34 Best Sights in Seychelles

This small bay of white sand punctuated by granite boulders could certainly contend for Praslin's prettiest beach—a complete lack of development and difficult access keep it so. Unfortunately, road access passes through the Constance Lemuria Resort, and nonguests must get permission to enter, which is not always an easy task. Call or email the resort at least 24-hours in advance if you want to be sure to get in. Alternatively, there is now a forest path from Anse Lazio, but it takes about an hour to walk between the two beaches, and decent shoes are needed. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling, swimming.

Cousin lies just off the southwest coast of Praslin, about 30 to 45 minutes away by boat. A nature reserve since 1968, Cousin is home to some of Seychelles' rarest birds, including the Seychelles bush warbler and the Seychelles magpie robin, and also serves as the breeding ground for thousands of lesser noddies, ferry terns, and tropic birds. Arriving on this small island, you'll see a sky darkened with the diving silhouettes of thousands of birds, and a visit gives a glimmer of an idea of what the first explorers to Seychelles might have experienced when alighting on these islands. In addition to its magnificent bird populations, the island is home to giant Aldabra tortoises, as well as being a favorite nesting site for hawksbill turtles. Your hotel can organize a trip to the island with one of the many boat excursion operators, or check out one of Masons Travel's excursions. The stop at Cousin will usually be one of three your boat will make. Be sure to bring your camera (fantastic photo ops of ground-nesting birds), mosquito spray (the mozzies can be thick in the interior), and a hat (they say it's good luck to be pooped on by a bird, but let your hat take the hit).

Located on Praslin's southeastern end, the Vallée de Mai National Park protects some of the last ancient virgin Mascarene forest in the world. This World Heritage Site is also the only place on earth where the unique double coconut or Coco de Mer palms grow wild and abundantly. Some 6,000 specimens bearing the largest nut in the plant kingdom flourish here. This idyllic paradise is also home to the other five species of Seychelles endemic palms, the rare black parrot, fresh-water crabs, giant crayfish, and vanilla orchids. Visitors can take the tarmac road from Bay St. Anne toward Grand Anse for a drive through the park that will introduce them to its charms, but the only real way to experience it is to walk along the very well-maintained nature trails (sandals will suffice) that run through the valley. Allow at least three hours to really explore the park. A nice gift shop where you can buy certified Coco de Mer seeds, a café, and luggage lockers are on the premises. There is also a free one-hour guided tour daily at 10 and 2.

If you want a calmer experience, head for Anse à la Mouche, a crystal clear bay on the southwest coast of the island, where shallow, calm water reigns year-round. Good for kids. Amenities: food. Best for: swimming.

If you're near Anse Source d'Argent but want more privacy, the neighboring beach of Anse Bonnet Carré has the same white sand and shallow warm waters, but fewer rocks and people. It requires a short walk, and thus is often deserted, but it's great if you want a dip rather than a proper swim. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming, walking, solitude.

To get away from it all, head to this beach in the southeast. The sea, as you approach Anse Marie Louise (just past the Anse Forbans Chalets), can be rough (it's a favorite spot for surfers), but you may have the whole thing to yourself. The nearby Surfer's Café is a nice place for a snack or a drink. Amenities : none. Best for: solitude, surfing, swimming.

A bit longer than Anse Patates, which makes it perfect for walking, this beach on the island's northern end has soft, white sand and calm seas. However, dangerous currents make it unsuitable for swimming or snorkeling. Amenities: none. Best for: walking.

A half mile of powder white sand, this is one of Mahé's most picturesque beaches. It's also one of the wildest, with the lack of a reef creating a large swell that makes it a favorite for surfers; swimming can be rough. It's also a favorite spot for sunbathing. The Banyan Tree Seychelles dominates the northern side of this beach, but it is open to nonguests. If you are organized, you could make a reservation at one of their excellent restaurants for lunch or dinner. Anse Intendance is one of the few places on Mahé where turtles still nest. Amenities : parking, toilets (only for hotel guests). Best for : surfing.

Closer to La Passe, this long, beautiful beach has fine views of neighboring Praslin Island. La Digue's most built-up beach in terms of surrounding hotels and restaurants, it's also great for snorkeling and swimming. Amenities: Food and drink; toilet. Best for: Snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Praslin's most famous beach is located on the island's northeastern tip. A long strip of golden sand with stunning granite boulders on either end and takamaka trees providing much coveted shade, this calm beach is known for excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities. Unfortunately, this postcard perfect spot can get extremely crowded, diminishing the magic for some.

When you arrive, head left and look for a nook at the very end between the boulders.

The bus doesn't reach here, so you'll have to drive or walk about 20 minutes from the closest bus stop. Two restaurants operate on either end of the beach, about a ten minute walk away from one another.

food and drink, parking, toilets (at restaurants).

snorkeling, swimming.

Next to the longer Anse Gaulettes, this smaller beach on the island's northernmost end has soft, white sand and calm seas, making it well suited for swimming and snorkeling. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming, snorkeling.

If you're near Anse Source d'Argent but want more privacy, the neighboring beach of Anse Pierrot has the same white sand and shallow warm waters, but fewer rocks and people. It requires a short walk, and thus is often deserted. It's great if you want some privacy and a dip rather than a proper swim. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming, walking, solitude.

A large and beautiful white-sand beach fronting one of the larger "towns" in Mahé's south, Anse Royale hosts calm waters, plenty of shady palms, and a few restaurants, hotels, and shops supplying amenities just a few feet away. During the northwest monsoon this stretch of coast is calm and tranquil, making the stretch of small rock-fringed coves near the Anglican church great for swimming and snorkeling. Swim out from the rocks at "Fairyland" and up to the small island just off the coast. This area is enclosed by a reef and fairly shallow. Beware of currents, however. Les Dauphins Heureux restaurant is a great option when all the swimming and sunning have made you ravenous. Amenities: food and drink (at nearby restaurants and take-aways); toilets (at restaurants). Best for : snorkeling; swimming.

A calm, jade-blue bay fringed with granite boulders borders this great swimming beach. Its golden sands are a popular and photogenic spot, made more so by the Anse Soleil Café—the only public property on the beach—where you can enjoy a fantastic seafood meal. Just offshore, massive underwater boulders make for good snorkelling, and onshore, large trees create good shade for committed beach lovers. Getting here is something of an off-the-beaten-track journey, but well worth the extra effort. Amenities: food, parking, toilets (at the restaurant). Best for : snorkelling, swimming.

If you're feeling adventurous, hire a guide (you can ask at the Loutier Coco restaurant, or organize one in advance) to take you to the beautiful, wild beaches at the island's southern tip. About a 20- to 40-minute walk from Grand Anse, Anse Songe is lovely and surrounded by trees so you can enjoy some shade. Another 20–40 minutes along from Anse Songe, Grand Marron's empty beach is a stunning and worthy reward for the adventurous.

The hike from Anse Songe to Grand Marron involves climbing over some seriously rocky outcrops and is only for the fit and well prepared (good water shoes are advised).

La Digue is home to some of the world's best beaches, including one of the most photographed, Anse Source d'Argent (the film Cast Away was filmed here). With its soft, white sand, clear turquoise water, and huge granite boulders, it's easy to see why this would be the case. However, the crowds it attracts could outweigh the beach's stunning natural attributes. In either case, it's worth visiting and deciding for yourself. The beach is accessible only through L'Union Estate, for which you must pay the normal entry fee of Rs100. Amenities: Food and drink; toilet. Best for: Snorkeling; swimming; walking.

A 30- to 45-minute boat trip from Praslin, Aride is one of the most pristine of the Seychelles islands and is known as the "seabird citadel" of the Indian Ocean, with more than a million seabirds breeding here each year. Protected as a reserve since 1967, Aride hosts 18 species of native birds, including the world's only hilltop colony of sooty terns and the only granitic breeding sites for the world's largest colony of lesser noddies. The Seychelles warbler was introduced from Cousin in 1988, as were the Seychelles fody and magpie robin in 2002. Aride also boasts one of the densest populations of lizards on earth, as well as unique endemic plants. A beautiful reef surrounds the island, and in season it is common to see whale sharks and flying fish in the waters just offshore. Visitors to the island must land between 9:30 and 10, but then may spend the whole day on the island if desired. Numerous operators can take you to Aride, and usually include lunch in the trip; inquire at your hotel. Due to weather conditions, Aride closes to visitors from May to September, when strong winds can prevent boats from landing.

Mahé's most popular beach, this 3-km (2-mile) crescent on the northwest coast enjoys surf from September to April, safe swimming year-round, and many hotel and dining facilities. The only beach where motorized water sports (Jet Skis, waterskiing) are allowed, there are also numerous recreation and water-sport operators to choose from. With a lifegurad on duty, and no strong currents, rocks, or corals, it's safe for children. It's also a popular beach for an evening run. On Wednesday evenings a food market is held along a promenade between the Coral Strand and Savoy hotels: come join locals who buy delicious takeaway curries and treats to enjoy on the beach at sunset. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets (at hotels). Best for: swimming, walking, partiers.

Erected in 1978, the monument commemorated the 200th anniversary of the founding of Victoria. This simple white structure, depicting three pairs of extended wings, was designed by artist Lorenzo Appiani, an Italian who made his home in Seychelles.

Cote d'Or Beach (also known as Anse Volbert) is an extensive and stunning white-sand beach that frequently appears on best-beach lists. There are quite a few hotels and restaurants nearby. The only downside to this gorgeous strip of sand, probably Praslin's most popular, is that you won't be alone, and you may get hassled by beach boys selling boat trips and the like. Amenities: Food and drink; toilets (at hotels). Best for: Swimming; partiers; walking.

Once known as Île Rouge on account of its red earth, this rugged island was previously home to a leper colony situated at Anse St. Joseph. The resident doctor's house, which dates back to the 1870s, was converted into an eco-museum and visitor center, and Aldabra tortoises roam freely. Aside from Praslin, Curieuse is the only other island where the coco de mer grows naturally (Coco de Mers have been planted and cultivated elsewhere in the Seychelles). Curieuse also offers eight different species of mangrove. It is reachable by boat from Praslin, and often serves as a lunch spot on the various boat excursions from Praslin and La Digue.

Grand Anse on the southwest coast is another large stretch of sand with several hotels and restaurants. Lovely from October to March, it can be the recipient of a lot of mucky sea grass the rest of the year. Good for swimming and water sports when sea grass is absent, there are also plenty of places to rent equipment for the latter. Amenities: Food and drink, toilets (at hotels). Best for: Swimming, walking.

On La Digue's eastern side, this picturesque beach is known for its huge waves. The sea may look inviting, but there is an extremely strong undertow, so beware. Strong surfers may find a ride, but picnics and sunbathing are the recommended activities here. Grand Anse is home to the Loutier Coco restaurant. Petite Anse, just across the rocks from Grand Anse, is more private and great for picnics, but shares the same rough conditions as its big sister. Amenities: food and drink; toilet (at restaurant). Best for: solitude; surfing; walking; sunrise.

Visit a traditional copra mill (once used to produce coconut oil from the dried flesh of the nut) at this grand plantation house. Stroll around the outside of the majestic old buildings framed by giant granite boulders, or go horseback riding. The grounds also house a small shipyard where displays (intermittently) show how craftsmen used to build pirogues and fishing boats. The estate is also home to the cemetery of the original settlers of La Digue and provides access to one of the most pristine beaches in Seychelles—the legendary Source d'Argent—among the most photographed beaches on earth.

From its elevated position above Anse Royale, the spice garden is a renovated plantation where vanilla, citronella, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other endemic plants are grown. Its Spice Shop trades in (surprise!) spices and crafts, and other buildings, such as a very small museum, can be visited. It's wise to book ahead at the popular open-air restaurant, which offers great Creole food and lovely views.

An amazing viewpoint of Mahé’s west coast from below the summit of Mt. Sans Souci. The site of a boarding school for liberated slave children in the late 1800s, the site only has a few stones left over along an avenue leading to a viewing platform. Here you can enjoy amazing views of verdant mountainsides.

Established in 1964, the national museum houses artifacts relating to traditional lifestyles of the pre-colonial peoples, plus items such as the oldest known map of the islands, drawn in 1517. On the frumpy side, the museum is nonetheless worth visiting for its informative displays, such as an extremely interesting section on the slave trade and its influences on Seychelles.

This architectural gem is among the plantation houses remaining in Seychelles. Said to be one of the oldest, it is the focal point of L'Union Estate. Unfortunately at the time of writing, admission into the house was prohibited.

Victoria's botanical gardens at Mont Fleuri on the outskirts of town were planted more than a century ago, and the comprehensive collection of native Mascarene plants and exotic imports stretches over five acres. The abundant palms—including the rare Coco de Mer—are the most important local species, and there is a fine spice garden. Watch out for the native Aldabra tortoises (some over 150 years old) and the flying foxes (large fruit-eating bats), which roost in the palm fronds.

Though somewhat musty, this two-story museum has some interesting exhibits on the flora, fauna, geology, and marine life of the Seychelles, as well as information about conservation issues on the islands. A small collection of the botanist and painter Marianne North's work is upstairs.