Seychelles 3-Day Essentials — Mahé, Praslin & La Digue

Activities

1. 10:00 Arrive at Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) + transfer 1h30

   After immigration (free Visitor's Permit; have your Travel Authorisation, return ticket, and accommodation booking ready) and baggage, take a hotel transfer or taxi. The airport is about 20 minutes from Victoria and Beau Vallon.

   Cost: Taxi/transfer ~€25-40 TIP: Confirm the taxi fare before getting in — there's no Uber and fares are high. A hotel transfer is often the easiest after a long-haul flight. Buy a local SIM (Airtel/Cable & Wireless) at the airport for cheap data.
2. 12:00 Check in + lunch in Victoria 1h30

   Drop bags at a Beau Vallon or Victoria-area base, then lunch in the capital — a cheap Creole takeaway plate near the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke market (curry and rice, SCR 80-180).

   Cost: Lunch SCR 80-200 TIP: The market and surrounding takeaway counters are the budget-friendly way to eat. Pick up vanilla, cinnamon, and Creole spice mixes here. Mornings are freshest; it winds down in the afternoon.
3. 13:30 Victoria capital walk — Clock Tower & market 1h30

   Wander compact Victoria, one of the world's smallest capitals: the 1903 Clock Tower (a small replica of London's Vauxhall tower), the colourful covered market, and the small botanical gardens with giant tortoises nearby.

   Cost: Market free; gardens small fee TIP: Victoria is walkable in a couple of hours. Dress modestly in town. The botanical gardens are an easy place to see giant tortoises without a boat trip.
4. 15:30 Morne Seychellois viewpoint (Copolia or scenic drive) 2h

   Drive or hike into Morne Seychellois National Park, which covers over 20% of Mahé. The Copolia Trail (about 1.4 km, moderate) climbs to a granite plateau with views over Victoria, Eden Island, and the Sainte Anne marine park.

   Cost: Trail small fee TIP: Copolia is short but steep in parts — proper shoes and water needed, and it's slippery after rain. Tight on time? The cross-island Sans Souci road gives mountain views from the car. Start before late afternoon for light and to avoid the heat.
5. 18:00 Beau Vallon beach + sunset 1h30

   Head to Beau Vallon, Mahé's main beach — a long sweep of sand on the sheltered northwest coast, good for swimming in the calmer season, with watersports and a string of bars facing the sunset.

   Cost: Free; drinks extra TIP: Beau Vallon faces northwest, so it's the better swimming beach in the windy May-Sep season — but it can get surf and current; ask locally. A SeyBrew or Takamaka cocktail at a beach bar for sunset is the classic move.
6. 19:30 Dinner — Creole buffet at Beau Vallon 1h30

   Dinner at The Boat House or La Plage on Beau Vallon — a Creole buffet of curries, grilled fish, and breadfruit chips, or à la carte seafood by the beach.

   Cost: €30-60 per person TIP: The Boat House buffet is good for trying many dishes at once; book ahead in season. Octopus curry and grilled fish are the things to order. Beachfront prices are high — a local takeaway is the budget alternative.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 07:30 Early Cat Cocos ferry — Mahé to Praslin 2h

   Check out and take the morning Cat Cocos catamaran from Victoria to Praslin (about 75 minutes). Book tickets in advance, especially in peak season. Crossings quote in EUR (roughly €56-77 one-way) and cards are accepted.

   Cost: Ferry ~€56-77 one-way TIP: Sit on the upper deck for air and views, and take motion-sickness precautions if you're prone — the open crossing can be choppy in the windy season. Keep valuables in a dry bag. There's a small per-trip port fee.
2. 10:00 Vallée de Mai UNESCO palm forest 2h

   Taxi or bus to Vallée de Mai, the UNESCO-listed palm forest and the only place the giant Coco de Mer palm grows wild. The endemic Seychelles black parrot lives here. Entry is SCR 450 (about €30) per adult; open roughly 8:00-17:30.

   Cost: Entry SCR 450 (~€30) TIP: Allow about an hour-plus on the trails; the shaded forest is a relief from beach heat. The fee funds conservation, including Aldabra. On a tight budget, the nearby Fond Ferdinand reserve is a cheaper, quieter alternative.
3. 12:30 Lunch + Anse Lazio beach 3h

   Head to Anse Lazio on Praslin's northwest tip — consistently rated among the world's best beaches, with clear water good for swimming and granite headlands. Lunch at beachfront Bonbon Plume (seafood, lunch service).

   Cost: Lunch €40-90; beach free TIP: Anse Lazio is excellent for swimming when conditions are calm. Bonbon Plume serves mainly at lunch (dinner often by request). There's little shade — bring sunscreen and water. A taxi is the practical way to reach it.
4. 16:00 Inter-island boat — Praslin to La Digue 1h30

   From Baie Sainte Anne jetty on Praslin, take the short Cat Rose / inter-island boat to La Digue (about 15 minutes). Check in to a La Digue guesthouse near La Passe and pick up a bicycle.

   Cost: Boat ~€15-20; bike ~SCR 100/day TIP: The Praslin-La Digue hop is short and frequent. Carry SCR cash — La Digue is cash-friendly. Rent a bicycle near the La Passe jetty; the island is small and mostly flat.
5. 18:30 La Digue sunset + dinner 2h

   Cycle to a west-facing spot for sunset, then dinner — Chez Jules for octopus in coconut milk and fresh juices, or a guesthouse Creole dinner.

   Cost: €15-35 per person TIP: La Digue runs on island time — service is unhurried. Fresh fruit juices are a highlight. Lights are sparse, so a phone torch helps for cycling back after dark.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Breakfast + cycle to L'Union Estate 1h

   After breakfast, cycle the ~15 minutes from La Passe to L'Union Estate, the old coconut plantation that fronts Anse Source d'Argent. Entry is about SCR 150, valid for the day with re-entry.

   Cost: L'Union entry ~SCR 150 TIP: Go early to beat both the heat and the day-trip crowds that arrive from Praslin mid-morning. The estate also has giant tortoises and an old copra mill. Pay cash.
2. 09:00 Anse Source d'Argent — the granite-boulder beach 2h30

   Walk through the estate to Anse Source d'Argent, the iconic beach of pink-tinged sand framed by sculpted granite boulders and shallow, sheltered water — one of the most photographed beaches in the world.

   Cost: Included with L'Union entry TIP: The water is shallow and calm — beautiful for photos and wading, though not always great for proper swimming at low tide. There's little shade and few facilities; the beach bars are cash-only. Early light is best.
3. 12:00 Lunch on La Digue + last swim 1h30

   Cycle back for lunch — Lanbousir near L'Union for an affordable Creole plate, or a café in La Passe — then a final swim at Anse Réunion or a nearby beach.

   Cost: Lunch SCR 170-360 TIP: Lanbousir is good value before you head off. Return the bicycle in good time. Keep an eye on the ferry schedule for the afternoon crossing.
4. 14:00 Ferry back toward Mahé 3h

   Take the inter-island boat from La Digue to Praslin, then the Cat Cocos catamaran back to Mahé (the La Digue-Mahé routing runs via Praslin; total around 1h45 plus the connection). Pre-book the crossing.

   Cost: Ferry ~€68-89 (La Digue–Mahé) TIP: Allow buffer time for the Praslin connection. Sit upper deck; dry bag for valuables. If you fly out tonight, leave generous margin for the transfer to the airport.
5. 17:30 Mahé — last evening or airport transfer 2h

   Back on Mahé, either transfer to the airport for an evening departure, or — if staying the night — a final Beau Vallon sunset and dinner.

   Cost: Transfer €25-40; dinner €30-60 TIP: International flights often depart late evening — confirm your transfer timing. For a relaxed close, a beachfront dinner at Beau Vallon caps the trip. Keep some SCR for incidentals.

Meal Recommendations