Tourist Places to Visit in Mahe, Seychelles, East Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Mahe, Seychelles, East Africa, Africa

Mahe is the largest as well as most populous island of the island country Seychelles. It is home to the capital of the country, Victoria and houses nearly 90% of the total population of the nation. It is located in the northeastern part of the country at 4°40′ S 55°28′ E, covering an area of 155 sq. km. Mahe is a paradise for tourists with many enthralling pristine beaches with different water sport activities and national parks with rare endemic plants and birds.

History of Mahe:

According to the historical records, the British were the first to visit Mahe. Mahe was first occupied by the French in 1742, remained under the French control untill 1812 when it was occupied by the British. Ultimately Mahe got emancipation from the British reign in 1876. The name of Mahe came from then French governor of Mauritius, Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais.

How to reach Mahe?

Mahe is the site of the prime airport of the country, the Seychelles International Airport, located around 11 km southeast of Victoria, the capital of Seychelles. Air Seychelles is the national airline of Seychelles and the airport is also served by many prominent airlines with flights from Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Colombo, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Mauritius and Paris.

Bus transportation within Mahe is served by the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation with both luxury and general buses. Taxis, bikes and bicycles are the other options to get around Mahe.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Mahe:

To showcase the local culture and tradition to visitors, Mahe holds plenty of art galleries and museums, of which most are located in the capital city, Victoria.

Sir Selwyn Selwin Clarke Market and Tea Factory are two well known shopping options in Mahe. Mahe houses around 40 restaurants and some well noted restaurants are:

Boat House
Marie Antoinette Restaurant
Islander Restaurant

What to do in Mahe?

Discovery Agri Tours
Seychelles Taxi Tours
SMAC Adventures
Snorkeling
Diving

What to see in Mahe?

Cousin Island Special Reserve:

Like its name, the Cousin Island Special Reserve is very special as it is one of the very first island reserves in the globe. It is a distinct eco-tourism site, mainly famous for the endangered bird Seychelles Warblers and Hawksbill turtles. Entrance fee is SCR500.

Beaches of Mahe:

Being an island, Mahe possesses many spectacular internationally recognized beaches, dominated by Anse Intendance and Petite Anse. Beaches are superb in condition both in facilities and maintenance. Exploring Mahe’s beaches means jaunting in paradise.

Eden Art Gallery:

The Eden Art Gallery is situated at Eden Plaza on Eden Island, holding the title of the country’s largest international contemporary art gallery. Eye–catching artworks made from acrylic, water color and oil are highlights here.

Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple:

Being the only Hindu temple in Seychelles, the Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple is one of the identities of Mahe. Constructed in 1992, the temple is located at PO Box 1193, Victoria in Mahe.

Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden:

An amazing and unique eco tourism site, the Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden is located in the capital city, Victoria on Mahe. Other than 200 different tropical and orchids, visitors can also spot guinea pigs, rabbits, green geckos and giant tortoises freely roaming in the garden. Admission fee is SCR150.

What else to see on Mahe?

George Camille Art Gallery
Jude Barallon Art Studio
Kenwyn House
Kreole Institute
La Casa Del Puro
La Comet Art Works

When to visit Mahe?

Mahe has many reasons to receive tourists, thus the best time to visit Mahe depends on visitors’ interest, although the most preferred time is from May to October.

Where to stay in Mahe?

Apart from five star hotels, the island of Mahe is home to a wide range of affordable, new and refurbished hotels with the blend of traditional and modern amenities in order to provide utmost comfort to visitors. Some selected tourist favor hotels on Mahe Island include: