28 February 2024
The 115 islands that make up the Seychelles are scattered far out in the Indian Ocean, between the Maldives and East Africa.
Find a Seychelles Liveaboard: Book now, Pay later
The best time to dive the Seychelles is April, October or November when the seas are calm and boats can reach the more remote spots where you will often dive with sharks and manta rays. The weather is cooler and more humid during the southeast monsoon season of late May to September. During this period the visibility is lower, however the presence of lots of plankton brings in the whale sharks. The warmest weather is during the northwest monsoon from December to March. The water is always warm, from 25 to 29 oC.
Whale shark. Photo: Tim Nicholson
The main diving islands are Mahé, La Digue and Praslin - part of the inner island group. There are also dive centres on outer islands like Alphonse. Plus, you can dive the Seychelles by liveaboard.
Medical facilities in Seychelles are limited, especially on the more remote islands where doctors are often unavailable. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel. If you need an ambulance dial 999.
Sun screen and insect repellent are expensive in the Seychelles: bring your own supplies with you.
The currency is Seychelles rupees. Other currencies are rarely accepted but some hotels may take Euros or US dollars. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted.
No-one needs a visa to enter the Seychelles, just a valid passport and a return ticket.
The Seychelles has agreed to designate 210,000 square kilometres of its ocean as Marine Protected Areas, limiting their use to research and regulated tourism while prohibiting harmful activities like dredging and oil prospecting. The protected areas will be rolled out in two phases. The first phase will cover the remote Aldabra Group in the outer islands. The second phase will protect 135,000 square km of deep water.
Dive Sites of the Seychelles • Seychelles Diving Operators & Liveaboards • Your Comments • Specialist Diving Travel Insurance
"Each site has many small reef fish in abundance: oriental sweetlips, butterflies, moorish idols, little glassies, schools of fusiliers. The pelagics include tuna, barracuda and the trevally families: giant trevally, bluefin, bigeye and yellow spotted. Large schools of bumphead parrotfish are found on many sites. Schools of eagle rays, bat rays and large individual stingrays are seen often. Many encounters with Whalesharks have been logged during the migrating season in November. Individuals have also been encountered in April and December. There are also many sightings of green turtles and hawksbill turtles, both of which breed and nest in Seychelles. Reef sharks are a common sight at most divesites: black tip, white tip, grey reef and nurse sharks. Moray eels, geometric eels, ribbon eels, octopuses and scorpionfish are common sights."
Illusions Liveaboards
"Pristine coral reefs, mantas, octopus and tritons. Outstandingly clear water."
Deb
A British Royal Navy Fleet motor tanker. She was loaded with 40,500 tons of oil when she sank in 1970 after hitting an uncharted rock, badly holing her starboard side. She now lies in 3 sections at 30 m. The stern section is relatively intact, with the wheelhouse and propeller easily accessible.
After being confiscated for illegal fishing, the Alderbaran was scuttled in 2008 for an artificial reef as part of the Festival of the Sea. She lies between 30 and 40 m. The wreck now has lots of life, including sharks
8 km northwest of Mahe. A granite plateau with massive boulders it is rich in marine life and coral. Many different tropical reef fish, grey stingrays, white tip reef sharks, schools of barracuda, Jack fish, humphead and parrotfish as well as turtles and whale sharks.
A short distance from Mahe Island. The wreck lies on its side at the depth of around 25 m. It is covered by different species of corals and a plethora of fish including large shoals of yellow Snapper, pepper and snowflake morays, stone and scorpion fish.
Photo credit: Tim Nicholson
An easy dive near the Beau Vallon dive centre. A gently sloping reef with coral formations interspersed with sand.
Diving with large numbers of grey reef sharks. You'll also see large shoals of snappers, turtles and moray eels.
If you own or manage a dive centre: get yourself added to our directory. Have you dived in the Seychelles? Let us know about the diving centre you used.
A beautiful old ship built in 1915 but recently refurbished. One of the main destinations is La Digue for the reef sharks and the coral. Also visits Mahe for eagle rays, whale sharks and nurse sharks.
Galatea is a 30 meter long, 6.2 meter wide Turkish steel schooner, it was built in 1987 in Bodrum, Turkey. In 2010 this yacht was bought by Blue Sea Divers - a team full of Professional Divers, established in the Seychelles since 2002, transferring from Europe and chasing their dreams. The boat was fully renovated during 2012 to 2013. Galatea is able to accommodate 12 guests in her 7 cabins.
A modern 42m long custom built yacht with 9 air-conditioned cabins all with en-suite bathrooms.
Atoll Divers
Coral Strand Rd
Beau Vallon Bay
Mahe
Seychelles
70112
Tel: +2482557409
atolldivers.seychelles@gmail.com
"Thanks for giving scuba diving in Seychelles some visibility. We are a dive center that open one years ago on Beau Vallon bay"
Arthur Anglade, June 2022
Blue Sea Divers
Beau Vallon Beach
Mahe
Seychelles
Big Blue Divers
Beau Vallon Beach
Mahe
Seychelles
Tel: +248 426 1106
Mobile: +248 251 1103
bigblue@seychelles.net
Dive Seychelles
Mahe
Seychelles
Tel: + (248) 4247165
Mobile: +248 251 1103
diveseychelles@gmail.com
Dive Resort Seychelles
Anse La-Mouche
Mahe
Seychelles
Tel: +248 4372057
divereso@seychelles.net
UDive Centre Mahe: based at Constance Ephelia
UDive Centre Praslin: based at Constance Lemuria
neils.akc@gmail.con
Octopus Diving Center
Berjaya Praslin Beach Hotel
Anse Volbert
Cote d’Or
Praslin
Seychelles
Tel: (+248) 423 26 02
Mob: (+248) 271 54 41
octopus.seychelles@gmail.com
Hawksbill Dive Center
Baie Sainte Anne
Praslin
Victoria
4044 Seychelles
Tel: 248-271-9150
Mobile: +248 251 1103
hawksbilldivecenter@yahoo.com
Whitetip Divers
Paradise Sun Hotel
Anse Volbert
Praslin
Seychelles
Tel: +(248) 423 22 82
Mobile: +(248) 251 42 82
info@whitetipdivers.com
Marcus Valentin & Natacha Ardouin
La passe
La Digue
Seychelles
Tel: (00248) 2523585
La Digue Island Lodge
La Digue
Seychelles
Tel: +248 429 2525
Diving on one of the outer islands.
Alphonse Island Resort
Seychelles
Tel: +27 82 496 4570
bookings@alphonse-island.com
Please send us your comments on the Seychelles. Do you want to recommend a diving centre or dive site? Let us know. If you own a dive centre get yourself added.
