Accommodation in this Area

At a Glance

Area Description

Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, located in the north east of the islands with an area of 155 km² and population of 72,000, it is about 17 miles long and 2 to 5 miles wide. The capital city of the Seychelles is Victoria, which has 90% of the country's total population. The island was named for Mahé de Labourdonnais, a governor of Mauritius. The northern and eastern parts of the island are home to much of the population and the international airport. The southern and western parts have Baie Ternay Marine National Park and Port Launay Marine National Park. Mahé's tallest peak and highest mountains in the archipelago is Morne Seychellois at 905m, which lies in the Morne Seychellois National Park with a stunning dramatic setting backdrop to more than sixty white-sand beaches. The Ste Anne Marine National Park lies offshore, as do Conception Island, Thérèse Island, Anonyme Island and Silhouette Island. Mahe's forests have rare endemic plants found only in the Seychelles, such as the Jellyfish tree, the carnivorous Seychelles Pitcher plant and many species of unique orchids.

The north of Mahé is a definate visit with its spectacular scenery which has to be seen to be believed. The west coast of the island has some of the most picturesque bays but on the North West coast, Beau Vallon, has arguably the best beach on the island. There are of course, numerous other striking beaches such as Grand Anse, Anse Takamaka, and Anse Intendance, to name a few.

From the west coast, travel or up over Sans Souci, through the Tea Plantations, and descend to victoria, the capital. The Botanical Gardens have a fantastic collection of tropical plants, which is a must for every nature lover. There are about 75 plant species native to the rain forests that are found nowhere else in the world. The Vallée De Mai, where the "Coco De Mer" grows, is a well worth visit as are the Giant Tortoises in their enclosure.

The market in Victoria is full of friendly locals telling you a tale or two, you will find a vast selection of fresh fruit and fish. Mahé is the cultural capital of Seychelles with museums, art centres and local artists such as Tom Bowers and Michael Adams exhibiting their work informally all over the island.

There are many activites to enjoy whilst visiting the island, some of these include; Bird watching, deep-sea fishing, glass-bottom boat trips to Ste Anne Marine National Park as well as excursions around Mahé Island with BBQ lunch at St Therese Island, motorised water sports at Beau Vallon, horse-riding at Barbarons and Grand Anse, catamaran excursions to marine parks and island hopping, nature tours (flora and fauna) with guide.

You can be sure of excellent cuisine on the island which is varied and very tasty! For authentic Creole cuisine, visit Marie-Antoinette, an established restaurant, owned and run by Madame Fonseka. Le Rendevous in the centre of Victoria looking down on the replica of "Big Ben" serves a great assortment of Creole and traditional dishes.

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