Seychelles Island hopping

Your tropical cruise begins on Mahé island, the largest in the Seychelles and home of the capital, Victoria. Transfer to your luxury Emerald yacht and remain docked here overnight as you prepare for your discovery of the Seychelles. Please book your flight to arrive into Mahé, Seychelles prior to 01:00 PM.

Late this morning, cruise to Sainte Anne Island. It is encircled by the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, home to incredible marine life, including more than 150 species of fish. Sainte Anne is also a significant nesting site for Hawksbill turtles, with the nesting season running from October to March.

Sail to Thérèse Island in the morning. Sitting just one kilometre off the coast of Mahé, this jewel of the Seychelles is a tiny, uninhabited island with rugged rock formations, long white-sand beaches and lush vegetation. The island has two imposing rocky peaks, which are thought to resemble a giant’s staircase. A reef wraps around the southern edge of the island and offers incredible snorkelling. 

Early in the morning, cruise to Cousin, a small island renowned as a haven for seabirds. The granitic islet was a private property until 1968, when it was purchased by Nature Seychelles (formerly International Council for Bird Preservation) to transform it into a nature reserve. It’s the most protected island in the archipelago, providing a breeding ground for 11 migrating sea bird species annually and a habitat for five birds native to the Seychelles. Later, you will sail to Praslin to stay overnight.

Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles, is visually stunning with tropical jungle-fringed beaches, azure waters and powdery sand. Anse Lazio beach has been voted one of the world’s best several times, and there’s a dazzling reef just offshore brimming with coral and marine life. On land, coconut palms and granite boulders create a picture-postcard landscape. In the centre of the island, discover the World Heritage-listed Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, a compact area of palm forest that has remained almost unchanged since prehistoric times. Sail to La Digue Island later in the afternoon. 

La Digue is the smallest of the three populated islands in the Seychelles. Things move slowly here, with almost no cars on the island and most transport undertaken by horse or ox cart. It has exquisite natural wonders and incredible wildlife, like the population of giant Aldabra tortoises. Like Praslin Island, it is also fringed by world-famous beaches. One of the most recognisable is Anse Source dArgent – it has pink-hued sands contrasting with rock formations and aquamarine waters. Sail to Curieuse later in the evening and dock overnight.

Curieuse is a rugged island swathed in unspoilt wilderness and home to hundreds of Aldabra giant tortoises. One of the largest species of tortoise in the world, they can reach up to 350kg and live for more than 150 years. Apart from its obvious natural beauty, it has a fascinating history. The island was once a quarantine station, and the original French colonial doctor’s house has a museum and a visitor’s centre. Paths wind through mangrove swamps and groves of coco de mer palms.

Early in the morning, cruise to the lush, green island of Aride, a nature reserve managed by the Island Conservation Society. Nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers flock to this island, where more than 30 rare bird species nest in the verdant vegetation. The landscape is enticing with fine-sand beaches, coconut palms and soaring cliffs.

Return to Mahé for the final days of your voyage. The capital city, Victoria, was founded in the French settler period in 1778 and was later named by the British for Queen Victoria. One of the smallest capital cities in the world, it’s home to around 30,000 people, and you could walk around its central area in just 10 minutes. The island of Mahé has pristine beaches dotted with huge rocks and tranquil nature trails threaded through the Morne Seychellois National Park.

Your Emerald Cruises voyage concludes here. From the yacht, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your journey home or to continue your holiday.  Please book your flight to depart out of Mahé, Seychelles after 11:00 AM. The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such, Emerald Cruises cannot guarantee the cruise will be operated unaltered from the itinerary stated above.