The Seychelles had been on my bucket list for years, but the would be experience just did not justify the cost. I put it in my back burner thinking that when the opportunity came, I would grab it. As Rumi says, “Whatever you are seeking is seeking you” so one February night I got the most random email from British Airways having a sale to the Seychelles and I started the plan on how to travel to Seychelles on a budget.
The price was unbeatable for a direct flight to Mahe – Seychelles from Heathrow. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and booking my ticket for November in February! When you get a $650 round trip flight to the destination of your dreams you latch on to it! Now my only dilemma was getting a cheap ticket to Heathrow from Boston and making sure that the flight schedule worked.
Seychelles is not a cheap destination by any means and how to travel to Seychelles on a budget is not common. Accommodation is expensive but there is always a way around that. If you are traveling solo the price will be higher but if you can convince a friend or spouse to join you splitting costs makes it a lot more accessible. We were in the Seychelles for a week and I could not recommend this African island more. I sincerely hope that after you read this post you will pull out your credit cards and make your reservations.
In the Seychelles you will use the rupee in most places. Some hotels will accept Euros but the exchange rate will rarely be in your favor so change your money at the airport or withdraw from an ATM.
Please make sure that you print out or have readily your hotel reservations and return flight. You will need this to pass through immigration and they don’t play.
We had the most amazing weather in November, and I think it only rained on three days mostly passing rain. I remember lazy days on deserted beaches drinking a cocktail while reading a book. Is there any other way to totally check out and relax? With that being said the best time to go to the Seychelles is in May through September. It gets warmer in November through March and with that comes the rain but we lucked out and the water was perfect!
Table of Contents
Expenses
Without dragging this further I’m going into the details of where to stay, what to do and where to eat. I spent $2,330.32 total on this trip. This would be considered cheap by most standards for anyone traveling to the Seychelles. When you consider that some of the best resorts are on private islands which drives up cost this was a bargain for me. I did not stay in any hostels and the last two places we stayed would be considered 4 – 5 star hotels.
I’ll give you an example; to stay at Six Senses, Raffles, Maia or the Four Seasons will run you at about $1,500 plus a night. The more ‘affordable’ options are in the $800 plus range. I can tell you that I had started to panic when I realized how expensive accommodation was after booking my flight.
Flights: $1,127.61. This ended up running high because I couldn’t get a cheap ticket to Heathrow. However, if you were flying directly from say Heathrow or Kenya it would cut this cost considerably.
Accommodation: $924.29 for 7 days. That’s $132.05 per day!
Car rental: $556.84 for 6 days split between two people at $278.42. I wanted to be flexible because I’m not the type of person to just stay in the resort. I need to explore independently. We booked with Rentalcars because they were flexible. I picked the car up at the ferry and dropped it off at the airport for example.
Itinerary
We would fly into Mahe and then take the ferry to Praslin. The plan was to spend a few days in Praslin before moving on to La Digue on the ferry and then make our way back to Mahe from La Digue. We would then spend a few days in Mahe before traveling back home.
Day 1- Arrival in Mahe
Days 1-3 Stay in Praslin
Day 3 – La Digue (would have stayed longer but there was no accommodation)
Days 4-7 Mahe
Day 8 – Go Home
Book your ferry tickets early before you go like a week or few days before you travel to the Seychelles because in the high season, they do sell out especially on prime times. You do not want to be stuck on an island without accommodation.
Find tickets here.
Where to Stay
Praslin
Praslin was my favorite island. It was super laid back and the beaches were phenomenal. We had beaches where for miles there was no one else. I even sunbathed topless it was so empty. I loved the quiet evenings watching the sunset and we made a few new friends with the local people.
You can look forward to lazy days, no traffic, beautiful beaches and amazing weather. Make sure you drink the local beer. Praslin is an hour ride from Mahe on the ferry and it goes by in a flash. You will stow your luggage and get on the ticket class that you booked. It’s all very straight forward and the ferry dock in Mahe is easy to get to. From the airport we paid $40 for the taxi to the ferry dock which I thought was expensive! But this is the Seychelles.
Chalets Cote Mer – I absolutely loved this hotel. They have amazing views of the ocean from most of their rooms. We were booked in one of their suites which could fit a family of five comfortably. Also they have a great breakfast and a pool on site. They do not have a beach, but you can access the ocean if you want to swim. I did not think this was a disadvantage because you can access most of the island beaches if you have a car.
Acajou Beach Resort – This is another great alternative for their price point. You have access to the beach from this resort and it’s a much bigger resort than the one we stayed at.
Constance Lemuria – If I had the money I would have stayed at this resort. We were able to access their private beach and from the looks of it this is a great option especially for you honeymooners.
La Digue
La Digue was my second favorite island mostly because of its size. Of the three islands we visited this was the smallest. There are fewer cars than bicycles on this island and the main mode of transport is biking or renting a golf cart. It was also not crowded, and we had some amazing food on the food trucks. Trust me if you can avoid eating at your resort and opt for the ‘take away’ spots on the island the food was so good and so much cheaper!
Le Nautique Waterfront Hotel – We stayed at this swanky brand-new hotel right on the beach. It’s probably a five-minute ride from the ferry and affordable for what you get especially in comparison to all the other options on the island. The owner informed us that they were sold out into July 2020 so if you plan to go start booking accommodation now because La Digue is quite small. Their breakfast spread was really good overlooking the ocean.
Domaine de L’Orangerie Hotel – Now if you’ve got the money-money-money stay at this beautiful resort. We walked by it and they allow non-staying guests in for drinks and it’s beautiful. Sunsets are breathtaking from their infinity pool and I would not have minded staying there. It’s the biggest resort on the island with a price to match. Guess what folks it was also sold out when I checked! So, book early!
Mahe
This was the last island we stayed at and this was strategic because I wanted close access to the airport. As you can imagine by the time, we got there I was mostly done in the sense that if you’ve been to one beach, you’ve been to all of them. If there is pro tip I can offer it’s that you should probably reserve a nice place to stay for the last place you stay in the Seychelles.
That’s because the last few days were spent at the spa and on the resort’s beach doing literally nothing. I loved this no rush to be anywhere feeling and it was a relaxing couple of days at the resort where we stayed.
Constance Ephelia – I loved this hotel. The amenities were stellar, and the food was very good. They are a bit snooty with the dress code which I found silly, who wants to dress up on vacation?! I can see why they would want to create a luxurious feel but it’s never that serious in my opinion of course : ).
The prices are a bit high in comparison to everywhere else we stayed but it is a 4 -5 star resort. As mentioned, I loved spending time at the spa which was free for everyone between 10 to 3. We took advantage of everything! On one evening we ate at Del Place and the food was great. Take advantage of the ‘take away’ shops because the food is good and cheap!
Hilton Northolme – Now this is one hotel that I would book in a heartbeat if I was on my honeymoon or babymoon. It’s stunning and reminds me of the Maldives. Consider staying here if you have a celebration or if money isn’t an issue.
Airbnb – Tons of options on Eden Island that are so beautiful and affordable for traveling families. I almost booked one but got a great deal at Constance Ephelia.
Things to Do
Praslin
- Anse Lazio Beach – One of the most beautiful beaches in the world. One of the nice places to eat is at Bonbon Plum if they are open when you go.
- Cote d’or Beach
- Anse Georgette – This beach is located at Constance Lemuria. You can ask your hotel to book a reservation for you because when they fill up, they don’t let you access the beach. I saw people being turned away.
- Anse Bateau – This was my favorite because there was no one for miles.
- Valle de Mai National Reserve
- Take a day trip to Cousin Island
La Digue
- Petite Anse
- Anse Source d’Argent – The most beautiful beach in the world! You will have to pay to access it, but it is worth it just to see the beautiful rock formations. Here you can also rent the clear water kayaks for those beautiful drone shots.
- Anse Cocos
Mahe
- Anse Soleil
- Anse Intendance
- Petite Anse by Four Seasons
- Mission Lodge Lookout
- Beau Vallon Bay
As you can see it is possible to travel to Seychelles on a relatively affordable budget. Look for alternative accomodation and flight deals and hopefully get lucky on sales.
1 Comment
Really wonderful post. Thank you for the detail! So informative.