Seychelles Regional Info

Seychelles is composed of over 115 islands (the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155), numerous of which are uninhabitable. Over 80% of the population live on the main island of Mahé where the capital, Victoria, can also be found, but many also live on the other smaller islands such as Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, Denis, etc.

Seychelles is also proud to hold the accolade of being the number one country in the world with the highest percentage of its land territory declared as protected areas for nature conservation.

There are a variety of ways to access and visit these islands, from the fast-paced public buses on Mahé to the slower pace of bicycle hire on La Digue. You can hire a fishing boat to take you across the waters, island-hopping and snorkelling around the beautiful coral reefs, or simply jump on one of the many daily domestic flights that connect a few of the islands together.

Amongst these pages you will find information on each of the islands that you can, and should, visit as well as some backgound information on those that are protected with no access.

Seychelles is made up of 42 granitic islands; Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette Island, La Digue, Curieuse, Félicité, Frégate, St. Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur, Thérèse, Aride, Conception, Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Ile aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Ile Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé), Chauve Souris (Praslin), Ile La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin), Zavé and Harrison Rocks (Grand Rocher).

2 coral sand cays which are found north of the above granite islands; Bird and Denis and 2 coral islands which are south: Coetivy and Platte.

West of the granitic islands there is the Amirantes group, which is comprised of 29 coral islands; Desroches, Poivre Atoll (Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands — St. Joseph Ile aux Fouquets, Ressource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Ile Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Ile aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (which is both African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. François, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier.

To the south, south-west of the Amirantes group can be found the Farquhar Group which has a total of 13 coral islands: Bancs de Sable, Déposés, Ile aux Goëlettes, Lapins, Ile du Milieu, North Manaha, South Manaha, Middle Manaha, North Island, South Island, Providence, Bancs Providence and St Pierre.

Finally, there are the 67 coral islands of the Aldabra Group which is found to the west of Farquhar Group; Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Ile Michel, Ile Esprit, Ile aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Ile Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Cèdres, Iles Chalands, Ile Fangame, Ile Héron, Ile Michel, Ile Squacco, Ile Sylvestre, Ile Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock, Table Ronde, Assumption, Astove, Menai, Ile du Nord (West North), Ile Nord-Est (East North), Ile du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Ile (Wizard), Pagode, Ile du Sud-Ouest (South), Ile aux Moustiques, Ile Baleine, Ile aux Chauve-Souris, Ile aux Macaques, Ile aux Rats, Ile du Nord-Ouest, Ile Observation, Ile Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix.