Now that you’re long overdue for a retreat to a tropical island, don’t think that buying your ticket to Seychelles is the only planning you’ll have to do. In fact, Seychelles is home to a string of small islands with its own resorts, beaches and perks. So which island is the best match for you and everyone in your traveling party? We’ve got your back in this article to help point you in the right direction to get the exotic escape you deserve.
Courtesy of So Seychelles/Flickr.com
Mahé
When you book your tickets to Seychelles, you’ll most likely arrive to Mahé, Seychelle’s largest and main island with 80,000 residents and an airport. Once you’ve landed on the island, you’ll realize you’re in for a real treat when you see the stunning mountain range, pristine beaches and abundance of tropical plants. Much of the island is tourist-worthy since many high-end resorts have its own private beaches for its guests to take advantage of during their stay. Mahé is also ideal for hikers and nature enthusiasts who love to go for walks and explore the wilderness and waterfalls. Tourists who are on a budget may want to consider staying on one of the island’s hotels since it tends to be cheaper than the hotels you’d find on the smaller islands. And for visitors who wish to get a taste of local culture, Mahé is the place to go since 90% of all of Seychelles’ residents live there. There, you’ll find busy bars, lively entertainment venues and fabulous restaurants. Tourists will also find it easier to book tours such as snorkeling tours, fishing tours and hiking tours since there’s more offered on the largest island.
Suggested hotels on Mahé: Banyan Tree Seychelles, Constance Ephelia Seychelles, and Four Seasons Seychelles.
Courtesy of FaBio C/Flickr.com
Praslin Island
The second largest island of Seychelles is Praslin Island. Thanks to the island’s less developed landscape, it remains the ideal spot for visitors who wish for a deserted island feel while reaping in the benefits of staying at luxury resorts. Praslin Island is catered mostly to tourists and the island is so so small that there’s no major roads so everything is accessible by walking or biking. Guests will enjoy the pristine beaches and crystal-clear water which makes diving ideal. Visitors also appreciate the quietness and laid-back vibe of the island where they can escape from their everyday routines. Avid birders, you may want to consider Praslin Island for its hundreds of species of birds found year-round in its forest. Among the birds you’ll find in the area are the incredibly rare Seychelles bulbul and black parrot that are believed to be strictly endemic to the island. Locals recognize that its natural landscape is what draws the tourists so they work hard to protect the wilderness, beaches and coral reefs. So if you’re looking to go on nature walks in an atmosphere that feels very fresh off the Island of the Blue Lagoon, Praslin is your place.
Suggested hotels on Praslin Island: Raffles, Dhevatara Beach Hotel, and Constance Lemuria Seychelles.
Courtesy of Jean-Marie Hullot/Flickr.com Creative Commons 2.0
La Digue
The fourth smallest of the Seychelles Islands is La Digue which has its own deserted island vibe, but with no large resorts. Instead, you’ll find clusters of small, intimate hotels in pockets of the island. This truly gives visitors a genuine feeling of escaping from their stress and relaxing off the grid. La Digue is praised for its fantastic beaches with pearly white sand and very few tourists. Visitors of La Digue report feeling like having the entire beach to themselves since it’s much less crowded than the beaches you’d find on Praslin or Mahé. There are no roads on La Digue, meaning everything is entirely accessible by walking or biking (no vehicles are on this island at all). Since there are limited rooms available in its hotels most nights, the island is harder to book. It’s advised to reserve your room as early as possible.
Suggested hotels on La Digue: Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie, Le Relax Luxury Lodge, and Moonlight Beach Villa.
Fregate Island
Fregate Island is the easternmost island of Seychelles and is a small piece of private paradise on earth. Much like La Digue, the island is recognized for its large portion of land untouched by humans, giving tourists a tropical escape in isolation. Fregate Island is even harder to book than La Digue since it’s lesser known and has less hotels, but is well worth the wait. However, the hotels that are on the island work hard to maintain its utopia by investing into local conservation projects to protect the trees, rare species and environment. In fact, the island’s incredible effort is credited with saving the nearly extinct Seychelles magpie robins that are no longer on the critically endangered list. Tourists aren’t the only living thing that visits the island for a tropical retreat, Fregate Island is a paradise for more than 2,000 giant aldabra tortoises, making it a spectacular destination for wildlife viewing. The tortoises are so large that they can weigh up to 500 lbs — don’t worry, they’ll be waiting for you.
Suggested hotel on Fregate Island: Fregate Island Private
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