Seychelles travel guide

A small shady beach with palms and trees. It's right at the road junction, so if you're bussing around the island, you might end up here while waiting for the next bus. It's certainly not the worst bus stop.

This is what postcards are made of. A long and ridiculously pretty beach. Shady trees fringe the white strip of sand and here and there lean a coconut palm over the translucent waters. The small settlement of Baie Lazare lies right north of the beach and there are some bungalows at the southern end, but there is a shady spot for everyone.

This long gently arching beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches on the Seychelles. Big granite boulders are scattered around the ends and a variety of trees and palms fringe the broad pale-sand beach. The aquamarine waters can be rough, but there is an area for safe swimming. As this is a famous beach, expect lots of curative couples walking up and down looking for that perfect photo spot.

A small bay with a narrow beach. Motorboats are anchored up in the bay and the beach has a nice local vibe.

The long beach at Anse Royal is far from being the best beach on Mahé, but it's equally white and pretty as the others. Since it runs along the town of Anse Royal, it has a bit of a local vibe with people hanging around in the shade.

The main holiday zone on Praslin is the pretty bay Anse Volbert. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and even a few bars. It's easy to understand why the long beach is so popular for it's wide, of the finest sand, and lined with coconut palms. But it's also more touristic than elsewhere. Beach boys with dreadlocks sell day trips to the neighbouring islands, while less fit locals sit in the shade and drink beers. The Seychelles have many secluded beaches where you can feel like Robinson Crusoe - however, Anse Volbert is not one of them.

A short drive over the mountains from Victoria lies Mahé's main tourist zone Beau Vallon. An endless row of hotels and luxury resorts that face an equally long white sand beach. Sunbeds are scattered under the shady Takamaka trees, while kids are drawn by the inflatable playgrounds in the waters. So if you like sharing the beach with others, this will be the right place for you.

The island of Praslin doesn't have a whole lot of roads, but the few kilometres it has (less than 40 km), is really pretty and fun to drive. Expect steep sections (20% incline), sharp turns and parts where the sea actually touch the side of the road.

Right next to the road lies this series of small beaches. Big boulders separate the pockets of sand and leafy palms. Just off-shore lies the tiny island Ile Souris, which is great for snorkelling. Fairyland is a nice shady alternative to the long exposed beach at Royal Bay next door.

After having seen a handful of paradise-like beaches, you might start to believe that every single beach on the Seychelles are like that - but that is of course not the case. The southwest coast of Praslin is a fine example. Here is the shore mostly rocky and the few patches of sand is spoiled with stones, seaweed and less natural stuff.