5 Days in Seychelles: First-Timer Itinerary

Five days is the realistic minimum for all three islands, Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, though La Digue only gets a half-day at this length. Want more breathing room there? Step up to the 6-day or 7-day version; tighter on time, the 4-day trades La Digue for two full Praslin days instead.

Book these before you go

Day Island Ferry/travel Rough daily cost
Day 1 Mahe Airport transfer only SCR 700-1,600 (EUR 45-100)
Day 2 Mahe None, boat tour optional SCR 900-2,200 (EUR 55-135)
Day 3 Praslin Cat Cocos, ~1h, ~EUR 58 SCR 1,200-2,400 (EUR 75-150)
Day 4 Praslin None (island day) SCR 1,400-2,800 (EUR 85-175)
Day 5 La Digue then Mahe Cat Rose ~15-20min ~EUR 15, then Cat Rose+Cat Cocos or a direct Cat Cocos sailing ~1h45 ~EUR 68 back SCR 1,600-3,000 (EUR 100-185)

Day 1: Arrival, Victoria and Beau Vallon

  • Land at Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) on Mahe, the country’s only international gateway, about 10km/10 minutes south of Victoria. A fixed-fare taxi into town runs roughly SCR 300 (EUR 19-21) for up to four passengers, carry SCR cash since most drivers won’t take a card
  • Check in, then walk the compact capital: the 1903 Clock Tower, a scaled-down replica of the one on London’s Vauxhall Bridge, and the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market five minutes away, liveliest on weekends, both free
  • Afternoon and evening at Beau Vallon, Mahe’s main beach strip, for a swim and sunset. Keep your bag in sight, Beau Vallon is one of the spots flagged for opportunistic beach theft, precisely because it’s the busiest stretch of sand on the island
  • Creole dinner in Victoria or right on Beau Vallon, fish curry and grilled reef fish are the dishes to order

Day 2: Morne Seychellois and the marine park

  • Morning hike in Morne Seychellois National Park, the island’s largest protected area at over 3,000 hectares. The Copolia trail (SCR 100) is the shortest worthwhile option, Trois Freres (SCR 150) climbs higher for better views; current trail status is posted by SPGA
  • Afternoon boat trip to Ste Anne Marine National Park (SCR 200 entry, card-only on-site, cash isn’t accepted at the gate) for snorkeling and a look at Moyenne Island’s free-roaming giant tortoises; a full-day guided version with lunch runs roughly EUR 100-170
  • Prefer to skip the boat cost? The National Botanical Garden in Victoria (roughly SCR 250) covers giant tortoises and coco de mer specimens on dry land instead
  • Evening Creole dinner back in Victoria, or an early night on Beau Vallon before tomorrow’s ferry crossing

Day 3: Ferry to Praslin and Vallee de Mai

  • Cat Cocos ferry to Praslin (about 1 hour, roughly EUR 58 one-way economy including the EUR 2 port fee), check in for an overnight stay
  • Afternoon at Vallee de Mai (SCR 450 gate, 10% off if booked online in advance through the Seychelles Islands Foundation, under-12 free), the UNESCO-listed forest where the coco de mer palm grows wild and the Seychelles black parrot nests
  • Evening at Cote d’Or beach, Praslin’s own busy strip, for dinner and a swim

Day 4: Praslin’s beaches

  • Morning at Anse Lazio (free entry, roughly SCR 100 parking for the day), consistently rated Seychelles’ best beach for swimming, arrive before 10am since the small lot fills fast
  • Afternoon boat trip to Curieuse Marine National Park (SCR 300, boat-access only) to see the hundreds of Aldabra giant tortoises introduced here since 1978, or, if you booked authorisation 3-5 days ahead through your hotel, the resort-gated Anse Georgette instead
  • Evening back in Praslin for dinner, pack for an early Cat Rose crossing tomorrow

Day 5: La Digue and the return to Mahe

  • Morning Cat Rose ferry to La Digue, a separate operator from Cat Cocos, about 15-20 minutes, roughly EUR 15 one way, up to five sailings a day. Rent a bicycle (roughly SCR 150-200/day) at the jetty
  • The L’Union Estate gate (SCR 150, cash or card, valid all day with re-entry) is the way in to Anse Source d’Argent, the granite-boulder beach on every Seychelles postcard; the ticket also covers the estate’s vanilla plantation and giant-tortoise pen
  • Afternoon return via Cat Rose to Praslin then Cat Cocos to Mahe, or the direct La Digue-Mahe Cat Cocos sailing (about 1h45, roughly EUR 68), to be back on Mahe for a next-morning flight. Five days is genuinely the minimum for all three islands, and La Digue still only gets a half-day at this length

Is one day really enough for La Digue?

Barely, and it’s the honest tradeoff of a 5-day trip. You’ll get Anse Source d’Argent and a bike loop to one or two more beaches, but you’ll see it during the busiest midday hours rather than the calm early or late light. A 6 or 7-day version buys La Digue an actual overnight instead.

What’s the fastest way from Mahe to La Digue?

The direct Cat Cocos sailing, about 1h45 including a brief Praslin stopover, roughly EUR 68 one way. Going via Praslin on separate Cat Cocos then Cat Rose legs costs less overall but adds a transfer; the direct sailing is worth it if your five days are genuinely tight.

If Anse Source d’Argent turns out to be the highlight of the whole trip, and for plenty of travelers it is, that’s your sign to book the 6-day version next time and give La Digue the overnight it deserves.