What kind of transport does Seychelles have?

For reason that Seychelles is country situated on islands, there are three ways to travel: by land, by water and by air. Between the islands, one can move via ferry, boat, yacht, plane, helicopter.

Public ferries and domestic flights have schedules. Helicopters fly only in daylight hours. Important fact is that all water and air transport functions only during the daytime for the safety reasons.

Therefore, the first traveling rule between the islands is to learn the transport schedule.

All international flights arrive to the Seychelles International Airport to Mahe Island. If there is a need to go to the other island, all the necessary transport and schedule should be checked and booked in advance. It is better to arrive to Seychelles with the morning flight so there is enough time to get to the other island. Because, if a holidaymaker arrives in the evening, there will be a need to book accommodation on Mahe; as all the transportation between the islands stops for the night time and it is possible to go only in the morning.

It was my first mistake when I started working with this direction. It is not possible to fly whenever one wants. Even if there is a private plane available; there is little hope since not all the islands have a proper runway. For this reason, there are more details on this below.

Types of transport

Ferry

1.Cat Cocos

Cat Cocos (Inter Island Boats ltd) is a ferry company in Seychelles. It is the main transportation for the local people and tourists because it is cheaper than other variants. The public ferry runs between Mahe to/from Praslin and Mahe to/from La Digue. The good thing about this company is that the ferries are modern, clean, arrive in time and have two classes of service. The ferry has a schedule. All the changes, terms and conditions are better be checked on their website.

Company has four high speed catamarans (more details can be found on the company’s website). Two of them are used more often for connections – Cat Cocos 1 or Isle of Praslin and Cat Cocos 2 or Isle of La Digue (less often Isle of Mahe). All the ferries have an economy class and a business class, the only difference is in capacity.

The economy class has a main deck or Coco de Mer Class (an inside cabin with the air conditioners) and an upper deck or Island Hopper Class (an upper outside deck on the fresh air). Usually there is not such a big difference in price in between these two classes.

The main deck has:

• air conditioners
• 174 or 163 soft seats with individual folding tables, life jackets, sickness bag, magazines
• snack bar with food, beverages and alcoholic drinks (for charge)
• plasma screen
• lavatories

The upper deck has:

• open air space with a panoramic view
• 142 or 48 seats with life jackets
• small bar with the cocktails and snacks (for charge)
• lavatories

The business class, Lazio Lounge, has a closed cabin on the main deck (Cat Cocos 1) at the ship’s head or on the upper deck just behind the Captain’s cabin (Cat Cocos 2).

It includes:

• air conditioners
• 34 or 16 soft leather seats with 85 cm space for legs
• Cat Cocos 1 (“Iles de Praslin”) has a separate entrance for business class passengers
• welcome drink, cold towels, newspapers and magazines
• complimentary breakfast buffet in the morning
• complimentary finger snack buffet in the daytime
• personalized hostess service
• bar with beverages and cocktails
• plasma screen
• lavatory only for business class passengers

Important notices:

• There is a certain cancellation policy and at some point tickets are nonrefundable (check with your ticket company or DMC).
• Passengers who miss the La Digue – Mahe or Mahe – La Digue trip will be able to use their ticket on the Praslin – Mahe or Mahe – Praslin leg only. Please kindly note that Cat Cocos does not sell tickets for the transfer between Praslin – La Digue – Praslin. Alternative transfer between Praslin and La Digue will have to be settled by clients directly with the service provider. Cat Cocos only sell tickets between Mahe – Praslin – Mahe and La Digue – Mahe – La Digue.
• Luggage allowance for the economy class is 30 kg (excess luggage from 30 to 50 kg is charged extra around 1 euro per kg, starting from 50 kg around 2 euro per kg; prices may be changed). For the business class it is 40 kg (excess luggage charge is the same). The carry-on luggage should be 7 kg with a maximum dimension of 50cm x 30cm x 20cm.
• Cat Cocos 2 (Mahe – La Digue and La Digue – Mahe) has a stopover at Praslin Jetty (Baie Sainte Anne) that lasts 20 – 30 minutes. Passengers going to La Digue should remain on board during this stop. After that stop, the ferry continues on to La Digue.
• Check-in starts 1 hour prior to departure time. Boarding begins 30 minutes before the departure. Boarding gate closes 5 minutes before the departure.
• Ticket reservation should be done in advance: 48 hours before the trip on working days or even early for the weekend trips, depending on the company. It is possible to buy a ticket right on the jetty before the check-in time if the tickets are available.
• Even though the ferry has a heave compensation system that reduces the incidence of seasickness, it is still recommended to take a seasickness pill if the weather is windy with some waves. It is also necessary to do all the precautions to avoid motion sickness.
• There are certain rules for pregnant women. A woman in a particular condition must inform the ferry company about her state and must have a medical certificate. Please check the terms and conditions before buying a ticket.
• Catamaran might make a technical stop at any unexpected time of the year, but everyone will be informed about it.
• Schedules are subject to change without prior notice.
• The Company Inter Island Boats Limited reserves the right to change schedule or to cancel the dispatch of the vessel.
• All the terms and changes can be found on the official site of the company.

Travel time on Cat Cocos ferries:

• Mahe to Praslin -1 hour
• Mahe to La Digue via Praslin – 1 hour 30 minutes
• Mahe to La Digue (directly) – 1 Hour 10 minutes
• Praslin to La Digue – 15 minutes

2.Cat Rose

Cat Cocos does not sell the tickets Praslin/La Digue/Praslin and has only a few ferries going to La Digue. For this reason, there is an extra ferry going between Praslin and La Digue – Cat Rose.

Cat Rose goes between Praslin – La Digue and La Digue – Praslin more often, up to 7 departures a day. It takes 15 minutes to get from Praslin jetty in Baie Sainte Anne to La Digue jetty in La Passe Quay.

The Company Inter Island Ferry Pty. Ltd. has two fairly good high-speed catamarans that are smaller than Cat Cocos and there are no booking classes on them. The catamarans have air-conditioned cabins on the lower level and an outside deck on the upper level.

Important notices:

• Passenger must be at the Inter Island Ferry Office and receive the Boarding Pass no later than 30 minutes prior to the ferry’s departure time. If the passenger is late or absent the seat may be allocated to another customer.
• Check-in starts 15 minutes prior; Boarding starts 10 minutes prior; Boarding gate closes 3 minutes before the ferry’s departure.
• Inter Island Ferry Office does not accept digital e-tickets shown on mobile devices. It must be a printed copy. The embarkation is possible only with a valid Boarding Pass.
• Luggage is allowed up to 30 kg plus the small hand baggage. Any extra or large luggage is subject to an excess fee.
• There is a cancellation and no-show policy.
• Schedule is subject to change.
• The terms and conditions should be checked with Inter Island Ferry Pty. Ltd., ticket companies or DMC, depending on where the ticket is bought.

There may be bad weather conditions, a delay of the international flights and other unforeseen circumstances when a ferry can be missed. But in this case, a traveler has to stay on Mahe and re-purchase a ferry ticket.

Boat

Apart from the large ferries, which are public and intended for the locals and tourists, there are also boat/speedboat transfers in Seychelles. These transfers belong to the hotels’ officials and are organized by them. Usually it is a small private hotel boat that transports guests and hotel staff. A traveler cannot book this kind of transfer without having an accommodation or a day use in the hotel. The hotel will not confirm accommodation without a pre-book of such a transfer.

These are hotels on islands Cerf, Silhouette, Sainte Anne, Round, Félicité, Chauve Souris near the main islands Mahe and Praslin situated a short distance away: Cerf Island Resort, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, JA Enchanted Island Resort, and so on.

Important notices:

• Boat transfer/speedboat transfer is only available during daytime between 0600hrs and 1800hrs (but there are exceptions).
• Boat transfers are mandatory and must be booked in advance.
• Hotels have boat timetables.
• The transfer depends on the weather conditions.

The morning arrival rule works here as well: connect your international flights to the boat’s operational hours or stay one night on Mahe.

Domestic flight

I have written about Domestic Terminal in article What airport is in Seychelles? and about domestic flights in detail: How many airports are there in Seychelles? Domestic flights are usually used to connect Mahe with Praslin and other distant islands: Alphonse, Bird, Denis, Desroches, Aride.

Helicopter

There is one helicopter company Zil Air in Seychelles. It connects 21 helipads and 7 landing strips. An office, a departure/arrival lounge and a helipad are located near the runway of the Seychelles International Airport, about 3-5 minutes drive. The Zil Air lounge is nice, comfortable, air-conditioned and has a complimentary Wi-Fi, the shower facilities (on request). Customer Service team meets clients with refreshing cold towels and beverages.

Helicopter is a luxury; it is the most expensive transfer in the Seychelles after a private rental of an aircraft. This type of transfer is individual, it is also comfortable and extremely fast. It is a great way to fly straight from the International airport to the other island or the needed hotel without waiting for anyone and following the schedule of your own.

Zil Air has different types of aircrafts for various tasks. The Airbus H-120 Helicopter is used for the inner islands which are not far. It flies only in daytime from 5.45 am to 5.45 pm. The Vulcan Air P68C is used to get to the outer islands, on long distances and for the night flights from 18:30 to 05:45.

A helicopter pad is available in several hotels and on some islands.

Mahe Island:

• Seychelles International Airport (Zil Air Base)
• Cap Lazare (4 minutes)
• Constance Ephelia Resort (6 minutes)
• Kempinski Seychelles Resort (4 minutes)
• Maia Luxury Resort & Spa (5 minutes)

Praslin Island:

• Praslin Domestic Airport (15 minutes)
• Chateau De Feuilles (15 minutes)
• Constance Lemuria Resort (15 minutes)
• Raffles Seychelles (15 minutes)

Cerf Island:

• Cerf Island Resort (2 minutes)

Sainte Anne Island:

• St Anne Resort (2 minutes)

Silhouette Island:

• Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa (13minutes)
• Grand Barbe (14 minutes)

Cousine Island:

• Cousine Island (14minutes)

North Island:

• North Island Seychelles (15minutes)

Round Island near Praslin:

• Round Island Resort (15minutes)

La Digue Island:

• La Digue Helipad (17 minutes)

Félicité Island:

• Six Senses Zil Pasyon (18 minutes)

Fregate Island:

• Fregate Island Private (16 minutes)

Aride Island:

• Aride Island (18 minutes)

Denis Island:

• Denis Private Island (33 minutes)

Bird Island:

• Bird Island Lodge Seychelles (38 minutes)

Desroches Island:

• Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island (only by the Vulcan Air P68C)

Alphonse Island:

• Alphonse Island Resort (only by the Vulcan Air P68C)

It is possible to get via the Vulcan Air P68C to these islands:

• Coetivy
• D’Arros
• Marie Louise
• Platte

These islands are not used for tourism.

Important notices:

• Helicopter transfers should be booked in advance. There are only a few aircrafts.
• Clients must arrive at the Zil Air Lounge 30 minutes before the helicopter flight.
• There is a strong weight limitation. A passenger should check with the helicopter company for the maximum take-off weight and count the weight of the taken baggage. This also depends on the helicopter type, distance and the weather.
• There are restrictions for the amount of people that could fly. The Airbus H-120 can take a maximum of 4 passengers plus 2 infants on their parents’ lap.
• Some helipads have a landing fee.
• Helicopter transfers are subject to weather conditions.
• Zil Air has a cancellation policy, restrictions, terms and conditions. All details are on the company’s website.

Zil Air also provides the excursions and scenic flights. If the hotel does not have a helipad, a tourist can drive to the nearest hotel where the helipad is located.

Public transport

The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) is the only company which is charge of the public transportation. Mostly it is the buses that go around Mahe and Praslin islands. If somebody want to drive to the jetty, to Victoria City or go around the island, a bus is a good way to do it. Public buses are the cheapest transport in the Seychelles. A trip, on the bus without an aircon, costs SR7 during the day from 0530hrs to 2030hrs. It costs SR10 after 2030hrs and the air-conditioned bus costs SR15. Prices are subject to change, please check the company’s website.

The bus station is in Victoria near Palm Street from where the buses diverge onto 41 routes on Mahe.

The operational time on Praslin is different: starting from 0550hrs till 1820hrs, with less bus routes. There are three routes:

• Number 61: Montplaisir – Vallee de Mai – Baie Ste Anne – Cote D’or -Anse Boudin.
• Number 62: Montplaisir – Consolation – Baie Ste Anne – Cote D’or – Anse Boudin – Zimbabwe.
• Number 63: Montplaisir – Vallee de Mai – Baie Ste Anne – Cote D’or – Anse La Blague.

Important notices:

• There are strict luggage restrictions: the oversized luggage such as suitcases and large bags is not allowed. Only small hand luggage is possible. For this reason, this transport is not suitable for the airport transfers.
• The company’s web page has a schedule with all routes and times.
• Schedule can be changed at the weekends and on public holidays.
• The company issues Travel Card and provides bus rentals. For more information, please visit the SPTC website.

If a holidaymaker has a limited amount of time while traveling and appreciate every minute, public transport is not for such a person. For example, Praslin buses departure every 30 – 45 minutes, Mahe buses leave every 15 – 30 minutes and do come late. If you have enough time, you can save a lot of money by using public buses: Because the next mode of transportation is not cheap.

Taxi

Taxi service is only available on three islands: Mahe, Praslin, La Digue. It is the main transport to/from the airport on Mahe and Praslin. It is often the main transport for tourists. Except when a vacation has been booked through DMC which provides transport services of their own.

There are restrictions on car import to Seychelles. Each island has its own limitations on the number of cars. Taxis and car rentals are cheaper on Mahe because more cars are available.

There is no Uber or other global taxi services. The Seychelles Islands have their own services and applications. But people usually use a taxi service of a known by them self-employed driver. Seychelles have a good selection of taxi companies and private entrepreneurs. It is easy to find them on the Internet now. They offer not only taxi service but also guided car tours. Usually taxi cars are of good quality, but there are exceptions. It depends on the luck.

I usually use DMCs transportation service to avoid surprises.

The price depends on a taxi provider, the driver and the model of the car: some accept a fixed price, some charge per kilometer. For example, the price per kilometer starts with SR25.

Important notices:

• Before taking a taxi, check the price and discuss it: the situation might turn out to be unpleasant without a preparatory talk. I had a situation when at the beginning of a trip a certain price was named and then afterwards it doubled. When I checked the prices, I realized that I had overpaid.
• There could be traffic jams from 7.00am to 9.00 and 5.00pm – 6.30pm. It is better to go to the airport in advance.

Car

Car rentals exist only on Mahe and Praslin. For the reason that Praslin has a limited fleet of vehicles, a reservation should be made in advance, especially in the peak of season at December and August. There are a lot of rental companies on Mahe, including well-known international brands such as Hertz, AVIS, etc. The price starts at 30 euro/day on Mahe and 40 euro/day on Praslin.

Driving on these islands is not easy because there are winding mountain roads everywhere in the Seychelles. The roads have only 2 narrow lanes. The second point is the UK standard left-sided traffic. Thirdly, the high price of gasoline; it is about 1.50 euros per liter (price may change).

One should know how to drive in these conditions and have enough money. It is recommended to take a small automatic car.

Important notices:

• There is a strict speed limit 40 – 60 kph. There is one highway with a limit up to 80 kph that goes from the Seychelles International Airport to Victoria City.
• Car rentals have several requirements: international driving license, compulsory insurance, cancellation policy, etc.
• Notes: It is not allowed to park under coconut palms; not to leave any valuables or personal belongings in the car; etc. Please check with your rental company for all the terms and conditions.

Bicycle

The bicycle is the main transport on La Digue. The island is small, mostly flat, with easy accessible roads. There are no problems with traveling by bike there. When you come to La Digue, you can see thousands of bikes. Renting a bike is easy and the prices start at SCR100 per day (on La Digue).

A totally different situation is on Mahe and Praslin, that have mountain roads with sudden turns and no bicycle roads.

I think it is dangerous to ride a bike on these two islands.

Seychelles have a wide range of bicycle rental companies. All hotels in Seychelles offer bikes for hire and allow to ride not only on the hotel’s territory but also outside.

Important notices:

• Remember, it is a country with a left-hand drive.
• There are steep descents and ascents, not for cycling on Mahe and Praslin.
• Tourist should check the road near the hotel before cycling out.
• There are no strict rules for bike hire.
• Bicycle rental prices in hotels are higher and start from 8 euros per hour.
• Always check the rented bicycle for the working brakes.

I only saw a few motorcycles that were private. It is not a common mode of transportation there.

Water transport

It is possible to rent a boat, yacht, catamaran another water transport with or without the crew and also to go in cruise. There are many companies that offer it. More detailed information about it is in other articles.