10 Things to Do in Seychelles With Kids
We've listed some of our favourite family-friendly activities to add to your vacation itinerary for when you put on your sunglasses and sunscreen to hit the serene beaches of Seychelles with your loved ones!1. Scuba diving with Nemo
Seychelles has several beaches with beautiful coral reefs. The marine life added to these corals is unique to African waters, and your children are bound to fall in love with the colours and fauna it has to offer.
A parent-child scuba diving course is perfect for some fun family bonding time. Children from 8 years of age onwards can head to these scuba diving lessons. The PADI course is called Bubblemaker. If you have children 8 years or older than 8 years, sign up! For children who are 10 years or older, the PADI Open Water course is a beautiful course. Opt for the best suited 12 PADI-approved dive centres in Seychelles, which are closest to you, or whose waters you look forward to exploring! Alternatively, pick out resorts closest to the activities you have on your itinerary.
2. Go bike riding on La Digue
La Digue island is known for its biking trails. Arrive at the La Passe village from the jetty. You'll come across several shops that offer bikes on hire for the day. The kids will love biking around the trails and markets rather than walking the same boring way. Some shops offer smaller bikes for younger kids as well so don't worry, especially if this is your first vacation with your toddler.Cost: 100 Seychelles rupees (US$7.49) a day.
3. Head over to the L'Union Estate
Located on the beautiful and luxurious La Digue Island, is a mystifying museum - The L'Union Estate. Traditional working copra mills, kilns where coconuts were treated and managed for the pressing of its oils, and a beautiful plantation decorate its terrain.The Anse Source d'Argent is the name of the traditional plantation designed house. It is cinematically decorated with a graveyard. The original settlers lay here. A vanilla plantation adds extra value to this heritage spot. It's a perfect spot for children to learn about the history of Seychelles and vibe with the cultural heritage it has to offer. The aesthetics add an extra layer of charm.
Contact: La Digue Island, Seychelles, +248 4 297 000
4. Tour the botanical gardens
Seychelles is known for its botanical gardens. The flora and fauna are very unique to the Southern African region and has rare species that your children can photograph and keep etched in their memories, even as adults! Set aside a few hours to imbibe the vibe of the Mahe Island Botanical Gardens. This garden is tourist-friendly, safe and has the endemic plants and trees of Seychelles, such as, excitingly, the Coco de Mer! Naturally, exotic birds flock the trees - which makes this a true site to see!Contact: Mahe Island, Seychelles, +248 4 670 537
5. Bonding on the beach
Kids love beaches. Adults love beaches. Everyone loves the beaches! This makes it a perfect family spot for sunbathing or chilling out after a long day of fun activities. The beaches are safe for kids. You get to rest by the shacks while getting the perfect panoramic vision of the scenic beaches while keeping an eye on your kids if you want to.
Hit the beach during the early morning hours and the evening shade, to avoid the beating sun. If sunbathing is your thing, choose the later afternoon hours. Several beaches offer their natural and bountiful shade thanks to the trees lining them, providing quite an interesting geography for your kids to observe. With calm waters accompanying the coasts pretty much all year round, your children are safe and guarded by the coast guard as well. Be it swimming out, paddling around or getting your feet wet - There's something which every member of the family, across all ages, will enjoy!
6. The Craft Village - A Splurge!
Spend a lazy, sunny afternoon at the craft village. Pick out souvenirs for family back home. Your children are bound to love the various accessories, clothing items and decorative pieces here. They are developed from the local creole culture, and offer a perspective that history books can simply not!
Another original plantation house called The Grann Kaz is open for your perusal, with an additional replica of the servants' quarters called Lakaz Rosa. The houses would give your kids a rare insight into Seychelles life.
Contact: Mahe Island, Seychelles, +248 4 376 100
7. Fun and Safe Watersports
Your resort is likely to offer their own rental paddleboards, kayaks or canoes. Get your kids out of bed and into these boats to explore backwaters, streams, small inlets of the seas and so on. Your resort will likely provide you with a guide - ask and you shall receive!This is a great method to build confidence in your children while expanding the horizon of their interests. It is super safe and instructors are available. They will also ensure your safety gear and skill is right and accompany you. Keep your electronics covered to prevent them from getting wet and potentially spoilt.
8. Befriend the Giant Tortoises on Curieuse Island
Curieuse Island has some curious giant tortoises. This is the fantasy of all children thanks to the animated movies we have screening these days. You can feed them, take pictures of and with them, and make some new friends. These gentle giants are safe to be around and a crowd favourite.
Access Curieuse Island from Praslin Island by boat.
9. Strolling Trails At The Vallee de Mai
The Vallée de Mai is a nature trail perfect for family walks and peaceful strolls. Laced with the rare Coco de Mer trees, and several other exotic indigenous palms and plants, and great wildlife too - this trail makes for the perfect photo-op with your kids! Keep an eye out for the stunning black parrot and teach your kids bird watching - carry a pair of binoculars to help you out with this.
No matter the heat or rain, this spot is perfectly canopied to help your family spend some quality time in the lap of nature. The trails are safe, tourist-friendly, with proper maintenance and directions provided. It is a safe and holistic approach to exploring the rare South African rainforest experience, perfect for the children who are enamoured by all the animated movies which have themes based from here!
10. Paradis des Enfants
A Seychelles trip with your younger kids calls for Paradis des Enfants. This is essentially a play park. It's close to the Mahe jetty so reaching it is easy. Seychelles' first ice rink, arcades and carousels are housed by this wonderful play park that all kids crave during vacations, whether you like it or not! Worry not, for the park is hygienic, well maintained, safe and has other entertainment options as well.
There's something for everyone on the beautiful Seychelles islands. Dip into the fun!