Immersed or even lost in the heart of the Indian Ocean, at least 1,300 kilometers from the continent (the nearest part is East Africa), Seychelles are an archipelago of 115 islands of which only 33 are inhabited. With 490 kilometres of coastline, a cruise to the Seychelles is the best choice to visit this fantastic destination. Coral reefs, magnificent white sandy beaches with palm trees, small bays: Seychelles are one of the most extraordinary places to discover while sailing.
A bit of geography to introduce these paradisiacal islands
Seychelles consists of two areas of islands and islets 90 kilometres apart, i.e. 150 nautical miles. The first area is the most popular among tourists because it is the most accessible thanks to its international airport on the island of Mahé, which is home to Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. These are the inland islands within a 50 nautical mile radius closest to Mahé: Praslin, la Digue, Silhouette, Cerf. If you've never heard of it, you will probably recognize the landscapes you often see coming from these islands. The outer islands are located 240 kilometres south-west of Mahé; the most popular and one of the only inhabited islands is the island of Desroches.
Where does the name "Seychelles" come from?
The name "Seychelles" comes from Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XIV's finance minister, at a time when the French, already established in Mauritius and on the island of Réunion, began to colonise it. In fact, after the Portuguese and Vasco de Gama in 1502 did not want to settle there because the islands contained a proliferation of plant and animal species but no commercial wealth (precious metals, ivory, pearls, spices), it was the French who were interested and who were fascinated by the size of its turtles. Sailors stopped there to get water, fruit and wood, but also pirates, and it is said that there are still treasures to dig on the island of Mahé. At the end of the 18th century, the Seychelles came under British control and remained so until the declaration of independence in 1976. The Seychelles archipelago then became a republic. The inhabitants of the Seychelles, who number about 100,000, live at 90% in Mahé. They are often of European and African mixed origin and Catholic.
Green islets in a blue ocean
If you hire a sailboat for a week from our rental base in Mahé and you have already experience in sailing, you won't need a professional skipper. The light winds and good weather conditions will allow you to sail quietly and discover the hidden treasures of these islands. Praslin, for example, will enchant you with its magnificent coves, pink granite rocks touched by turquoise water and fine white sand. The interior of the island is also worth a visit: when you land, don't miss the tropical forest of the Vallée de Mai where 7,000 double coconuts, whose evocative shape gave rise to the nickname "coco-ffesse", and black parrots will surprise you. You can go from the blue of the sea to the green of this oasis of peace.
With an average sea temperature of 28ºC and magnificent seabed, no yachtsman will be disappointed by the beauty of this destination and by a cruise to Seychelles. Here nature is the queen with its numerous natural parks that allow to preserve the landscape and the protected species. We invite you to hire a sailboat in Seychelles for your next holiday and discover this oasis of peace!