The Seychelles was one of those destinations that lived on my beach bucket list for the longest time. When I finally had the opportunity to travel there after road tripping Madagascar, it felt like the tropical respite would be the antidote to the adventure that came with my time in Madagascar.
While many choose to go for La Digue, Praslin, or one of the more “exclusive islands,” I found my rest and relaxation on the main hub of Mahé. Everyone who flies into the Seychelles will inevitably pass through Mahé, and yet my years of research leading up until when I finally visited led me to believe that most people think Mahé is a skip. I’m here to tell you that I spent five whole days in the Seychelles, and never once LEFT Mahé. As the kind employee who worked at Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa said to me, “Mahé matters, too!”
Since you’re inevitably going to be passing through Mahé, even if your plans include not *actually* spending time there, I’d encourage just a day on the most inhabited, and the largest, island of the Seychelles. And if one day is all you have, here’s what to do.
Pro-Tip: Mahé is incredibly difficult to get around without a car, and also incredibly difficult to drive around thanks to some uneven terrain. Book this customizable private tour around the island, like I did, to plan the perfect day. Otherwise, book this highlights of Mahé tour so you can explore the island with essentially zero planning.
Start your day with some fresh passion fruit
I’m not particularly a fruit girly, but I make the exception when I’m on a tropical remote island, and passion fruit is available. Passion fruit in the Seychelles is abundant; you’ll find it everywhere, and it is some of the most tart, juiciest, and rewarding bites of fruit you’ll ever consume. Enjoy it from a roadside shack, from a hotel buffet, like the Canopy by Hilton (should you choose to spend the night there), or even in juice form.
Pro-tip: I would highly recommend taking the time to wash passion fruit, and any fresh fruit in the Seychelles, with bottled water, as parasites here are also abundant.
Visit the best beaches on the southern Mahé
While I preferred the north side of Mahé for its convenience, there’s no debate that the best beaches on Mahé belong to the south. My favorite beach, not only on Mahé, but in the entire WORLD was Petite Anse, the beach located at the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles. To get there, simply find the sign that says “Four Seasons Resort Seychelles,” check in by signing in your name, and then begin your journey downward about 10-15 minutes via walking. From there, you’ll be treated with the bluest waters and whitest sands you’ve ever seen — and that’s a promise.
Aside from Petite Anse, just right next door is Anse Soleil, yet another impeccable, postcard worthy beach. Make sure to bring cash to snag a fresh coconut for 75 Rupees from the same dude who’s there everyday!
For the other best beaches on southern Mahé, you’ll need to hire a driver. I highly recommend hiring a local guide to do so.
Visit Port Glaud Waterfall
It’s pretty hard to get “beached out” in Mahé, but if you find yourself with just one day wanting to do something other than frolic through the sand while listening to the waves crash into the shore, luckily, there’s Port Glaud Waterfall, The entry cost is 50 Rupees (roughly $3.50) to enter, and it requires a short hike to get to the small but mighty waterfall.
Get out on the water with a jet ski ride
Sure, catamaran tours are cool, but if you want to say you did something really epic your only day in Mahé, why not go for a jet ski tour?
On just about every beach you visit on Mahé, you will see jet ski companies available for hire. Even if you go for 30 minutes, it’s a great adrenaline rush to get out on the water and see some of the other smaller islands up close.
Alternative option: Go Snorkeling at St. Anne Marine Park.
Do a Takamaka Rum Tasting
While I highly encourage you to grab lunch at a place of your choosing before imbibing in some rum, if you only have one day on Mahé, you simply must visit Takamaka Rum Distillery, the Seychelles’ only distillery. Takamaka is uniquely made with molasses instead of the typical sugarcane, and you can learn all about the family-run distillery in the best way possible: by attending a tasting! If you don’t want to go all the way to the distillery, you’ll see Takamaka served at most bars and restaurants, and many hotels offer tastings.
The best way to organize a rum tasting is by booking a customizable private tour, where your guide will almost always encourage this activity regardless since it’s such an important cultural aspect to the Seychellois people.
Try fish curry at Avocet
Now that you’ve had some rum, hopefully gotten in the water, enjoyed a few beaches and a waterfall, it’s time to curb that appetite with a local favorite eat: fish or octopus curry!
The best version of fish curry I had was at dinner at Avocet at Canopy by Hilton. Luckily, they’re open to the public and you do NOT have to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy dinner here. I’d highly recommend getting there around sunset for a dreamy setting. They also have live music some nights, and a bar that makes incredible cocktails (like a banana foster’s espresso martini).
Optional: Day trip to La Digue
La Digue is not as close to Mahe as you might think, and will require roughly 5 hours in a boat on generally choppy waters if you want to knock it out in just a day. However, never say never. There are plenty of day trips available from the northern end of the island.
Book a day trip to La Digue from Mahe here.
DISCLAIMER: I might make a small commission from some of the links throughout this article, but the price is the same for you. This helps keep my business running so I can continue to provide free travel tips!
DISCLAIMER II: Canopy by Hilton Seychelles and Northolme Resort & Spa hosted my hotel stays during my trip to the Seychelles.