gets!!!

Have a lovely trip!

The 3 island tour sounds perfect....along with snorkeling is just what I would love to do. Only 2 months to go and off I go to the Seychelles....this is even more adventurous than my trip to Tahiti last year
Thanks for the suggestions. I am sure I might have a few more questions as time gets closer

I just looked at some of the tours offered on the Seychelle site. Most of them require 8-12 people in order to do the tour. Have you ever run into not having enough people? Is September still a busy tourist month for the seychelles?

Don't worry - minimum participation won't be a problem!