Has any body been to the Seychelle Islands? How's the diving? What top side attractions are there to do? Are there any liveaboards? I'm thinking of using my Northwest frequent flyer miles to go to the Seychelle Islands with a layover in Kenya for a Safari. Any good websites for research?
Seychelle Islands Africa
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cdiver2
Contributor
There are quiet a few web sites and some of the dive mags have covered the Seychelles. We were going to go last year but decided not to as they were so expensive. We did a week in PNG and a live aboard in Oz for less money
Sylvie
Contributor
Hi Champ
I'm also seriously considering going to Seychelles this summer. I have a book that I use as reference, but I know of a few web sites too. The official website of the Seychelles is www.seychelles.com There is also a Seychelles guide www.sey.net . You can also check out the lonely plant's site for basic information www.lonelyplanet.com
Have you double-checked that you can use your mileage points to the Seychelles? Its not exactly an easy location to spend your miles. From here, you can only fly to Seychelles with Air Seychelles or Air France (AF announce last week that NW last week that NW will join AFs Skyteam in September). You can't use NW points with Air Seychelles, but you might have luck with AF after September. Btw www.airseychelles.net also has general info on the islands, and youll need to fly with them if you want to do some long distance island hopping. The above-mentioned web sites also have info and link to diving and liveaboards, but I forget which site was best.
Good luck
Sylvie
PS: I don't know where you live, but If you live in the North West of the USA wouldn't CDiver2's suggestion of PNG or GBR be easier for you to get to?
I'm also seriously considering going to Seychelles this summer. I have a book that I use as reference, but I know of a few web sites too. The official website of the Seychelles is www.seychelles.com There is also a Seychelles guide www.sey.net . You can also check out the lonely plant's site for basic information www.lonelyplanet.com
Have you double-checked that you can use your mileage points to the Seychelles? Its not exactly an easy location to spend your miles. From here, you can only fly to Seychelles with Air Seychelles or Air France (AF announce last week that NW last week that NW will join AFs Skyteam in September). You can't use NW points with Air Seychelles, but you might have luck with AF after September. Btw www.airseychelles.net also has general info on the islands, and youll need to fly with them if you want to do some long distance island hopping. The above-mentioned web sites also have info and link to diving and liveaboards, but I forget which site was best.
Good luck
Sylvie
PS: I don't know where you live, but If you live in the North West of the USA wouldn't CDiver2's suggestion of PNG or GBR be easier for you to get to?
sapphire
Contributor
I did a similar trip several years ago. A safari in Kenya and Tanzania, with a side trip to the Seychelles. Here is the dive op we used on Mahe and Desroches the Underwater Centre.
It was worth it because we were there. If not, it is a ton of money to spend to get there, for diving that is completely comparable to the Caribbean. We had fun, but unless I was going to be in the area I would not go back... The best part of the trip by FAR was the photo safari in Tanzania :biggrin:!
If you have any other questions feel free to PM me!
It was worth it because we were there. If not, it is a ton of money to spend to get there, for diving that is completely comparable to the Caribbean. We had fun, but unless I was going to be in the area I would not go back... The best part of the trip by FAR was the photo safari in Tanzania :biggrin:!
If you have any other questions feel free to PM me!
Sylvie,
I check it with my frequent flyer miles. I can fly Northwest/KLM from MN to Amsterdam to Kenya (free layover to do the safari) then to the Seychelles. It costs 90,000 miles coach or 120,000 business class. What I like about this trip is that I've always wanted to do a Safari and it doesn't cost me any more miles to go out to the Seychelles. What book are you using for reference? Is it any good?
Champ
I check it with my frequent flyer miles. I can fly Northwest/KLM from MN to Amsterdam to Kenya (free layover to do the safari) then to the Seychelles. It costs 90,000 miles coach or 120,000 business class. What I like about this trip is that I've always wanted to do a Safari and it doesn't cost me any more miles to go out to the Seychelles. What book are you using for reference? Is it any good?
Champ
Sylvie
Contributor
Hi Champ
You're so lucky to be able to use your miles that way. I have over 100,000 miles with Swiss, but can't use them anywhere that I'd seriously like to go or that I haven't gone before.
I did a week long Safari in Kenya and Northern Tanzania in August 1992 and loved it. Afterwards we spent a week in Dani Beach south of Mombassa. There is a barrier reef off the African East coast (the second longest in the world after the GBR in Australia) and you can go diving from there. My husband dove, but he has since forgotten what it was like. At the time, I wasn't certified and tried a sample dive in the pool. Unfortunately I over equalised / poped my ears so badly in an exercise that I had to go to the doctors, who declared me unfit for diving afterwards. So much for completing my OWD that time.
The book I have is in German, but its probably also available in English. Its the Polyglott APA guide to Mauritius Réunion and the Seychelles. Apparently their books are published in 20 languages. The soft cover book has lots of stunning photos, including photos of the better know resorts and hotels, it has a good history and culture section, maps, flora and fauna, best beaches (Anse Lazio in Northern Praslin was voted best beach in the world), list of activities including scuba, restaurant recommendations etc. The usual stuff I suppose. Its not as detailed as say the Lonely Planet, but then again the Seychelles is not exactly a location most back packers can afford. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this book certainly has a whole lot of them.
Here are some dive Operators and School listed in my book. Although by the sounds of it you can probably find a dive operators at or near your hotel.
Association of Professional Divers (APDS) and Underwater Centre Seychelles
www.diveseychelles.com
Big Blue Divers
Vacoa Village, Mahé
Bleu Marine Diving Centre
La Vanille Bungalows
Anse à la Blague, Praslin
Island Ventures
Berjaya hotes in Mahlé & Praslin
Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay in Mahlé
Berjaya in Praslin
www.islandventures.net
Le Diable des Mers Diving
Beau Vallon, Mahlé
Travel Services Seychelles (TSS)
Decompression chamber is in Victoria, Mahé
According to a German travel magazine reader survey, 6 of the top 12 beaches in the world are located in the Seychelles. Best Beaches include:
Anse Lazio, Praslin
Anse Georgette, Praslin
Anse Source dArgent, la Digue
Grande Anse, la Digue
Anse Cocos, la Digue
Anse Victorin, Frégate
Anse Intendance, Mahé
Anse Soleil, Mahé
The following islands are apparently have pretty nice beaches too:
St Francois
Desroches (coral island)
Alphonese (coral island)
Farquhar
Assomption
As far as diving is concerned I would suppose that its better near the coral islands of Bird, Denis, Desroches and Alphonse than the other granite islands. I read somewhere that the diving is good from spring to late fall and the best month was September. Something like that. Unfortunately, I no longer have the source.
Hope this helps. If you come across good tips of your own please pass them on.
Sylvie
You're so lucky to be able to use your miles that way. I have over 100,000 miles with Swiss, but can't use them anywhere that I'd seriously like to go or that I haven't gone before.
I did a week long Safari in Kenya and Northern Tanzania in August 1992 and loved it. Afterwards we spent a week in Dani Beach south of Mombassa. There is a barrier reef off the African East coast (the second longest in the world after the GBR in Australia) and you can go diving from there. My husband dove, but he has since forgotten what it was like. At the time, I wasn't certified and tried a sample dive in the pool. Unfortunately I over equalised / poped my ears so badly in an exercise that I had to go to the doctors, who declared me unfit for diving afterwards. So much for completing my OWD that time.
The book I have is in German, but its probably also available in English. Its the Polyglott APA guide to Mauritius Réunion and the Seychelles. Apparently their books are published in 20 languages. The soft cover book has lots of stunning photos, including photos of the better know resorts and hotels, it has a good history and culture section, maps, flora and fauna, best beaches (Anse Lazio in Northern Praslin was voted best beach in the world), list of activities including scuba, restaurant recommendations etc. The usual stuff I suppose. Its not as detailed as say the Lonely Planet, but then again the Seychelles is not exactly a location most back packers can afford. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this book certainly has a whole lot of them.
Here are some dive Operators and School listed in my book. Although by the sounds of it you can probably find a dive operators at or near your hotel.
Association of Professional Divers (APDS) and Underwater Centre Seychelles
www.diveseychelles.com
Big Blue Divers
Vacoa Village, Mahé
Bleu Marine Diving Centre
La Vanille Bungalows
Anse à la Blague, Praslin
Island Ventures
Berjaya hotes in Mahlé & Praslin
Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay in Mahlé
Berjaya in Praslin
www.islandventures.net
Le Diable des Mers Diving
Beau Vallon, Mahlé
Travel Services Seychelles (TSS)
Decompression chamber is in Victoria, Mahé
According to a German travel magazine reader survey, 6 of the top 12 beaches in the world are located in the Seychelles. Best Beaches include:
Anse Lazio, Praslin
Anse Georgette, Praslin
Anse Source dArgent, la Digue
Grande Anse, la Digue
Anse Cocos, la Digue
Anse Victorin, Frégate
Anse Intendance, Mahé
Anse Soleil, Mahé
The following islands are apparently have pretty nice beaches too:
St Francois
Desroches (coral island)
Alphonese (coral island)
Farquhar
Assomption
As far as diving is concerned I would suppose that its better near the coral islands of Bird, Denis, Desroches and Alphonse than the other granite islands. I read somewhere that the diving is good from spring to late fall and the best month was September. Something like that. Unfortunately, I no longer have the source.
Hope this helps. If you come across good tips of your own please pass them on.
Sylvie
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