Mahé and Praslin in Seychelles
Mahé and Praslin are the two main islands, where you can relax on some of the world’s most spectacular beaches, from long stretches of white sand to small, secluded coves – Mahé alone has over 70. Beau Vallon Bay is Mahé’s main tourist area, where you can enjoy numerous watersports and diving in fascinating underwater landscapes.Valleé de Mai on Praslin is home to the rare black parrot and the unusual coco de mer (coconut of the sea) that the Seychelles are famed for. To really get the most from your stay in the Seychelles, we strongly recommend spending a few nights on exotic Bird Island as well, a quiet, intimate retreat is a perfect way to spend some of your holiday, especially when linked with the busier feel of Mahé or the delightful charm of Praslin.
Mahe Praslin Beach
“Choosing one’s island is as important as choosing one’s hotel. For those who know the Seychelles well, Praslin is the perfect island. It has everything: the Vallée de Mai, a botanical Eden which is the only one of its kind in the world, as many white-sand beaches and coves as you need to be alone in the world including Anse Lazio, which may be the most beautiful of them all. Praslin is the second largest island of the Seychelles, not too big, not too small. It has two villages where people are friendly, where every day is a beautiful day and where there are roads that can lead you to any part of the island within an hour. Praslin has kept the big hotel complexes away; life still goes peacefully by, braced by the gentle tropical trade winds. It is here, in the exceptional surroundings of Anse Gouvernement.”
Mahe is the main island of Seychelles and is home to a variety of reef and beach breaks. It is the largest island in terms of size and there is therefore a great surf potential. Many beach-breaks with multiple reef breaks which need a +- 40m paddle are the most commom breaks. Few point-breaks which may be mahe only downfall. Water is warm all year round and weather is fairly consistent.
Many visitors arrive here only to carry straight on to their hotels on one of the other islands, but Mahé is certainly worth a look if you have the time and inclination. Away from the beaches, the landscape climbs up hills covered in dense rainforests frequently shrouded in mist. There are also plenty of art and cultural attractions. On the east coast of Mahé is Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. Mahé’s main tourism centre is at Beau Vallon, on the west coast just opposite Victoria.