Things to do in Mahe
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Mahe
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Calm transition windows, the best snorkelling at Fairyland and Anse Soleil and the best all-round weather.
South-east trades: drier and breezier, rougher and weedier south and east coasts, the west coast sheltered.
North-west monsoon: hot and wettest in December and January, the south-east at its calmest, turtle nesting October to March.
What's on
- Festival Kreol October, closing 29 to 31 October in 2026
The national Creole festival centred on Victoria, with music, exhibitions and Creole food across the island.
- Turtle nesting season October to March
Hawksbill and green turtles nest on beaches including Anse Intendance and Anse Forbans; watch from a distance.
Best things to do in Mahe
Anse Intendance
Mahe's wild southern tip beach for scenery and sunset, with swimming ruled out by currents all year.
Anse Takamaka
A postcard south-west bay with takamaka shade, calm snorkelling in season and tortoises by the restaurant.
Baie Lazare Beach
The wide resort bay on the south-west coast, a shelving swim and sunset beach shared with local families.
Anse Soleil
A small golden bay with deep clear water and strong shore snorkelling along the granite rocks.
Petite Anse
The sheltered Four Seasons bay, very blue water for swimming and snorkelling, entered through the resort.
Anse Royale Beach
The south-east's main beach, reef sheltered and shallow, with the village shops and cafes behind the sand.
Anse Forbans
A quiet reef protected family beach in the deep south-east, with snorkelling offshore and turtle nesting.
Anse aux Pins
A kilometre of very shallow reef sheltered water near the airport, made for families and low tide wading.
Where to stay in Mahe
Anse Royale and Au Cap
all-round south-east base, value and village life
A reef beach, shops, takeaways and every tier of stay on one strip, with buses to Victoria and the airport.
Baie Lazare and Petite Anse
resort splurge and quiet
Beautiful south-west water and the island's luxury cluster, with almost nothing independent nearby, so a car or resort dining is part of the deal.
Anse Forbans and Takamaka
quiet self-catering and families
Calm reef beaches, chalets and villas at the island's best beachfront value, and guaranteed early nights.
Anse Louis
ultra splurge and seclusion
One peninsula, one resort, total privacy; a stay-put base, not a touring base.
Anse aux Pins
airport-side budget and families
Shallow local beach, golf and the craft village nearby, minutes from the airport; plainer than the south-west bays.
Think twice about
- Anse Intendance and the southern tip as a swimming base
Southern tip beaches are not suitable for swimming at any time, and the old resort there is demolished. Stay for the view, swim elsewhere.
- Unlit south coast roads and isolated beaches after dark
Villages close early and roads are unlit; isolated areas at night carry opportunistic theft risk. Take a taxi and leave nothing in parked cars.
Best restaurants in Mahe
L'Indochine
The Kempinski signature restaurant, seafood and Asian fusion a la carte in the evenings.
Chez Batista
The beach restaurant on Anse Takamaka, famous for its Sunday Creole buffet and grilled fish.
Maria's Rock Cafe
A pirate themed cafe among granite boulders, where seafood cooks at your table on hot rock.
Kafe Kreol
The Anse Royale beach restaurant for homemade Creole and Italian food, open long hours daily.
Surfers Beach Restaurant
A beach deck restaurant on the south-east road for grilled fish, fish soup and cocktails.
Maison Marengo
Creole seafood inside the craft village at Au Cap, turning the village stop into lunch.
Anchor Cafe
A local Creole and seafood cafe on the west coast road, the lunch stop of the cross island loop.
Cafe/Restaurant Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden
The spice garden cafe above Anse Royale, Creole dishes and spice ice creams with a coast view.
Outdoor things to do in Mahe
Sauzier Waterfall
Mahe's accessible waterfall at Port Glaud, dropping into a deep swimmable pool under the forest.
Fairyland Beach
The snorkel end of Anse Royale bay, where the reef sits close in over shallow calm water.
Seychelles Golf Club
The 9 hole course at Anse aux Pins, one of very few in Seychelles, played twice for 18 holes.
Silhouette Island
A roadless national park island reached by resort boat, with forest hikes and marine park snorkelling.
Best hotels in Mahe
Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas
Thirty private pool villas on the Anse Louis peninsula, each with a dedicated villa host.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Hillside pool villas above Petite Anse, the default couples splurge of the south-west.
Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts
A small luxury house on Baie Lazare with waterfront villas and a calmer, more adult feel.
Kempinski Seychelles Resort
The big Baie Lazare resort, with a long pool, spa, dive centre and L'Indochine restaurant.
laïla, Seychelles, a Tribute Portfolio Resort
The Marriott on Anse Royale beach, resort comfort with the village strip at walking distance.
DoubleTree by Hilton Seychelles - Allamanda Resort and Spa
A small Hilton resort on calm Anse Forbans, about 30 rooms with an infinity pool over the bay.
Le Nautique Beachfront Apartments
Beachfront self catering apartments at Anse Royale with kitchens, terraces and direct beach access.
Anse Soleil Beachcomber
A small family run hotel above Anse Soleil beach, with guest snorkelling kit and canoes.
Is Mahe expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | SCR 1,600 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | SCR 4,200 a person |
| Splurge | SCR 14,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Silhouette Island: weeks ahead
- Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas: months ahead
- Four Seasons Resort Seychelles: months ahead
- Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts: weeks ahead
- Kempinski Seychelles Resort: weeks ahead
- laïla, Seychelles, a Tribute Portfolio Resort: weeks ahead
- DoubleTree by Hilton Seychelles - Allamanda Resort and Spa: weeks ahead
- Le Nautique Beachfront Apartments: a few days ahead
- Book the small Anse Forbans and Takamaka self catering stock early at any season; there are very few units.
- Arrange a Silhouette day with the Hilton Labriz resort or an operator days ahead; there is no public ferry.
- Reserve L'Indochine, Maria's Rock Cafe and the Chez Batista Sunday buffet in season.
Is Mahe safe?
- Crime is mostly opportunistic: be alert in isolated areas at night and never leave valuables in cars or on beaches.
- Southern tip beaches are unsuitable for swimming at any time; the safe coast flips with the trade winds.
- Drug penalties are severe, up to life imprisonment, including at airport transit. Emergency number 999.
Mahe travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Anse Intendance sold as a swimming beach; it is a scenery beach and the southern tip does not swim.
- The demolished Banyan Tree at Intendance still appearing in old listings; it closed in June 2020.
- Paying the Jardin du Roi garden ticket twice in effect, once at the gate and again after lunch; settle it before ordering.
- Lookalike Travel Authorisation sites that overcharge for the official permit.
Getting around Mahe: public transport and more
- Hire a car for a southern base; Victoria is 40 minutes to over an hour from the far south and buses stop by about 8pm.
- Driving is on the left on narrow, steep roads with deep storm drains; taxis are expensive, so agree the fare first if there is no meter.
- SPTC buses serve Anse Royale, Anse aux Pins and Baie Lazare by day for a flat fare of a few rupees.
Who Mahe suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Mahe your trip
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