Mahe Highlights: A Day Trip Through Seychelles' Largest Island
An aerial view of Mahé’s stunning coastline, where turquoise waters meet lush green landscapes. The perfect blend of natural beauty and island charm.
Uncovering Mahé: Beyond Beaches – Culture, Nature, and Hidden Treasures
On this trip, it’s my fourth time to the beautiful Seychelles islands (actually an archipelago of some 115 islands in total), with the three main islands, in order of (descending) size being Mahé, Praslin, then La Digue. Although I’ve stayed on Mahé before (at Constance Ephelia) this was Christmas time and a relatively short stay at the end of a trip to other islands. So, to be honest I hadn’t really seen much of the main Mahé island, other than flying over it multiple times, whether this was arriving on departing on international flights, taking inter-island flights with Air Seychelles, or helicopter rides with Zil Air to some resorts directly.
The iconic ‘I ❤️ Seychelles’ sign in the heart of Victoria, a must-see for visitors capturing the spirit of the islands.
This time, staying first for five nights on Mahé (at a Mason’s Travel owned hotel, Carana Beach) the Seychelles Tourism Board helped correct that anomaly, and organised a wonderful day out taking in many of the sites of the capital island. We found out from Gilly (our great driver and guide for the day) that about 75% of the islands’ economy comes from tourism, and that they were first discovered in 1502, became independent in 1976 (and actually we missed the annual Independence Day celebrations this year by just a day), joining the Commonwealth in 1991 when the islands had their first multi-party elections.
A Day Trip to the Capital, Victoria
Our first stop for the day was into the capital, Victoria, where we first walked to see the little Big Ben clock, which had been built (in part with what seemed to be very early crowd-funding) to commemorate the passing of Queen Victoria in 1901, the islands still being a British Colony at that time. This was completed in 1903.
The richly detailed Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Hindu Temple in Victoria, Seychelles, with its colourful carvings and striking tower.
We then walked around to The Immaculate Conception Cathedral or simply called the Cathedral of Victoria, with its adjacent clock tower and a really interesting old building which is still used by the monks of the Cathedral. The Cathedral itself had the most amazing stained glass windows throughout, and some incredibly intricate and depictive carved wooden doors.
A beautiful Anglican church in Victoria, Seychelles, with its arched windows and towering steeple.
Although much simpler in style, we then walked back to the Anglican church of St. Paul, which was elevated to the status of a cathedral by Bishop Alan Francis Rogers of Mauritius. The Anglican diocese of Victoria was established on 3rd April 1973. Next to this was the Hindu Temple, which we were also able to get into as long as you took off your shoes, and it was interesting to see the various shrines inside and all the decorations.
Victoria (Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke) Market
The vibrant Victoria Market in Seychelles, where locals and visitors alike shop for fresh produce and handmade goods.
As I understand it, this is closed on a Sunday but open every other day of the week. It’s not a huge market, but is indeed a bustling, colourful marketplace featuring fresh local produce (fish, meats, fruits and vegetables) along with spices, some handicrafts & souvenirs. Built in 1840 and renovated in 1999, it remains the bustling heart of the capital and definitely the best place to buy fresh fruits, fish, vegetables and spices. We then had a bit of drive (although it was great seeing scenery pass us by, being driven by our excellent drive and guide for the day, Gilly,
Mission Lodge, Morne Seychellois National Park (which peaks at 905m high)
Close to the highest point you can reach on Mahé by road, Mission Lodge has a superb lookout with spectacular views of central Mahé and the west coast, and some low-slung stone ruins slowly returning to the forest (a school was built here by the London Missionary Society in the 19th century to care for slave children who had been dumped on the island after the abolition of slavery). Queen Elizabeth II took tea in the small pavilion in 1972 during her first Royal visit. Unfortunately when we were there, although there were only a few spots of rain, the weather did close in a bit so we didn’t get the most panoramic views, albeit you could see that it was still extremely sunny down on the ground around Victoria and the harbours, so still decent for views.
A serene pavilion at the viewpoint in Venn’s Town, offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and forests.
On the way driving up and down, we passed some of the hiking trails that you can take in the Morne Seychellois National Park (and saw a good waterfall), so the Seychelles are definitely not just about fabulous beaches. There is a lot of history and nature too! We then drove back down from the mountain, literally the weather improving the lower we got, and by the time we got to the Botanical Gardens, the sun was back out and was quite a few degrees warmer again, and much more humid.
National Botanical Gardens
Wherever we go in the world, with ‘Mrs’ The Private Traveller being such a keen gardener and horticulturist, we often visit Botanic Gardens and they can be a great day out for a walk, and inspect local plants.
A picturesque walkway surrounded by tall palm trees and vibrant greenery in the Seychelles Botanical Gardens.
The gardens were nothing like the size of, say, Singapore, but there were plenty of areas to walk around and appreciate a lot of the endemic plants and trees of the Seychelles. The main avenue as you enter was lined with palms and to the left a spices and scents garden area, which even I could get a sense of, with my reduced sense of smell post Covid, now some 3 years on.
After a good walk around the gardens and a fair bit of time spent in the giant Aldabra tortoise pen (where you could get in amongst them to feed), with excellent guiding from the extremely knowledgeable Gilly, we had a quick pit stop at the very nice gardens cafe, the Wildflour Café. We were going on to lunch elsewhere, so we didn’t have anything to eat, albeit there was a really good menu and excellent looking food from what we could see of other diners, but I opted for a house cocktail, the aptly named Wildflour. This was a delicious mix of Gordon’s pink gin served generously over ice, with tonic for a floral and citrusy cocktail.
A tranquil scene showcasing the rich tropical plant life at the Seychelles Botanical Gardens.
One word of advice, this was probably the only time on the island of Mahé that we felt we were getting bitten, so we did buy a roll-on repellent from the café, but better advice would be too take your own and apply before your visit, or go first to the café to purchase one. By the time we had applied it, only a few nibbles had been taken, so it wasn’t too bad!
Eden Island
From the Botanical Gardens, we went onto Bravo Restaurant for lunch, located next to the Eden Island shopping complex. Despite having passed over it a number of times on flights, this was actually the first time ever stepping onto the reclaimed land of Eden Island.
We had a good lunch (an unusual concept of being both an Italian and Japanese sushi restaurant, but it worked well) and afterwards had a quick walk around the mall, before stopping for an ice cream at one of the café outlets surrounding it overlooking one of the marinas.
After lunch we then were driven to the south of the island, and again a bit of an (altitude) climb to the Jardin Du Rio Spice Garden, a hilltop spice plantation with a small furnished house museum, nature trails & Creole restaurant.
Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden
This was a lot bigger than I was expecting, and again had great views but just wasn’t as high as the visit to Mission Lodge high up in the Morne Seychellois National Park.
A stunning glimpse of Seychelles’ natural beauty, where dense tropical forests meet the tranquil blue waters of the ocean, offering a serene and picturesque landscape.
There were three specific walks/trails (Rainforest Trail, Garden Walk, and Medicinal Plant Walk), as well as two longer Ridge & Mountain Walks to either Baie Lazare or Gratte Fesses, both taking about an hour. We enjoyed walking around the various trails with Gilly, having lots of things pointed out like vanilla, lemongrass, nutmeg and lots more; and for detail you were provided with both a detailed map and also an extremely detailed booklet listing every plant, herb, or tree located throughout the gardens, all listed by and walk and easily identified by a number sign as you walked.
After we had a really good walk around, we visited their giant Aldabra tortoises, rabbits, hens, and guinea pigs before we headed back to the restaurant/cafe and enjoyed a cooling drink. I opted for lemongrass juice, with ‘Mrs’ TPT the more unusual, but delicious, lime juice with coconut.
Where to Stay in the Seychelles
On this trip we stayed first at Carana Beach Hotel on Mahé before flying by helicopter onto the island of Félicité (about a 20 minute journey) and Six Senses Zil Pasyon.
Carana Beach was the second of the Mason's Travel owned hotels, the first being Denis Private Island which we visited a couple of years ago. Mason’s is a family-owned, local business. In 1972, Kathy Mason launched her own DMC with just one boat in St. Anne Marine Park. The launch coincided fortuitously with the start of direct air access to Seychelles International Airport in 1973.
Carana Beach, Seychelles, features a picturesque coastline with crystal-clear waters and luxurious beachfront villas set against a tropical backdrop, offering a perfect island escape.
We’ve also stayed at the Constance property on Mahé, Constance Ephelia, with their incredible hilltop villas. There are still quite a few other luxury properties on the main island that I would like to visit, so I know I will be back. It can be such a good combination twinning Mahé with some of the more remote islands.
Six Senses Zil Pasyon Spa offers a tranquil escape amidst the natural beauty of Félicité Island, Seychelles, with its signature lush greenery, rocks, and ocean views.
By booking with The Private Traveller, you can enjoy (at some properties) a lot of extra VIP benefits like:
Early check-in
Late check-out
A room or suite upgrade
Free breakfast
Free Wi-Fi
Discounts off spa or experiences
All are subject to availability
Please check out my hotel reviews of various properties in the Seychelles:
As well as the hotels I have reviewed, as I’ve been visiting the Seychelles now for decades, there are hotels I’ve stayed at before when I didn’t have my website or was reviewing hotels. There are still so many more that I would like to visit, but if you do want to create your perfect Seychelles trip, please do reach out.
My overall impression as Mahé as a tourist destination
We had such a good day out, and it certainly made me realise that there is indeed so much more to the Seychelles than just beaches. We enjoyed seeing the sites of the capital Victoria, but it was also good to go up into the Morne Seychellois National Park and see the coastline from above, where there are various marine national parks surrounding the island. It was good to understand from Gilly, something we wouldn’t have otherwise realised, that there is also a focus on natural sustainability and an aim towards zero pollution and net zero by protecting the seagrass and mangroves areas that surround the airport area, which absorb carbon. Clearly tourism is a huge part of the economy and there must always be that conflicting view of encouraging more international flights and the building of new hotels and resorts, but balancing the focus on the environment.
A tranquil pond in the Seychelles Botanical Gardens, showcasing vibrant lily pads and towering tropical plants.
There are so many islands in the Seychelles, with further hotels opening all the time, many on some of the more outlying islands that I would love to visit. It’s always such a welcoming country, the people are just amazing, so I think I can genuinely say that visiting the Seychelles can feel like a welcome home.
An aerial view of Victoria, Seychelles, showcasing the city, mountains, and ocean, partially shrouded in misty clouds.
The Private (and ‘Mrs’) Traveller, were guests of the Seychelles Tourism Board. Thank you Karen and Ingride for your kind and meticulous planning and organisation.
While Seychelles is known for its world-famous beaches, Mahé offers so much more beyond the coastline. From the bustling capital of Victoria to the panoramic views from Mission Lodge and the rich botanical treasures, a day trip reveals the island’s hidden gems of culture, history, and nature.