Best islands in the Seychelles: from popular to protected

The Seychelles archipelago has more than a hundred islands, but a trip is usually limited to only a few of them. Mahé, Praslin and La Digue attract visitors with beaches and nature, the small Curieuse and St Pierre are visited for excursions and snorkeling, while some remote islands are entirely given over to nature reserves or private resorts.

If you want to decide which is the best island in the Seychelles for your stay, see the separate guide: Which Seychelles island to choose for the perfect holiday. And in this selection you can find the most interesting islands of the Seychelles - from popular tourist islands to small ones for day trips.

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Main islands of the Seychelles

Mahé Island

Mahé - the largest and most populated island of the archipelago. It is home to the capital Victoria and the international airport, so most journeys around the Seychelles begin on Mahé. At the same time, it should not be considered only a transit point: the island has dozens of beaches, mountain routes, Morne Seychellois National Park and the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and activities in the Seychelles.

The best-known resort area is Beau Vallon, where hotels, restaurants and water sports centres are concentrated along a large beach. The southern and western coasts are quieter. Here, among granite rocks and tropical greenery, are Anse Intendance, Petite Anse, Baie Lazare and other picturesque beaches.

Mahé is very diverse: you can spend a few days by the ocean and then rent a car and explore the island, Victoria, tea plantations and nature trails.

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Praslin Island

Praslin is considerably smaller than Mahé and is known above all for its nature. In the centre of the island is the Vallée de Maireserve, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is here that the famous Seychelles coco de mer palm with the largest seeds in the world grows in its natural environment.

Another reason to visit Praslin is the beaches. Anse Lazio regularly ranks among the best-known beaches in the Seychelles, while Anse Georgette is surrounded by granite rocks and dense tropical vegetation. The island is developed enough for a full holiday: there are hotels of different categories, restaurants, shops, bus services and car rental. Praslin is also convenient as a starting point for sea trips. From here it is easy to organise excursions to Curieuse, St Pierre, Cousin and other small islands.

In the Seychelles, it can be difficult to choose between two neighbouring islands; read more about their differences in the article Praslin or La Digue: which Seychelles island to choose for a holiday.

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La Digue Island

People come to La Digue for the landscapes that most often appear in photographs of the Seychelles: light sand, clear water and huge granite boulders right by the ocean. The most recognisable beach is Anse Source d'Argent within L'Union Estate. On the other side of the island are the wilder Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos.

La Digue is small, and there is practically no conventional car traffic here - bicycles remain the main form of transport for tourists. In a few days you can leisurely ride around the beaches, see vanilla plantations and old coconut plantations, and walk to remote bays.

Despite its compact size, the island has hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and the necessary tourist infrastructure. La Digue is connected with Praslin by regular ferry service.

If you plan to explore the island independently, see our guide La Digue in the Seychelles: beaches, transport and things to do.

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Silhouette Island

Silhouette is located not far from Mahé. Most of the mountainous island is covered by tropical forests, while permanent development and roads are practically absent. Silhouette still remains one of the greenest and least developed large islands in the archipelago. Visitors come for secluded beaches, hiking routes and nature. A significant part of the island has protected status, while tourist infrastructure is concentrated mainly around several accommodation options.

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Small Seychelles islands worth visiting

Near Mahé, Praslin and La Digue are small islands that are usually visited for a few hours or a full day. There is almost no conventional tourist infrastructure here, but you can see giant tortoises, colonies of seabirds, mangrove forests and protected coral reefs.

Curieuse Island

The island is located only a few kilometres from Praslin and is part of a marine national park. The main inhabitants of Curieuse - giant tortoises that roam freely around the island. It is one of two islands in the Seychelles where the coco de mer palm grows naturally.

Nature trails run across the island through mangroves and along the coast. Part of its historical heritage has also been preserved: in the 19th-20th centuries there was a leper colony here, while the former doctor's house is now used as a museum and information centre. Excursions to Curieuse most often depart from Praslin and are often combined with snorkeling near neighbouring St Pierre.

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St Pierre Island

The tiny granite island of St Pierre is located off the coast of Praslin. There is practically nowhere to land here, so the main reason to visit is snorkeling in the waters around the island. In good weather, you can see many tropical fish and other reef inhabitants. A separate trip to St Pierre is usually not planned: the island is often included in sea excursions together with Curieuse.

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Cocos Island

Another popular place for snorkeling is Cocos Marine Park near La Digue. Small granite islets are surrounded by clear water and reef, so most of the excursion takes place not on land but in the sea.

Trips here are convenient to combine with neighbouring islands and organise from La Digue or Praslin. If the underwater world is one of the main goals of the trip, see the separate guide to diving, snorkeling and other water activities in the Seychelles.

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Cousin Island

Cousin is not simply a resort island, but a special nature reserve. There was once a coconut plantation here, but after a conservation programme began, the ecosystem was gradually restored. Today hundreds of thousands of seabirds nest on the small island, and endemic species and sea turtles can be found here.

Visits are strictly organised: tourists are accompanied by reserve staff, while landing directly on the shore from regular excursion boats is prohibited. A trip to Cousin is easiest to organise from Praslin.

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Aride Island

This is the northernmost of the granite islands of the Seychelles and one of the most important ornithological reserves in the region. More species of seabirds nest here than on any other island in the country.

The trip requires planning. During the south-east trade winds, usually from May to September, the reserve may close to visitors, and in rough seas landings are cancelled even at other times. Therefore, it is better not to leave an excursion to Aride until the last day of the holiday.

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Moyenne Island

Moyenne covers only about nine hectares and is located in Sainte Anne Marine National Park near Mahé. Despite its size, the island is interesting for its dense tropical vegetation, giant tortoises and short walking routes. This island reserve is convenient to include in a sea excursion from Mahé together with snorkeling and visits to other islands in the park.

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Private and remote islands of the Seychelles

Beyond the main tourist routes there are islands of a completely different format. Some are occupied by a single resort, while others are interesting above all for their wildlife. If this type of stay interests you, see the selection Best Seychelles hotels on small islands.

North Island

North Island is a private granite island with a single resort and only 11 villas. At the same time, its history is interesting not only because of luxury holidays. After many years of plantation use, a large-scale ecosystem restoration programme was launched here: invasive plants were removed, native vegetation was restored and conditions were created for endemic species.

Today, most of the island remains a natural area with beaches, granite peaks and tropical trails. The holiday format is as private as possible, including the possibility of renting the entire island.

North Island Seychelles

Félicité Island

Félicité is located near La Digue and stands out for the granite landscape typical of the Inner Seychelles: huge boulders, hills, dense greenery and small bays. A significant part of the island remains undeveloped, while the only resort Six Senses Zil Pasyon occupies only part of the island.

This island combines a private holiday with a convenient location: from here you can explore neighbouring islands, go snorkeling and diving without returning to the busier Mahé or Praslin.

Six Senses Zil Pasyon

Denis Island

The private coral island of Denis is surrounded by light beaches and a lagoon. There are no roads here, while tourist infrastructure is limited to a small eco-resort. The island is known for conservation projects. Populations of rare endemic birds are being restored here, sea turtle nesting sites are protected and the island develops its own farm.

Denis Private Island

Bird Island

The northernmost island of the Seychelles is located about 105 km from Mahé and is completely different from the granite islands in the central part of the archipelago. It is a small coral island with more than five kilometres of sandy beaches, reached from Mahé in about 30 minutes by small plane.

The main reason the island is famous is its birds. From May to October, a huge colony of sooty terns gathers here, while other species can be observed all year round. Giant tortoises also live on the island, including the famous Esmeralda. The accommodation format is simple and focused above all on nature rather than classic resort service.

Bird Island Private Island Villas

Desroches Island

Desroches belongs to the remote Outer Islands and differs from the granite Mahé or La Digue. It is a flat coral island with a long coastline, almost completely surrounded by beaches. The flight from Mahé takes about 35 minutes.

The island has only one resort - Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island. The island is large enough to explore by bicycle, find secluded stretches of coast and go snorkeling or diving.

If you are only planning your trip, see our guide Seychelles for the first time: which island, season and other details to choose.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island