What does a Seychelles holiday include, and what does it cost?
Seven or ten nights at the Fisherman’s Cove Resort or similar with return flights from London. ATOL protection under licence 10713 applies and a £99 per person deposit holds it. June is the cheapest month and December the dearest. Transfers, excursions, island hopping and travel insurance are not included, and both the board arrangement and the hotel’s star rating are confirmed in writing before you pay. A travel authorisation must be applied and paid for online before you arrive — the Seychelles has the strictest pre-arrival requirement of anywhere we sell.
What is the travel authorisation, and why does it matter?
This is the most important practical thing here, and it catches people out because it is unlike most “no visa needed” destinations.
The Seychelles needs no visa. But a travel authorisation must be applied for and paid for online before arrival, at seychelles.govtas.com, and can be submitted up to 30 days ahead. It is not free and it is not a formality. Express processing costs extra.
The application requires three things: a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation, and proof of sufficient funds. All three need to be in hand before you apply, which means leaving it to the last week is a poor plan.
Once you arrive, a visitor’s permit is issued free, valid three months and extendable. Your passport needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. Travel insurance may be checked at the border, so have the policy accessible rather than filed away.
Checked against GOV.UK foreign travel advice on 17 September 2026. Re-check before you travel — these requirements change.
What star rating is the hotel, and what board?
It is a four-star, room-only package, so meals are not included in the price.
Your resort and room are confirmed in writing before you pay anything beyond the deposit. Because the package is room only, meals are the part to plan for before you commit: the Seychelles is one of the most expensive destinations in the Indian Ocean to eat in, and the difference between room only and half board over ten nights is substantial.
When should you go?
The Seychelles sits close to the equator and just outside the main cyclone belt, so it is warm year-round without a genuinely bad season. The price pattern here follows demand more than weather.
June is the cheapest month and a genuinely good one — the cooler, drier, breezier half of the year. May is the transitional month and among the calmest.
December stands well clear of everything else, and that premium is festive demand rather than better weather. If your dates are movable at all, moving them off December is the single biggest saving available on the holiday.
The Seychelles does not have a season that closes. What varies is wind and humidity rather than whether the island functions, which is a real difference from our Mediterranean and Caribbean beach deals.
What you will actually do
The beaches are the point, and they are among the best in the world by any reasonable measure — granite boulders, white sand and shallow turquoise water. Beau Vallon on Mahé is the main one near this resort.
Island hopping is what most visitors wish they had planned more of. Praslin and La Digue are both reachable by ferry from Mahé. La Digue in particular is famous for Anse Source d’Argent, routinely named among the most photographed beaches anywhere, and the island is largely car-free — bicycles are the transport.
The Vallée de Mai on Praslin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only place the coco de mer palm grows wild.
Snorkelling and diving are excellent, with granite reefs rather than only coral, and the marine park at Sainte Anne is a short boat ride from Mahé.
Giant tortoises live wild and semi-wild across the islands, and they are considerably larger and older than most visitors expect.
Mahé is more than a beach island. It is mountainous and green inland, with the Morne Seychellois national park covering much of its centre, walking trails through mist forest, and Victoria — one of the smallest capital cities in the world, small enough to walk across in twenty minutes.
The creole culture is a genuine blend of African, French, Indian and British influence, and it shows most clearly in the language and the food. Fish, coconut, chilli and fruit are the basis of almost everything, and it is distinct from Mauritian cooking despite the shared history.
Self-catering is a serious option here, and unusually so for a luxury destination. Because eating out is expensive, a good number of visitors use the supermarkets on Mahé for breakfasts and lunches and save the restaurants for evenings. It is worth asking about when you settle the board.
Hire a car on Mahé if you want to see it. The island is small, the roads are steep and narrow but manageable, and the beaches worth finding — Anse Major, Petite Anse — are not the ones directly outside the resorts.
What changes your price?
- The month. June at its cheapest against December at its dearest.
- Seven nights or ten, both available and priced separately.
- Departure airport. Priced from London, with regional UK airports at a supplement confirmed at enquiry.
- Room category, particularly a sea view or beachfront room.
- The board arrangement, which we confirm in writing and which matters a great deal here given how expensive eating out is.
Who this holiday suits
- Honeymooners and couples on a romantic escape — this is what the holiday is built for.
- Travellers who want the best beaches in the Indian Ocean and are willing to pay for them.
- Snorkellers and divers, given the granite reefs and marine parks.
- Anyone wanting a destination without a closed season.
- Photographers, since Anse Source d’Argent and the granite coastline are what they are.
Who might prefer something else
- If budget is a real constraint, our Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi twin centre starts at £1,199 per person and our Vietnam and Cambodia tour at £1,369. Both are considerably cheaper holidays.
- Want plenty to do beyond the beach? The Seychelles is small and quiet by design.
- If you eat out every night, this is among the most expensive destinations in the region for it — settle the board question first.
- Want nightlife? There is very little.
- If last-minute travel suits you, the paid travel authorisation and its supporting documents make that harder here than almost anywhere.
- Comparing options? You can see all our beach holidays side by side.
- If this is nearly right, look at our 7 or 10 Nights Mauritius All-Inclusive Escape (Indian Ocean) too before you decide.
Ways to upgrade
All quoted at enquiry against your dates.
- A sea-view or beachfront room, or a higher category
- Ten nights rather than seven
- Half board or full board, quoted in writing against your property
- Island hopping to Praslin and La Digue, with nights on either
- Diving, snorkelling trips or a Sainte Anne marine park day
- Airport transfers, and premium cabins on the long-haul sector
What is not included?
- The travel authorisation fee, which is paid directly online before you travel.
- Airport and inter-island transfers, and ferries to Praslin and La Digue.
- Excursions, including diving, snorkelling and the Vallée de Mai.
- Meals beyond the board arrangement, which we confirm in writing before you pay.
- Travel insurance, which may be checked at the border.
How do you get there and get around?
Flights are from London, with regional UK airports at a supplement confirmed at enquiry. The Seychelles is four hours ahead of the UK in winter and three during British Summer Time, and does not observe daylight saving.
Transfers are not included. Mahé is the main island and the resort is on it, so the airport transfer is short by Indian Ocean standards.
Getting between islands is by ferry or a short domestic flight, neither included. Mahé has buses and taxis and car hire is straightforward. La Digue is largely car-free and runs on bicycles, which is part of its appeal.
Entry requirements for UK travellers
Checked against GOV.UK foreign travel advice on 17 September 2026.
No visa is required, but a travel authorisation must be applied and paid for online before arrival at seychelles.govtas.com, up to 30 days ahead. Express processing costs extra. The application needs a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation and proof of sufficient funds.
A visitor’s permit is then issued free on arrival, valid three months and extendable in three-month blocks to twelve months for a fee. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. Travel insurance may be checked at the border.
Practicalities worth knowing
It is expensive once you are there. The Seychelles imports almost everything, and restaurant and bar prices reflect that. This is the strongest practical argument for settling the board arrangement before you book.
Apply for the travel authorisation early. It needs your return ticket, accommodation and proof of funds in hand, so it is not something to leave to the last few days.
The sun is equatorial. The islands sit just south of the equator and the UV is high year-round, including on overcast days. Reef-safe sun cream is encouraged and in some places required.
Take the marine environment seriously. Much of the coastline is protected, coral is fragile and touching or standing on it does real damage. Collecting shells or coral is illegal.
Tipping is not expected in the way it is in the Caribbean. Service is often included; rounding up is plenty.
Booking and protection
Your booking is covered by our ATOL licence 10713 and we hold IATA accreditation 91285611. It is held with a deposit of £99 per person, with the balance due before travel.
Prices are per person, based on two people sharing. June is both the cheapest month and a genuinely good one. Ask us to confirm the board and the star rating in writing when you enquire, and start the travel authorisation as soon as your flights are confirmed.
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