The Seychelles comprise 115 islands. A group of 44 islands, collectively known as the inner islands, occupy the shallow waters of the Seychelles Bank.
These include the islands of Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette Island, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate and Cousin Island.
There are paved roads only on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue (elsewhere the roads are sand tracks). Buses and taxis are cheap and abundant on these islands. Hire cars are available. Traffic drives on the left. Bicycles are also available for hire.
Victoria, the capital, is small enough to walk around, as are all the main towns in Seychelles.
Air: Air Seychelles (www.airseychelles.com) operates an efficient network of scheduled and charter flights within the Seychelles. Flying is also the only way to reach the more remote islands of Seychelles.
The route between Mahé and Praslin sees around 20 scheduled return flights a day, just a 20-minute hop.
Zil Air (www.zilair.com) also operates inter-island transfers and chartered scenic flights throughout the Seychelles, including between the islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
Zil Air is the only scenic flight operator in the Seychelles, using helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Scenic flights can be booked to the main islands of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and the surrounding smaller islands of (among others) Cousine, Félicité, Grande Seour, Curieuse and Bird Island.
The Islands Development Company (www.idc.sc), which is responsible for developing the outer islands, operates charter flights to various islands including Alphonse, Assomption, Astove, Coetivy, Desroches, Farquhar, Marie-Louise, Platte, Poivre and Remire.
Note: All flights operate from Seychelles International Airport on the island of Mahé, which is 8km (5 miles) south of the capital, Victoria.
Sea: Cat Cocos (www.catcocos.com) and Inter Island Ferry (www.seychelles.net/iif) offer a fast catamaran ferry service between Praslin, Mahé and La Digue islands.
Cat Cocos operates two catamaran ferries with multiple daily crossings between Mahé and Praslin, and a daily crossing to La Digue. Journey time is around one hour.
Inter Island Ferry operates betwen Praslin and La Digue with eight daily departures taking 15 minutes. Most arrivals at Praslin are timed to coincide with Cat Cocos departures to Mahé.
Tickets can be purchased from either the Cat Cocos or Inter Island Ferry office, opposite the pier, on the same day before travel. Alternatively, e-tickets can be purchased online at Seychellesbookings.com – both Cat Cocos and Inter Island ferry offer routes through this site.
Belle Serafina, a small schooner ferry makes the passage between Mahé and Praslin or La Digue in three to four hours.
The main roads on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue are generally good and well signposted. Apart from Victoria, roads are generally quiet.
Driving in Seychelles is on the left side of the road. Roads on Mahe are mountainous and narrow, with low traffic. Roads usually have steep drops or low walls on the side instead of sidewalks/pavements. There are places where you can pull over to admire the scenic views.
Car hire: Cars and 4-wheel drives are available on Mahé and Praslin islands. Reservations are advisable. The minimum age for drivers is 18.
Car hire is available at Mahé international airport from Avis, Hertz and Sixt, as well as local agencies.
A speed limit of 65kph (40mph) applies on the open road and 40kph (25mph) in built-up areas. The highway between Victoria and the airport has a speed limit of 80kph (50mph).
You can use your valid national driving license to drive for up to three months in Seychelles.
Taxi: Taxis are available on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. Fares are controlled by the government and are reasonable.
It is advisable to use a metered taxi or negotiate the fare beforehand. You can hail taxis from the street and taxi stands. Many drivers offer sightseeing tours for a set tariff.
Bike: Bicycles are widely available for hire on Praslin and La Digue. Mahé is quite hilly but bicycles are available from most hotels.
Bus: The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (www.sptc.sc) operates bus routes throughout Mahé and Praslin. Fares are paid to the driver.
The service on Mahé and Praslin is reasonably reliable with up to four buses an hour depending on your destination. You can find timetables from tourist offices or online.
Latest update: Getting around the Seychelles: 28 April, 2022
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