With 50% of the total land area under conservation protection, these uncommercialised islands are among the world leaders in sustainable tourism. To protect this rare and richly diverse environment, home to the endemic Aldabra giant tortoise and an abundance of rainbow-coloured coral reef fish, the government restricts access to some of the southern islands. Travelling here has to be done with conservation of the islands an utmost priority. This is where Explorations comes in:  with our contacts across the archipelago, we provide exclusive access to some of the most remote coralline locations whilst prioritising conservation.

Mahé, Praslin and La Digue are the three main islands, each of which has a trove of natural treasures to explore, from Praslin’s Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette beaches to Mahé’s rare endemic plants including the Jellyfish Tree and the Seychelles Vanilla Orchid. Given the Seychelles are home to some of the world’s finest beaches, the islands are an ideal destination to enjoy scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing and several different styles of fishing. Dive into the warm clear waters to find angelfish, butterfly fish, octopus, lionfish and mantis shrimp. Further from the beaches, large populations of triggerfish, barracuda, snapper, schools of humphead parrotfish, stingrays, the fabled milkfish and reef sharks roam around the reefs in a mesmerising display of marine life.

For a more secluded island retreat, we recommend the exclusive Alphonse group of Outer Islands (Alphonse, St. François and Bijoutier). Alphonse is an ideal destination for fishing addicts with world-class bonefishing, fascinating wildlife, excellent guides and a range of land and sea activities. Learn about how the Alphonse atoll is a hotspot for nesting green and hawksbill turtles from the Island Conservation Team. Try your hand at saltwater/bluewater fly fishing, deep sea fishing from a catamaran, or head for the wadeable flats around St François.

Island hopping by helicopter transfers or private charter flights is the main way to experience all that the Seychelles has to offer in style. We also favour a combined approach, staying on land in secluded beach lodges for a  few days of relaxed bliss followed by exploring the islands sailing on a catamaran or private yacht for an enhanced overall experience. For the adventurous, take the Cat Coco catamaran between Mahé and Praslin for an exhilarating sea journey (our team can advise the best time of year for this).

There’s an excellent range of accommodation from chic hotels to sprawling colonial villas and Robinson-Crusoe-style secluded retreats. Whilst the Seychelles is a stand-alone destination, it can also be an ideal extension to an African safari holiday. Either way, once you’ve experienced the allure of these mesmerising tropical islands, you’ll never want to leave.