The ultimate island paradise, there are 115 islands that make up the Seychelles, scattered across the Indian Ocean along the equator. This fantasy comes to life is about 1,000 miles off the coast of Kenya, with each island offering its own unique charms. Ripe for an island-hopping cruise, you’ll sail on an opulent mega-yacht with a maximum capacity for just 49 passengers. Our small-ship cruises provide sumptuous comforts and modern amenities with en-suite, ocean view cabins for gazing out at the passing scenery, including the endless blue of the sea and fantasy-like islands with their pristine coral-fringed white sand beaches and massive granite rocks.
Enjoy breaks for BBQ feasts on deserted islands, guided walking tours that allow you to explore lush interiors, plenty of time to unwind on deck, and take advantage of stops to swim or snorkel. Elegant lounge areas and lots of large windows ensure you’ll seldom have to take your eyes off the view. With minimal capacity, it’s a more intimate experience with personalized service provided by our expert crew, who enjoys providing insider information and backstories about the places you’ll visit. As many of our guests have noted, meals are a highlight, thanks to our talented onboard chef.
Talk to the Expert
Although I was born in Zambia, raised in Zimbabwe (two land-locked countries), I am very passionate about travel on the sea. I’ve cruised extensively on luxury small ships and ocean liners around the world – I look forward to sharing my experiences with you
The largest of the eight islands in St. Anne Marine National Park, which lie off the northeast coast of Mahé Island, St. Anneis home to a population of less than 100, settled by the French before they colonised Mahé. It’s just a few miles from Victoria, the nation’s capital, and with endless soaring palm trees providing shade over postcard-perfect sandy beaches, this island is a dream. From late November through February at Anse Royale, you might witness sea turtles laying their eggs. Just offshore is an underwater paradise with coral reefs, hawksbill turtles, colourful fish, and dolphins.
Curieuse
The uninhabited island of Curieuse was once used as a leper colony, called Île Rouge, due to its russet-toned soil. Visitors can explore ruins of the old leprosarium and a doctor’s house that was preserved as a national monument. A bio-reserve island managed by the Marine Parks Authority of the Seychelles, it may best be known for its breeding program for giant tortoises that freely roam sandy coves. It’s covered with casuarina and takamaka trees that provide shade for the white sand beaches and boasts another unique botanical distinction as the only island other than Praslin where the coco de mer palm grows naturally.
Anse Lazio
Located on the north-west shore of Praslin Island, Anse Lazio is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Seychelles. Once considered a best-kept secret, the word may have gotten out but the long stretch of pale golden sands stunningly contrasted against dreamy, crystal-clear blue waters is still a must-see. With coconut palms and takamaka trees for shade, it’s a great place to relax and gaze out at the magnificent scenery, capture photos, enjoy a memorable swim, snorkel, dive, or take part in other water sports. When in need of refueling, there are restaurants at either end of the beach.
Praslin
While it’s the second-largest island in Seychelles, Praslin is home to only about 6,500, making it rather sparsely populated compared to Mahé’s 80,000 inhabitants. There’s little in the way of development, but it is home to many spectacular beaches like Anse Lazio and Anse Volbert with warm, shallow water lapping sun-bleached sands. Beyond the beaches, Vallée de Mai National Park is a must-visit. The lush park preserves a prehistoric forest with scenic trails and at least 4,000 examples of the rare giant coco de mer fruit palm. The valley is inhabited by many lizard species and rare birds like the black parrot.
Moyenne Island
Just a half-mile wide, Moyenne is a small, round island north ofMahé. A flora and fauna reserve since the 1970s, it’s covered with towering palm and mahogany trees, granite boulders, and giant tortoises. There are some 2,000 different bird species and a vast array of local plants, with a wild look that’s led some to call it a real-life Jurassic world, but with tortoises rather than dinosaurs. Abandoned from 1915 through the ‘60s, the island was purchased by Brendon Grimshaw, who was its only inhabitant until his death in 2012. Today it’s a national park visited as part of an organized trip like a cruise.
La Digue
A haven for nature enthusiasts, La Digue is a must for those who hope to glimpse a more traditional side of island life where oxcarts and bicycles are the popular mode of transport. Granite rock outcrops and spectacular white sandy beaches envelop the coast, including one of the world’s most stunning, Anse Source D’Argent. Your admission includes a tour to L’Union Estate, an old copra factory and vanilla plantation. Veuve Nature Reserve is a popular attraction home to the endangered black paradise flycatcher, whilst La Passe is the main village with a picturesque sweep of tranquil beaches, red-tiled rooftops, cosy cafes, and shops selling souvenirs.
Our Cruise Ships in the Seychelles
MY Pegasos
Enjoy luxurious comforts while travelling on the elegant twin-hulled Pegasos. This head-turning yacht accommodates up to 44 guests in 21 en-suite cabins and boasts a long list of high-end amenities. The intimate atmosphere ensures exceptional service provided by an expert crew, including local tips for a more authentic experience and plenty of pampering.
This archipelago set deep in the Indian Ocean is simply paradise, that must be experienced at least once in your lifetime – it truly is mother nature’s phenomenon. Every idyllic island that you visit daily on the small ship cruise offers lush, tropical vegetation and a collection of the most picturesque and romantic beaches on the globe, bordered by an abundance of stunning palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze. Delicious coconuts are also freely available on every beach!
Your time on board the luxurious small ship will involve being completely pampered by the hospitable crew as you sail off to explore another mesmerizing island with awe-breath-taking tropical wildlife and birdlife. Our favorite is La Digue with its distinct and relaxed charm, boasting probably the most famous and photographed beaches in the world – Anse Source D’Argent. It is a remarkable sight with its dazzling white sands, lapped by shallow emerald waters. You are also bound to fall in love with the unique and legendary ‘Aldabra’ giant tortoises on Curieuse Island, some more than one hundred years old! This is a trip of a lifetime and rightly so!
Excursions
Cousin Island Exploration
Cousin Island “belongs to the birds,” as they say. An excursion is a must for birders and other wildlife lovers as it’s home to many forest-dwelling birds, including five rare, endemic species like the Seychelles warbler, Seychelles blue pigeon, and Seychelles sunbird. You’ll be amazed by the giant Aldabra tortoises and enjoy lush greenery too.
Black Parrots and Giant Tortoises
Learn about Curieuse and its wildlife from your knowledgeable guide as you look for the rare Seychelles black parrot, giant tortoises, and other endemic wildlife. You’re likely to see plenty of the tortoises that often congregate around picnic areas hoping for a bite, along with mangrove forests and a variety of stunning landscapes.
Creole Evening & Beach BBQ
Seychelles is renowned for its traditional Creole cuisine and a themed Creole evening offers the chance to sample it on a pristine beach. A cook will prepare a fine BBQ feast using authentic recipes while you enjoy the gorgeous scenery and then sit down to indulge in the mouth-watering eats.
Souvenir Hunting in La Passe
If you want to bring home souvenirs of your time in Seychelles, join an excursion to La Passe. The main village on La Digue Island, there are all sorts of stalls selling artisanal crafts and curios. In the centre of it all is a shopping complex with multiple souvenir shops.
Walking Tour of Curieus
A walking tour of the uninhabited island of Curieuse can bring you to witness giant tortoises, with some 250 of the animals roaming free here. A park guide will bring you to a farm and mangrove forests followed by a visit to one of the beautiful beaches for swimming.
Discover Vallee de Mai Reserve
Discover rare flora and fauna with a visit to Vallee de Mai Reserve, home to palm trees that produce Coco de Mer with seeds that are the largest in the world, each one equalling the weight of three bowling balls. There are at least 4,000 examples of it here in the lush prehistoric forest.
Q&A
From
Muno our Small Ship Cruise Specialist
Is it possible to visit the Seychelles without breaking the bank?
It is true that there is an abundance of fancy resorts in the Seychelles that come with a hefty price tag with many hotel rooms at over $1000 a night – and with some ultra-expensive hotels offering lavish rooms for $15,000 a night. Whilst meals in tourist restaurants average at $100 a head for a 3-course meal with wine, there are ways to experience this piece of paradise without breaking the bank. The best way to budget for this bucket-list trip is to simply experience the Small Ship Island hopping Cruise with all delicious meals, snacks, and most excursions included throughout the week. Enjoy a hearty breakfast that will set you up for the day, in your hotel or onboard your luxury cruise whilst island hopping. Sample the delicious Seychellois dishes that are available on the beach promenades and close to the main hotels – typically curries made with fish, chicken, beef, or vegetables, served with rice and salad.
Apart from natural beauty and wildlife, what other activities are there?
The Seychelles is a unique and remote archipelago of 115 islands off the east coast of Africa with pristine turquoise water and white-sand beaches, which are undoubtedly its main attraction. However, there are a multitude of diverse activities and experiences on offer – from world-class diving, opulent wellness and spa resorts, fishing in the pristine waters or even golfing in the warm, tropical climate. Whilst on a small ship cruise, guests will be offered a myriad of experiences – from scenic coastal drives, exploring picturesque fishing villages and dense forests to a visit to L’Union Estate on La Digue. This includes a visit to a charming old Creole house and coconut factory – with the bonus of a memorable and rather bumpy ride on a traditional ox cart!
What is the significance of the famous Coco de Mer palm?
The Valle de Mai, on Praslin Island, also known as the Garden of Eden, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for the quirky, extremely rare, and distinctive Coco de Mer – the largest and heaviest seed in the plant kingdom, which has become the symbol of the Seychelles. It weighs anywhere between 15 and 30 kilos and for centuries was thought to have originated from a tree beneath the ocean. This coconut is unique in that it is in the exact same form of a female pelvis! It has separate male and female plants that can take up to 50 years to reach sexual maturity. Shrouded in folklore and legends, the legendary palm is found growing naturally on two of Seychelles’ islands – Praslin and Curieuse. With only about 8,000 of these mature trees in existence, the plant is now endangered, so it is unsurprising that this unique seed is being sold on eBay today for around $3000 a piece! Go and experience it first-hand, growing in the wild whilst on your Seychelles tour.
How large and old are the giant tortoises?
Only found in the Galapagos and Seychelles, these extraordinary and enormous reptiles, known as Aldabra giant tortoises, grow up to four feet (122 cm) long and weigh as much as 770 lbs (350 kilos.) They’ve survived in the Seychelles because their populations were isolated, protecting them against and harsh predators. You will spot numerous giant tortoises in the wild, whilst touring two of the uninhabited islands during the small ship cruise – Curieuse, which is home to over 300 and the idyllic Moyenne Island. They follow a mainly herbivore diet of grasses and stems and occasionally insects and even other dead tortoises. Many live to over 100 years old and currently, the oldest named ‘Jonathan’ is 184 years old to date! Enjoying quality time with these majestic creatures will live long in your memory.
Are mosquitoes an issue in the Seychelles?
Mosquitoes are not a problem in general whilst visiting the Seychelles, for the vast majority of visitors. However, depending on the time of year of your visit, you may be greeted by a few, on Cousin Island, also known as ‘Bird Island.’ This is a must-visit nature reserve, situated just off the coast of Praslin Island and one of the eco-friendliest places on planet earth – an absolute heaven for nature lovers. The granite island is a safe refuge for countless rich birds and in particular the ‘Seychelles Warbler,’ a small local songbird that is nearly extinct. We would recommend that you come prepared when setting foot on the island, with ample mosquito repellent or better still, lightweight clothing to keep the little mozzies away from your skin!
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What makes our trips extraordinary is the unique immersive experiences we include. We pride ourselves in our black book of sought after expert guides, game rangers and local contacts who believe in our philosophy, unforgettable.
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