Seychelles
The Seychelles are the granite Indian Ocean: 115 islands of sculpted boulders, powder sand between them, and warm water that stays swimmable all year, sitting safely outside the cyclone belt. It is a luxury-leaning, villa-and-half-board kind of place more than a wristband one, but the resorts that do run all-inclusive spare you the islands' famously steep dining bills, which is exactly where the plan earns its keep here.
- Airport
- Mahé (SEZ)
- inter-island flights and ferries onward
- Three main islands
- Mahé (hub), Praslin (beaches), La Digue (car-free calm)
- Beaches
- World-class: Anse Lazio, Anse Source d'Argent, Anse Intendance
- Cyclones
- None: the islands sit outside the belt, swimmable year-round
- Calmest seas
- April–May and October–November, the trade-wind turns
Where Seychelles splits
The resort areas are not interchangeable. What each one is actually for.
Mahé, Praslin, or La Digue?
Mahé is the gateway and the most developed island: the airport, the capital (Victoria), the widest choice of resorts, and beaches like Beau Vallon and Anse Intendance. Praslin, a short flight or ferry away, is the beach headliner, home to Anse Lazio and the primeval Vallée de Mai palm forest. La Digue is the postcard: near car-free, explored by bike, and wrapped around Anse Source d'Argent's boulder-framed sand.
Many trips combine two islands, since hopping is quick and each has its own character. All-inclusive is rarer here than in the Maldives or Mauritius, so travelers set on the plan should check the specific properties in our ranking rather than assume every resort offers it.
When to go
The Seychelles work year-round, with two trade-wind seasons framing the year. The southeast trades (May–September) bring cooler, breezier, drier weather and some seaweed on exposed beaches; the northwest season (November–March) is hotter and wetter with calmer water. The turns between them, April–May and October–November, are the sweet spots: light winds, clear seas, and the best snorkeling visibility.
Beyond the beach
Snorkel and dive the granite reefs and marine parks, walk the Vallée de Mai to see the coco de mer palm, meet giant tortoises on Curieuse, and island-hop by ferry or short flight. The Seychelles are also a strong honeymoon and diving destination, so pair beach days with a boat trip or two rather than staying poolside the whole week.
Good to know
Most visitors get a free visitor's permit on arrival with proof of onward travel and accommodation. The islands are expensive, which is the single strongest argument for booking all-inclusive here. English, French, and Creole are all spoken. Tap water is generally fine at resorts, but bottled is common. Reef-safe sunscreen is encouraged, and some marine parks require it.
Where the Seychelles resorts are
9 resorts mapped stars are five-star properties
9 mapped · marks five-star
The best all-inclusive resorts in Seychelles
The Seychelles properties we would actually book.
Where to stay in Seychelles
The resort areas we cover, and which properties sit in each.
Mahé
5Sainte Anne Marine National Park
2Silhouette Island
1Mahe Island
1Resort chains in Seychelles
The brands operating here. The ones we rank in full link through to the chain, what its plan really covers, and every resort of theirs we track.
Where these companies came from
Almost nobody in this category publishes it. Read oldest first and the list is a short history of how Seychelles came to look the way it does.
Seychelles, head to head
Price, flights, sand, food and safety, compared honestly.
Seychelles vs Maldives
overwater villas vs granite islands, all-inclusive reality, honeymoon factor, and value compared honestly.
CompareSeychelles vs Mauritius
beaches, all-inclusive availability, things to do, family-friendliness, and value, with honest guidance on which island suits you.
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Frequently asked questions
Do the Seychelles get hurricanes or cyclones?
No. The main islands sit just outside the cyclone belt, so there is no hurricane season and the water stays swimmable year-round. The weather instead splits into two trade-wind seasons, with the calmest seas around April–May and October–November.
Are there all-inclusive resorts in the Seychelles?
Some, but fewer than in the Maldives or Mauritius: the islands lean toward luxury villas and half-board. Because dining out is expensive here, an all-inclusive plan pays off when you can find it; check the specific properties in our ranking rather than assuming any Seychelles resort offers it.