At a Glance
- Explore secret islands and natural reserves that reveal Seychelles’ raw, untouched beauty.
- Experience eco-friendly travel across remote atolls, pristine beaches, and lush forests.
- Find tranquility in lesser-known Seychelles spots far from crowded resorts and bustle.
Seychelles, a chain of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, has long been the face of tropical beauty.
Its beaches shimmer like fine sugar, its coral reefs glow with life, and its forested hills roll toward the sea. Honeymooners and luxury seekers have long flocked to its better-known islands, Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, but there’s more to the story. Tucked away are places where time slows, crowds thin, and the islands still feel untouched.
Before heading off, visitors are urged to tread lightly. The country’s fragile ecosystem depends on responsible travel. Eat in Creole-run kitchens, buy spices or fruit at small markets, and book with operators who respect local conservation rules.
Most travelers arrive through Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) on Mahé, with ferries and short flights linking the smaller islands. Lodging ranges from modest beach chalets to five-star eco-resorts that blend comfort with care for the environment.
For travelers ready to wander off the familiar route, these little-known corners show a side of Seychelles that’s quiet, deeply natural, and often unforgettable.
Seychelles is more than its postcard beaches. It’s a place where life still moves by nature’s clock, where silence can feel like luxury, and beauty seems effortless.
Shore Africa profiles 10 of the islands’ hidden corners, reminding travelers that paradise doesn’t always need polishing, sometimes, it just needs to be left alone.
1. Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve
Deep in Praslin Island’s interior lies Vallée de Mai, a pocket of ancient forest often described as the “Garden of Eden.” This UNESCO World Heritage Site shelters the famed coco de mer palm, known for its giant double nut. A walk under its canopy feels almost sacred, the light filters through thick leaves, the air hums with insects, and somewhere, a Seychelles black parrot calls out. It’s nature speaking in its original voice.
2. Aldabra Atoll
Nearly 1,000 kilometers from Mahé, Aldabra is as remote as it gets. The world’s second-largest coral atoll is home to some 150,000 giant tortoises and countless seabirds. Sea turtles nest undisturbed along its shores. Access is tightly controlled to protect its rare ecosystem, but those lucky enough to visit often say it feels like stepping into an earlier age, wild, silent, and almost otherworldly.
3. Morne Seychellois National Park
Covering close to a fifth of Mahé, Morne Seychellois National Park dominates the island’s skyline. Trails twist through misty rainforests and granite cliffs to the island’s highest peak, rising 905 meters above the sea. The climb is steep, but the reward is sweeping, emerald hills spilling into turquoise coves, the kind of view that stops you mid-breath.
4. Curieuse Island
Just across the water from Praslin, Curieuse Island once served as a leper colony. Today, it’s a sanctuary for giant tortoises and mangrove forests. Visitors can hike from Anse St. José to Baie Laraie, snorkel over bright coral gardens, or paddle through quiet mangrove channels. The island’s story, from isolation to renewal, mirrors the broader spirit of the Seychelles: resilience, patience, and care for what endures.
5. Silhouette Island
Silhouette feels like Seychelles before the tourist rush. Fewer than 200 people live here, and much of the island remains wild, thick jungle, granite peaks, and deserted beaches. It has one eco-luxury resort and little else. Visitors come to switch off: swim, walk, breathe, and let the sound of the ocean take over. It’s a place where days drift by slowly, without hurry or plan.
6. La Digue Island
La Digue moves at its own pace. Bicycles replace cars, and ox carts still clatter along narrow lanes. Most travelers come for the famous Anse Source d’Argent beach, but the island’s real charm lies inland, in the quiet lanes lined with Creole homes, small farms, and palm groves. The best way to explore is simply to wander. On foot. Barefoot, if you like.
7. Sainte Anne Marine National Park
A short boat ride from Mahé brings you to the Sainte Anne Marine Park, where the sea turns into a world of color. Beneath the surface, parrotfish, rays, and turtles glide through coral gardens. Snorkelers can spend hours drifting over reefs just a few meters deep. It’s close enough for a day trip, yet feels far removed from the bustle of the main island.
8. Aride Island Nature Reserve
Aride is for the birds, quite literally. More than a million seabirds nest here each year, from frigatebirds to roseate terns. The island is a strictly protected reserve, so visits are guided and limited. Those who come are rewarded with dramatic cliffs, open ocean views, and a powerful sense of isolation. It’s raw, wind-swept Seychelles, nature in command.
9. Moyenne Island
Inside the Sainte Anne Marine Park, Moyenne Island has its own kind of magic. It was once the private passion of Brendon Grimshaw, a British journalist who bought it and spent decades replanting trees and reintroducing wildlife. Today, trails weave past pirate graves, viewpoints, and shaded clearings. It’s small enough to walk in an hour, yet full of stories.
10. Anse Intendance
Mahé’s southern coast hides Anse Intendance, one of the island’s most photogenic beaches. The sand stretches in a long, clean arc between forested hills and rolling surf. When the sea is calm, it’s perfect for swimming; when it’s not, it’s still perfect for watching. Few places catch the light, and the spirit of Seychelles, quite like this one.
