Things to do in Mahé: Travel Guide

Mahé is the largest and most populous island of Seychelles. It is a paradisiacal, green island that features a number of beautiful beaches. The capital of Seychelles, Victoria, is also located in Mahé. Here you can experience the real Seychellois culture. In this article, you will find information on how to go to Mahé, where to stay and an overview of the sights and activities you should not miss during your visit!

Flights to Mahé

The international airport of Seychelles is located on the island of Mahé. We ourselves flew from Brussels to Mahé for about 650 euros per person. We flew with Ethiopian Airlines and had a layover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for about three hours. The total journey took about 14 hours.

Tip: Did you know that you can easily compare and book flights via Skyscanner?

Where to stay?

Beau Vallon

Undoubtedly, the best place to stay in Mahé  is Beau Vallon, a beautiful beach area with a mix of luxury resorts and budget-friendly accommodations. As it is one of the most popular places to stay, you will find supermarkets, restaurants, bars and take aways where you can eat something in the evening.

We stayed four nights in La Maison Hibiscus Self Catering Accommodation, a spacious apartment a few minutes walk from Beau Vallon Beach.

Elsewhere on the island

You can find accommodations anywhere on the island, but there was nowhere as much to do as in Beau Vallon. Of course, there are certain reasons to choose for a different location, for example if you want to stay near a beautiful beach or close to the airport. For the latter reason, we chose for Castaway Lodge for the last night, a great accommodation with a pool closer to the airport.

Things to do in Mahé

Island hopping: visit the most beautiful beaches of Mahé

Mahé is home to a number of stunning beaches. Here are our favorites:

Anse Major

A secluded beach that is accessible by boat or by hiking.

Hiking to Anse Major

To reach the starting point of the hike, drive down Bel Omre Road towards the west in the direction of Anse Major. Almost at the end of the road, you will see a staircase on your left hand side with the sign Anse Major Nature Trail. In the vicinity of the start, you can park in a number of places, especially if you go early.

From the starting point, you will walk to the beach Anse Major in about 30 to 45 minutes. Along the way, you can enjoy spectacular views. Please note that the trail has quite a bit of elevation gain. This, in combination with the bright sun and the high humidity, can make it a bit of a tough hike at times. Therefore, make sure you have enough water with you and I recommend wearing a hat or a cap. Once you arrive at the beach, you will know the hike was totally worth it!

Tip: Make sure you leave early for Anse Major, so that the beach is not too crowded yet. We left at 8 a.m. and we had the whole beach to ourselves for the first half hour!

Anse Royale Beach

On the southeast coast of Mahé, you will find Anse Royale Beach, a beach with white sand and clear blue water. There are a number of huge granite boulders on the beach, the rocks for which the Seychelles are known.

Anse Royale Beach is located in a bay, making the water calm and perfect for relaxing. It is also said to be a good snorkeling spot with countless colorful fish!

This beach is popular among locals and tourists. It is a great place to relax, swim, snorkel, or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Beau Vallon Beach

In the northwest of Mahé, you will find Beau Vallon Beach, one of the most popular beaches on the island. Beau Vallon Beach is a long strech of whity sandy beach and is, like Anse Royale Beach, located in a bay. This makes the water perfect for swimming and cooling off. The beach is surrounded by nice restaurants, take aways and bars, so you are sure to have fun here.

Tip: From Beau Vallon Beach, you can also enjoy a beautiful sunset!

Other beaches

If you have more time, be sure to visit Anse Intendance, Anse Forbans, Petite Anse, and Anse Soleil.

Diving

Diving is a popular activity in Mahé. About 6 kilometers from the island, you’ll find one of the most popular dive spots in the Seychelles, Shark Bank, which is known for its sharks, rays, turtles, and the beautiful coral you can see here. This dive site is suitable for experienced divers, as the dive starts at a depth of 20 meters and ends at up to 35 meters.

We did two dives with EQUINOXE Seychelles Diving School, one at Shark Bank and one at Aquarium. We paid 120 euros per person for this. This included a long distance fee and diving equipment.

Visit the capital Victoria

Victoria is a vibrant city with a mix of European and African influences. Here you can experience the Seychellois culture by visiting and doing the following:

• Local market: The Sir Selwyn Clarke Market is the largest and most vibrant market in Victoria and the perfect place to experience local culture. You can find fresh produce, seafood, spices, and other souvenirs.
• National Museum of History: In this museum, you’ll learn about the history of Seychelles, including the colonial period.
• Victoria Clock Tower: The oldest and most popular landmark in the city. The clock tower dates back to the colonial era and was erected in memory of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901.
• Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple: This temple reminded me very much of a temple in Negombo in Sri Lanka. It is the only Hindu temple in Seychelles and was built in 1992.

Visit the Takamaka Rum distillery

Takamaka Rum is a rum that was first brewed and is still produced in the Seychelles.

The distillery offers a free tour! They tell you everything about the Takamaka brand and the process of brewing rum. Rum lovers can do a tasting at the end of the tour, for a fee.

The Takamaka distillery is very well set up. There is a bar, a small take away where you can get something to eat and you will find two Seychelles giant tortoises named Taka and Maka.

Hike the Morne Blanc Trail

The Morne Blanc Trail is a steep hike that leads you to a fantastic viewpoint. The trail is approximately 2.1 kilometers with an elevation gain of 218 meters, making it quite a challenging climb! From the starting point, you ascend steeply, and this continues until you reach the viewpoint. It can be tough, but once you’re at the top, you will realize it was all worth it!

The trail is free to hike.

Tip: You’ll be walking among trees, over roots, rocks and mud. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes, especially if it has rained.

Enjoy a stunning sunset

In Mahé, you can enjoy a stunning sunset in several places. The best places for sunset are Sunset Beach and Beau Vallon Beach. We personally loved getting a take away meal and eating it on the beach during the sunset. A true delight!

Food and drink in Mahé

There are countless restaurants and take-aways in Mahé where you can eat on the spot or order food to go. Here are our favorites:

• Beau Vallon Halal Bites: For the best pizzas (take away)
  Leo’s Food Bus: Cajun and Creole cuisine (take away)
  K Food: Cajun and Creole cuisine (take away)
  The Boat House: Cajun and Creole cuisine. They serve a Creole buffet every day
  Beach Shak Seychelles: For cocktails and other drinks