There are few places on earth where the journey between destinations is as beautiful as the destinations themselves. The Seychelles is one of them. Stretched across the warm Indian Ocean, its inner islands sit close enough together that travelers can wake to a new anchorage every morning, yet far enough apart that each one feels like a discovery. Seeing this archipelago from the deck of a yacht turns a beach holiday into something rarer — a slow, salt-air adventure through granite peaks, hidden coves and water so clear it barely seems real.
This seven-day route links the three islands every first-time visitor dreams of — Mahé, Praslin and La Digue — while folding in the marine parks and uninhabited islets that only a boat can reach. It is gentle enough for newcomers and rich enough for seasoned sailors, which is exactly why Seychelles boat tours built around this loop have become the signature way to experience the country. What follows is the voyage, day by day.
Why See the Seychelles from the Water
A land-based holiday in the Seychelles is lovely, but it has a ceiling. Ferries run on fixed schedules, the best beaches fill with day-trippers, and entire islands stay out of reach. A yacht removes those limits entirely.
The distances here are forgiving. The longest passage of the week, from Mahé to Praslin, covers only around 25 nautical miles, while Praslin to La Digue is a hop of just a few miles. Short sailing legs mean more time at anchor and less time underway — ideal for couples, families and anyone new to life afloat. Better still, a yacht unlocks the archipelago’s secret side: marine reserves, pink-granite islets and snorkeling reefs that have no jetty, no road and no crowd.
Planning the Voyage: What to Know First
A successful charter starts long before the lines are cast off. A little preparation around timing and logistics makes the difference between a smooth week and a scramble.
Where the Journey Begins
Most charters set out from the marina at Eden Island, just across a short causeway from Mahé’s capital, Victoria. The location is convenient: provisions, fresh water and last-minute supplies are all close at hand, and the protected waters nearby make for an easy first night before the real sailing begins. Praslin also serves as a secondary base for crews wanting to skip the opening passage.
Choosing the Right Season
The Seychelles enjoys warm weather year-round, but the wind sets the rhythm of a sailing trip. The southeast trade winds from May to September bring breezier, cooler conditions and livelier sailing, while the northwest monsoon from December to March delivers calmer seas with occasional tropical showers. The transitional months — April and October — are often the sweetest spot, offering glassy water and light winds that suit relaxed island-hopping.
The 7-Day Seychelles Sailing Itinerary
This is the heart of the voyage. Each day pairs an easy sail with a marquee attraction and an overnight anchorage, so the crew always has somewhere beautiful to drop the hook as the sun goes down.
Day 1 — Mahé and the Sainte Anne Marine Park
The adventure begins at Eden Island, where the crew settles aboard and stocks up in Victoria’s lively market. Rather than a long first passage, a short three-mile sail leads into the Sainte Anne Marine Park, a cluster of small islands ringed by coral. The first afternoon is spent snorkeling over shallow gardens of fish before the boat anchors off Cerf or Round Island for a gentle introduction to life at sea.
Day 2 — The Passage to Praslin
The morning brings the week’s main crossing: roughly 25 to 30 nautical miles northeast to Praslin, usually four to five hours under sail. With the trade winds on the beam, it is a glorious stretch of open water with flying fish skimming alongside. By afternoon the yacht slips into the calm bay at Anse Volbert, or the celebrated curve of Anse Lazio, in time for a swim ashore.
Day 3 — Praslin and the Vallée de Mai
Praslin guards one of the planet’s botanical wonders. A morning ashore leads into the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO-listed palm forest where the famous coco de mer — the largest seed in the world — grows beneath a prehistoric canopy. The afternoon is best spent back on the sand at Anse Lazio or the hidden Anse Georgette, regularly ranked among the finest beaches anywhere.
Day 4 — Curieuse, St. Pierre and on to La Digue
A short sail north reaches Curieuse, a marine national park where giant Aldabra tortoises roam freely across red-earth paths and mangrove boardwalks. Nearby, the tiny granite islet of St. Pierre offers some of the archipelago’s most photogenic snorkeling. As the light softens, the crew sails the final few miles to La Digue, anchoring off the village pier at La Passe.
Day 5 — La Digue and Anse Source d’Argent
La Digue moves at the pace of the bicycle and the ox-cart, and it rewards those who slow down. The island’s crown jewel is Anse Source d’Argent, where colossal pink-granite boulders frame shallow, mirror-still lagoons. A ride through the old L’Union Estate coconut plantation and a stop at the wilder Grand Anse round out a day that many travelers remember above all others.
Day 6 — The Sister Islands and Coco Island
This is the day the boat earns its keep. North of La Digue lie Grande Soeur, Petite Soeur and the diminutive Coco Island, a protected marine zone with reefs teeming with turtles, rays and clouds of reef fish. Few land tourists ever set foot here. A beach lunch on Grande Soeur and an afternoon in the water make for the most exclusive day of the voyage.
Day 7 — The Return to Mahé
The final morning turns the bows back toward Mahé, retracing the open-water passage with the wind now astern. Crews with time to spare often pause for one last snorkel in the Sainte Anne park before returning the yacht to Eden Island, sun-warmed and reluctant to step ashore.
The Route at a Glance
For quick reference, the table below summarizes each day’s sailing distance, headline attraction and overnight anchorage.
| Day | Route | Approx. Distance | Highlight | Overnight |
| 1 | Mahé – Sainte Anne | ~3 nm | Marine park snorkeling | Cerf / Round Island |
| 2 | Mahé – Praslin | ~25–30 nm | Open-water passage | Anse Volbert |
| 3 | Praslin | — | Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio | Praslin |
| 4 | Praslin – Curieuse – La Digue | ~10 nm | Giant tortoises, St. Pierre | La Passe |
| 5 | La Digue | — | Anse Source d’Argent | La Digue |
| 6 | Sister Islands & Coco | ~6 nm | Snorkeling, beach lunch | Grande Soeur area |
| 7 | Return to Mahé | ~25–30 nm | Final sail | Eden Island |
Practical Tips Before Casting Off
A few simple habits keep a charter relaxed rather than rushed. Most of the inner-island marine parks charge a conservation fee, payable on arrival, so it helps to carry some local currency aboard. Fresh water is limited at sea, which makes mindful use of the tanks a daily discipline, and many popular anchorages now use mooring buoys rather than allowing crews to drop anchor on fragile coral.
Packing light is the golden rule of any yacht holiday. The essentials worth prioritizing include:
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and polarized sunglasses
- Soft-sided bags rather than hard suitcases, which are hard to stow
- Water shoes for rocky landings and reef walks
Ready to Sail This Route
This seven-day loop captures the very best of the Seychelles, from the rainforests of Praslin to the granite beaches of La Digue and the untouched reefs in between. Whether the goal is a bareboat adventure or a fully crewed escape, a tailored charter turns this itinerary into the holiday of a lifetime — with nothing between the crew and the horizon but warm wind and open water.
About Peter C.
Peter is a digital nomad who largely writes from Asia, Europe, and South America. Always following the "vibe," he sets up shop in hostels and AirBNB's and continues to entertain us with wild stories from life abroad. Ask him anything in our community forum. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
