Overview

Mahe Island has numerous attractions and sightseeing opportunities for holiday makers. The Seychelles Natural History Museum is fascinating and has a wide collection of significant artefacts and artworks. The Big Ben replica Clock Tower in the centre of Victoria is one of the most recognised landmarks on the island. The National Botanical Gardens in Victoria have an extensive collection of native flowers and fauna and provide a great spot for family picnics.

National Botanical Gardens

Situated in the capital of Victoria, the National Botanical Gardens of Seychelles are truly spectacular with their wide range of indigenous and exotic flowers and fauna. The 15 acres of manicured land has numerous open grass areas perfect for a family picnic. There is also a restaurant serving local Creole cuisine and a gift shop with local handmade souvenirs.

Mission Lodge

Built in the late 19th century by Christian missionaries, Mission Lodge served as an industrial school to educate the children of former slaves. The school had a working farm and boarding rooms for the students. The site today is in ruins and a tourist attraction with an interesting history. From the lodge breathtaking views of the west coast of Mahe Island can be enjoyed. The spot is great for bird watching, with native glide birds soaring in the sea breeze.

Clock Tower

This clock tower located in the centre of Victoria on Independence Avenue is an exact replica of the famous Big Ben in London, England. Built in the early 1900s, the clock tower is one of the most well-known landmarks in the city of Victoria. The one-time Seychelles governor Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott loved Big Ben so much he ordered a replica to be built in the capital, Victoria.

Seychelles Natural History Museum

Located on Independence Avenue in the heart of Victoria, the Seychelles Natural History Museum is filled with artefacts, artworks and examples of extinct animals and fauna native to the Seychelles. There are pieces from a historic 16th century shipwreck and the original Stone of Possession, which the French used in 1756 to claim rights to the island group. There are guided tours available, which are recommended to get the most out of the visit.

Tea Factory

The Tea Factory on Mahe Island is situated on Sans Souci Road, close to the centre of Victoria. The factory includes a thriving tea plantation and a small scale manufacturing plant. Tours of the tea factory are fascinating and knowledgeable guides are on hand to show you the different flavours of tea and how they are processed into what you drink. There are tastings of the various flavours and a small restaurant onsite serving mainly sweets and cakes.

Overview

The natural surrounds and varied landscape allow for a wide variety of sports and activities to be enjoyed on the island of Mahe. There are deep-sea fishing trips on which you can catch large marlin and local dog tooth tuna. The mountainous terrain allows for great hiking and climbing opportunities while the warm waters provide a host of water activities from waterskiing to scuba diving and snorkelling.

Deep-sea fishing

The warm Indian Ocean waters surrounding Mahe Island provide a tropical paradise for deep-sea fishing, with a large variety of fish available including barracuda, marlin, sailfish, dog tooth tuna, bonito and reef shark. There are several tour companies that offer daytrips that provide all food, drink and equipment. Private boat charter is also an option, with numerous vessels available varying in size. Fishing lovers are guaranteed to have a fantastic time.

Scuba diving and snorkelling

The waters around the Seychelles are fantastic for scuba diving and snorkelling, with visibility up to 30 metres and water temperature averaging around 27˚C. There are over 300 species of fish and hundreds of coral varieties. Mahe Island has some great spots and an abundance of marine life. There are numerous PADI accredited dive centres on the island providing daytrips and lessons.

Hiking and climbing

With the highest mountaintops rising over 900 metres, Mahe Island has some great hiking and climbing opportunities available. The mountains have thick rainforest and a host of native flowers and fauna to see as well as fascinating wildlife creatures. One of the best treks is through the southern hills of Mahe Island between Anse Royale and Anse a la Mouche. There are several well-managed adventure companies that provide safe and enjoyable tours of the beautiful landscape.

Beach water sports

The island of Mahe has numerous breathtaking beaches around the coastline which are perfect for enjoying fun water activities. There is windsurfing, kite boarding, catamaran sailing, paragliding, jet-skiing, wake boarding and water skiing. Most of the beachside hotels and resorts have a variety of watercraft for hire and some resorts provide equipment at no extra cost for guests. The warm water and year-round good weather provide a great environment for enjoying water-based sports.

Horseback riding

There are several beaches on Mahe Island that provide horseback riding for holiday makers. There is the Utegangar Riding Centre, which is located on the west coast in the Barbarons district on a small and secluded beach named Anse Cimitiere. There are English-speaking staff that offer guided trips along the beach and lessons for those wanting to learn to ride solo. Children will love spending half a day here or longer and there are several restaurants to enjoy lunch.

Dining and shopping

The dining scene on Mahe Island is vast and varied, with a good selection of both local and international flavours and cuisines from around the world including French, Italian, Japanese and Thai. There are numerous beachside restaurants offering superb views of the ocean as well as charming local eateries in the main town of Victoria.

Being surrounded by water, many of the restaurants on the island specialise in seafood dishes, taking advantage of the fresh local catch. Local Seychelles cuisine is a mixture of the island's diverse cultures. Coconut curries and seafood dishes with lots of spice and flavours are popular.

When visiting the Seychelles you should try some of the fish dishes prepared in a variety of ways. The local red snapper cooked in a spicy red coconut sauce is popular, as is the barbequed version where the whole fish is stuffed with garlic, chillies and local spices then wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked slowly over hot charcoals. The islands are also home to numerous tropical fruits including jamalac, which is a soft cone-shaped fruit that is similar to apple in taste.

For fine dining and modern contemporary cuisine, Mahe Island has a multitude of choices, with most of the five-star hotels providing international menus prepared by world-class chefs. The Bayan Tree Seychelles resort located on the southwest coast of the island has a fantastic restaurant serving modern contemporary European fusion. The restaurant is perfectly located with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean.

For shopping, Mahe Island has a surprising selection of retail outlets and market stalls. The capital city of Victoria has numerous clothing boutiques selling the latest fashions as well as fantastic markets with a wide selection of locally made goods. You will also find that most of the major hotels on the island have shops and boutiques that sell a wide range of interesting souvenirs.

The central Anse aux Pins district on the east coast of Mahe Island has a great little craft village that has wide selection of local souvenirs. The Seypot Factory in Victoria is where you will find quality handmade ceramics such as decorative plates and statues. They offer international posting, which makes shopping much easier as you don't need to worry about getting your purchases home.

Campion Hall in Victoria has a large collection of artworks by local artists for sale. There are also numerous other galleries throughout the city selling interesting and creative pieces that have a distinct Seychelles style.

The markets in Victoria sell a variety of goods from seashells and sharks teeth to fragrant spices and handmade jewellery. Some of the more popular souvenirs tourists buy include woven baskets, beach hats and beaded necklaces. You will also find vendors selling their wares along numerous beaches around the island.

Mahe Island in the Seychelles has a great dining scene with a host of restaurant choices serving the local Creole cuisine and also numerous international influenced menus. There are plenty of beachside restaurants that are perfect for a relaxing lunch or dinner.

Overview

The most common way for getting to Mahe Island is by plane via the international airport in the capital of Victoria. Flights arrive from around the world on a daily basis. Travelling around the Seychelles Islands is possible by small plane with the local airline carrier, helicopter, high-speed catamaran or slow ferry. On Mahe Island, public transport consists of taxis and a daily bus service. Bicycles and mopeds are popular and can be hired in all major towns.

Airports

Situated just 10 kms from the capital city of Victoria is Seychelles International Airport, which handles flights from destinations around the world including London, Rome, Paris, Milan, Johannesburg, Dubai, Singapore and Doha. The airport also services carriers that fly between the numerous islands of the region.

Seychelles International Airport has two terminals and a host of facilities including duty-free shops, currency exchange, banking and postal services, restaurants, bars, parking and hire car rental.

From the airport there is a variety of transport options for travelling to your hotel including taxis, coaches, mini buses and rental cars. The bus service extends to most parts of the island and provides an inexpensive mode of transport. Taxis are the most convenient way to travel to your hotel and are relatively cheap. Most hotels offer a pick up service so it is worth checking beforehand.

Public transportation

Travel around the Seychelles Islands is possible by helicopter, small plane and boat. Helicopter Seychelles is the local operator and provides shuttles between most of the main islands. Helicopters can also be chartered to some of the smaller outer islands as well as for scenic flights to explore the archipelago.

Air Seychelles is the local air carrier and has daily flights to Victoria from other islands in the Seychelles including Bird, Alphonse, Assumption, Fregate, Denis and Desroches. There are also occasional flights to smaller surrounding islands such as Grande Seour, Curieuse, Cousin and Felicite.

Travelling by boat is a comfortable and fast mode of transport, with Cat Cocos high-speed catamarans making round trips between Mahe Island and Praslin Island. There is also a slower ferry service that travels between Praslin Island and La Digue Island.

On Mahe Island there are both public buses and taxis available for travelling about. The public bus service runs all day from early morning to early evening and covers the majority of towns. Buses can be somewhat unreliable but are very cheap to use.

The taxis on Mahe Island can be found around any tourist area and are relatively inexpensive to use. Make sure to agree on a price before your journey to avoid any nnecessary disputes. Hiring a car on the island is a popular choice as it allows you to explore the island and stop off where you like. Hire cars are quite cheap and the roads are safe.

One of the most popular modes of transport is bicycle, with the majority of locals riding bikes. You will find a plethora of bicycle and moped hire shops in all the main towns.