Where to stay · Seychelles
Where to stay in Seychelles
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Beau Vallon. Mahé's main beach resort area on a long, sheltered north-west bay. Best alternatives — budget: Victoria.
Key facts
- First visit
- Beau Vallon
- Families
- Beau Vallon
- Budget
- Victoria
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Beau Vallon | Mahé's main beach resort area on a long, sheltered north-west bay |
| Families | Beau Vallon | Mahé's main beach resort area on a long, sheltered north-west bay |
| Couples | South Mahé | Wild beaches, surf and luxury resorts between Anse Takamaka and Anse Intendance |
| Budget | Victoria | One of the world's smallest capitals, with a market, clock tower and Creole cafés |
| Luxury | South Mahé | Wild beaches, surf and luxury resorts between Anse Takamaka and Anse Intendance |
| Food lovers | Victoria | One of the world's smallest capitals, with a market, clock tower and Creole cafés |
| Solo travellers | La Digue | Small island of bicycles, ox-carts and boulder beaches, 15 minutes from Praslin |
| Quiet stays | Anse Royale and the east coast | Sheltered reef-protected coves south of the airport, with spice gardens and local villages |
| Beach | Beau Vallon | Mahé's main beach resort area on a long, sheltered north-west bay |
Seychelles neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for culture, budget and food lovers
Victoria
Victoria on Mahé's north-east coast is a compact town of a few streets around the silver Clock Tower, the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market and the colourful Hindu temple on Quincy Street. It is the place for errands, banks, takeaway Creole lunches and the ferry jetty to Praslin and La Digue, but few visitors stay overnight.
- Good
- Central for buses and ferries; Cheap local food; Everyday Seychellois life
- Watch out
- No beach; Quiet in the evenings and on Sundays
- Nearby
- Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, Clock Tower, Inter-island ferry jetty, Botanical Gardens
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and budget
Beau Vallon
Beau Vallon has the longest easy swimming beach on Mahé, with calm water for much of the year, dive centres, water sports, guesthouses and several large hotels. Restaurants and a few bars line the road behind the sand, and Victoria is about 15 minutes away over the hill. Bel Ombre and the trail to Anse Major start at its western end.
- Good
- Swimmable beach most of the year; Wide choice of accommodation; Restaurants and dive centres
- Watch out
- The most developed beach on Mahé; Fewer granite boulders than the islands
- Nearby
- Beau Vallon beach, Bel Ombre, Anse Major trail, Victoria
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Anse Royale and the east coast
South of the airport, Anse Royale has a reef-protected lagoon good for snorkelling, a small island just offshore and self-catering guesthouses along the coast road. The Jardin du Roi spice garden sits on the hill above. It is convenient for exploring both the south and Victoria by bus or car.
- Good
- Good snorkelling from the beach; Self-catering options; Near the airport
- Watch out
- Coast road traffic; Seaweed on some beaches in the south-east trade-wind season
- Nearby
- Jardin du Roi, Anse Royale beach, Seychelles International Airport
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and quiet stays
South Mahé
The southern tip of Mahé has some of the island's most beautiful and least developed beaches — Anse Intendance, Anse Takamaka, Petite Anse and Police Bay — plus several high-end resorts and villas. Seas can be rough here, especially from May to October, so these are beaches for walking, sunbathing and careful swimming.
- Good
- Dramatic, quiet beaches; Top-end resorts; Sunset views
- Watch out
- Strong currents at some beaches; Car needed for most outings
- Nearby
- Anse Intendance, Anse Takamaka, Takamaka Rum distillery
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and couples
Côte d'Or, Praslin
Côte d'Or, also called Anse Volbert, is Praslin's main beach strip: a long curve of sand with shallow water, views across to Curieuse and Chauve Souris islets, and the island's best choice of guesthouses, restaurants and boat-trip operators. Anse Lazio is a short drive over the hill.
- Good
- Calm swimming; Boat trips leave from the beach; Restaurants within walking distance
- Watch out
- Busier than the rest of Praslin; Tidal flats at low tide in places
- Nearby
- Anse Volbert, Anse Lazio, Curieuse Island, Saint Pierre islet
$$ · Best for budget, quiet stays and culture
Grand Anse and Baie Sainte Anne, Praslin
Grand Anse on Praslin's west coast faces the sunset and has local villages, small hotels and the road up to the Vallée de Mai. Baie Sainte Anne on the south-east is where ferries arrive from Mahé and leave for La Digue. Both are practical bases with lower prices than Côte d'Or.
- Good
- Close to the ferry or airport; Good-value guesthouses; Sunsets on the west coast
- Watch out
- Beaches less sheltered at times; Fewer restaurants
- Nearby
- Vallée de Mai, Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve, Praslin airport, Baie Sainte Anne jetty
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, beach and solo travellers
La Digue
La Digue has few cars; visitors cycle or walk between La Passe, where ferries arrive, the L'Union Estate and its famous beaches. Guesthouses and small hotels cluster around La Passe, and roads lead to Anse Source d'Argent, Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos. Evenings are very quiet.
- Good
- Car-free, unhurried pace; Iconic beaches by bike; Walkable guesthouse village
- Watch out
- Limited dining and nightlife; Busy with day-trippers around midday
- Nearby
- Anse Source d'Argent, L'Union Estate, Grand Anse (La Digue), Veuve Reserve
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | $$ | Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, Clock Tower, Inter-island ferry jetty, Botanical Gardens |
| Beau Vallon | $$$ | Beau Vallon beach, Bel Ombre, Anse Major trail, Victoria |
| Anse Royale and the east coast | $$ | Jardin du Roi, Anse Royale beach, Seychelles International Airport |
| South Mahé | $$$$ | Anse Intendance, Anse Takamaka, Takamaka Rum distillery |
| Côte d'Or, Praslin | $$$ | Anse Volbert, Anse Lazio, Curieuse Island, Saint Pierre islet |
| Grand Anse and Baie Sainte Anne, Praslin | $$ | Vallée de Mai, Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve, Praslin airport, Baie Sainte Anne jetty |
| La Digue | $$$ | Anse Source d'Argent, L'Union Estate, Grand Anse (La Digue), Veuve Reserve |
Getting to your hotel
Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) is on Mahé's east coast, about 10 km south of Victoria and around 30 minutes by car to Beau Vallon. Domestic flights to Praslin Airport (PRI) take about 15–20 minutes and leave from the domestic terminal next door. Taxis, car hire desks and public buses on the coast road serve the airport.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Seychelles for first-time visitors?
Beau Vallon. Beau Vallon has the longest easy swimming beach on Mahé, with calm water for much of the year, dive centres, water sports, guesthouses and several large hotels.
+Where should families stay in Seychelles?
Beau Vallon: Swimmable beach most of the year.
+Which area of Seychelles is best for a budget stay?
Victoria ($$): One of the world's smallest capitals, with a market, clock tower and Creole cafés.