’ve always loved beaches and have travelled to quite a few beach destinations — Bali, Phuket, the Maldives, Langkawi and more. But Seychelles felt different.
It has everything I look for in an island destination: powdery white-sand beaches, impossibly blue water, lush green landscapes, scenic drives and incredible marine life. What I loved most, though, was how peaceful it felt. Even some of the most beautiful beaches never seemed overwhelmingly crowded.
If you have around a week, 8 days is a great amount of time to experience three of Seychelles’ most popular islands — Praslin, La Digue and Mahé — without rushing through them.
Seychelles at a Glance
Trip Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days
Islands Covered: Praslin → La Digue → Mahé
Best Time to Visit Seychelles
Seychelles is a year-round destination, but April–May and October–November offer mild conditions which are perfect for sunbathing, scuba diving and exploring the island. Summers i.e. June to September tends to be windier and is also a popular travel period.
Cash/Credit Card/Currency: Both euros and USD currencies are accepted. Credit card is accepted at fewer places. Better to carry cash
Getting Between the Islands
I used Cat Cocos/inter-island ferries and booked tickets in advance.
Praslin → La Digue: Around 15 minutes
Praslin/Mahé: Around 1–1.5 hours depending on the service
Flights are also available between Mahé and Praslin.
8-Day Seychelles Itinerary
Day 1: Mahé → Praslin
Day 2: Relax and explore Praslin
Day 3: Beaches of Praslin
Day 4: Praslin → La Digue + explore the island
Day 5: Explore La Digue by bicycle
Day 6: La Digue → Mahé
Day 7: Explore Mahé
Day 8: Departure
Days 1-3: Praslin
I landed at 8:00am in Mahe and boarded a short flight to Praslin, the second largest island in Seychelles. You can travel between Mahé and Praslin either by ferry or by air, with multiple connections available.
Praslin immediately felt quieter and greener. I rented a car for all three days, which gave me the freedom to drive around the island and stop whenever a beach or viewpoint caught my attention.
Where I Stayed in Praslin
Coco de Mer Hotel and Black Parrot Suites
The property is spacious, with large rooms and beautiful ocean views. My elevated room had a particularly lovely view from the balcony.
Breakfast was excellent, with plenty of choice, including vegetarian options. There’s also a large swimming pool and a private beach. The beach itself wasn’t among my favourites in Praslin, but the property overall was a comfortable base for exploring the island.
Beaches to Visit in Praslin
Having a car made beach-hopping around Praslin incredibly easy.
Some of the beaches worth visiting include:
Grand Anse
Côte d’Or Beach
Anse Lazio
Anse Georgette
Of all of them, Anse Georgette was my favourite.
Access is through Constance Lemuria, followed by a beautiful walk of roughly 20 minutes through the property and golf course. Even the walk itself is part of the experience, with gorgeous scenery along the way.
It’s worth contacting the resort beforehand to check the current access arrangements for visiting Anse Georgette.
On the way back, I also stopped at a viewpoint around the golf course, which offered one of the most memorable views of the day.
Driving Tip
Praslin is hilly in places. If you’re renting a car, don’t automatically choose the smallest or least powerful option simply because it’s cheaper. A car that handles inclines comfortably makes exploring much easier.
Days 4-5 : La Digue
From Praslin, I took the short ferry ride to La Digue — and the pace of the trip immediately slowed down.
La Digue is tiny, relaxed and wonderfully easy to explore. Bicycles are the main mode of transport, and cycling around the island ended up being one of my favourite parts of Seychelles.
Where I Stayed in La Digue
Casa De Leela
This felt like a little home away from home. The apartment had a small kitchen and balcony, and the owner, Robert, was warm and welcoming.
It was a comfortable base for exploring La Digue.
Exploring La Digue by Bicycle
I rented a bicycle and used it to get around the island.
Some stretches are uphill and can get tiring, but the scenery makes up for it.
And then there are the beaches.
La Digue had some of the most beautiful beaches I saw anywhere in Seychelles — huge granite boulders, white sand, turquoise water and dense tropical greenery all coming together in landscapes that almost don’t look real.
Grand Anse
A gorgeous beach worth cycling out to. There are places nearby where you can stop for food or a drink.
Petite Anse
Another beautiful beach nearby and one I’d make time for if your schedule allows.
Anse Source d’Argent
This is one of Seychelles’ most famous beaches, and understandably so.
After parking the bicycle, there’s a short walk towards the beach. Massive granite formations frame shallow turquoise water, creating the landscape Seychelles is famous for.
Despite having seen countless photographs before arriving, seeing it in person was still special.
Where to Eat in La Digue
One memorable stop was Chez Jules.
The food was delicious, but what really made it stand out was the combination of the view and laid-back atmosphere. It’s a lovely place to stop for lunch or an afternoon break while exploring the island.
Days 6-8 : Mahe
After two nights in La Digue, I took the ferry back to Mahé, the largest and busiest island in Seychelles.
Where I Stayed in Mahé
Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa
The location was one of my favourite things about this property.
The resort sits beside a peaceful beach, and the restaurant where breakfast was served looked out towards the ocean. Having breakfast with that view was a pretty good way to start the day.
I booked a beach-facing room and loved the view. Housekeeping was excellent, and the food had a good amount of variety, including vegetarian choices.
Overall, it was a very comfortable stay.
Exploring Mahé
Mahé feels considerably busier and more developed than Praslin and La Digue.
By this point, I had already seen some extraordinary beaches, so I didn’t feel the need to spend every hour beach-hopping.
Instead, I slowed down and enjoyed the resort, explored some of the local streets and markets, and drove around different parts of the island.
One evening was spent around Sunset Beach, followed by pizza at Baobab Pizzeria — a simple and enjoyable end to the day.
Things I Wish I’d Known Before Visiting Seychelles
Start your days early. Island life starts early, and many places wind down much sooner than you may be used to.
Don’t expect much nightlife on La Digue. Evenings are extremely quiet, and many establishments close relatively early.
Try Creole food. Seychellois Creole cuisine incorporates seafood, spices and coconut and is definitely worth exploring while you’re there.
Be careful while driving. Roads on parts of Mahé and Praslin can be narrow, winding and steep.
Keep some cash. Cards are convenient, but having local currency makes smaller purchases much easier.
Don’t rush the islands. Seychelles isn’t a destination where you need to tick off attractions all day. Some of my favourite moments were simply driving along the coast, cycling around La Digue or spending time on a beautiful beach with nowhere else to be.
Final Thoughts
Seychelles turned out to be much more than another beach holiday.
Praslin gave me beautiful drives and incredible beaches. La Digue brought bicycles, granite boulders and that wonderfully slow island rhythm. Mahé offered a completely different side of Seychelles, with more local life, restaurants and places to explore.
If I were planning the trip again, 7 nights and 8 days across these three islands is a combination I’d happily choose again.
Seychelles is undeniably beautiful in photographs, but the quiet roads, lush landscapes, tiny beaches and slow pace are the things that made the trip memorable for me.
Sometimes, the best way to see the world is simply to slow down enough to actually experience it.
