Sightseeing in Victoria, Praslin, La Digue

October 20, 2026

Sightseeing in Seychelles covers three different kinds of places: the small colonial capital Victoria on Mahe, forest and plantation sites on Praslin and La Digue, and a few beaches that are sights in their own right. Opening hours and fees change, and some Victoria venues are closed or relocated, so the notes below say what to check.

Victoria, Mahe

Clock Tower. Built in 1903, it is a scaled-down replica of the clock tower at Vauxhall Bridge Road in London, known locally as Little Ben. It is free to see.
Market. The Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, built in 1840, is closed for renovation. Vendors currently trade from a temporary site in the former STC supermarket building on Albert Street. Hours of about 05:30 to 17:30 on weekdays and 06:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays are reported, so check before you go.
National Museum of History. It is in the restored 1885 Supreme Court building and reopened in 2018. A fee of about SCR 150 for visitors has been reported, and opening hours are not confirmed. The Natural History Museum was still closed in May 2026.
National Botanical Garden. SCR 250, open 08:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30.
Hindu temple. The Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar temple is on Quincy Street. Visiting hours are not confirmed, so ask locally, dress modestly and remove your shoes.

Mission Lodge, Mahe

Mission Lodge (Venn’s Town) holds the ruins of a mission school for liberated Africans. It is on Seychelles’ tentative list for World Heritage status, and it is run by the Seychelles Heritage Foundation, not the national parks authority. Visit it quietly as a place of remembrance, not as a viewpoint. Non-residents aged 12 and over pay SCR 100. It opens daily 09:00 to 17:00, and tickets are sold on site from 09:30 to 16:00. See the SBC report on the fee .

Praslin

The Vallee de Mai covers 19.5 hectares and has been a World Heritage site since 1983. Entry is SCR 450. It opens 08:30 to 16:30, with the last entry at 15:30, and is closed on 25 December and 1 January. Kokosye cafe and an accessible visitor centre are on site, and the shop sells certified coco de mer nuts. The Seychelles black parrot lives only on Praslin.

Anse Lazio is free to visit and lifeguarded, but it has no reef and gets heavy swell from December to March. Obey the flags. Anse Georgette is public but only reached through the private grounds of the Constance Lemuria resort by prior permission, or by boat or the coastal walk from Anse Lazio.

La Digue

L’Union Estate costs SCR 150, valid for a day, and opens daily 06:00 to 18:00. It has a plantation house, an old pier, the island’s oldest cemetery, an ox-driven copra mill, a vanilla plantation, giant tortoises and the path to Anse Source d’Argent. Walk quietly near the cemetery. The jetty is a 15-minute ride away. Grand Anse and Petite Anse carry warning signs, so photograph them from the sand and keep out of the water.

Safety and costs

Lifeguards are only at Beau Vallon, Anse Lazio and Cote d’Or. The west coast is unsafe for swimming from about December to March, and the east coast from about May to September. Petty theft is reported around Victoria’s back streets, so keep your bag zipped. Medical capacity is limited on Praslin, La Digue and the outer islands, so insurance should cover evacuation.

To compare guided tours, search on Viator .