Seychelles, here we come!
Six days, 105 nautical miles, one Bali Catspace and the three of us – a family sailing between palm trees, coral reefs and tortoises. Our starting point was Eden Island Marina on Mahé – spotless, modern and well equipped, but provisioning didn’t go quite as planned. Because of the presidential elections, supermarkets were closed, and to top it off, there was a ban on alcohol sales during the election period. So we had to improvise: we stocked up on fruit at the local street market and grabbed essentials at a tiny Indian minimart. We set sail with full tanks – but only six beers. Luckily, later on La Digue, we found a small shop and happily cleared out their fridge of every single Seybrew we could find.
First stop: Île Moyenne
Our first anchorage was off Île Moyenne – lush, green and beautiful, though a bit noisy thanks to the Club Med across the channel. To port: tropical island paradise. To starboard: Russian party boat (there’s always one). Still, a lovely first evening and that familiar first taste of freedom.
La Digue – where postcards come to life
Next up: 27 nautical miles to La Digue. We anchored just outside the harbour and took the dinghy ashore – there’s a convenient dinghy dock if you keep right on entry and go all the way to the back behind the excursion boats. Dinner at Le Naturel by the harbour was excellent – fresh fish, grilled meats, friendly staff.
The next morning we rented bikes and cycled to Anse Source d’Argent – the beach on every Seychelles calendar. And yes, it’s even more breathtaking in real life. Early mornings are quiet, but by mid-morning, the first day boats arrive – time to move on.
Félicité and Coco Island – like swimming in an aquarium
On Monday we sailed to Île Félicité, home only to the Six Senses Resort – and that’s exactly what makes it special. We anchored just in front of the reef and went snorkeling: turtles, rays and hundreds of brightly coloured fish everywhere. Wow.
We took the dinghy over to Coco Island – gorgeous, but too much swell to land safely. Instead, the park rangers showed up to collect their fee: 200 SCR per person, and of course card only. Paradise 2.0.
Île Saint-Pierre and Anse Volbert
Tuesday was snorkeling day. We stopped at Île Saint-Pierre, a tiny islet with an incredible density of marine life. Swimming there feels like being inside an aquarium – surreal.
Later we continued to Chauve-Souris near Anse Volbert, anchored for the night, took the dinghy ashore and had dinner at Leo’s Takeaway. Plastic chairs, paper plates, and some of the best food of the trip.
Anse Lazio – great wind, no speed
Wednesday’s destination was Anse Lazio, one of Praslin’s most famous beaches. Finally, wind – 17–22 knots, perfect for sailing. Theoretically. In practice, the Bali Catspace handled like a brick, and with all the growth on the hull we managed just 3.5 knots of boat speed in 17 knots of wind. As soon as the wind dropped, we lost steerage. After a few tacks, we gave up, fired up the engines and surrendered to reality.
Back to Mahé
On Thursday we headed back towards Mahé. We first checked out Anse Jasmin but decided against anchoring due to forecast swell. Instead, we dropped anchor in Beau Vallon – perfect choice.
Friday was return-to-base day, and docking turned into a small adventure: last berth in the corner, gusty crosswind, tight space, plenty of spectators. Everything went smoothly though – and our fenders earned their keep.
That evening we met a lovely German family on the neighbouring boat – the same one we’d been messaging with all week on Navily about anchorages. What a coincidence! Sailing community magic at its best.
Island tour with Christopher
Saturday was checkout day – and the perfect finale: a private island tour of Mahé with our guide Christopher. A walking encyclopedia with humour and heart. He showed us Victoria, a tea factory, stunning beaches and, of course, the Takamaka Rum Distillery.
As we said goodbye, he handed us breadfruit chips with a smile and said:
“If you eat breadfruit, you will come back, they say.”
And Christopher is probably right – we’ll definitely be back.
👉 Here’s Christopher’s tour on GetYourGuide
Conclusion
The Seychelles are straight out of a travel catalogue – only real.
Crystal-clear bays, relaxed people, stunning nature and, best of all, nothing in the wild that’s trying to kill you (looking at you, Australia!).
A cruising ground you’ll never forget – and certainly not visit just once.
Lessons learned
- Even six beers can get you started – as long as you know where to restock.
- A Bali Catspace with a fouled hull sails like… well, a Bali Catspace with a fouled hull.
- The Seychelles are stunning and delightfully simple – but park rangers take card only.
- Sailors always meet twice – at the latest, in the next anchorage.
- And yes: breadfruit really does seem to have magical “return” powers.