Three islands, one ferry, and a bus that goes everywhere
Getting around
Seychelles is small and awkward in equal measure. Nothing is far away and almost nothing is direct.
Three islands, one ferry, and a bus that goes everywhere.
Seychelles is a hundred and fifteen islands, of which three hold almost everybody. Mahé has the airport, the capital and a proper road network. Praslin is an hour away by fast ferry. La Digue is fifteen minutes beyond Praslin and has almost no cars on it at all.
Getting between them is straightforward once you understand that the crossings are not evenly spaced and that the direct Mahé to La Digue route is the slow one. Everything else about moving around here is easier than it looks.
The photograph above: Mozzihh, CC BY-SA 4.0
The ferry, which is the spine of the country
The Cat Cocos runs Mahé to Praslin in an hour to an hour and a quarter, several times a day, from the quay at Victoria. Fifty-six euros one way for an adult plus a two euro port fee, and children from thirty-nine. Book ahead in season, because it genuinely sells out.
Praslin to La Digue is a different and much smaller boat, fifteen minutes, fifteen euros, and it runs far more often. The Mahé to La Digue journey is about two hours with the change at Praslin, or an hour and a half on the direct weekend sailing. That asymmetry is why every itinerary we write goes Mahé, Praslin, La Digue.
The domestic flight, and when it is worth it
Air Seychelles flies Mahé to Praslin in fifteen minutes on a Twin Otter, from seventy-five euros and up to about a hundred and thirty-five. It is one of the shortest scheduled flights anywhere and the view on the way is the reason most people take it.
It is worth the money when your flight into Mahé lands late and the last ferry has gone, when somebody in the party genuinely cannot face an hour on a boat, or when you are trying to save half a day at the end of a short trip. Otherwise the ferry is cheaper, more frequent and no more trouble.
Hiring a car on Mahé
Mahé is the only island where a car changes the holiday, and there it changes it completely. The road runs the whole way round, the island is small enough to cross in twenty minutes, and the difference between the calm coast and the windy one is a short drive rather than a lost fortnight.
From forty-five euros a day, automatic, no deposit, handed over at the airport, the ferry quay or your hotel. Driving is on the left, the roads are narrow and steep in places, and the only genuinely demanding stretch is the mountain road over the middle of the island, which is worth doing once in daylight.
A car, delivered
Ten cars, no deposit, handed over at the airport, the jetty or your hotel. The small ones do the whole of Mahé and the Jimny does the hill roads.
See the fleetCars on Praslin, and no cars on La Digue
Praslin has a smaller road network and hire cars are available, usually with a minimum of three days. It is worth it if you are staying more than a couple of nights or if you want Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio on your own schedule.
La Digue has almost no private cars. It has bicycles, a handful of taxis and an ox cart or two for photographs. The island is five kilometres across and a bicycle is genuinely the right way to see it, including with children.
The bus, which is better than you expect
The SPTC bus network covers the whole of Mahé and most of Praslin, it is cheap, it runs frequently on the main routes, and the terminal in Victoria is the hub of it. It is used by everybody rather than by tourists, which is part of the appeal.
It is not fast and it does not run late. Buses stop early in the evening and the last one back from a distant beach goes earlier than you would like. Use it in the day, and do not plan a dinner around it.
Taxis and transfers, and the difference
A taxi is metered or negotiated at the kerb and takes you somewhere now. A transfer is arranged in advance at a fixed price with a driver who is already watching your flight number. For an arrival at eleven at night with luggage and children, the second one is worth every cent of the difference.
For everything else in daylight, a taxi is fine and our taxi page publishes the usual fare ranges so that you know what you are agreeing to before you get in.
Putting it together
Mahé: hire a car for the whole stay. Praslin: a car if you are there more than two nights, otherwise taxis and the bus. La Digue: a bicycle, always. Between the islands: the ferry, booked in advance, in the morning.
Arrival and departure: a fixed-price transfer at both ends. Those are the six decisions and they cover the whole country.
Getting around, in six frames.
Photographs, under Creative Commons: A.Savin, FAL Florival fr, CC BY-SA 4.0 shankar s., CC BY 4.0 Radosław Botev, CC0
What people ask.
How do you get between the islands in Seychelles?
The Cat Cocos fast ferry from Victoria to Praslin takes an hour to an hour and a quarter and costs fifty-six euros one way for an adult plus a two euro port fee. Praslin to La Digue is a smaller boat, fifteen minutes and fifteen euros, running much more often.
Do you need a car in Seychelles?
On Mahé, yes, and it changes the holiday. On Praslin it is worth it if you are staying more than two nights. On La Digue there are almost no cars and a bicycle is genuinely the right answer.
Is the bus any good?
Yes. The SPTC network covers Mahé and most of Praslin, it is cheap, frequent on the main routes and used by everybody. It stops early in the evening, so use it in the day and do not plan dinner around it.
Should we fly or take the ferry to Praslin?
The ferry, unless your flight lands after the last sailing, somebody cannot face an hour on a boat, or you are trying to save half a day at the end of a short trip. The flight is fifteen minutes and from seventy-five euros.
Which side of the road do they drive on?
The left, the same as India. The roads are narrow and steep in places and the mountain road across the middle of Mahé is the only genuinely demanding stretch. Drive it once in daylight.
What is the difference between a taxi and a transfer?
A taxi is negotiated at the kerb and takes you somewhere now. A transfer is arranged in advance at a fixed price with a driver watching your flight number. For a late arrival with luggage the second is worth the difference.
One car, one ferry booking, two transfers
Send the islands and the dates and Meera will put the whole movement of the trip together in one message, with the crossings timed to the morning sea.