The very mention of Seychelles conjures up picture postcard visions of a tropical climate paradise that is blessed with white powder sandy beaches and turquoise waters framed with jagged forested mountains. Well, after our family vacation on the main island of Mahe we can attest to all that and so much more!

The Seychelles is a collection of over 110 different islands formed by volcanic and tectonic activity millions of years ago, with most of the islands still uninhabited. The islands were not really explored until the 16th and 17th centuries when they were used as provisioning stops for ships crossing the Indian Ocean. It was first claimed by the French as a colony in 1756 then handed over to the British in 1794. Although it is seen as a tropical paradise today, Seychelles has a dark history of slavery and indentured servitude during the centuries when it was under colonial rule. Slave labor was employed extensively for the cultivation of cash crops such as cotton, sugarcane, coconut and eventually spices such as cinnamon and vanilla.

Seychelles was the first stop on our East African family adventure this summer, and we spent a few days on the largest island of Mahe where the capital Victoria is located. We spent 5 days exploring this mountainous tropical island – and these are our top 10 ways to experience the best that Mahe has to offer.

 

1. Roam around the tiny capital of Victoria

Victoria on Mahe island is the smallest capital in the world. It was first established by the French as L’Établissement in 1778, and later renamed by the British in honor of their reigning monarch in 1841. There is even a tiny replica of the Elizabeth clock tower in the center of the city, which is named Victoria tower.

2. Drive around the winding steep roads of the island

Mahe is a tiny island, and most of the main attractions, beaches and restaurants are within a 30-40 minute drive. We rented a car when we landed at the airport, and having our own car was super convenient to get around. It took me a while though to remember how to drive on the left side of the road, and swerving to avoid speeding buses on the curvy mountain roads was also reminiscent of the hair raising traffic in our parents’ state of Kerala in South India.

3. Get up close to giant Aldabra Tortoises

The highlight of the trip for the kiddos was feeding the giant Aldabra Tortoises at the botanical gardens. This species has a lifespan of 150 years or more, and can weigh up to 250 kg when fully grown. Seychelles has the 2nd largest giant tortoise population in the world after the Galápagos Islands. These gentle giants were voracious eaters and surprisingly agile as they kept approaching us for more leafy greens – we had to be super careful to keep put fingers away from their strong bites!

4. Marvel at the glorious Coco de Mer nut

One of our unique experiences was seeing and learning about the Coco de Mer plant and its massive nuts. Coco de Mer or ‘coconut of the sea’ is the National plant of the Seychelles and an ubiquitous symbol of the island nation. The Coco de Mer seeds are the largest in the world and can weigh up to 18kg. The erotic shape of seed has also led to its moniker as the ‘butt nut’ – you can see why in the pictures below!

5. Laze on the many gorgeous beaches, of course

No Seychelles tropical vacation would be complete without drinking in the beauty of the turquoise waters surrounding the island – best enjoyed from the countless beaches that dot the coastline. During our trip we drove to a handful of beaches on both sides of the island, and these were our favorites:

Anse Royale

We thought this was the most beautiful beach on the island, with its wide sandy beach and massive black granite boulders framing stunning views of the turquoise waters.

Eden Island

This private beach by our AirBnB on Eden island had the softest white powder sand ever.

Beau Vallon

The waters were too choppy when we visited, but the kids had fun wading into and running away from the waves.

6. Experience luxury living on Eden Island

Our AirBnB was located on Eden Island resort, a private man made island connected to the mainland by bridge. This is the only place foreigners can buy property in the Seychelles, and it has its own high end restaurants, stores and even private beaches.

7. Dive underwater in a Semi submarine

Another activity the kiddos really enjoyed was taking a semi submarine cruise to explore the underwater life off the coast. We boarded off the jetty in Eden Island, and started above the water then went down into the submerged observation pod once we got to the reef. We were treated to up close views of the corals and sea life under water – all while staying dry! The kids were so excited to see all the sea life, especially the large schools of zebra fish.

8. Peel back the centuries at Venn’s Town & Mission Lodge

For a historical reminder of the Islands past, we drove up the mountains to visit the ruins of Venn’s town. This UNESCO world heritage site is famous for its ruins of a school built in 1876 for the children of liberated African slaves. The Mission Lodge is also nearby, which was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth in 1972 when she visited Seychelles to inaugurate the International airport. We were also treated to sweeping panoramic views of the western coast of the island from the summit.

9. Imbibe the Island’s finest at Takanaka Rum distillery

We couldn’t think of a better way to replenish our liquids after an afternoons at the beach – than with a few chilled cocktails made from the island’s very own rum at Takamaka distillery. Takamaka has been operating since 2002 and its rums are easily available all over the Seychelles. The distillery offers free tours and tastings of both the fresh as well as aged premium rums. We loved it so much that we even returned to Takamaka on our last day for a few refills before our flight out!

10. Break the bank while dining out

We found that eating out was an extremely expensive affair in the Seychelles, with each of our restaurant outings averaging $100+, even for the most basic meals. The local cuisine is a unique melting pot of flavors – heavily influenced by Indian, African, Arab and French culinary traditions – to create the uniquely Seychelloise Creole cuisine. Of the esrablishments we dined at these were some of the highlights:

Del Place

This beachside restaurant on the west coast had the prettiest setting, especially at sunset, with tables set right on the waters edge.

Cafe Creole

Sitting on Anse Royale beach, Cafe Creol makes for a picturesque lunch location, albeit on the pricey side.

Marie Antoinette

Probably the most famous restaurant on the island, Marie Antoinette’s has been a local favorite for tasty creole cuisine, which we washed down with chilled Takamaka rum cocktails

Glorious Cafe

Great place for brunch, with hearty full English breakfast spread and fluffy crepes.