Granite boulders, whale sharks and the remote Outer Islands of the Indian Ocean.
The Seychelles — a 115-island nation in the western Indian Ocean — combines the Inner Islands' iconic granite formations with the truly remote Outer Islands (Aldabra, Astove, Cosmoledo, Alphonse, Farquhar). Liveaboards are the only practical way to reach the Outer Islands, where untouched walls, drop-offs and pelagic encounters define the experience.
The Seychelles diving year is split by the monsoons. May–October (south-east monsoon) brings cooler water (25–28 °C), better visibility on the east side and prime whale-shark season (August–November). November–April (north-west monsoon) is calmer with warmer water and stronger currents on the west side.
Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) on Mahé is the gateway, with direct flights from Dubai, Doha, Addis Ababa, Frankfurt, Paris, Istanbul, Mumbai and Johannesburg. Domestic flights with Air Seychelles connect Mahé to Praslin.
Inner Islands liveaboards embark on Mahé (Victoria) or Praslin. Outer Islands trips (Aldabra, Cosmoledo, Astove) depart on extended itineraries from Mahé and require multi-day repositioning legs.
In the Inner Islands, Shark Bank, Brissare Rocks and Aldabra Bank deliver pelagic encounters and reef-shark action. The Aldabra Atoll — UNESCO-listed and home to giant tortoises — offers wall diving, reef sharks, mantas and untouched coral. Cosmoledo Atoll has rich shark and pelagic encounters.
Bring a 3 mm wetsuit, a torch for crevice diving, an SMB and a reef hook for current sites. English, French and Creole are official languages. Outer-Islands trips require an extra layer of self-sufficiency — bring spare gear.
Currency is the Seychellois rupee (SCR); EUR/USD widely accepted. Power is 240 V (Type G plugs, UK style). Seychelles is on UTC+4. There is no malaria. Internet on Outer Islands liveaboards is minimal.
The Outer Islands are extremely remote — comprehensive dive insurance with global evacuation (DAN World) is essential. Current strength varies dramatically by site. Cyclone risk in December–February is low but possible. Strict marine-park rules apply at Aldabra (no gloves, no touching).
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