Seychelles a nation of 115 islands, but here are 10 you can’t miss

2025 is the year the Seychelles decided it didn’t need filters. The Indian Ocean archipelago has 115 islands, but let’s be honest you’re not going to read a sentence about each of them. Instead, we’ve cherry‑picked 10 gems that capture the spirit of this eco‑conscious nation. From rain‑forested mountains to coral atolls where you share the beach with giant tortoises, here’s your insider guide to the islands locals love with a sprinkle of wry commentary and a few freshly baked social‑media quotes.

1. Mahé the big mama

Mahé isn’t just the biggest island in the Seychelles; it’s the place where everything happens. It houses the capital, Victoria, some 80,000 residents and an airport that looks like someone scattered toy planes on a coral runway. Hike the granite spires of Morne Seychellois National Park, wander through Sir Selwyn‑Selwyn‑Clarke Market for Creole curries and fresh fruit, and laze on beaches that go from crowd‑pleasing Beau Vallon to hidden coves. A 2025 travel roundup praised Mahé’s blend of sugar‑white beaches, rain forests and trendy cafés.

As one Instagrammer swooned,

2. Praslin palms, pirates and paradise

The second‑largest island is nicknamed the Island of Palms. Here you’ll find the UNESCO‑listed Vallée de Mai, where prehistoric coco de mer palms sprout double‑lobed seeds that inspired Victorian smut and are still policed by park rangers. Luxtripper’s 2025 list calls Praslin a must for its photogenic beaches, tiny St Pierre islet and trips to nearby Curieuse. Don’t skip Anse Lazio – a crescent of sand that regularly tops ‘world’s best’ lists or the chance to snorkel with hawksbill turtles.

Even the official tourism board went gooey in a September 2025 tweet:

3. La Digue: bikes and beaches

Trade cars for bicycles and cruise past granite cliffs and turquoise coves La Digue keeps it slow and stunning.

The island where time takes a nap. La Digue is small enough to circumnavigate by bicycle, which is handy because cars are mostly banned. It’s famous for Anse Source d’Argent probably the most photographed beach on earth but locals know the east‑coast trail past Grande Anse and Petite Anse is quieter. A 2025 round‑up gushed about the island’s laid‑back vibe and kayaking opportunities, while Audley Travel reminds visitors to respect the Creole community that still farms vanilla and copra.

4. Silhouette: green and glamorous

Ninety‑three per cent of Silhouette is protected national park; the rest is dominated by the five‑star Hilton Labriz Resort. Honeymooners come for spa treatments and private plunge pools, but adventurers love the jungle hikes to Mount Dauban and snorkelling on reefs teeming with parrotfish. It’s also home to the last resident population of the critically endangered Seychelles sheath‑tailed bat so shhhhh at night.

5. Bird Island: avian utopia

Want to pretend you’re Robinson Crusoe with Wi‑Fi? Bird Island hosts tens of thousands of sooty terns from May to October and has just a handful of eco‑friendly chalets. Luxtripper’s 2025 guide notes that you can stroll with giant tortoises and watch turtles nesting. The island team still runs conservation programmes that allow visitors to monitor hatchlings and release them at sunset.

6. Denis Island: farm‑to‑fork fantasy

Denis, a private island north of Mahé, proves luxury can be low‑key. Guests stay in beachfront cottages, cycle down jungle lanes and dine on food from the island’s own farm including milk from resident cows and daily catches. The 2025 travel round‑up praises its long beaches, coconut and almond groves and water‑sports options from diving to sailing. Conservation is big here: guests can help the island’s scientists tag birds and turtles.

7. Curieuse giant tortoise refuge

Two kilometres off Praslin, Curieuse is a marine national park and the Seychelles’ answer to Jurassic Park. Rangers protect more than 120 free‑roaming giant Aldabra tortoises and a mangrove forest with a raised boardwalk. The Baie Laraie to Anse Jose trail passes the ruins of a leper colony and Doctor’s House; the island’s history gives a sobering counterpoint to its beauty. The SPGA notes that the park charges an entry fee (R 300 for non‑residents) and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

8. Aldabra Atoll the wild frontier

Lying 1,100 km from Mahé, Aldabra is the world’s second‑largest coral atoll and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It harbours more than 100,000 giant tortoises along with coconut crabs, flamingos and the flightless Aldabra rail. Aqua Expeditions’ July 2025 article describes snorkelling with manta rays, reef sharks and dolphins in a lagoon teeming with 300 fish species. There are no hotels or airstrips – just a handful of research stations so visits are only possible via sustainable expedition cruises.

9. Cosmoledo: castaway luxury

Part of the Aldabra group, Cosmoledo reopened to travellers in 2025 after pandemic closures. TravelDailyNews reports that the atoll lies over 1,000 km from Mahé; you fly 90 minutes then boat another 90 minutes. The isolation means you share the reefs with hawksbill turtles, spinner dolphins and humpback whales. Blue Safari Seychelles operates a minimal‑impact eco‑camp where guides double as marine biologists, and the vibe is more Jacques Cousteau than Club Med.

10. Astove: the underwater ‘Grand Canyon’

South of Cosmoledo, Astove’s lagoon abruptly drops off into a 700‑metre wall covered in coral. Aqua Expeditions calls it the “Grand Canyon” of the Indian Ocean, noting in 2025 that divers regularly spot schools of bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon wrasse and sharks cruising along the vertical reef.

Some instagrammers who enjoyed the dive;

There’s a tiny eco‑lodge with space for a dozen guests; otherwise, visits happen via live‑aboard expedition vessels.

Pick your paradise

Seychelles may have 115 islands, but these 10 offer a taste of everything: bustling markets, rainforest trails, honeymoon hideaways, private‑island luxury and castaway atolls. Tourism numbers were up in 2025 with over 223,000 visitors in the first seven months, thanks to new air routes and an emphasis on authentic experiences like regattas, heritage festivals and community‑run nature trails.

As one witty traveller tweeted in 2025,

Whether you’re here for romance, wildlife or bragging rights, it’s high time you joined the choir singing the praises of this Indian Ocean eden.