Suzuki S-Presso
$44.89per day · $314 for 7 days
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Seychelles Road Trip by Car
A Seychelles road trip runs island by island: one hire car on Mahé, a second on Praslin, and La Digue on foot or by bicycle. A ferry or a short flight joins the islands.
Key points
- Plan one car per island: a Mahé car, then a Praslin car.
- Mahé to Praslin is a ferry ride or a short flight, and Praslin to La Digue a short ferry. Each island has its own stops, and La Digue is for walking and cycling.
- La Digue has no cars on our list; plan to visit on foot or by bicycle.
- Mahé's narrow, winding roads are covered in our driving guide.
- The Seychelles Meteorological Authority gives April light winds, May the sunniest weather and October the most dry days; January is the wettest month.
How to plan a Seychelles road trip: Mahé, Praslin and beyond
Start on Mahé. It has the international airport and the cars for the first leg, and the trip is a chain of short drives joined by a ferry or a flight: you cannot drive from island to island.
That means two separate rentals with dates that meet at the crossing. The Mahé car goes back before you leave, and the Praslin car starts when you arrive. Praslin is the second stop and La Digue a day trip from it.
Licence, driving side and what to do after a breakdown are in our guide to driving in the Seychelles. For the first drive from the airport, see car hire at Seychelles International Airport; for the other end of the trip, car hire on Praslin.
How many days does a three-island road trip need?
A week fits one car on each island and La Digue as a day trip. For two or three weeks, give the extra nights to Mahé and Praslin, the two islands where you drive, and spread the stops listed for each island over separate days.
| Day | Island | What to do with the car |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Mahé | Collect the car at the airport; the first drive is short, for example to Victoria (about 10 km) or Beau Vallon (about 14 km). |
| Day 2 | Mahé | Take the coast roads in daylight and leave the cross-island road for a clear morning. |
| Day 3 | Mahé | Spare day for weather or a second coast drive. Return the Mahé car in Victoria or at the airport, depending on your crossing. |
| Day 4 | Praslin | Cross by ferry or flight; the Praslin car is delivered to the jetty, the airstrip or your guesthouse. |
| Day 5 | Praslin | Use the Praslin car for the day; keep it for the whole stay on the island. |
| Day 6 | La Digue | Day trip by passenger ferry from Baie Ste Anne, with no car on the other side. |
| Day 7 | Praslin | Return the Praslin car, cross back to Mahé and fly home from the airport the same day, or sleep near the airport first if your flight is early. |
Which car suits the roads, and what will two rentals cost?
A small car fits Mahé's bends and parks easily at a beach. Take an SUV or crossover only for luggage or space; the paved roads do not need one. Prices, the share of automatics and the share of cars without a deposit change with the pick-up point.
| Pick-up place | Offers | From, per day | Typical, per day | Automatic | No deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seychelles Airport (SEZ) | 88 | $44.89 | $62.85 | 100% | 89% |
| Victoria | 58 | $44.89 | $61.08 | 100% | 93% |
| Praslin | 18 | $60.60 | — | — | — |
According to Autalo's daily price check of 88 rental offers at Seychelles Airport on , a 7-day rental starts at $44.89 per day, and a typical car costs about $62.85 per day. 100% of these offers are automatic and 89% need no deposit.
Start with Seychelles International Airport if you land on Mahé, or Victoria for a base near the Praslin ferry.
What is the Mahé leg like, and how far is it around the island?
Mahé is mountainous, and its roads are narrow and winding, so allow daylight for each drive. Road conditions, parking and theft warnings are in our guide to driving in the Seychelles.
These distances are short and approximate.
Airport pick-up suits a daylight arrival and a hotel on the west or south coast. After a late flight, a delivery to your hotel the next morning avoids the mountain road in the dark, if your offer includes delivery, as the airport page explains. For hotels around Beau Vallon and Bel Ombre see car hire around Victoria.
Four stops fit the Mahé days:
- Morne Seychellois National Park, where the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority lists the official trails of Copolia, Mare aux Cochons, Salazie, Trois Frères, Anse Major, Morne Blanc and Dans Gallas, with panoramic views.
- The Anse Major trail, which starts at Danzil in Bel Ombre and ends at Anse Major beach, according to the same authority.
- Port Launay Marine Park, the only marine park reachable by land as well as by sea; the authority says it encloses eight beaches, with reefs on both sides of the bay for snorkelling.
- Beau Vallon, the long beach on the north-west coast, with hotels and guesthouses.
Cars for Mahé
Kia Picanto
$48.26per day · $338 for 7 days
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Suzuki DZire
$48.26per day · $338 for 7 days
See conditions →How do you get from Mahé to Praslin?
Take the fast ferry or fly. Cat Cocos runs the fast ferry from the Inter-Island Quay in Victoria to the jetty at Baie Ste Anne on Praslin's east coast, and the crossing takes about an hour.
The flight from the domestic terminal next to Seychelles International Airport lands at the airstrip at Grand Anse on the west side of the island, and Seychelles Airports gives about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Tell the Mahé supplier where you will return the car: the airport before a flight, or Victoria before the ferry.
- Book the Praslin car and give the supplier your arrival point, Baie Ste Anne jetty or the Grand Anse airstrip.
- Check the current ferry timetable with the operator before you fix the day, and keep a margin for weather.
What is the Praslin leg like?
Cars on Praslin are delivered to you, so there is no desk to find. The page on car hire on Praslin explains the hand-over points.
Cars delivered on Praslin
Suzuki Brezza
$60.60per day · $424 for 7 days
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Suzuki Fronx 2025
$60.60per day · $424 for 7 days
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Suzuki Fronx 2023
$60.60per day · $424 for 7 days
See conditions →Three stops fit the Praslin days:
- Vallée de Mai, a World Heritage site enclosed by Praslin National Park, according to the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority. Check its opening hours with the Seychelles Islands Foundation before you plan around it.
- The Glacis Noire trail at Fond B'offay, the park's one official trail. The authority gives at most an hour on foot from the main road to the fire tower, with views of La Digue and other islands.
- Anse Lazio, a beach on the north-west of the island bordered by large granite boulders.
What about La Digue?
La Digue is visited without a car. The ferry from Baie Ste Anne on Praslin takes about 15 minutes, we list no rental cars on the island, and people go on foot or by bicycle.
Two stops fit the day:
- The Veuve Special Reserve at Anse Réunion, which protects the Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher, according to the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority.
- Anse Source d'Argent, reached through L'Union Estate, a former coconut plantation and vanilla farm that is now a nature reserve; entering the estate costs a small fee.
Ask your Praslin supplier where to leave the car for the day, and whether the rental days keep running while you are away.
Which months suit a road trip?
The Seychelles Meteorological Authority calls April the month of the monsoon reversal: light and variable winds, and a sea that suits fishing. May is the sunniest part of the year, as the southeast trade winds set in. October is the month with the most dry days, as the winds weaken before the rains.
January is the peak of the rainy season, with showers by day or night. From June the southeast trades blow hard with a choppy sea, and in July and August the sea can be rough.
The beaches facing south and southeast collect weed between June and September, and the sheltered west and northwest coasts are pleasanter, which also shapes where you drive. Cyclone storms normally curve south and rarely affect the main granite islands, according to the authority's guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which months give the best road-trip conditions in the Seychelles?
The Seychelles Meteorological Authority gives April light winds, May the sunniest weather and October the most dry days. January is the wettest month, and from June the southeast trades bring a choppy sea.
Should I hire a car at Seychelles Airport or arrange delivery to my hotel?
Choose the airport if you land in daylight and want the car at once. After a late arrival, compare a hotel hand-over the next morning, if your offer includes delivery; the airport page lists the choices. Give the supplier the address and your arrival time either way.
How long does it take to drive around Mahé?
A loop from Seychelles International Airport through Anse Royale, Port Glaud and Bel Ombre and back is about 60 km. Seychelles International Airport to Victoria is about 10 km, and to Beau Vallon about 14 km. Hairpins, rain and Victoria's traffic decide the hours, so leave room for stops.
How many days do I need to road-trip all three main islands?
A week covers a car on Mahé, a car on Praslin and a day on La Digue. For two or three weeks keep the same pattern and add nights on Mahé and Praslin.
What type of car is best for the roads in the Seychelles?
A small car. Mahé's narrow, winding roads suit a compact, which also parks more easily at a beach. Take an SUV only for luggage or space.
Is it safe to drive in the Seychelles?
Mahé needs care: the UK government describes narrow, winding mountain roads with sheer drops and sudden heavy rain. Drive in daylight where you can; the details are in our driving guide.
Can I take a hire car from Mahé to Praslin on the ferry?
A rental car leaves its island only with the supplier's written permission. Hand the Mahé car back before the crossing and pick up a Praslin car when you arrive.
How long is the ferry crossing from Mahé to Praslin?
About an hour from the Inter-Island Quay in Victoria to Baie Ste Anne, according to the operator information. Check the current timetable for the day you travel.
Is it worth hiring a car on Praslin?
If you want to reach several beaches in a day, yes. Cars on Praslin are delivered to the jetty, the airstrip or your guesthouse, so tell the supplier where you arrive.
Can you hire a car on La Digue?
We list no rental cars on La Digue. Visit on foot or by bicycle, as a day trip by ferry from Praslin.
Which island should I start on?
Mahé, because the international airport is there. Collect the first car on Mahé and return it before you cross to Praslin.
What if the weather disrupts the crossing?
Ferries and domestic flights can be disrupted by severe weather, so keep a spare day and check the operator's current timetable.
Sources (12)
- UK Foreign Office: Seychelles safety and security (roads, crime, weather) gov.uk · Checked
- Cat Cocos: operator information on the Mahé to Praslin fast ferry cat-cocos.koek.sc · Checked
- Cat Rose (Inter Island Ferry): services between Praslin and La Digue iif-catrose.com · Checked
- Air Seychelles: domestic flights to Praslin fly.airseychelles.com · Checked
- Seychelles Airports: Praslin airport seychellesairports.sc · Checked
- Seychelles Meteorological Authority: Seychelles climate guide, month by month meteo.sc · Checked
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: Morne Seychellois National Park spga.gov.sc · Checked
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: Port Launay Marine Park spga.gov.sc · Checked
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: Praslin National Park (Vallée de Mai, Glacis Noire) spga.gov.sc · Checked
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: Veuve Special Reserve, La Digue spga.gov.sc · Checked
- Wikipedia: Anse Source d'Argent and L'Union Estate en.wikipedia.org · Checked
- Wikipedia: Anse Lazio en.wikipedia.org · Checked