Honeymoon in Seychelles

Seychelles is the destination people picture when they imagine a honeymoon: enormous smooth granite boulders, sand the texture of flour, water in three distinct shades of blue, and takamaka trees leaning out over it all. Anse Source d’Argent and Anse Lazio appear on “world’s best beach” lists relentlessly, and unusually for such lists, they deserve it.

It is also expensive — roughly three times the cost of Zanzibar for a comparable week. Budget US$9,000 to US$24,000 per couple for twelve nights including flights. The honest question this page tries to answer is whether that premium buys you something real. Mostly, it does: the scenery is genuinely in a different category, and the islands are quiet in a way the Indian Ocean’s bigger resort destinations are not.

Which island?

There are 115 islands but only a handful matter for a honeymoon. Most couples split their time between two.

Mahé — the arrival island

The largest and where the international airport is. It has good beaches (Beau Vallon, Anse Intendance, Anse Takamaka), the capital Victoria, mountains and rainforest, and the widest range of accommodation including some genuinely affordable guesthouses. Many couples spend one or two nights here at the start or end rather than a full week — it is the least “castaway” of the islands.

Praslin — the balanced choice

Forty-five minutes by fast ferry from Mahé, or fifteen by air. Home to Anse Lazio, which is as good as beaches get, and the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO palm forest where the coco de mer grows. Praslin has enough infrastructure to feel comfortable and enough quiet to feel remote. If you only visit one island, make it this one.

La Digue — the postcard

Fifteen minutes by ferry from Praslin. Almost no cars — you get around by bicycle — and home to Anse Source d’Argent, the granite-boulder beach that appears in every Seychelles photograph ever taken. Accommodation is simpler and more guesthouse-led than Praslin. Two or three nights is usually right; it is small, and a week can feel long.

One practical note: Anse Source d’Argent is genuinely stunning but is best at low tide, is inside the L’Union Estate (a small entry fee), and gets busy in the middle of the day. Go early.

Private islands — North, Félicité, Denis, Frégate

If budget is not the constraint, this is where Seychelles becomes extraordinary. A handful of villas on an entire island, your own stretch of beach, and staff who outnumber guests. Expect US$2,000–5,000+ per night. North Island is the best known; Frégate and Denis are quieter and slightly less eye-watering.

Best time to go

Seychelles sits outside the main cyclone belt, which makes it more reliable year-round than Mauritius or Madagascar. There is no bad month, but there are trade-offs driven by two monsoon winds.

The two transition periods — April/May and October/November — are the sweet spots: calmest water, best diving and snorkelling visibility, and lighter winds. June to September is windier but noticeably cheaper and still excellent.

What it costs

The guesthouse route is the real insight here. Seychelles has a well-developed network of small, family-run guesthouses, many on beaches that expensive resorts would charge four figures a night for. You are on the same sand looking at the same water. If the beaches are what you came for — and they are — this cuts the cost of a Seychelles honeymoon by more than half without changing the view.

How to structure it

Ten nights, two islands (from about US$9,500 per couple)

• Night 1: Mahé, near the airport.
• Nights 2–6: Praslin — Anse Lazio, Vallée de Mai, a day trip to Curieuse.
• Nights 7–10: La Digue — bicycles, Anse Source d’Argent, doing nothing.

Twelve nights, three islands (from about US$14,000)

• Nights 1–3: Mahé — Anse Intendance, the mountains, Victoria market.
• Nights 4–8: Praslin.
• Nights 9–12: La Digue.

Nine nights, the splurge (from about US$35,000)

• Nights 1–5: Praslin or Félicité at a top resort.
• Nights 6–9: North Island.

Practical details

Getting there and around

Mahé has direct flights from several European hubs and connections via the Gulf, Nairobi and Addis Ababa. Between islands, the Cat Cocos fast ferry to Praslin takes about an hour and is inexpensive; the Praslin–La Digue ferry takes fifteen minutes. Air Seychelles flies Mahé–Praslin in fifteen minutes for more money. Ferries can be rough in the June to September monsoon — if either of you is prone to seasickness, take the flight or bring tablets.

Entry

Seychelles requires no visa for any nationality, but all visitors must obtain a Seychelles Travel Authorisation online before departure, which carries a fee. You also need proof of accommodation, a return ticket and travel insurance. Apply at least a few days ahead through the official portal and check current requirements before you travel.

Health

No malaria and no yellow fever risk. No special vaccinations required for most travellers. This is one of the easier destinations in Africa from a health perspective.

Money

The Seychellois rupee is the currency; cards are widely accepted at resorts and most restaurants. Food and drink are expensive because almost everything is imported — expect resort dinner prices comparable to western Europe. Self-catering for some meals, particularly on La Digue and Praslin, makes a real difference to the total.

Worth asking for

• A day trip to Curieuse and St Pierre from Praslin — giant tortoises and the best snorkelling stop in the inner islands.
• Anse Georgette on Praslin — access is through the Constance Lemuria resort and needs to be arranged in advance, which keeps it quiet.
• A sunset catamaran around the inner islands.
• Half board rather than all-inclusive — the Creole restaurants outside the resorts are good and much cheaper.
• Tell your hotel you are on honeymoon at booking — Seychelles properties are generous with this, and upgrades are common.