Mahe Island Seychelles. When is the best time to fly to Seychelles - weather and seasons for holidays. Beaches. Which ones are better

If you, like me, think that the Seychelles is something wildly touristic, crowded, expensive and devoid of primitiveness, then I hasten to disappoint and upset, but at the same time please with deserted beaches and incredible flora and fauna, which we will talk about in the following four reports: Mahe, and.

Flying to the Seychelles and staying on the capital island of Mahe is not the best best idea, when there is such beauty around and plane tickets to this beauty do not cost so much, and you can get there by ferry even cheaper.

So, on the island of Mahe - the largest of Seychelles, located international Airport And cruise port , receiving almost the bulk of tourists. It's definitely worth staying on Mahe for a few days, but not weeks, since you definitely need to take the time to explore the nearby (and, if time permits, not so close) islands.

Briefly about the main thing:

languages – French and English;

currency - rupee, but euros and dollars are accepted for payment (except for small shops, communication shops, etc.); I do not recommend paying with cards, as interest is applied for payment and the write-off rate is quite extortionate;

all beaches are public , you cannot be asked to vacate your seat under a palm tree, even if there is a Hilton nearby;
driving on the left;

right means left, and up means down;

the state conducts policy artificial maintenance high prices to visit the islands, stating that if the tourist is not willing to pay 200 euros per night in a hotel, he has nothing to do in the Seychelles, but we will tell you how to visit this country inexpensively;

grows here a coconut of a very bizarre and provocative shape(coco de mer) – you won’t miss it;

Here there are no chain catering establishments or coffee shops: McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks, etc. etc., but there is a huge variety of fruits.

Below is the map. Don't pay attention to the stars - these are my notes that helped me a lot on the trip. On this trip we will arrive on the island of Mahe, from there we will travel by plane to the island of Praslin, from there by ferry to La Digue and back to Praslin, and on a separate day from Praslin to Curieuse Island by ferry.

And today we Let's talk about the island of Mahe and its beaches, and also take a quick look at the capital Victoria, one of the smallest capitals in the world, which can easily be walked around in half an hour.

How to navigate the beaches? You can take a bus, you can take a taxi, but the fastest and most convenient way is to rent a car. Although buses run on schedule, they are rare and take a long time, and taxis, although they run quickly, are very expensive. The car should be booked in advance and you will have to take a little risk by taking a franchise, since they do not rent a car with full insurance. Your accidents are your risk. However, if you drive quietly and on your own side, there will be no problems; no one deliberately scratches cars in parking lots.

On the island of Mahe we have a snorkeling tour was planned in a pre-booked car at Sixt. We were surprised that we received a response to our reservation that we would receive a confirmation within 48 hours, but after the specified time nothing arrived. Hoping for the best, we went to Mahe airport, where we planned to take the car.

The easiest way take a taxi from the pier to the airport, but you'll have to pay 30-40 euros. The second option is to go to the bus stop, which is located very close to the port (smiling port employees will explain everything) or go directly to the bus station indicated on google maps in the tiny town of Victoria as Bus Station.

Buses run on schedule, indicated on each route. We also downloaded the schedule from http://www.sptc.sc. We waited for bus number 6 for about 10 minutes and drove for half an hour to the airport along a regular road with stops. There is also express number 5, which we took in the evening from the airport three days later.

Important: buses run until 19-19.30, So we jumped for joy when we were transferred from the flight from Praslin half an hour early and caught the last bus to Victoria, saving at least 30 euros.

The bus can be tracked using maps. We used offline maps maps.me, since we could not buy an Internet SIM card in the city - Monday 26.12 coincided with a public holiday and all stores were closed. The bus stop is located a little behind the airport, so as soon as you see a small one-story building on the left side and a couple of planes in the background, press the exit button. For accuracy, you can ask locals or the driver to check you in French. If you do not speak French, I advise you to prepare yourself a small phrasebook with important expressions in advance. Despite two state languages, they use English with less enthusiasm.

Having arrived at the airport and showing the reserve message, we were sad to discover that our reserve was not there, and not a single rental company had any free cars. The Sixt representative slowly called someone, trying to solve our problem, but he was not very interested. Time flew by at cosmic speed, Wireless & Cable communication salon at the airport showed no signs of life. Taxi drivers demanded 200 euros for a trip to the tourist beach of Beau Vallon.

Out of despair, it was decided to offer to fellow representative Sixtus for 100 euros to be our driver all day and take us wherever we say. He was very happy and said to wait for him for an hour while he went to the city to pick up the car; he said, “I’ll hand over the management of the office to a friend.”

Seychellois people, although good-natured, are wildly leisurely and optional. We waited for him for almost 2 hours, and he arrived with the words “I am a very busy man.” Fortunately for us, at the same moment another Sixt representative arrived in a company uniform and offered us a car that he had just picked up from the city for half the cost of the reserve.

At 12.30 we left the airport safely and went to Fairyland beach (1), marked by me as a snorkeling point. Along the way, we tried in vain to find shops that were open and selling SIM cards. Luck smiled at us just before we reached the beach, but again, slow sellers took almost half an hour to issue a SIM card.

We took 300 MB Internet, which doubled on the occasion of the promotion. These 600 MB were enough for us for 4 days: we sent huge quantities of photos and videos to our relatives, used Google maps, downloaded Instagram and watched the video feed on Facebook, and on the last day we made about half an hour of calls on Skype and Facetime. We were surprised by such bottomless Internet from W&C for 7 euros and very upset by Orange in Madagascar, which ate us a gigabyte with Edge without downloading video.

Let's go back to the beaches. Our trip to the Seychelles took place at the end of December and this largely determined our perception of the islands, in particular the beaches on the island of Mahe. The eastern part of the island (western part of the northern hemisphere) greeted us with quiet lagoons, excellent snorkeling and almost deserted beaches, but the western part welcomed us with waves, wind and open ocean. Unfortunately, we were not able to explore even half of the beaches during our stay on Mahe - firstly, we got the car late, and secondly, one day, of course, is not enough if you not only drive and inspect the beaches, but also spend time on them.

(1) Beach at Point au Sel(Fairyland)(you can follow the numbering on the map of the island). A very calm and deserted lagoon with a slightly greenish tint to the sea and hanging palm trees. Very picturesque, close to the Crown Beach hotels and several villas, hanging palm trees, granite boulders on which crabs bask.

Second beach – Anse Royale (2). And here they are, traditional Seychelles views: white sand, turquoise blue water and palm trees. The water changes color depending on which side you look from and how the sun hits.

Convenient entry into the sea without corals with white sand and a little in the depths of grass with a variety of fish and hedgehogs. We saw that decorated fish that bit me in Mauritius, only 2 times larger.

The beach cannot be called quiet - there are a lot of vacationers, nevertheless no bars, sun loungers or umbrellas, which adds points to it for “primitiveness”. Car parking among trees, or on the road near shops. Don't forget about left-hand traffic. We drive quietly and calmly, no one is in a hurry here, 40 km/h is just right.

(3) The next beach we visited is Anse Forbans (3). Again, a calm lagoon, white sand, a couple of locals barbecuing and palm trees.

The beach is divided into two with a passage through the stones: one with a hotel and a vacationer, and the second with blissful silence and a paradise for snorkelers. There is a coral entrance here, so you won’t see tourists lying down here, plus it’s quite shallow.

However, this does not prevent stingrays and squids from pleasing the snorkeler’s eye, and blue urchins from hiding among the rocks. Snorkeling on Anse Forbans is available! And he is extraordinary!

From a tailed stingray flying past It’s breathtaking, you see how his body develops along light waves and how it rushes from one stone to another pinkish squid. Schools of fish swim by. The only thing missing is small sharks and snorkeling would be on par with the islands in Malaysia.

There are a variety of crabs on the rocks, small fish swim along the shore, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see fancy birds, like this Gray Heron, for example.

One can only marvel at the extraordinary abilities of her neck.

We left this wonderful place and headed towards Grand Police Bay (4) and its two beaches ( Petite PoliceAndAnse Bazarca), marked on maps of the island, which you can pick up both at the port and at the airport, as “Place to see”. Swimming on the beach is prohibited due to waves larger than a man, but the place is beautiful.

On this day, the entire western side (eastern in the southern hemisphere) was very turbulent: wind, waves and a minimum of vacationers, except for the beach Anse Intendance (5), which you will have to go down to on foot.

Beach Takamaka(6) twin brother to the beaches of Grand Police Bay: the same views, the same waves, only more people.

We rise higher to the side Baie Lazare(7) . Waves and wind - snorkeling is out of the question.

Anse Soleil (8). Same picture. Beautiful, but not swimmable.

On this note, we decided to finish exploring the beaches, buy some drinks and head to the port through the mountains along the serpentines. I didn’t really want to cross the island in an unfamiliar area, with right-hand drive and left-hand drive in the dark, although it was already getting dark.

The next morning we flew to the island of Praslin, but in the morning we still crossed the island and stopped at the so-called " beautiful beach Seychelles" . The road to Beau Valon took 20 minutes and passed along the serpentines of the upper part of the island.

Beau Vallon beach was not at all impressive, apparently because the day was windy and cold, the waves crashed against the shore, and it began to rain. Although the beauty was no different from those we saw on other beaches on the western part of the island. In general, the rainy season in the Seychelles is a very unpleasant time of year that you should beware of. All diving centers on Mahe Island are located in this area.

And we will conclude today’s review with the capital of Seychelles - the city of Victoria, which we visited on the last day of our stay, when our arms and legs could not get to the diving center.

Victoria is a very tiny capital and you don't need a car to explore it. Central Market is located near the bus station.

Here you can buy fruits at ridiculous prices, natural Coconut oil, as well as various tinctures for rubbing and taking orally for all diseases - the sellers will be happy to tell you how to use it and share the secrets of their grandmothers.

At the market exit, local residents organize mini-concerts.

A small Buddhist pagoda was built opposite the market.

In the evening, Victoria was brightly illuminated with garlands and rain showers in honor of Christmas and New Year.

In fact, I would not recommend setting aside special time to visit the capital, unless you have a short connection or risk being late, or generally need to take a couple of hours of time. The Seychelles is beautiful not because of its cities, but because of its nature and beaches.

Is it possible to travel to the Seychelles cheaply? Quite! You can reduce living costs by choosing a vacation rental apartment instead of a hotel, some of the nuances of which I will discuss in the next review, instead of taking a taxi, take buses or a rented car, eat in a cafe with an average price tag or in a cafe with takeaway food.

What you can’t save on and what is expensive: air tickets (if you buy close to the departure date), ferries, taxis (bargaining is useless, “we are a country with a high standard of living and income”), including water tickets. But more on all this later.

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The associations that come to mind when mentioning the Seychelles are always Honeymoon, happy couples, romance and love. But few people think that the Seychelles is also an excellent family holiday with absolutely safe nature and a mild climate all year round, a place for privacy and relaxation on deserted beaches... As for me, for me these are stunningly beautiful sports spots, deserted line-ups (these are places where surfers wait for the waves) and, in fact, soft waves.

My story began on the main island of Mahe, where the smallest capital in the world, Victoria, is located. Absolutely everyone here speaks fluent English and French, and most also speak German language. Locals communicate in Creole. This is a kind of lightweight version of French; in short, it is written as it is heard.

In general, there is a good information about the Seychelles, I think it will answer many questions. And now about Mahe.

How to get there

To the islands in Indian Ocean, which can hardly be found on the map, there are no direct flights from Russia yet (only from France and Germany), although this direction is gaining increasing popularity among Russian tourists. A flight to the Seychelles includes at least one connection. Arrival at Seychelles International Airport on Mahe Island.

Read how you can get there from other countries by water.

By plane

Airlines and connection options

Statistics and my experience show that the most comfortable flight is offered by Emirates with a connection in Dubai. I received more than decent service and route with least time transit, but their ticket prices are the highest.

Etihad Airways transiting to - more long time connections and a slightly boring airport to wait for the next flight (compared to the airport).

Excellent service and the lowest price tag, based on my experience, are offered by Qatar Airways, but the minus (also a plus of this option) is the longest transit time in Doha, I waited 15 hours. To go into the city, you can theoretically get a free transit visa or take advantage of the airport’s offer: go for a free sightseeing tour around town. But since 2012, for inexplicable reasons, it has been extremely problematic for Russian citizens to obtain a transit visa to Qatar.

I am a citizen of the Republic of Belarus (Belarus), and friends from Russia traveled with me. Our transit was at night, but we made it in time for the last evening trip to the city with an excursion. The administrator at the registration desk was a young guy of Arab appearance. We danced a butterfly polka around him for about 10 minutes, he agreed to issue permission to leave for my friends with a Russian passport under my responsibility. That is, two citizens of the Russian Federation were registered on my Belarusian passport with a note that I am now responsible for them with my own head, and they must return to the airport at the end of our walk. But I also witnessed negative outcomes, just during the 15-hour transit I stood at the registration for the excursion alone, and with everyone who had passports Russian Federation They didn’t even talk: no, that’s all. Yes, that morning the administrators were two Asian girls...

Since November 2016, Turkish Airlines has launched attractively priced flights with a connection in Istanbul. The duration of transit varies: from 1 to 10 hours, there is a choice of tickets with various connections.

In all directions, a transit visa is not required to wait for the next plane at the airport without going into the city. The flight to the connecting point from Moscow will take about 5.5 hours (except for Istanbul - 3 hours), the next flight to Mahe will last on average about 6 hours.

Ticket prices and how to save

Ticket prices fluctuate depending on weekends and public holidays in Russia. The approximate cost of a flight in economy class in both directions during quiet times, that is, if it is not New Year's Eve or March 8, is 35,000–45,000 RUB, in holidays will be significantly more expensive: from 65,000 RUB per person. You can see how much tickets will cost for your travel dates and compare offers from different carriers.

You can buy a budget flight on the official website of the national carrier of Seychelles, Air Seychelles. In this case, the flight from Moscow will be operated by Etihad, and from to the island of Mahe - by the less comfortable Air Seychelles. Keep in mind, when flying with Seychelles Airlines, you can only carry 25 kilograms of baggage free of charge, while other airlines allow 30 and 35 kilograms.

Passport control

During the flight to Mahe, flight attendants hand out a special form, permission to reside on the islands. All fields must be filled in block letters:

where are you flying to Mahe from?
transit city - Doha, etc.,
address and telephone number of the hotel where you will stay large quantity days (if there are several), if this is an apartment, then the owner’s phone number is required.

During passport control, and especially if you are flying to the Seychelles for the first time, employees will call the owner and clarify the names of future guests. You must have printed copies of all reservations with addresses and telephone numbers, as well as a return ticket. Stay on the islands should not exceed 30 days.

If everything goes well, your passport will have nice stamps with the famous Seychelles coco de mer nut, a serial number and the planned departure date based on the ticket.

What to do at the airport

In my experience, it is most profitable to change dollars or euros immediately upon arrival: at the airport there is always the best rate, there is no commission. In everyday life on the islands, the main currency used is the Seychelles rupee (SCR). Payment by bank card can be problematic, and places that have a bank terminal are quite rare.

Also in the arrivals terminal, at the exit to the taxi parking, I buy a local SIM card with a package mobile Internet. Favorable iSurf tariff from Cable & Wireless. The consultant will need to tell you the length of your stay and which islands you plan to live on. I usually use the extended Internet package for active Facebook and Instagram users (10 days costs ~30 USD, or 400 SCR).

Below I will tell you how to get from the airport to your room/apartment.

By car

Car rental

At the arrival terminal, after passport control and baggage claim, there are about 45 car rental companies. In the Seychelles, traffic is on the left and there are many narrow mountain roads. If, taking this into account, there are no doubts about your driving skills, then a day's rental costs about 40 EUR plus 10 EUR insurance (see specific offers and exact prices).

Taxi

In 2017, an analogue of the usual Uber appeared on Mahe (BouZāy Taxi App Seychelles), which can be found and downloaded through iTunes, Google Play and, probably, in some other way. After installing the program, the user can see all taxis available in Seychelles and contact drivers in the application. BouZāy only shows licensed taxi operators. To get from the airport to the hotel, you can use this program.

Transfer

Personally, I always order a transfer from the booked accommodation (~45 USD). It turns out to be much cheaper than a taxi (~70 USD).

By bus

The bus stop is a 5-minute walk from the arrivals terminal, but this is only suitable for those with hand luggage. An unwritten law of the island: the bus driver has the right to refuse passengers with suitcases to use a taxi. There are exceptions, but they are rare.

Travel on any city bus costs 0.37 USD (5 SCR), in the evening the fare rises to 0.60 USD (8 SCR). Change money in advance; drivers do not accept banknotes with a face value of 100 SCR or more.

You can view the schedule and all public transport routes on Mahe.

Clue:

Mahe - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow − 1

Kazan − 1

Samara 0

Ekaterinburg 1

Novosibirsk 3

Vladivostok 6

When is the season? When is the best time to go

Life in the Seychelles at any time of the year - paradisaic delight, and this is largely due to the fact that all the islands, except the remote southern ones, are located outside of cyclones. The islands are located south of the equator, in the western Indian Ocean, so the Seychelles has a tropical climate: warm and humid. Temperatures rarely fall below +24 °C or rise above +32 °C, there is no distinct dry season, it is always humid. Trade winds dictate the climate and influence the seasons:

Mahe - weather by month

Clue:

Mahe - weather by month

What are the prices for holidays?

Vacation prices are very relative and depend on the needs and expectations of everyone, but I will try to highlight the boundaries of the two directions.

Elite holiday

Housing

The prestigious hotels that I mentioned earlier offer absolute comfort. Expenses for two people for a week will look something like this:

Four Season Resort - ~11,000 USD,
Kempinski Resort- ~2,700 USD,
Banyan Tree - ~6,000 USD,
Savoy resort & spa - ~2,400 USD,
Avani - ~1,800 USD.

As a rule, in hotels of the corresponding price category, the package of services includes a lot, an impressive area with a park and a swimming pool, personal ordering of dishes to the chef, entertainment events and various care salons and SPA.

Nutrition

Dinner at a restaurant for two will cost about 250–300 USD. Cocktails in beach restaurants are about 25 USD.

Transport

You can use the services of a driver with a car for a day and drive around the entire island, it will cost 250–300 USD. A simple taxi ride will cost approximately 16–20 USD.

Leisure

I recommend a sightseeing flight in a small luxury helicopter (leather seats and air conditioning in the cabin). This service is provided by Zil Air; it is based next to the International Airport, from where flights take place. Depending on the route and duration, the cost of entertainment varies from 350 to 2,700 USD.

Extreme water sports lessons from 160 USD for 1.5–3 hours. To order a boat and go fishing in the ocean early in the morning will cost from 750 USD.

More information about prices and active leisure Read below in the “What to do” section.

Budget holiday

Housing

To reduce housing costs, as I already said, you can rent villas, apartments or rooms from local residents through .

An apartment for two in the Anse Royal area will cost about 1,100 USD per week, in the Beau Vallon area - 1,350 USD. Renting a room for one person per week costs about 600 USD, but this price is for accommodation within walking distance from the beaches I indicated that are favorable for recreation.

Nutrition

It’s possible to save on food, but still try it local cuisine. I highly recommend eating in small take away cafes. You will see that “locals” willingly order pizza there for the evening for the whole family or even stop by for lunch during the working day. It's really tasty, and most importantly - really cheap. The most expensive pizza with seafood in such places costs about 12 USD, and the cheapest “Margarita” is 7 USD, a portion of grilled shrimp with rice is 6 USD, and the famous fish & chips is 5 USD.

Local beer Sey Brew (35 USD) and Takamaka rum (17 USD) are best purchased in small Indian shops, which are located in all areas of the island. There are no fakes there, don’t worry - it’s been tested by your own health. The fact is that, firstly, it’s really cheaper there, and secondly, if you bring empty bottles of Sey Brew beer, you can buy anything, even more beer, against the returned containers. Of course, the refund is minimal, but nice.

Transport

Ordering a taxi is quite expensive, since basically everywhere there is a fixed fee for boarding and meters. Unofficially, but you can agree on the cost immediately before the trip. Sometimes it turns out to be as much as 20% cheaper, and this is not a matter of bargaining, but a reasonable miscalculation of the ratio of mileage and cost. And, as I already said, public transport accessible and cheap, you can use it to travel around the entire island.

Leisure

Main attractions. What to see

You can enjoy sunrises and sunsets on stunning beaches for a long time, but if you want to diversify your leisure time, then the island of Mahe is ready to satisfy almost any whim.

Top 5

Capital Victoria

No matter how funny it may sound, there are only two traffic lights, which is the main pride of the locals. Victoria is very small, there are only two dozen streets and a provincial atmosphere. However, Victoria remains the capital, the only city and the main settlement of the islands.

The city has a lot of interesting places to visit and walk, there is an international airport, a botanical garden, a university, museums, offices travel companies, airlines, banks, and finally cinema and shops.

Mini Big Ben (Clock Tower)

The name, by the way, is erroneous, and the clock tower is not an analogue of a large London landmark, but a copy of Little Ben in Westminster.

Mandatory place for photo!

Hindu Temple (Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar)

Perhaps the most popular subject for photography on Mahe is the colorful roof of the temple of the Hindu god Vinayagar. This colorful structure on Quincy Street was built in 1992 and serves as a place of worship for about 5,000 religious followers living on the island.

Those who wish to visit the temple outside of service hours must remove their shoes and leave them at the entrance. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday - 06:00–12:00 and 17:00–21:00.

Central Market (Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market)

The market was established in 1840 and named after a French governor who, as the story goes, independently built stalls for local farmers and fishermen to sell their wares.

Here you will find a wide variety of products growing and produced on the islands, a huge selection of fish and souvenirs. It is not customary to bargain, but prices for tourists are initially too high, and no one hides this. Personally, I fight for every 5 rupees at the market, which usually amuses everyone and saves a lot of money. Often, instead of a discount, the seller gives something with the purchase, for example, a coconut or a bottle of vanilla essence.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 5:30–17:30, Sunday from 6:00 to 14:00 I recommend getting here in the morning.

Botanical Garden (Seychelles National Botanical Gardens)

A pleasant cool place not far from the center of the capital (10 minutes at a leisurely pace from the bus station), where you can stroll along a coconut alley, look at a spice grove and plunge into a tropical mini-forest. It took me almost 2 hours to walk around the entire garden. On the territory there are a couple of cafes and a separate garden with orchids (about 150 species). At the end of the park live giant Aldabra tortoises.

The botanical garden is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00. The entrance fee is 6 USD, but at the entrance they informally warn that if you want to pet the turtles and plan to touch any vegetation, the ticket price will increase by another 3 USD.

Beaches. Which ones are better

By local buses I get to most beaches economically, all stops are within walking distance.

For a map of transport routes, see below in the “How to get around the island” section.

Wild beaches

Of course, there are many on the island unforgettable places with virgin beautiful nature and their own atmosphere, but apart from admiring it and taking photographs, they are not suitable for anything else. It’s not worth swimming here, because the ocean is wild, the bottom is dangerous with reefs and corals, boulders and granite rocks. In gray on the map above I have indicated several beaches, so to speak, popular among wild ones.

Port Glaud

It is located in the north-west of the island, before reaching Port Launay, on the outskirts of the famous Constance Ephélia complex (I already talked about it earlier). Port Glaud is the name of a fairly large bay, but the access to the ocean there is completely wild, as you can see in the photo.

You can’t go into the water - just soak in the atmosphere of nature untouched by man and take photographs.

"Anse Boileau"

A narrow strip of sandy shallow water in the same western part of the island, located near the main coastal road. Nearby is a fishing bay. There are official signs prohibiting swimming.

In the area where the beach is located there is enough developed infrastructure: police station, shops, guesthouses and supermarkets.

"Anse Cachee"

Incredibly beautiful wild beach in the south of the island, which I recently discovered along with the “locals”. Relatively, because construction of a hotel complex began nearby this spring.

Cost of a one-way economy class ticket:

adults - 40 USD,
children from 2 to 12 years old - 20 USD.

Business Class:

adults - 53 USD,
children - 24 USD.

La Digue

Another island that is definitely worth visiting.

There, head to the Union Estate Park with vanilla plantations, turtles and famous beach"Anse Source D'Argent". Entrance to the park costs 7 USD per person.

How to get there

From Mahe by ferry the journey will take about 1.5 hours, since the route will still pass through the island.

Cost of a one-way economy class ticket:

adults - 54 USD,
children from 2 to 12 years old - 29 USD.

Business Class:

adults - 68 USD,
children are still the same 29 USD.

Food. What to try

On Mahe you can try dishes from different cuisines of the world: from Indian to European. Each restaurant has Creole cuisine, the main feature of which is a huge amount of spices, especially curry, coconut oil, vanilla essence and, of course, seafood. Some gastronomic features, which would distinguish the cuisine of Mahe from other islands of Seychelles, no.

Locals prefer to eat chicken in curry sauce with rice. Obviously, you won’t surprise them with fish. Yes, the most popular side dish for everything is rice.

The main alcohol is Takamaka rum and Sey Brew beer.

Holidays

First I want to say that every last day of the month is an informal holiday for all the locals: songs, dances, local food markets absolutely everywhere. So you can’t find a separate place for this.

Let's go through the list of official dates:

Safety. What to watch out for

Things to do

The ocean is wonderful, but I want to talk about activities that will make your holiday in the Seychelles more diverse. Or, if suddenly someone gets sunburned and won’t set foot on the beach anytime soon, there will be an alternative thing to do.

Production of Seychelles rum Takamaka

This incredible rum is created according to ancient pirate recipes. At the factory they demonstrate the entire production process, and after that you can taste and buy the option you like. A great souvenir for friends, just take my word for it!

Tours run from Monday to Friday from 11:30 to 13:30, it is advisable to pre-register by phone: +248 4 37 20 10. Address: La Plaine St. André, Au Cap. Cost - 16 USD.

Sey Te tea production

You can learn the secrets of making Seychelles tea on the western slope of Mahe, while simultaneously enjoying one of the best panoramas islands. It is better to visit the excursion in the first half of the day to participate in all stages. There is a specialized store on site for purchasing gifts and souvenirs.

Tours are conducted from Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 16:00. It is advisable (but not necessary) to pre-agreed your visit by phone: +248 4 37 82 21. The cost of visiting is about 1.5 USD.

Fishing

One of the most popular entertainments for male tourists on the island. Rent a boat and go with a team of experienced fishermen for marlin, wahoo, sailfish, dorado, tuna - the dream of many.

A fishing license is not required in the Seychelles. You can rent all the necessary fishing equipment, but keep in mind that you are unlikely to find your favorite brands there. For those who are seriously involved in this fishery, I recommend bringing equipment with them. Air Seychelles, for example, offers free transportation of equipment weighing no more than 10 kilograms. This, by the way, also applies to diving, golf and surfing.

Fishing and boat rental from 600 USD are provided by the following popular companies on the island:

As an alternative, I suggest negotiating with the locals. They can be found in the area of Anse Royale and Anse Boileau, where there are fishing coves where they go to buy fish for themselves and to sell at the market. The cost of such fishing will be significantly less, but the service, of course, will also be simpler.

Other activities

And a few more leisure options:

Extreme Sports

The ocean is conducive to many water sports: parasailing, water skiing, kayaking, jet ski (jet ski), windsurfing, surfing, bodyboarding, diving, snorkeling... Agencies and rental points are concentrated on the main beaches of the island, which I mentioned above in the section “ Beaches..."

I’ll tell you about booking tours and equipment in advance now:

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

As I already wrote, it is best to shop at the market in Victoria, in stores at Anse Royale and Beau Vallon. Don't leave your purchases on Duty Free at the airport: absolutely everything except rum costs much more there. Rum is cheaper, but if you plan to go into the city during connections, then with rum in hand luggage, even from Duty Free, will have to say goodbye. Firstly, this is alcohol, and if transit through Arab countries, then its import is prohibited, secondly, upon returning to the airport, all liquids that you take with you on the plane must be in 50-milliliter mini-bottles and a zip bag.

So, what can you bring from Mahe:

I will tell you about the latter separately. Coco de mer is the symbol and pride of the islands. You should buy it at official retail outlets, and export is possible only if you have an excise stamp. It weighs more than 10 kilograms and costs about 500 USD, so I recommend purchasing liqueur from this unique coconut. At least it will be practical, and not just a souvenir.

12.3k (125 per week)

General information about Mahe

Mahe Island in the Seychelles is the most popular place recreation for visitors and natives. The resort is the largest (the length of the Mahe island is 27 km, the area is 150 sq. km) and the first in terms of attendance. Here is the capital of the archipelago - the city of Victoria, Seychelles International Airport, which annually receives about 1 million travelers. The mountainous and “green” atoll has a population of 72 thousand people, most of whom are involved in the tourism industry. As elsewhere in the Seychelles, the island of Mahe is characterized by a subequatorial maritime climate, without sudden temperature changes, with moderate humidity and light refreshing breezes.

Things to do on Mahe Island

In the Seychelles, Mahe is, first of all, 68 magnificent beaches, famous for their cleanliness, unusual vegetation and the possibility of varied recreation - from doing nothing on a sun lounger to active aquatic species sports, diving and windsurfing. The most famous beach is Beau Valon, located in the north of Mahe, the most exotic, which has preserved its pristine beauty, is Anse Intendance; lovers of solitude will like Anse Forbans and Anse Royale, and for athletes, Grand Anse will be ideal.
The sea on the island of Mahe is crystal clear, transparent, almost always serene, and diving near the shore with a mask and fins you can discover stunning corals and shells, around which more than 150 species of fish swim.

The attractions of Mahe Island include museums and galleries, mosques, churches, and numerous restaurants serving national cuisine. It is impossible to take your eyes off the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built at the beginning of the last century; in the center of Victoria there is a symbol of the state - the “Clock Tower” built in 1903, the so-called “Big Ben in miniature”.
Other things to visit on the island of Mahe include excursions to the famous Natural History Museum, the exhibits of which are ancient objects and ancient documents of the country. A walk through the Crafts Village, a 115-year-old Botanical Garden"Mont Fleury", plantations of cinnamon and coconut palms, forests where endemic species grow - the jellyfish tree and the Seychelles carnivorous pitcher.

Entertainment on Mahe Island

One of the pleasures for foreigners is visiting the colorful markets of Mahe Island, such as Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market, Portside Bazar, Victoria Bazar, where you can buy fruits, the freshest fish, seafood, coconuts, souvenirs, crafts, paintings, and clothes. The markets are open from 7.00 to 16.00 from Monday to Friday, and from 6.00 to 12.00 on Saturday.
Cruises around Mahe on luxury yachts are in demand accompanied by professional skippers and a team of sailors. The ship offers locally produced snacks and drinks. Those interested can swim in the emerald waters of the Indian Ocean and admire the giant turtles.
Seychelles Golf Club invites you to play golf, billiards, sit in a restaurant and enjoy elite alcohol. The club is located near tropical forest and a bird sanctuary.

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What to see on Mahe Island

Regardless of whether you come to Mahe Island for your entire vacation, for a week, or you are just passing through for just 1 day, we will help you choose the most interesting places. There is something to see here - for example, attractions, beaches, you will find information about each place with us: from opening hours to detailed description with photos. Below is a list of the best places on the island of Mahe, compiled based on the ratings and reviews of users of our site. You, too, can take part in the formation of the ranking of places by leaving your review and rating. This will help our future users choose what interesting things to see on Mahe Island.

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Mahe is largest island Seychelles archipelago, located in the Indian Ocean and located 1600 km from the African continent. About 80% of the population of the entire republic lives here. Local residents are engaged in fishing and agriculture, although most of them work in the tourism sector. Between the only city on the island (the capital of the Seychelles, Victoria) and the most popular beach called Beau Vallon, runs regularly from early morning to 8 pm regular bus. At later times, taxis are available for local residents and resort guests.

Mahe is home to the state's only international airport, as well as several financial, cultural and administrative institutions in the capital of the island. By coastline there are several dozen hotels, villas and chalets, the level of which fully corresponds to the general surroundings. Residential houses are also scattered along the coast slightly inland of the island, the central part of which is occupied by tropical jungles, forming unique landscapes characterized by bright colors and an abundance of all kinds of exotic living creatures. The coastal waters of Mahe have an extremely wide representation of the rarest marine species, so the resort is always full of divers, as well as fans of snorkeling and other water activities related to the conquest of water spaces.

The coastline of the island has a huge amount beaches for every taste. The most famous and visited of them is Beau Vallon. It is located just 3 km from the city of Victoria and is considered the most tourist place archipelago. Respectable hotels, elite restaurants, and popular nightclubs are concentrated here. The entire party elite of Seychelles prefers to spend time on snow-white beaches Beau-Vallona. This area has a reputation great place for relaxation, both with family and in a cheerful company. At a short distance from the shore, an impressive size emerges from the water. coral reef, which plays the role of a kind of breakwater, breaking ocean waves on the approaches to the beach. For the convenience of swimmers, special diving platforms are equipped right in the coastal waters. Along the road from Beau Vallon to Victoria there are a number of good shops where you can buy a lot of interesting things and souvenirs. Those who cannot imagine a holiday without communication with the outside world have the opportunity to use the services of a local Internet cafe. Just south of the island airport, there is an area consisting of secluded beaches and picturesque bays. One of them is called Fairyland Beach, famous for its excellent snorkeling conditions. The following beaches attract attention here: Anse Royale, Anse Forbans And Anse Bouganville. They are protected from the ocean on all sides by reefs, making them ideal for absolutely safe snorkeling.

Has a special charm West Coast Mahe. The road between Anse Takamaka Bay and the port of Lonay is considered the most picturesque on the island. From here, from any point, fantastic waters open onto the Indian Ocean against the backdrop of dense tropical vegetation and tall coconut trees. The most common beaches in the western part of the main island of the archipelago are Anse Takamaka, Anse-à-la-Mouche And Anse Golet. For die-hard romantics, isolated and secluded beaches Anse Petit And Anse Soleil. There are a lot of unique fish in the local waters, so when going here, you should definitely take a mask and snorkel with you. Beach Grand Anse Recommended for surfers due to high waves and good wind circulation. The reputation of the most beautiful and spectacular beach strip Mahe Island belongs Anse-Intendance, which is a picturesque arc stretching just over 500 meters and framed by bright green coconut palms.

In addition to a fun and exciting pastime on sunny beaches, the resort offers its guests a lot of other interesting ways leisure activities. Thus, an excursion to a tea plantation, where about 45 tons of various teas are produced annually, or a visit to a craftsmen’s village with souvenir shops and benches located in it, is popular among tourists. Here you can see all kinds of coconut products, jewelry woven from palm branches, miniature boat models and even hats made from fibers of the coarse grass growing on the archipelago. The excursion to national reserve Seychelles Morne with the highest located on its territory mountain peak Seychelles, mountain Morne Blanc. To get acquainted with the culture, traditions and way of life of the islanders, you can visit the capital of the republic, the city of Victoria, and along the way, appreciate the beauty of the royal Le Jardin du Roi garden, replete with picturesque paths and clearings.

Gives lovers of underwater beauty an absolutely incredible experience. National Park St. Anne's, located at some distance from Mahe, between neighboring islands archipelago. The excursion includes a journey through the most interesting areas nature reserve on a glass-bottom boat, including stops for lunch and snorkeling in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. On some islands there are hotels where those who wish can stay overnight. Some hotels are equipped with highest category comfort, so staying in them is a pleasure for even the most discerning and demanding tourists.

For holidays on Mahe, the recommended time periods are from April to June and from September to November. At the same time, almost any time of the year is suitable for swimming and enjoying the sun, with the exception of the period from December to March, when the humidity in the Seychelles is too high, bordering on terribly stuffy. From July to the first half of September, strong winds blow over the region, periodically raising high waves. However, their size directly depends on the location of a particular beach. Holidays on the island of Mahe allow you to appreciate the entire exotic component of the archipelago, as well as feel the atmosphere of these fabulous places and fully enjoy your stay on one of best resorts peace.

Seychelles Morne is a beautiful nature reserve located on the island of Mahe. It is located at an altitude of 905 meters and is the most high point in the Seychelles. This place is famous for its fresh air, unique landscapes and rich fauna. It is surrounded by magnificent picturesque hills that are covered with bright green vegetation. total area The reserve occupies 30 square kilometers. There are trails throughout the park with route signs to help you get to the most amazing places Seychelles Morne.

Among the local vegetation, the dominant place is occupied by tropical trees and shrubs that cover the hillsides. You can also find many exotic flowers here, such as Pachypodium namakwanii, Impala lily and cannas. Among the representatives of the fauna, monkeys, vultures, hornbills and spotted hyenas are often found here.

One of the most fascinating parts of the reserve is the Morne Blanc hill with its magnificent tea plantations. Here you will find the only factory in the Seychelles that produces flavored tea (mint, vanilla, citrus and cinnamon).

Beach Anse Intendanse

Anse Intendanse is a magnificent beach located in the southwest of the island of Mahe, which is often recommended for visiting by anyone vacationing in the Seychelles. Its arc of sand, surrounded by magnificent coconut palms, is 500 meters long and 20 meters wide. This place is perfect for family vacation, because coastal depth here it reaches only 3 meters. Anse Intendanse is very popular among scuba diving enthusiasts, as there is a diving center near the beach.

In these places you can be at one with nature, admire the perfect white sand and magnificent mountains covered with lush vegetation. The beach infrastructure is poorly developed - you will not find restaurants, bars or shops here. Also in this place there are no canopies, sun loungers and umbrellas - the only shelter from the scorching sun is the shade of broad-leaved palm trees.

At the entrance to the beach there is a small sign with an inscription in five languages, which states that rare sea turtles crawl ashore to lay eggs, so tourists should be quite careful.

What sights of Mahe did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Peak of Morne Blanc

Mount Morne Blanc is located on the island of Mahe, Seychelles. Its peak, from which a magnificent panorama of the entire island opens, is located at an altitude of 907 meters above sea level. That is why thousands of tourists come here every year to admire the wonderful scenery of the ocean, take unique pictures and breathe clean air. At the top of Morne Blanc, ancient relict plants grow, because of which this area was recognized as a protected area. There is also a small tea plantation and a tavern where you can warm up and enjoy exquisite types of tea. It is quite cool at the top of the mountain, so it is worth taking warm clothes with you.

There is a wonderful wooden platform here that lifts tourists above the forest boundary. This place is perfect for a sunset picnic and romantic date. You can get to the top of Morne Blanc on foot or by lift in just 15 minutes. Here you will be warmly welcomed and offered a tour, of course for a hotel fee. Popular entertainment for tourists in these places are horseback riding and going to the forest to pick mushrooms.

Coetivie Island is a small coral atoll located in the Indian Ocean and belongs to the Seychelles group of islands. Coetivie lies three hundred kilometers south of Mahe, the central island of the Seychelles archipelago.

Coetivy Island was discovered in 1771 by the French navigator Chevalier de Coetivy, who gave the island its name. Coetiví has a very modest size - its area is just over nine square kilometers, and its population does not exceed 250 people. However, in comparison with many other coral islands of the Seychelles archipelago, Koetivi Atoll can be considered large.

Despite the excellent climate and good resort potential, tourism is not very developed in Coetivie. The island is privately owned and used for commercial purposes. There is a shrimp farm and a shrimp processing plant here. Also, the size of the island allows for the development of sheep farming, and a significant part of Coetiví’s territory is allocated for pastures.

Crafts Village

The artisan village is a very interesting attraction on the island of Mahe, part of the Seychelles archipelago. The village consists of several craft workshops grouped around a small local history museum.

The artisan village consists of 12 huts that house workshops. And next to them is located old manor, in which the atmosphere of colonial times is accurately recreated - old furniture, parquet flooring, and interior design are preserved. Well, in the workshops themselves you can watch the work of local artisans and buy many memorable souvenirs to remember the Seychelles.

All the trinkets that can be bought in the artisan village are made by hand, sometimes even in the presence of the buyer. The assortment is very large - hats made from palm leaves, models sea ships, crafts made from coconuts, hand-woven baskets, scarves and much, much more.

The most popular attractions on Mahe with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places for visiting famous places Mahe on our website.