Planning a 3-day trip to Mahé, Seychelles? This Mahé itinerary is based on our own 3-day island adventure, covering beautiful beaches, snorkeling, scenic drives and some of the island's most memorable places to visit.
During our trip, we stayed around Beau Vallon, explored Beau Vallon Beach and Eden Island, took a boat trip to Anse Major, went snorkeling, visited Anse Carana and Morne Seychellois National Park, drove along the island's scenic west coast and made our way to Victoria.
If you have only 3 days in Mahé, you can still experience a wonderful mix of beaches, nature, sightseeing and island exploration with a little planning. Here's how we spent our 3 days in Mahé and the places that made the trip so special.
3-Day Mahé Itinerary at a Glance
Here’s a quick look at how we spent our three days exploring Mahé Island, Seychelles:
| Day | Where We Went | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Beau Vallon & Eden Island | Beach, sunset and island exploration |
| Day 2 | Anse Major | Boat trip, snorkeling and beach picnic |
| Day 3 | Mahé Road Trip & Victoria | Beaches, mountains, scenic drive and sightseeing |
Exploring Mahé Island by Car
Mahé is the largest and most developed island in Seychelles, and it is an excellent base for exploring the country's beaches, viewpoints, mountain roads and coastal scenery. We spent 3 days in Mahé, Seychelles, staying in Beau Vallon and using a rental car to explore different parts of the island.
For us, renting a car was one of the best ways to experience Mahé. It gave us the freedom to stop at beaches, viewpoints and small coastal spots along the way instead of following a fixed sightseeing schedule.
Driving around Mahé can be an experience in itself. Many roads are narrow and winding, particularly in the mountainous areas, with steep sections and beautiful views over the coast. Seychelles also drives on the left-hand side of the road. We found the roads relatively quiet during our trip, but driving required concentration, particularly on narrow mountain roads and sections without wide shoulders.
If you're planning to rent a car in Mahé, I recommend choosing a small, easy-to-handle vehicle rather than a large car.
Day 1: Beau Vallon Beach and Eden Island
Beau Vallon Resort
Our first day in Mahé began on April 21, 2017, when we picked up our rental car at Seychelles Airport. We had three days to explore the island and had booked our stay at Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino.
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Located in Beau Vallon on the northern coast of Mahé, the resort was right beside one of the island's best-known beaches. Beau Vallon is particularly convenient if you want to combine a beach stay with sightseeing and exploring other parts of northern Mahé.
It took us around 15-20 minutes to reach the resort. We arrived at around 10 am, before the 2 pm check-in time, so we couldn't get our room immediately. However, the hotel kindly provided us with a complimentary buffet and kept our luggage safely while we explored the property.
There were plenty of vegetarian options at the buffet, which was particularly welcome because we were already hungry after the journey.
We then explored the resort and found a lovely outdoor pool where we spent some time swimming and sunbathing. The property also had restaurants, bars, a tennis court, casino and other facilities.
Once our room was ready, we checked in and had lunch at Pizzeria, the Italian restaurant at the resort. We enjoyed the Italian food before heading out to explore Beau Vallon.
Beau Vallon Beach: One of the Best Places to Visit in Mahé
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As our resort was located directly beside Beau Vallon Beach, we simply walked down from the property and spent the afternoon exploring the beach.
Beau Vallon was everything we had imagined Seychelles would look like: soft white sand, clear turquoise water and beautiful views along the coastline.
On a clear day, the water appeared to have several different shades of blue. Walking closer to the shoreline, we could see through the clear water to the seabed.
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Eden Island: A Short Drive from Victoria
After spending the afternoon around Beau Vallon, we drove towards Eden Island, located just off the coast near Victoria.
We explored Eden Plaza, walked around the area and stopped at the supermarket to buy fruits, juices and snacks. It was a relaxed evening rather than a major sightseeing stop, but we enjoyed simply walking around and exploring the area.
We eventually drove back to Beau Vallon and spent the night at the resort.
Day 2: Anse Major Beach and Snorkeling
We started our second day with a beautiful sunrise over Beau Vallon Beach. We walked along the shoreline, enjoying the cool morning breeze and the sound of the waves. It was one of those quiet Seychelles mornings that made us want to slow down and simply enjoy where we were.
Anse Major Beach: Snorkeling and a Secluded Beach Day
After breakfast at the resort, we got ready for one of the highlights of our 3-day Mahé itinerary: Anse Major Beach.
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We booked a private boat for the day to Anse Major, a beautiful beach on the northwest coast of Mahé. We still had two or three hours before our boat trip, so we used the time to drive around the nearby area and stop at a scenic viewpoint.
The scenery was spectacular, with glistening blue water, lush green mountains and enormous granite boulders shaped by time.
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Snorkeling at Anse Major
The clear turquoise water around Anse Major was perfect for snorkeling. We snorkeled around the granite rocks and were fascinated by the amount of marine life we could see through our masks.
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We turned the beach visit into a picnic. Some of us played in the sand, some of us swam and snorkeled, while others simply relaxed and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. And me? Hey, I was one of the "others" - snorkeling and trying to learn how to swim. 😜
Our picnic lasted until the evening, when we got back onto the boat for the ride to the resort. We were exhausted after the day's activities, so dinner was followed by an early night.
Day 3: Mahé Island Road Trip
It was our last day in Seychelles, and we were already beginning to miss the island. After another beautiful sunrise at Beau Vallon Beach, we set out to explore more of Mahé by car.
Anse Carana Beach
Our first stop was Anse Carana on the north coast of Mahé. We stopped here during our morning drive and spent some time enjoying the calm beach and the granite rocks along the coastline.
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After exploring Anse Carana, we returned to the car and continued our Mahé Island road trip.
Morne Seychellois National Park: Mahé's Mountainous Interior
The west coast quickly became quieter and wilder, with beaches backed by lush, jungle-covered hills. Along the way, we came across a tortoise farm where we saw giant Seychelles tortoises... and they really were giant!
Morne Seychellois National Park covers a significant part of Mahé and includes dense tropical forests, mountain habitats and the island's highest peak, Morne Seychellois, which rises to 905 metres.
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From Beau Vallon, we started heading to the west coast road, where it is possible to hike to the gorgeous Anse Major. Well, driving in Morne Seychellois National Park was an amazing experience with the splendid views of the island. It is a great place to hike for those who can't just sit on the beach. The splendid Morne Seychellois National Park encompasses an impressive 20% of the land area of Mahé and contains a wide variety of habitats, from coastal mangrove forests up to the country's highest peak, the Morne Seychellois (905m).
Mahé Island Road Trip: West Coast to East Coast
From Morne Seychellois, we continued our drive through the west coast of Mahé. The road took us through dense forest, with occasional viewpoints overlooking valleys and the sea.We drove down towards Port Glaud and Anse Boileau along a narrow mountain road with beautiful views over the water. The beaches along this stretch of the coast were picture-perfect, with white sand and clear blue water.
We continued stopping at small beaches and viewpoints whenever something caught our attention. From Anse Louis in the southwest towards Anse Royale in the southeast, the coastal road offers plenty of opportunities to stop, take photographs and simply enjoy the scenery.
The east coast of Mahé is the most built-up part of the island. After passing the airport, we came to Eden Island, located just off Mahé and known for its luxury residences and marina.
From Victoria, we continued back towards Beau Vallon, completing our loop around Mahé. Along the way, we passed viewpoints, beaches and small shopping areas. With around 20 beaches and countless coastal viewpoints around the island, we could easily have spent much longer exploring.
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The east coast of Mahé is the most built-up part of the island. After passing the airport, we came to Eden Island, located just off Mahé and known for its luxury residences and marina.
Victoria: Things to See in the Capital of Seychelles
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After passing Eden Island, we reached Victoria, the capital of Seychelles. We wanted to walk around and explore some of the city's sights, but unfortunately, the market was closed because it was Sunday.
Some of the places we wanted to see included the famous Clock Tower, the Courthouse, the cathedral, Natural History Museum, a colourful Hindu temple and the Botanical Gardens.
From Victoria, we continued back towards Beau Vallon, completing our loop around Mahé. Along the way, we passed viewpoints, beaches and small shopping areas. With around 20 beaches and countless coastal viewpoints around the island, we could easily have spent much longer exploring.
Leaving Mahé
By the time we returned to Beau Vallon, it was our final night in Seychelles. We had dinner at the Indian restaurant at our resort, talked about the day's drive and started packing for our early flight.
Our flight from Seychelles to Dubai was at 8 am, so we checked out at around 4 am and drove back to the airport to return our rental car.
We hadn't bought any souvenirs during the trip, so we explored the shops at Mahé Airport before our flight. We bought a few things to remind us not only of Seychelles, but also of the people we travelled with and the memories we made during those three days.
Three days went by incredibly quickly, and looking back, our Mahé road trip, Beau Vallon sunsets and quiet day at Anse Major were some of the highlights of our Seychelles trip.
Have you visited Mahé Island or any of the other islands in Seychelles? Which beach or experience was your favourite? Share it in the comments below!
