10 things to do in Seychelles
10 things to do in Seychelles
10 things to do in Seychelles : The beautiful Seychelles is a cluster of charming islands found in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, just off East Africa. The archipelago serves as a tropical, luxury honeymoon destination and proves that it is more than its gorgeous landscapes, abundant nature and rich culture.
Seychelles offers many exciting and memorable activities, here are the 10 things to do on your holiday
- VICTORIA MARKET
The most famous market on Seychelles is found in its capital and is by named of Victoria Market, the market is also known as the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market. The liveliness of this market marks it as the true heart of the capital and shows a harmonious blend of the old and new Seychellois way of life.
Seychellois love to share their enthusiasm for local Creole food and culture so as a visitor, don’t be afraid to ask questions as you visit the various stalls.
The market has many souvenir stalls with Sarongs, flavored oils and art.
Victoria Market is open from Monday to Saturday from 4 am to 5 pm.
Other markets worth visiting in Seychelles include Victoria Bazaar every Friday on Market Street and Bazar Labrin on Beau Valloon beach every Wednesday and on the last Saturday of the month.
- VALLÉE DE MAI ON PRASLIN – An ancient forest filled with Coco de Mer Palms
The ancient forests of Vallée de Mai is a stunning nature reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Island of Praslin. The forest is home to the remnants of Seychelles’ original palm jungles and hosts over 4,000 trees of the legendary Coco de Mer, this historical reserve is often descried as the “Garden of Eden”.
On your trip to Seychelles, you can spend an afternoon in this magical forest basking in the green glow of the palm trees which are endemic to Seychelles.
These trees have the largest and heaviest seeds in the world, the female tree produces a heart-shaped fruit similar to the shaped of a woman’s pelvic region. Make sure to ask locals about the conspiracy around these trees, lookout for some unique birds such as the Seychellois bulbul and the rare black parrots.
The forest is open daily from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
- VICTORIA – One of the World’s Smallest Capitals on Mahé island
Though Victoria might not fit your typical fantasies of a tropical paradise but the town does well as the vibrant, bustling hub of Seychelles especially when you scratch beneath its surface.
The town hosts about a third of the population calling the town home making it an ideal place to observe local Seychellois life.
The Victoria Town is an ideal destination to explore as a family, you will see the clock tower – a silver-painted copy of that on London’s Vauxhall Bridge Road which came to Mahé in 1903.
It is a thrill to wander around rows of attractive and colorful Creole – Style building, through markets and manicured gardens. For visitors interested in the rich history of the town as well as Seychelles, visit the excellent National Museum of History, lookout for the town’s impressive backdrop of towering granite mountains as you stroll around.
- LA DIGUE ISLAND – Home to the stunning Anse Source d’Argent beach
The beautiful La Digue Island hosts L’Union Estate Farm which acts a sort of “theme park” for Seychellois’ history. In this part of Seychelles, coconut production is sustainable and managed and visitors get to see an ox-powered oil extraction machine, the historic Old Plantation House, Vanilla Plantations, a colonial-era graveyard, a boatyard and a tortoise people.
You can rent a bicycle and explore the farm then head to the famous Anse Source d’Argent beach which is stunning.
While on one of the three beaches where ash-grey boulders line and dot the teal-colored waters creating a breathtaking scenery, you can order a a piña colada and rest the day away.
- Island-hopping boat cruise – visit Cousin Island, Curieuse Island and St Pierre
Island – hopping boat trip is an incredible experience to do in Seychelles, there are multiple boat companies offering full days with lunch where you can visit islands such as Cousin Island, Curieuse Island and St Pierre.
For visitors who have more time, you can spend a few days on each island.
Cousin Island brims with diverse wildlife, Curieuse Island is dotted with magnificent mango forests and St Pierre which is popular for its amazing snorkeling spots.
- MAHÉ ISLAND HIKING TRAILS – There are many gorgeous trails to hike
Mahé Island – the largest island of Seychelles holds some truly beautiful nature trails which take you through idyllic scenes of vibrant wildlife and provide you with stunning views across the Island.
The easiest of the trails on the island is the Copolia Train is found in the Morne Seychellois National Park, this trail takes you above 500 m above sea level. On this trail, expect a 2 hours hike with some steep sections.
Another beautiful trail offering magnificent views is Morne Blanc Trail though it is quite challenging. For visitors interested in rock formations, the Anse Major Trail is perfect for you, this trail is relatively easy and takes around an hour and a half. Also, this is the only way to get to Anse Major Beach by foot.
- Seychelles beaches – dive or hike to and from countless gorgeous beaches
Seychelles has arguably some of the best beaches in the world, each o the island is splattered with stunning coasts and little alcoves. Among the island’s most attractive beaches situated near the resorts are Anse Georgette beach on Praslin Island near the Constance Lemuria Resort and Anse Lazio beach situated on the same island near Raffles resort.
Anse Georgette has gorgeous characteristic granite boulders with sumptuous stretches of white sand
Anse Lazio has more powerful waves and terrific sunsets
On La Digue, visit Anse Source d’Argent and Anse Cocos, on Mahé visit Anse Intendance, Beau Vallon, Anse Louis, Petite Anse.
- GIANT TORTOISES – found on Curieuse Island and Cousin Island
Seeing the giant tortoises is a must experience during your trip to Seychelles, these gentle giants are a delight to meet and are found on wither Curieuse Island and Cousin Island. These tortoises also exist on the Galapaos Islands.
From Praslin, you can take a quick boat ride to Curieuse Island and from there hike your way to a conservation and rehabilitation entre where you will find tortoises on Cousin Island as well as on Aldabra – a coral atoll. This Atoll is more remote and requires booking in advance.
- WATCH BABY HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES VENTURE INTO THE SEA – It’s where they lay eggs in broad daylight
Seeing this phenomenon unfold is truly a sight to behold and can be experienced on either Cousin, North Island or Bird Island. Hawksbill sea turtles lay their eggs every year out on these sunlit beaches, nestling season is from September onwards, hatchling season is from January to March and monitoring volunterring is held between November to March.
Each female turtle lays up to 1000 eggs a season and return to the beaches as many as five times, there are good chances of seeing them and their tiny offspring on the beaches around La Digue and Praslin.
Seychelles hotels with nestling beaches include Banyan Tree and Constance Lemuris.
- CREOLE TAKEAWAY – Order fresh grilled fish and curries from street food stalls
The abundance of Creole takeaway stands on any of the Seychellois Island provides visitors with the best way to try the local cuisine, the most famous and common dishes is a box stuffed with rice, fresh sea food and green papaya.
Due to the island’s colonial history, a large part of the country’s population of Indian descent meaning the local cuisine is a delightful mixture of diverse cultures.
While on the island, lookout for Octopus chapati and sea food is guaranteed to be fresh.
