The Seychelles archipelago features 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, with white-sand beaches, mountainous island landscapes, and numerous dive sites. Two main groups of islands, the Inner and Outer Islands, offer dives on granite-based reefs as well as more-common tropical reefs. There is no spearfishing or dynamite fishing, but there are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, and Vallee de Mai, protecting the famous Coco-de-mer nut. Marine life is plentiful, with over 1,000 fish species. Both modern yachts and traditional schooners offer Seychelles liveaboard diving. It’s a year-round dive destination, with plenty of options for snorkelers. The water stays warm at 77 to 84 F (25 to 29 C), and the average air temperature is 75 to 89 F (24 to 32 C). Here are our picks for the best scuba diving in the Seychelles Islands.
Mahé Island
Where it is: Inner Islands, Seychelles
What makes it special: The main island of Mahé, at the center of the Inner Islands, is home to some of the Seychelles’ best beaches. It’s the main hub for tourism and culture, as well as the largest island in the archipelago. The underwater granite landscape features boulders, drop-offs, swim-through, caves, massifs and hard-coral formations. Brissare Rock off Mahé is a granite massif covered with white fan corals. Aquarium is a popular night dive with large anemone fields. Currents attract stingrays, turtles and reef sharks and there is plentiful fish life as well. The highlight is, of course, the visiting whale sharks off the island’s southern side.
Details: Both new and advanced divers will find a wide range of dive sites. Dive depths range from 26 to 98 feet (8 to 30 m). The currents vary from mild to strong.
When to go: The best time to visit is from March to May and September to November to enjoy warm waters and visibility up to 98 feet (30 m). Whale sharks visit during October and November each year.
La Digue
Where it is: Inner Islands, Seychelles
What makes it special: La Digue is another of the central islands and enjoys an extremely laid-back lifestyle. It is a great destination to combine diving with topside activities, home to one of the world’s most photographed beaches, Anse Source d’Argent, known for its pink-granite boulders and powder sand. Be sure to visit the beach at sunset. La Digue offers granite-based reef diving, swim-throughs, caverns, and lagoons. There is abundant marine life, including numerous reef fish, octopus, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays and hawksbill turtles. Drift divers can enjoy a long, granite-wall drift dive at Pete Anse Severe. The pinnacle rocks at South Marianne Island form an underwater maze home to gray reef sharks.
Details: There is a wide range of dive sites suitable for all divers and the currents vary from mild to strong.
When to go: The best time to visit is from October to May for water temperatures of 84 F (29 C) and visibility up to 98 feet (30 m).
Sister Islands
Where it is: Inner Islands, Seychelles
What makes it special: You can only reach the Sister Islands of Grande Soeur (Big Sister) and Petite Soeur (Little Sister) by boat. They are small, privately-owned islands with pristine dive sites. Sailing to the islands is a fantastic experience and their inaccessibility makes for uncrowded dives sites and a relaxing dive trip.
Grande Soeur, less than 650 feet (200 m) in size, is surrounded in part by pink granite rocks and protected by a coral reef teeming with fish life, sea turtles and more. It is undeveloped and offers great diving plus island hiking. Petite Souer is uninhabited and covered in tropical forest. The surrounding coral reef makes it accessible only during calm conditions. Sister Bank is a great drift dive to see the rare Armitage angelfish, parrotfish, hawksbill turtles and fusiliers, all while drifting over rock formations and swim-throughs. A visit to nearby Coco Island is worthwhile for diverse fish life.
Details: Dive sites are suitable for all diver experience levels and there are plenty of snorkeling opportunities as well.
When to go: The best time to visit is from March to May for calmer weather and water visibility up to 98 feet (30 m).
Praslin
Where it is: Inner Islands, Seychelles
What makes it special: Praslin, the Seychelles second-largest inhabited island, is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Site — the Valle De Mai Nature Reserve. This ancient forest is home to the double coconut, the Coco-de-mer. The island has idyllic beaches, a laid-back atmosphere and plenty of scuba diving. Praslin lies on a sandy bank and its shallow waters offer granite-boulder diving with good coral and sponge cover. Divers can see whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, barracuda, moray eels, sea turtles, octopus, lobsters, and large shoals of yellow snapper on the reefs. There are around 17 dive sites to choose from and it is a great area for night diving. Ave Maria offers wall diving and you can find giant groupers among the large boulders of White Bank. Nearby South Mariane Island is not to be missed and this advanced dive offers dramatic pinnacles, walls, narrow gullies and strong currents.
Details: There are sites suitable for all divers and dive depths range from 26 to 65 feet (8 to 20 m).
When to go: The best time to visit is from March to May and September to November for water temperatures of 84 F (29 C) and visibility up to 98 feet (30 m).
Curieuse
Where it is: Inner Islands, Seychelles
What makes it special: This unique island is an almost-uninhabited bioreserve, specializing in the protection of turtles and the 500 or so Aldabra giant tortoises that live on the island. The island is known for its red earth, mangrove forests and lush, green interior. The Curieuse Marine National Park has been in effect since 1979 and the park hosts abundant fish life, including a population of humphead parrotfish, each up to four feet (1.2 m) long.
The coral reefs are vibrant, featuring good dive sites for night diving and macro photography. St. Pierre is ideal as a night dive to see Spanish dancers, sea hares and octopus. Coral Garden is pristine and worth diving to enjoy fields of coral, snappers, sea turtles, and the occasional migrating manta ray. The Point Rouge headland is the dive to see humphead parrotfish, jacks and barracuda. Be sure to search the overhangs and gullies for giant stingrays, whitetip reef sharks and nurse sharks.
Details: There are dive sites suitable for all diver experience levels at Curieuse.
When to go: Diving is possible year-round, with cooler temperatures during May to October. The northwest monsoon brings warmer weather from November to March.
The Outer Islands
Where are they: Seychelles
What makes them special: The remote Outer Islands, made up of 74 coral atolls and reef islands, are another dive highlight of the Seychelles. They are mostly uninhabited, offering peaceful and pristine dive sites and are usually accessible via Seychelles liveaboards. These islands have big drop-offs, walls, pinnacles, numerous wrecks, caves and canyons. Aldabra Island, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, has terraced-wall dives and green turtles nesting on the beach. Astove has wall diving and caves, while Cosmoledo atoll has hard-coral bommies, gorgonian fans and barrel sponges.
Details: The Outer Islands are best for experienced divers who want more challenging dives and greater depths.
When to go: The best time to visit is March to May and September to November. The big drop-offs at these islands have marked thermoclines and water temperature can range from 66 to 80 F (19 to 27 C) in places. A full wetsuit is best.
Divers and writers at LiveAboard.com contributed this article.
