Highlights
Scuba Diving
Whatever your diving ability, you’re sure to find a dive site to suit you. Many of our featured hotels have their own qualified dive centres. The best diving conditions are between March and May and between October and November. Divers can expect to see an array of fish species, including Angel Fish, Butterfly Fish and Sweepers in the shallow inshore reefs. Soft corals and gorgonian fan corals can be seen at dive sites such as the Canyon, while larger fish, such as Giant Groupers and Ribbon-tailed Stingrays, can be found at more remote sites. The Inner islands are home to the spectacular Whale Shark, with peak viewing times in August and October.
Spas
For many, a spa treatment is a vital ingredient for the perfect holiday; soothing, calming, healing and relaxing. Recognising this, resorts and even tiny island boutique hotels, all feature a large pleasuredome or bijou spa. Treatments can range in duration from short 30-minute and hourly therapies, to all-day rituals, many incorporating the healing properties of plants, flowers and the ocean into the products used.
Golf
Constance Lemuria golf course overlooks not one, but three glorious beaches and a stunning expanse of the Indian Ocean. An 18-hole par-70 championship course, it presents a challenge to amateurs and professionals alike. The first twelve holes are at a low level, but from the thirteenth hole, the course ascends to higher levels and offers magnificent ocean views. Hotel guests enjoy complimentary green fees, whilst equipment hire, lessons and club cars (required due to the course’s terrain) are all available for hire.
Vallee de Mai National Park
The Seychelles is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, and Praslin’s Vallée de Mai, a primeval palm forest once believed to be the original site of the Garden of Eden and home to a collection of rare plants that flourish nowhere else on Earth. Walk through the amazing palm forest and discover the endemic coco-de-mer (sea coconut) – these trees are the bearers of the largest nut in the world, often referred to as ‘love nuts’ or the ‘double coconut’ due to their appearance. The forest is also home to the Black Parrot, the national bird of the Seychelles, which owes its existence to the palm forest.
Victoria
Victoria might be one of the smallest capital cities in the world, but it has plenty to offer visitors. Head over to the Natural History Museum for a complete account of the islands’ past; stroll through the Victoria Botanical Gardens, where amongst the spice and fruit trees you’ll find a population of Giant Tortoises, Fruit Bat colonies and an orchid house. The outdoor market is a colourful display of shops and stalls selling local herbs and spices, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as souvenirs. Visit the market in the early morning to watch fishmongers display an incredible variety of seafood.