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The Seychelles islands:

A few things to know about:

Mahe
Cerf
Praslin
La Digue
Bird Island
Other islands

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Mahe, Seychelles: The main island and the entry point to the Seychelles for most travellers. It not only has the capital Victoria as a natural gravitation point but also lots of beautiful beaches, adventurous hikes in rainforests and arguably the best food outside exclusive restaurants. It is recommended to rent a car (normal price range 40-60 € p.d.) for a few days and take a ride around the island. There are many beautiful beaches to be explored: Grande Anse, Anse Intendance, Anse à La Mouche, Anse Soleil, Anse Takamaka - to name just a few in the southwest. They latter are easily reached from Anse Soleil Beachcomber and South Point Chalets respectively. Don't miss the road across the mountains via La Misère. You'll pass tea plantations and some hiking trailheads. The road via Sans Soucis is another highlight: great views over Victoria and the Ste Anne Marine National Park, while at the Old Mission you have a breathtaking view over the west coast. Another beautiful walk is from Belle Ombre to Anse Major. Stunning views out to Silhouette island from the trail which cuts across the rocky coast. More walks are described here. Have a look at the botanical gardens in Victoria (5 € or 5 US$), with lots of endemic plants and, yes, the Coco de Mer, which with up to 22 kgs per coconut has the biggest seeds in the world. The produce- and fishmarket in Victoria is worth a visit, too (videoclip here) Beau Vallon beach has some of the bigger hotels in the Seychelles, some diving shops and a choice of restaurants. Just to name two: the Boathouse has a big all-you-can-eat creole buffet every evening (it opens at 7 p.m.) for 20 Euros. Monday with barbecue. The Baobab Pizzeria across the road from the Boathouse has the best pizza on Mahe at very reasonable prices.	click on the map to enlarge click the photo of Beau Vallon Beach to enlarge
Cerf Island, Seychelles: A small island in St. Anne Marine National Park. Within view of the capital Victoria, but seemingly a world apart. Only 40 people live here, there are 2 hotels and a self-catering place (Habitation and Fairy Tern Chalets), no roads but long beaches and tropical forests which can be crossed by some rough paths. The right choice if you want to get away from it all!	click the photo to enlarge Or click here
Praslin, Seychelles: Praslin has a population of 5,000 with the main settlements at sleepy Grande Anse and Baie Sainte-Anne. It's the island with the famous "Vallée de Mai" which is a UNESCO world natural heritage, home to the Coco-de-Mer and definitely worth a visit. Praslin features some beautiful beaches (esp. Anse Lazio, Anse Volbert and - at times - Grand Anse).	click the photo to enlarge Or click here Female (nut) and male (flower) of Coco-de-Mer palm tree
La Digue, Seychelles: Although the island was discovered as early as 1744, no name was given to it until 1768. Can you imagine? It was then named by the French captain Marion Dufresne after one of his ships. Visitors are attracted mostly by the tranquillity of the the island and its magnificent beaches which rank among the best in the world. Where else can you find unspoilt beaches of pure white sands, with fringing coconut trees and a coral reef teeming with fish? Ideal for relaxing and snorkelling, you could spend a day there all by yourself. It's maybe the most romantic and beautiful of all the major islands. Stress-free is the day of locals and visitors alike. Enjoy a ride in an "ox-cart taxi", the traditional form of transport on La Digue - there are only about 20 cars on the island - or rent a pushbike to explore the small roads and tracks. Not to be missed is the breathtaking and unforgettable view of Anse Source d’Argent beach, when in the evening the light of the setting sun drenches the phantastic scenery with golden light: huge granite boulders along small bays, in between warm white sand underneath coconut trees. The island is roughly 5 kms long and 3 kms wide. Only about 2000 people live here. Pick your own beach, crack open a coconut, go snorkelling with reef fishes and sea turtles or go climb the island's mountain, the "Eagles Nest" (Nid D'Aigle), where a breathtaking view of the surrounding islands awaits you.	Northern end of Anse Sévère, La Digue
Bird Island, Seychelles: Bird Island is a true masterpiece of nature, right at the edge of where the Seychelles bank drops to depths of more than 1500 meters. The island is home to a phantastic array of birds which may be watched and photographed from arm's length! Sea turtles lay their eggs on the white powdery beaches and the world's oldest land turtle ("Esmeralda", born in 1771!!!) happily roams the island. More about Bird and the Bird Island Lodge here: www.seychelles-info.com/en/bird-island-lodge-seychelles.htm
More of the Seychelles' "Inner Islands": Islands around Mahe: There are no referry services to the islands Thérèse (private property), Conception or the tiny Ile aux Vaches Marines, but you can rent a boat to get there. Best is to ask at diving bases - these frequently go there and are happy to take non-divers along for a fee. Further offshore, to the northwest, lies Silhouette, with only a few hundred inhabitants and a five-star hotel. The island is the third largest of the Seychelles and considered by biologists as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Indian Ocean. Neighboring North Island is populated, too. Islands around Praslin and La Digue: On Curieuse a population of some hundred giant tortoises exists. There is an interesting raising station on the island and on a walk from there to Anse St. Jose you'll pass an interesting mangrove forest. The island boasts some magnificent beaches as well. Well worth to spend a day! Northwest of Curieuse lies the bird island Aride. Another, more frequently visited and ornithogically spectacular island is Cousin. While you don't see too many birds on the other islands, the air here is vibrating with wingbeats of paradise fly-catchers, sooty and fairy terns , lesser noddies, white-tailed tropical birds etc. etc. The animals have no fear of man here - not unlike on Galápagos! Some giant tortoises, geckos and lizards can also be seen in their natural habitat. Cousin's sister island Cousine is another bird sanctuary with an exclusive lodge and off limits to day visitors. It can only be reached by helicopter. The small, uninhabited Cocos Island consists only of a few beautifully shaped granite boulders, coconut trees (of course!) and a small beach. Good snorkelling here! The same can be said about tiny St. Pierre Grande Sœur and Petite Sœur, Marianne and Félicité have dense forests. The rest is largely given over to agricultural plantations, but on Grande Soeur (big Sister Island), there is also a magnificent beach and it's a popular daytrip destination from La Digue. Together with your vouchers for the hotels, you will receive more detailled information from us, about how to get there and how much it will cost you, who to best contact etc.