Mahe

Mahe is the largest island in the Seychelles.  It is 27 km long, only 8 km wide and covers an area of 152 km².  Of the total population of 81,000 in the Seychelles approximately 70,000 people live on the island of Mahe.  Its capital is Victoria, which is one of the smallest capital’s in the world.

It is possible to drive almost all the way around Mahe and this would give you the opportunity of visiting some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Beau Vallon is Mahe’s main tourist beach lying in a deep bay on the west coast just 5 km from the capital Victoria.  The gently sloping sands, clear waters, and views of Silhouette and North Island on the horizon make this a truly beautiful location.  You can find boats for hire, dive centres and arrange fishing trips.

Grande Anse on the west coast of Mahe is another beach with huge sweep of white sands and the familiar granite boulders.  The sea currents are known to be dangerous and therefore this beach is recommended purely for sunbathing.

One of the most unspoiled bays on the island is Anse Intendance, and you might also appreciate Anse Takamaka, which is another secluded white sandy beach fringed with palms.

Victoria

You must take the time to explore the capital city of the Seychelles, Victoria.

The town was given its name in 1841 named as a tribute to Queen Victoria.  The clock tower is the focal point of the town it is a silver painted clock that is a replica of the bridge on London’s Vauxhall Bridge Road it arrived in the Seychelles in 1903.  It stands in the middle of important crossroads and is an ideal starting point of your tour around the town.

A visit to the market is a must.  Under the bright turquoise pagoda style roof the fish market has a wide selection of fresh fish including tuna, mackerel, groupers and red snapper.  You will also find stalls with colourful vegetables, tropical fruits and exotic herbs and spices spread out on the tables under umbrellas.

A short walk south from the clocktower brings you to the Botanical Gardens.  You could easily spend an hour or two wandering around in these tranquil gardens.  They have a wider variety of indigenous species as well as numerous plants from across the world.  If you are not planning a trip to Praslin you have the opportunity to see the erotic shaped Coco De Mer palm of which there are both male and female species.  Near one of the palms is a large pen housing a collection of Aldabra giant tortoises.

National history Museum

This museum has a number of exhibits which makes a visit worthwhile, including the Possession Stone laid by the French when they claimed the Seychelles in 1756, the oldest map of the Seychelles drawn by Portuguese mariner in 1517 and the world’s smallest statuette of Queen Victoria.

Southern Mahe

The visit to the southern end of Mahe gives a glimpse of a more colonial Seychelles life.

There are several imposing colonial buildings one of which is the Creole Institute a research centre for promoting language and literature, and the other is the former coconut plantation of St Roche estate, which is now a craft village.  The house has been turned into a museum and there is also an on-site restaurant.  On the main drive into the Plantation there were a few brightly painted Creole bungalows were low call Artisans make and sell Island crafts such as jewellery, soap, bags and baskets, and paintings.  A distillery also produces a central oils from cinnamon, eucalyptus, patchouli and lemongrass.