Mahé Island in Seychelles - dream beaches, island life and excursions

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Writer: Magdalena

The Seychelles felt like a blank page to me before we left. I thought beautiful beaches and turquoise water and not much else. I actually thought I had no particular expectations.

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Seychelles - different than expected

Once we arrived, I quickly realised that I had had a picture in my head after all. The best part was that the reality turned out to be a little different. It was greener, more hilly and much more genuine than I had imagined. The beaches were also as beautiful as I had seen in pictures. It didn't take long for me to fall madly in love.

Seychelles consists of 115 islands, of which only about ten are inhabited. It is a small country with around a hundred thousand inhabitants and at the same time one of Africa's richest in terms of GDP per capita. We travelled here as a family, me and my husband together with our two adult children and we got two and a half weeks of sun, swimming, experiences and time to just be together.

Travelling with our children who now don't live at home felt extra nice. It is not as obvious anymore that we are all four together for so long and that is why this trip was bigger than just the destination.

The journey there was longer than planned. We had a long stopover in Nairobi and the flight was delayed for sixteen hours. When we finally landed on Mahé, our bags were missing. Luckily, as I usually do, I had packed a bikini and a change of clothes in my hand luggage and I was very grateful for that. My family's luggage arrived after five days and my bag only after eight. In the meantime, we did a lot of laundry and decided that it wasn't the end of the world. After all, we were in the Seychelles.

Mahé - the largest island in the archipelago

Mahé is the largest island in the archipelago and is home to the majority of the country's population. The roads go through small communities and past schools and grocery stores. It didn't feel like a tourist island at all, but more like a place where people live their lives.

Mahé is a hilly and green island. The roads wind up and down through dense vegetation and sometimes the landscape opens up and the sea is visible far below. So incredibly beautiful!

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When we were planning our trip, we thought for a while about skipping Mahé. I am grateful that we didn't. Now Mahé feels like an obvious stop during a stay in the Seychelles and I really recommend spending a few days here.

We hired a car and we are glad we did as it gave us the freedom to do what we wanted when we wanted. With the car we could take the days as they came and stop at views we liked and turn down to a beach just because it looked tempting. Distances are short, but the roads are narrow and winding and there is left-hand traffic. Driving from the south to the north takes about 50 minutes.

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Victoria - the capital of Seychelles

Victoria is the capital of Seychelles and one of the smallest capitals in the world. With around 30,000 inhabitants, it feels more like a small town than a classic capital. About a quarter of the country's population lives here.

What struck us was how few tourists we actually saw as we strolled around the city, looking at the market, the small shops and the people around us. We also passed by the Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple which stands out in the cityscape.

In the centre of the city stands a small clock tower, which is the city's most famous landmark. Built in 1903 in honour of Queen Victoria, it is a miniature version of London's Big Ben and a clear reminder of the country's British history.

The beaches

There are over 70 beaches on Mahé alone. We were able to visit many and most were quiet with few people. Chalk white sand, clear water and a peaceful feeling that we really liked. Sometimes there was a small restaurant nearby and sometimes the beach was completely untouched.

It was difficult to choose a favourite when there are so many beautiful beaches, but after a long discussion we agreed on Anse Soleil. Beau Vallon, which is one of the most famous beaches on the island, was almost the opposite for us. It is nice and long and more lively, but we found it not as cosy as many of the other beaches.

We snorkelled directly from several beaches. It wasn't the best snorkelling we've ever done, but it was still nice to just put on a mask and snorkel, swim out for a while and watch the fish.

Morne Blanc Trail and Sauzier Waterfall

There are several different hiking trails on Mahé. We chose to walk the Morne Blanc Trail, a relatively short but fairly steep hike that rewards you with nice views at the top. The trail goes through dense vegetation and it was nice to walk in the shade most of the way. Otherwise it would have been far too hot.

The hike starts at Sans Souci Road near the tea plantations and the Seychelles Tea Factory. After the walk we went on to Sauzier Waterfall. It is quite a small waterfall but very inviting and we took a dip in the cool fresh water.

Eden island

Eden Island is a man-made island located right next to Mahé and connected to the main island by a bridge. It has modern housing and a marina with large yachts.

For us, Eden Island was above all a practical stop because the island's only major grocery store with a good selection is located here. The range is much larger than in the small shops around Mahé and if you rent a house and want to shop yourself, it is good to know.

Our accommodation on Mahé

We stayed four nights at Red Coconut and it was a great choice. The house is located on a hill overlooking nature and the sea. It was quiet and private and we could really land there after our days out on the island. Sitting there in the evening looking out over the greenery and the sea and taking a dip in the pool was soothing

When we came back to Mahé, after visiting Praslin and La Digue, we rented a house at Beau Vallon. It was a good last night and fun to see and stay in another part of the island too.

Pineapple Cabana

One night we ate at Pineapple Cabana and it quickly became a favourite. The surroundings were cosy and relaxed and it felt like one of those places where you immediately want to stay a little longer than planned.

The staff were also really nice, so genuinely welcoming, and the food was really good. We liked it so much that we went back a second night as well, which says a lot when you only have a limited number of nights on an island and really want to try everything.

Four days on Mahé was a really nice start to our trip. The island gave us more than we expected and we experienced a lot in a short time. Then we travelled on to the next island, Praslin.

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Magdalena and Pernilla

Magdalena and Pernilla live in southern Skåne. Both are social workers whose main leisure interest is travelling with their families, but they also enjoy doing things and travelling with friends and parents. They want to share the things that enrich their lives in order to inspire others.

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