City break in Mahe Island. Active leisure ideas for Mahe Island - attractions, recreation and nightlife

Mahe Island is a perfect place for people who prefer an active vacation. Here you can try almost every existing kinds of water sport, diverse walking tracks and go to large scale parties. You can also rent a boat and go exploring adjacent islands. Private islands, hotel-islands and inhabited parts of the archipelago are just around Mahe. In addition, the last point is definitely worth visiting. Unspoiled nature, absolutely no people, clean beaches – isn’t it a heaven on earth?

Aldabra Atoll is a highly peculiar place and its only residents are two scientists. Unfortunately, there is no chance you would be allowed to overnight there, so you have to either come back to Mahe or spend a night in your boot and then continue your journey early in the morning.

You can also swim in a magnificent waterfall near Glaud Port. Then, not far from a bus stop, right behind the Catholic church, find a trail that will take you inside the Morne Seychellois National Park. Be careful while swimming in the waterfall – locals really like climb trees and that jump into the waterfall from the top with various tricks, and they don’t always take a glance down before doing it. There is a nice beach not far from the port. You can easily reach a small inhabited island from there during low tide. In addition, you can find a fascinating observation platform on the west coast and, what is more, you can also get some clean water from local springs while getting there. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you decide to go to Parslin Island, you should definitely visit a little «hotel» for flying foxes built by locals. It’s actually a kind of large open-air enclosure where foxes can come anytime they want in order to have rest and some food. Tourists are even allowed to get inside the enclosure and feed these animals themselves. In case you’d like to see giant land turtles, then take a boat and go to La Digue which is quite close to Mahe Island. You’ll have an opportunity not only to watch a dozen of the giant creatures but even get inside their enclosures, touch and feed them. But remember that it’s strictly forbidden to ride on land turtles.

However, it’s possible with sea turtles. Snorkelling tours, which you can book on Mahe as well, are perfect for such purposes. You only have to specify whether meeting with turtles is included in an excursion, and if it’s so, go and book it. You’ll get an unforgettable experience for sure and, if you have an underwater camera, you can take wonderful pictures to remember.

Even those who have never tried snorkelling before should really like in the local sceneries. There is literally everything for it: marvellous marine landscapes and a great variety of colourful fish at shallow depths. You can do this activity on the west and east coasts. Surprisingly, beaches are rather half-deserted even in the middle of the hot season, so there would definitely be enough space for everybody.

There are few diving centres on Mahe Island where you rent equipment and book a dive to one of the sets. In case you don’t have a diver’s license but still extremely want to snorkel, then you can just have special courses right here on the island. There are a couple of serious centres of water sports where you can rent equipment and find surfing, kitesurfing and water-skies instructors. Those who are fond of fishing will enjoy the place too for sure. Inhabitanthad been earning for a living by hunting and fishing, and many locals do it even today. So, it won’t be a problem to find all the necessary facilities here and, what is more, locals would also be glad to tell you a couple of tricks for a small reward. You can fish from the coast or rent a motorboat and do it in the open sea.

There are dozens of kilometres of foot trails. Furthermore, there are also several national parks and two botanic gardens and just pretty many appealing places with unspoiled nature. Also, you can go exploring the island on your own, find a touristic group or hire a guide. However, if you’re aimed at getting to hard-to-reach beaches, it would be better to hire one of the locals as a personal guide. In case you don’t want to spend your time walking around the island on foot, you can also catch a bus. There are about 70 routes, so if you’ve got to a wrong place, don’t be upset. A bus will drive back just in 15 minutes.

You can have a horse ride near Grand Anse; party-people should definitely go to the largest local beach – Beau Vallon Beach – after a sunset. Locals, snorkellers and divers, who a keen on the atoll, gather there near the coastline. If you simply want to have some rest, you can try a sightseeing trip around the island on a boat with a transparent bottom.