Renowned for dazzling white-sand beaches, dramatic glacis rock formations, warm crystal clear waters and lush tropical vegetation, the Seychelles remains a magical honeymoon destination for newlyweds.
Mistaken for the original ‘Garden of Eden’ by General Gordon more than 100 years ago, the Seychelles has retained its charm and mystique as one of the last paradises on earth.
Famous for its gorgeous white beaches, the Seychelles has some of the most photogenic beaches in the world, including the world-famous beach of Anse Source d’Argent.
Located on La Digue Island, this stunning beach flows from one hidden cove to another; its pink crescents of soft sand separated from each other by gigantic sculpted pink and rust-coloured granite boulders that are famous for their unusual curves eroded by time and weather.
Swim through warm, luminescent waters of greens and pastel blues. Sheltered by a reef, the beach is ideal for snorkeling, sun bathing and horseback riding. Arguably the most beautiful beach in the Seychelles and ironically often empty – perfect for a secluded embrace.
Read more about Anse Source d’Argent… and La Digue Island…
This is possibly the second best beach in the Seychelles and also one of the most popular, located in Bay Chevalier on the north-west corner of Praslin Isle.
This photogenic beach is a perfect crescent of soft, fine-grained white sand, fringed by stands of Takamaka and palm trees that extend past huge rounded granite boulders into the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
A sheltered area to the east of the beach is protected by a reef and is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. The water is shallow, warm and safe. There are no sports rental facilities here so make sure you bring your own snorkel gear.
Read more about Anse Lazio Beach… and Praslin Island…
Choose from several islands: La Digue Island, the least developed and traditional of the Seychelles islands, is home to the gorgeous beach of Anse Source d’Argent and, as one of the world’s most romantic islands, is the perfect location for a honeymoon in the Seychelles.
Or try the equally stunning Praslin Island, home to Anse Lazio, a perfect crescent of soft, fine-grained white sand fringed by stands of Takamaka.
Head to the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the unusual 'coco de mer' double coconut palm tree and three of the world's rarest birds – the black parrot, fruit pigeon and Seychelles bulbul. Due to its isolation, the Seychelles is famous for unique flora and fauna.
Take time to island-hop and explore some of the other islands –it’s easy to get flights from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and La Digue Island as well as to Frégate, Desroches, Bird and Denis Island. Ferries operate regular services between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue – for the other islands you’ll need to charter a boat.
The Seychelles offer a choice of must-see attractions for newlywed, including a range of flora and fauna unique to this island paradise.
The best sightseeing attractions in the Seychelles, include …
Watch more than 300,000 birds on an island just 1km in diameter. See the rare Seychelles warbler and magpie robin as well as fairy terns, white-tailed tropic birds and two varieties of shearwater. In season you may also see hawksbill turtles nesting.
(Praslin Island) – Hike into the valley’s Eden-like vegetation, a World Heritage-listed site and one of only two places in the world where you can see the marvelous coco de mer palm (photo) growing in its natural state (the other is nearby Curieuse Island).
On your walk try to spot the rare Seychelles black parrot: coloured pale brown-grey, they usually fly in small flocks and are recognisable by a distinctive whistling call.
(La Digue Island) – Look out for the rare black paradise flycatcher bird, found only on La Digue and numbering around 200.
Watch as the male bird (photo), with its blue bill, iridescent blue sheen and long black tail streamers, flitters through Indian almond trees in search of insects with the white, black and brown females.
(La Digue Island) – Hike through the heart of La Digue then climb up to the summit of Nid D’Aigle (333m) – or Eagle's Nest Mountain in English – for panoramic views over the neighboring islands of Praslin, Ile Coco, Felicité, Marianne and Curieuse and crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean beyond.
(La Digue Island) – See one of Seychelles’ unique species, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise, munching on vegetation at L’Union Estate Plantation south of La Passe.
The male tortoises average 120cm in length and weigh around 250kg; some at L’Union are more than 100 years old.
Wander around the Old Plantation House and watch demonstrations of extracting oil from copra (dried coconut flesh).
(Mahé Island) – Explore one of Mahé’s major attractions that encompasses an impressive 20 per cent of Mahé.
Choose from a variety of walking trails through thick forest and a variety of flora including coconut palms, rosewood and cinnamon trees.
Don’t miss hiking to the Seychelles highest point at Morne Seychellois (905m) (photo). And for a stunning scenic drive take the mountain road through the Morne Seychellois National Park from Victoria to Port Glaud.
Explore one of the world’s largest coral atolls, some 22km long east to west, home to tiger sharks and manta rays.
Get up close to one or more of the 200,000 giant land tortoises as well as thousands of seabirds, including the white-throated rail (photo), the sole remaining species of flightless bird left in the Indian Ocean.
Located just off the coast of Praslin Island, Curieuse Island is home to a colony of Aldabra tortoises as well as the Curieuse National Marine Park, which teems with colourful marine life including schools of jack, snapper and butterfly fish. Scuba dive the popular Coral Garden and snorkel at St Pierre.
One of the smallest capital cities in the world, the only major port in the Seychelles and its only town – all other settlements are villages.
The main post office and courthouse in the centre of town remain unchanged since the colonial era.
The most easterly and isolated of the Seychelle islands, Frégate is the home of thousands of tropical birds including the almost extinct Seychelles Magpie Robin.
Look out also for some of the more than 2,000 free-roaming Giant Aldabra Tortoises and the nests of hundreds of endangered Hawksbill Turtles. Enjoy the island's tropical forest and wildlife while being pampered in comfort at the Fregate Island Private Resort.
The Seychelles boast some of the most luxurious resorts in the world, such as the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, the Banyan Tree Seychelles, a sumptuous resort that sits on a stunning palm-fringed white-sand beach on the island of Mahé, as well as the following…
Raffles Praslin Seychelles
Location: Baie Sainte Anne, Mahé
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD1218 per room
Description: Closely located to one the world’s most beautiful beaches – Anse Lazio, Raffles Praslin Seychelles offers luxurious villas on the island of Praslin, easily accessible via a 15-minute flight from Mahe International Airport. It offers private plunge pools and 2 infinity pools. Each with free WiFi access, the modern villas have open-air balconies overlooking the garden, the ocean, or the surrounding area. The spacious, air-conditioned villas have a flat-screen TV with cable channels, and also come with a minibar and a Nespresso coffee machine. Facilities offered include a beauty salon, the Sugar Palm Kid’s Club, and 6 restaurants and lounges from fresh Mediterranean cuisine at Losean restaurant, a rooftop terrace and shisha lounge to private dinners on the beach. Raffles Spa features private outdoor treatment rooms overlooking the serene blue ocean and tropical landscape. The resort is located close to the Vallee de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is also a 15-minute ferry ride away from Curieuse Island, home to 500 giant tortoise and La Digue, famous for its secluded beaches, diving and snorkeling.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Location: Baie Lazare, Mahé
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD1833 per room
Description: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is situated less than 5 metres from the beach located on Petite Anse, Baie Lazare. It features a spa, fitness centre, swimming pool and a water sports pavilion. Each air-conditioned villa has a private pool and a patio. It comes equipped with a satellite TV, minibar and tea-and-coffee-making facilities. The bathroom includes a shower with free toiletries, a bathrobe and slippers. Kannel Restaurant offers international cuisine for lunch and Asian and Creole cuisine for dinner. ZEZ restaurant serves an international breakfast with daily specials and a la carte options, and dinner features a modern Mediterranean menu. Kannel Bar serves light snacks, fruit drinks and cocktails during the day, whilst ZEZ Lounge is open for cocktails, wines and freshly-made sushi and sashimi. A complimentary children programme is available to keep kids entertained. Activities such as snorkelling, windsurfing, fishing, helicopter tours and biking are on offer at the resort. Wi-Fi is and a secretarial service is available to guests. Seychelles International Airport is a 23-minute drive away.
Bayan Tree Seychelles
Location: Mahe Island
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD886 per room
Description: Located in Intendance Bay along the southern western coastline of Mahe, Banyan Tree Seychelles has direct access to the beach and offers spacious villas with a private pool. It features spa facilities, a fitness centre and a tennis court. Banyan Tree Seychelles has luxuriously furnished villas, combining the Seychellois architecture with the contemporary décor. Overlooking the Indian Ocean, each of the air-conditioned villas has a satellite TV. The resort’s restaurants offer a variety of local and international dishes. Saffron serves Thai cuisine and Southeast Asian specialties, while La Varangue provides a selection of light snacks and pizzas. Guests can relax around the infinity pool with a fruit cocktail, before enjoying a yoga session or a game of tennis. They can also experience spa treatments at one of the luxurious hillside pavilions. A range of activities such as mountain biking, snorkeling, and canoeing are available in the surrounding area. Free bikes and a car rental service are also provided on site.
Find more resorts in the Seychelles…
Anytime, although July and August are the driest months. The annual temperature ranges between 24°C and 31°C, with humidity around 80 per cent.
The rainy season lasts from mid-November until mid-February, and while downpours can be heavy, they rarely last long. December and January are the wettest months.
More about Seychelles weather…
The Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean north-east of the island of Madagascar and about 1600km (994mi) east of Kenya.
The most convenient route to the Seychelles is by air to Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), located on Mahé Island 11km (6.8mi) southeast of the capital city, Victoria.
More about how to get to the Seychelles…
There are paved roads only on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue (elsewhere the roads are sand tracks). Buses and taxis are cheap and abundant on these islands. Hire car is available. Traffic drives on the left. Bicycles are also available for hire.
Between islands: Air Seychelles (www.airseychelles.com) operates an efficient network of scheduled and charter flights within the Seychelles. Flying is also the only way to reach the more remote islands.
The route between Mahé and Praslin sees around 20 scheduled return flights a day, just a 20-minute hop.
Zil Air offers helicopter and fixed wing flights between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue as well as resort islands.
A fast catamaran ferry service operates between Mahé and Praslin and private schooners provide frequent inter-island connections between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. Water taxis link La Digue to Praslin (15 minutes). Or you can travel to Mahé by ferry (one hour 20 minutes).
More about getting around the Seychelles…
Latest update: Seychelles honeymoon: 12 July, 2024
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