Seychelles yacht charter
The Seychelles' inner islands are granite, with forests, giant tortoises and beaches a short sail apart. April and October to November fall between the two wind seasons. It suits honeymooners and families.
The Seychelles' inner islands are granite, not coral. Smooth boulders, forests that come down to the sand, and beaches that are among the most photographed anywhere. They are close enough together to sail between in a morning. Ashore there are giant tortoises, rare birds and a national park forest of coco de mer palms. A yacht lets you see several islands in a week, rather than one resort.
Why go, and whom it suits
Couples and honeymoons
Ideal. The beaches are quiet, there are dinners ashore or on deck, and a short sail separates each island.
Families
Giant tortoises on Curieuse, nature reserves, calm bays and short passages make this good for families. Swimming conditions vary by beach and season: some coasts are unsafe in each wind season.
Friends and celebrations
It suits a group that likes snorkelling, fishing, walking and good food more than nightlife, which is limited.
Less suited to anyone who wants long days of open-sea sailing or busy towns.
The areas
The Seychelles are the granite half of our Indian Ocean destinations; the Maldives are the coral half.
Mahé
The main island, with the airport and the capital Victoria. Ste Anne Marine National Park lies just offshore.
Praslin and Curieuse
Praslin has the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO-listed forest of coco de mer, and the beach at Anse Lazio. Curieuse, opposite, has giant tortoises and mangroves.
La Digue and its neighbours
Anse Source d'Argent's granite and sand, and the small islands of Félicité, Coco and the Sisters nearby.
Bird and nature islands
Cousin, off Praslin, is a bird reserve run by Nature Seychelles. It opens to visitors on set mornings only, and you land in the reserve's own boats.
The outer islands
such as the Amirantes and Aldabra, are far to the south-west (Aldabra is over 1,000 km from Mahé), and a voyage there is planned on its own.
When to go
The Seychelles are warm all year. The wind decides which side of each island is best.
- December to March is roughly the north-west monsoon. West coasts can be unsafe for swimming.
- May to September is roughly the south-east trade-wind season. East coasts can be unsafe for swimming.
- April, and October to November, fall between the two seasons. The captain chooses the anchorages around the forecast in every month.
Months | Wind | Sea and swimming |
|---|---|---|
December to March | Roughly the north-west monsoon | West coasts can be unsafe for swimming |
April | Between the two seasons | The captain picks the anchorages by the forecast |
May to September | Roughly the south-east trade winds | East coasts can be unsafe for swimming |
October to November | Between the two seasons | The captain picks the anchorages by the forecast |
The water is warm in every month.
What it costs
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season. Our guide sets out what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
- Taxes. Ask us which taxes and levies apply to the yacht you are considering.
- Reserve fees. Nature reserves charge their own entry fees: Cousin's is SCR 600 for a visitor who is not resident, and free for children under 12.
- APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance. It is money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, berths and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end; anything unspent is returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee; long or remote passages can need more.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
Round trip from Mahé
The yacht, the trade winds and the sea state decide the real order.
Board on Mahé and have a first swim in Ste Anne Marine National Park.
A morning passage, then the afternoon at Anse Lazio.
The forest in the morning, then a night at anchor off the north coast.
Tortoises and the mangrove walk on Curieuse, and snorkelling at St Pierre's granite islet.
Bicycles to Anse Source d'Argent, lunch ashore, and a quiet evening.
Snorkelling and a beach lunch.
Disembark.
The yachts that cruise here
We arrange crewed yachts in the Seychelles and look across the market for the ones that fit each enquiry.
The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
Catamaran or motor yacht?
Catamarans suit the Seychelles well: they are stable at anchor and have a shallow draft for the bays. A motor yacht is faster between the islands and usually has more crew.
When is the sea calmest?
April and October to November fall between the two wind seasons. In the other months, the crew picks the sheltered side of each island.
How do we get there?
International flights land on Mahé, and you board on the same island.
Can we visit the nature reserves?
Yes. Some open only at set times: Cousin, for example, opens on set mornings, and visitors land in the reserve's boats. Your crew plans the day around them.
Is it good for snorkelling and diving?
Yes. The marine parks and the granite reefs are good. Ask us which yachts carry dive equipment.
Are the beaches safe for children?
Many are calm, but conditions change with the season: west coasts can be unsafe from about December to March, east coasts from about May to September, and some beaches have rip currents when the sea is rough. The crew knows which.
Can we go to the outer islands?
Not on a week from Mahé. Aldabra alone is over 1,000 km to the south-west, so the outer islands are a voyage planned on its own.
Do we need a visa?
Before you fly, you apply for a Seychelles Travel Authorisation on the government's official site. British visitors, for example, then receive a visitor's permit on arrival, free for the first three months. Check the rules for your own passport.
If you are also weighing the Maldives
The Maldives are flatter atolls, with more diving and resort life. The Seychelles have more to see ashore: forests, tortoises and granite shores.
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the week is for: a family holiday, a honeymoon, a birthday with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
Seychelles.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.