The Seychelles is one of the easiest beautiful places in the world to travel. No visa, warm water all year and an airport a short drive from the capital. This is the practical side, the visas and weather and money and how to get around, written by a team that lives here so you can plan the trip in one read and then forget about the logistics.
Getting in
No visitor to the Seychelles needs a visa in advance. On arrival you are given a visitor’s permit, normally for up to thirty days, and it can be extended once you are here. You will want a passport valid for the length of your stay, a return or onward ticket, proof of where you are staying and enough funds for the trip.
Everyone flies into Seychelles International Airport on Mahé, a few minutes south of Victoria. From there it is a short drive to most of the Mahé coast, or a quick hop by domestic flight or ferry to Praslin and La Digue.
When to go
There is no bad time, only different ones. From May to October the southeast trade winds bring cooler, drier, breezier days, and a little seaweed onto some east-facing beaches. From November to April the winds turn northwest, the sea goes glassy and the air warms up, with short heavy showers that clear as fast as they come.
If you dive or snorkel, the calmer months either side of the wind change, around April and October, give the clearest water. Whale sharks pass Mahé from around August to October, and green and hawksbill turtles nest on quieter beaches through the northwest season.
Money
The currency is the Seychellois rupee, written SCR. Hotels, dive centres and most restaurants take cards without a fuss, so you do not need to carry large amounts of cash. Keep some rupees on you for the bus, small shops, market stalls and the roadside takeaway, which are cash only.
There are ATMs at the airport and around Victoria, and you can change money at the bank on arrival. Tipping is not expected, though it is always welcome for good service.
Getting around
The freedom of a hire car is hard to beat, and it is how you reach the quiet beaches at the ends of the roads. Remember that you drive on the left, the lanes are narrow and the hills are steep, so take it slowly. The public buses on Mahé and Praslin are cheap, frequent enough and a genuinely nice way to see the island, with a flat fare paid in cash to the driver.
Between the islands, the Cat Cocos ferry links Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and short domestic flights connect Mahé and Praslin in fifteen minutes. On La Digue almost everyone gets around by bicycle, and it is the best way to find the beaches there.
Staying safe and well
The Seychelles is a calm, friendly place and most trips pass without a worry. The sun is the real hazard, far stronger than it feels with a sea breeze, so cover up and reapply through the day. On the wilder south and east beaches the surf and currents can be strong, and some are for admiring rather than swimming. We say so on every beach page where it matters.
There is no malaria here. Tap water in the main areas is treated, though many visitors stick to bottled water, and a little mosquito repellent in the evenings is sensible. Bring reef-safe sunscreen if you can, both for your skin and for the coral.
The practical bits
Plugs are the British three-pin type, running on 240 volts, so a UK adapter is all most people need. The languages are Seychellois Creole, English and French, and English will get you everywhere. The time is four hours ahead of GMT, with no daylight saving to track.
You can pick up a local SIM from Airtel or Cable and Wireless at the airport if you want data on the move. Dress is relaxed and beach-easy, though it is polite to cover up a little away from the sand, especially around Victoria and at churches and temples.
Now build the trip
Everything below is real. Genuine photographs, honest local notes and true Google ratings on every place, never a stock photo or an invented star.