The Seychelles, what not to miss

From diving and hiking to giant tortoises and sipping coconuts

Yvonne
Yvonne
Africa Specialist
Published on
02 Feb 2019
Updated on
25 Apr 2025
Labriz Beach

Top tips that you must do…

Hilton Labriz Hamock
Beach Hammock
Coco De Mer Hotel Black Parrot Sunset Dining
Sunset Dining, Coco de Mer & Black Parrott Suites, Praslin

Lounge on the Beach

Lounging on the beach is the number one sport in Seychelles. It's hard to resist the fine, white sand and the crystal-clear water which make the beaches in Seychelles the most beautiful in the world and is one of the reasons the Seychelles is a honeymoon hotspot. Organise a picnic to enjoy while you are there.

Swim in the sea

The ocean temperatures in Seychelles tend to be above 25C which make these waters perfect for swimming and snorkelling. There is a lot of marine life in the Indian Ocean and you can enjoy swimming with colourful fish and even stingrays. The water is mostly shallow for quite a way from the beach, but be careful as there are parts with strong currents.

Go Diving and snorkelling

With such fantastic marine life, you shouldn’t miss the chance to see the coral reef and wonderful variety of fish.

Take photos and then take some more

The Seychelles is a ridiculously beautiful beach destination and you go short of lovely photo shots, do try and get in some of them yourself though as they will make great memories. Who needs a photographer when you can put the camera on self-timer, on a tripod?

Beach Picnic
Beach Picnic
Alphonse Snorkeling
Snorkelling in the Seychelles
Kempinski Seychelles Sunbeds
Sunbeds at Kemmpinski

Go walking

Seychelles are not just flat islands with beaches all around, there are National Parks full of lush vegetation and impressive peaks which offer some of the most amazing views. For the best hiking opportunities, choose Mahé which has various trails, one better than the other. For chillout walks, La Digue is the best place and for checking out an enclosed UNESCO Heritage site, then Praslin is the winner

Sip a cocktail on the beach

There is no exotic holiday without sipping cocktails on the beach. While these won’t be cheap it will be fun and there are usually locals selling fresh coconuts which you can enjoy whilst lounging on the beach. They tend to cost about 50 Seychelles rupees (£3) and they are a good hydration option

Enjoy the Sunsets

The most beautiful sunset that you will see may be in the Seychelles . If staying on Mahé, try Petite Anse. Here you can enjoy the sun going down whilst still swimming in the Ocean. The water temperature stays the same even during night time, which makes it ideal for a romantic evening if you fancy the idea of swimming under a starry sky.

Have a photo with a giant tortoise

Sometimes you can just see a random tortoise walking around in La Digue. It is amazing to just explore the island and come across one of these beauties once in a while. You can also see them in L'Union estate.

Hilton Labriz Refreshments
Cocktails
Sunset
Seychelles Sunset
Tortoise
Tortoise on La Digue

Surfing

The Seychelles are not renowned for the quality of the surf but there are lots of mellow breaks around. The main surfing season runs from April to October. You can expect small waves in the waist to shoulder high range which are ideal for beginners or for those old school longboarders surfers.

There are some excellent waves suited to surfers, these can be found at Grand Anse at La Digue, the Kempinski and Four Seasons, Mahe

Interested in Coral regeneration?

There are a few projects in the Seychelles where you can actively get involved in helping the Coral

Fishing

Fishing is also a massive thing so if you are serious about fishing, take a look at Alphonse Island.

Alphonse Game Fishing
Game Fishing
Alphonse Coral
Coral
Hudhuranfushi Surfing
Surfing

Explore Victoria

There is no visit to Mahé without a short walk around the capital city, Victoria. With it’s miniature ‘BIG BEN’ Victoria is the smallest capital city in the world? Enjoy the local culture, check out the markets, and just walk around from shop to shop. It's definitely an interesting experience.

Go Island Hopping

Even if you don’t want to keep moving hotels its worth taking the ferries to some of the other islands for as look around, just make sure you check out the latest ferry times back. Each Island offers a different feeling it’s a shame to go though and only stay on one.

Rent a bike on La Digue

Here, there are no cars really, just lots of locals and tourists alike pedalling about. With a bike its easy to get out to the lovely beaches on La Digue and drop in the ocean to cool off before heading off exploring again.

Money & Shopping

The currency in Seychelles is called Seychelles rupees. The bad news is that you can't acquire this type of currency before you arrive in Seychelles. The good news is that you can pay in GBP, USD and Euros. Most shops will give you a good exchange rate, although most shops will accept your foreign money but give you change in Seychelles rupees. This is the best way to acquire local currency which you can use during your stay in Seychelles, handy at the markets as it saved you converting into other currencies (which is worth doing so you don’t get over charged).

Temperature

It gets hot as you are close to the equator it’s also very easy to burn your delicate skin. Temperatures are a constant ~30C, it might drop as low as 25C but you tend not to notice. This sounds like a lot of fun (and it is) but please remember its tropical sun here, which means no matter how great you are with tans, on the Seychelles you really need to be extra careful.

Use factor SPF50 or at least SPF30 and you will still tan but shouldn’t burn (take this with you as you will pay a lot more if you have to buy it locally). Wear sunglasses, white or pale clothes, sandals, flip flops...and lots of sunscreens. Don't forget to apply sunscreen on the tip of the ears, face (unless your face cream already contains SPF) and on your feet. These are the key areas most people ignore and cause a lot of burns.

More than the Seychelles

Why not make the Seychelles your ‘Beach time’ and twin it with maybe a safari in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Cape Town, the Winelands and or Kruger National Park, South Africa. You can also easily stop off in the UAE for a few nights.

Lions 3
Lions in South Africa
Dubai Water Fountain Show
Dubai UAE, Water Fountain show

If you’d like to arrange a holiday to the Seychelles, then give our friendly team a call today on 01768 305715 or fill in our enquiry form. Every holiday we make it tailored to your requirements and created from scratch so we can create the perfect trip for you.

Speak to a Seychelles expert today

and start planning your tailor-made holiday

Call 0203 111 1315
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Ruth headshot

Ruth

Seychelles Expert

Shirley Newman

What can I say….my son and myself had the most wonderful time in Kenya thanks to the first-class itinerary that Ben and Louise put together for us. We spoke with Ben many times to ensure he ‘got it right’. This was our 2nd visit to Kenya, and it certainly lived up to our expectations and memories. We stayed in four locations, firstly at the wonderful El Karama Lodge, Laikipia Wildlife Conservancy, where we even had a visit from Ruth from Far and Wild! Then, for a return visit, to Saruni Samburu, which is absolutely stunning and still one of our favourite places in the world. Next came Basecamp Mara Camp, where we saw our first Cheetah, the only animal we didn’t see on our first visit. After that, onto the wonderful Leopards Hill in the Naiboisho Conservancy, what a way to spend the last four days of this trip. Here we finally spent many hours with a beautiful leopard. Throughout our time in Kenya, we saw many lions, giraffes, elephants, ostriches, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards, to name just a few. Nothing was too much trouble for all the staff; we cannot have been looked after any better. Since our return again Ben phoned to see how it went in addition to emails. I would highly recommend Far and Wild; they are so knowledgeable and have personally visited the lodges and areas. We are already planning another visit, and we cannot wait.

August, 2025
Elizabeth Spells

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Tanzania, booked with Far & Wild. Everything went so smoothly from the first time I spoke with them. The planning was great, the itinerary was perfect for us, and the lodges were amazing. We spent 10 nights with an amazing guide, travelling through Northern Tanzania and even got to see the migration, which was a lifetime ambition of mine. This wasn't our first safari, so we were nervous as to how it would compare, but it was spot on. We're particularly grateful that she suggested a private 'bush lunch' in the Ngorongoro Crater as the public picnic spot was very busy! I will certainly be using them again to book our next trip....we're thinking of a relaxing beach stay next time to get over the excitement of safari!

July, 2024
Orla Rhodes

Just back from another amazing F&W organised trip to Namibia with the family (8 adults). Having been there before, Alistair tailored our trip to include our favourite locations and added a new one for us, Okonjima Plains camp, which we loved.The quality of accommodation and guiding, activities, food and drinks was exceptional throughout. Although not inexpensive I felt it was good value for the level of luxury we had. Kwessi Dunes, Shipwreck lodge, Ongava, Okonjima with pit stops Windhoek (city tour recommended ), Swakopmund (Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay tour) and Grootberg lodge (best sundowner drive )

June, 2024
Arnhild Schia

We had a wonderful trip to São Tomé and Príncipe - a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea with paradise (almost empty) beaches and jungle forest. It was all well organised by Far and Wild and we stayed at Omali lodge at Sao Tome, then on Roca Sundy, and Sunday Praia at Principe - a great combination of different types of resorts/hotels. Omali is close to Sao Tome town with its colonial buildings, markets, hustle and bustle. Roca Sunday gives an old plantation experience and Sundy Praia a luxury beach experience. Very friendly (from time to time a bit slow) service, great fresh food, specifically if you like fish/seafood, vegetables and fruits (almost all sourced locally). Nice temperature between 23 and 30 degrees Celsius, nice swimming conditions. We really recommend this for those who want to experience a pristine destination with few other tourists and friendly and welcoming people. The islands also feel (and I believe are) very safe. At Principe, there are no dangerous animals, snakes or whatever, and it was great to be able to hike in the jungle without being very conscious of where to put your hands and feet. Go before everyone else does!

July, 2024
Henri Papenfus

Back home again, basking in the joys of a superb safari. Every aspect you arranged for us, including linking up with Mack Air and Wild Horizons locally to transport us. The choice of camps, Camp Hwange in Zimbabwe and Muchenenje Safari Lodge in Botswana, was spot on and exactly what we had hoped for - ideally situated, comfortable, in good surroundings, and with excellent wildlife on the doorstep and throughout the wider country. The service staff in each looked after us very well, catering was excellent, and the game guides were professional, knowledgeable and helpful. The weather was, as usual for that part of the world, also good at the time of our visit. Blue skies and stunning sunsets. Warm but not too hot during the day, although quite cold at sunrise when viewing game. The viewing started. You made us happy, and we recommend you to similar safari enthusiasts with confidence.

June, 2024
AC

Far and Wild went above and beyond to make sure my trip to Zambia was special. I would definitely recommend them and their services to anyone wanting to travel to Africa.

May, 2024
Tiny

Lovely holiday at the amazing Almanara on Galu beach, a beach like no other. Far and Wild excelled themselves from beginning to end of our holiday in beautiful Kenya.... What a country!,

April, 2024
Stodge

Wow! These guys are amazing. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Friendly AND efficient! Sorted out our trip (last minute and lots of different family member needs, sorry!) in record time and everything worked like clockwork. Trip of a lifetime to the Masai Mara. Will be back (and use F&W again!)!

March, 2024
Fiona C

It was a dreamy holiday on the Kenyan Coast - Far and Wild, their efficiency and professionalism allowed us to relax and be the happiest family alive !! We cannot fault them, their care and understanding of what we wanted from a holiday ensured we had the most memorable trip. We will be booking with them again for sure!

March, 2024