Seychelles Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Praslin, Curieuse Island and Cousin Island

Board your yacht at the Praslin anchorage by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and champagne toast on the flybridge, cruise the short distance to Curieuse Island Marine National Park. Anchor in the sheltered bay and tender ashore to walk among 300 free-roaming Aldabra giant tortoises – gentle creatures, some over a century old, that wander the paths and beach without concern. Visit the tortoise nursery and the coco de mer grove, then return to the yacht for lunch. In the afternoon, cruise to Cousin Island Special Reserve for a guided nature walk among endemic birds and, during nesting season (October to March), hawksbill-turtle monitoring. Snorkel the surrounding reef before returning to anchor off Praslin for dinner aboard.

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue and Félicité

Depart early and cruise to La Digue – just 4 nautical miles from Praslin, under an hour. Anchor off the western shore and tender to Anse Source d’Argent before the day-trippers arrive. Walk through the L’Union Estate coconut plantation and emerge onto the beach: granite boulders sculpted over 750 million years, white sand, turquoise shallows and a silence broken only by the wash of the Indian Ocean. Snorkel the warm, clear water among tropical fish, then return to the yacht for lunch. In the afternoon, cruise to nearby Félicité Island – almost deserted, with vast stretches of pristine white sand and excellent snorkelling. Anchor overnight in Félicité’s sheltered bay.

Aride Island and Praslin Farewell

Rise early and cruise north-west to Aride Island Special Reserve – roughly 10 nautical miles from Praslin. Aride is one of the most important seabird islands in the Indian Ocean, and the surrounding reef offers exceptional snorkelling among healthy coral, hawksbill turtles and abundant reef fish. After a guided nature walk on the island, return to the yacht for a farewell lunch on the aft deck. Cruise back to Praslin in the early afternoon, stopping at Anse Lazio for a final swim in the granite-boulder shallows before disembarkation.

Mahé – Sainte Anne Marine Park and Beau Vallon

Board your yacht at Eden Island Marina mid-morning. Cruise to Sainte Anne Marine National Park for a morning snorkel over the healthy, protected reef – parrotfish, turtles, sergeant majors and colourful soft corals in calm, clear water. Your chef serves lunch on the aft deck as the yacht repositions around Mahé’s north coast to Beau Vallon Bay. Spend the afternoon snorkelling, swimming or simply lounging on the swim platform with a cold drink. Dinner aboard at anchor, with the lights of Victoria twinkling across the bay.

Silhouette Island – Jungle, Reefs and Solitude

Depart Beau Vallon mid-morning and cruise north-west to Silhouette Island – roughly 12 nautical miles, about 2 hours. Silhouette is the third-largest inner island, with 93% of its land designated as a national park and a surrounding marine national park. Anchor in the serene western bay and tender ashore for a jungle walk through some of the richest tropical forest in the Indian Ocean – dense vegetation, endemic plants and a genuine sense of wilderness. Return to the yacht for lunch, then spend the afternoon snorkelling the marine-park reef – soft corals, granite-boulder gardens and abundant fish life in warm, clear water. Dinner aboard at anchor, with Silhouette’s 740-metre peak silhouetted against the sunset.

Mahé West Coast – Baie Ternay, Port Launay and Anse Major

Cruise south from Silhouette back towards Mahé’s western coast. Arrive at Baie Ternay Marine National Park for a morning snorkel in the sheltered, beginner-friendly bay – granite-boulder gardens, sea fans and schools of tropical fish in 5–8 metres. Continue south to Port Launay Marine Park for a second dive or snorkel among protected reef systems. Your chef prepares lunch at anchor in the bay, with the jungle-clad mountains rising steeply behind. In the late afternoon, cruise to Anse Major – a secluded beach accessible only by boat or a steep trail – for a sunset swim in complete privacy. Overnight at anchor off the west coast.

Victoria Market, Shark Bank and Return

Cruise to Eden Island Marina early and tender to Victoria for a morning visit to the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market. Browse the fish stalls, tropical-fruit vendors and spice merchants, provision fresh ingredients for your onboard chef, and explore the quiet streets of the world’s smallest capital city. Return to the yacht for brunch, then cruise to Shark Bank – a granite formation at 18–30 metres depth where grey reef sharks, nurse sharks and pelagic species patrol dramatic underwater canyons. This is the Seychelles’ premier open-water dive site, suitable for experienced divers. Return to Eden Island Marina by late afternoon for disembarkation.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Praslin–La Digue route with the 4-day Mahé route for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering the full inner-island archipelago – giant tortoises, UNESCO heritage, granite-boulder beaches, marine parks and Creole culture – without repeating a single stop.

Mahé to Praslin via North Island

Depart Eden Island Marina mid-morning and cruise north-east towards Praslin. Stop en route at North Island – one of the most exclusive and pristine islands in the archipelago, with dense indigenous vegetation and one of the world’s largest coral reefs nearby. Snorkel the reef (worth multiple dives) and marvel at the untouched landscape. After lunch on the aft deck, continue to Praslin – roughly 30 nautical miles total from Mahé. Anchor in a sheltered bay on Praslin’s western coast for the evening. If time allows, tender ashore for a late-afternoon walk through the Vallée de Mai. Dinner aboard.

Curieuse, Cousin and Anse Lazio

Cruise to Curieuse Island for a morning with the giant tortoises and coco de mer grove. Return to the yacht for a mid-morning snorkel in the marine-park waters. After lunch, cruise to Cousin Island Special Reserve for a guided nature walk and hawksbill-turtle viewing (October to March nesting season). Finish the day at Anse Lazio on Praslin’s north-west coast – an afternoon swim and snorkel in what many consider the most beautiful bay in the Indian Ocean. Anchor off Praslin for dinner aboard.

La Digue, Anse Source d’Argent and Félicité

An early start for the short cruise to La Digue. Tender to Anse Source d’Argent at dawn for the beach at its most magical – no crowds, soft light on the granite boulders, warm water lapping at your ankles. After the beach, explore La Digue by bicycle – the island is just 5 kilometres long and virtually car-free. Return to the yacht for lunch, then cruise to Félicité for an afternoon of pristine snorkelling and beach lounging. Overnight at anchor off Félicité.

Aride Island and Passage Back to Mahé

Cruise north to Aride Island Special Reserve for a morning of seabird watching and reef snorkelling. After lunch on the aft deck, set course south-west for Mahé – roughly 40 nautical miles from Aride, about 4–5 hours. Your crew serves afternoon tea as the inner islands slide past. Arrive off Mahé’s north coast by early evening and anchor in Beau Vallon Bay for dinner aboard or ashore at one of the bay’s beachfront restaurants.

Silhouette Island, Baie Ternay and Farewell

Depart Beau Vallon early and cruise to Silhouette Island for a morning jungle walk through the national park and a snorkel on the surrounding marine-park reef. After lunch at anchor, cruise south to Baie Ternay Marine National Park for a final snorkel in the granite-boulder gardens. Return to Eden Island Marina by late afternoon for disembarkation – or tender to Victoria for a farewell dinner at Marie-Antoinette, one of the Indian Ocean’s most celebrated Creole restaurants.

The 5-day Grand Inner-Island Circuit provides a comprehensive Seychelles experience. Guests with more time can extend to 7–8 days by adding a circumnavigation of Mahé and additional satellite-island visits, creating the definitive Indian Ocean yacht charter.