Planning a trip to Seychelles on a budget? Let us help you.
Seychelles’s unparalleled beauty, picture postcard beaches, amazing marine life, and unique flora and fauna makes it the choicest honeymoon destination for who’s who of this world.
It has long been perceived as a luxury destination and not for those on a limited budget.
After spending 10 days on this beautiful island, we are happy to say that it is pretty much doable on a budget. The gorgeousness of Seychelles now no more comes with a hefty price tag. Obviously, it is not a backpacker destination like Thailand or Philippines but it can definitely be done if you set your budget right and plan well.
In this post, we share our 2 cents on how to plan your Seychelles trip on a Budget :
– Flights –
Air Seychelles has recently started operation from major cities in India to Seychelles. The fares are quite reasonable and if booked well in advance you can get a bargain.
Check Skyscanner or Kayak to find the lowest fare possible. Keep a check on the fare rates, be flexible with dates and if possible try to book early.
Book your flight in advance.
– Stay –
Hotels range from budget stay to the most luxurious ones.
We would highly recommend checking out home stays on Tripadvisor or some of the pretty bed and breakfast options on Airbnb if you are on a budget.
Home stays are plenty and are quite reasonable.
A search on Agoda or Booking.com can also land you an amazing pad to stay. Make sure you read the reviews well and check the exact locations before booking.
We stayed in a villa booked via AirBnb ( Note : Sign up with our link and get INR 2335 on your first booking ) at Praslin for 2 nights at a price of INR 15000/-. The villa was just steps away from the beach.
– Food–
There are a lot of takeaway options on the Island which are quite cheap but we did find very limited options for vegetarians. So, if you are craving for good vegetarian food, cooking is the best option.
Try to carry some spices or ingredients you might need in small portions from home and once you reach there, hit the supermarket and grab your favorite veggies.
Carry energy bars, dry fruits, chips, packets of noodles, packaged food, coffee, and tea packets in case your homestay does not provide any. Since everything on the island is imported the prices can be astronomical even for some of the basic needs.
Takeaways or cooking is one of the best solution if you want to save money on food.
Luckily, our host at Airbnb was kind enough to provide us everything starting from bread, jam, milk, banana, and eggs. Even she was so sweet to cook dinner for us on our very first night of stay.
Take away starts from INR 250 to 500/- for non-vegetarian Creole food.
– Sightseeing –
If you are on a backpacker’s budget, renting a car with driver can burn a hole in your pocket. If you are comfortable driving on the left-hand side – right-hand drive, book yourself a car and drive around the island. Not only it will save you loads of money but you will also have the flexibility to stop at any place at any time.
Renting and driving is the best option to explore the island. Make sure to take a full insurance cover. We rented a Sedan in Praslin for INR 4200 including full insurance cover for 24 hours.
You can rent a car from the airport or the pier.
Not comfortable with the idea of driving? No worries, the island is well connected with public transportation, grab a map, check the timings and explore the island in a bus but a word of caution – check with locals about the bus stops and its distance from the place you are put up.
Rent a car or use public transportation to save money.
For island hopping trips don’t forget to haggle before settling down with a DEAL.
At La Digue Island, we would highly recommend to rent a cycle and explore the island. The island can be easily covered on foot or bike in a day or two. 🙂
Try to explore the North and South West part of the island before venturing to the South East part of the island as there are mountain trails which are quite tedious.
– Expenses –
Bike Rent at La Digue starts from INR 500/- per day
Car rent at Praslin and Mahe starts from INR 4000/- per day for a sedan
Full Day trip to islands would costs anything from INR 8000 – 10,000/- per person
Ferry from Mahe to Praslin/ La Digue – Starts from €50.00 + taxes
Note: Ferry can be easily booked from the pier. Make sure you check the timings of the ferry well in advance and plan accordingly.
NOTE
If you do find our article useful in planning your trip, don’t forget to send a note/picture of your trip to us ( Email: thetalesofatraveler@gmail.com)
SandeepaChetan says
Beautiful scenery. We hope to see this beauty some day 🙂
Renuka says
Good tips! Seychelles is so beautiful. Would love to visit it someday.
Indrani says
Incredible place bursting with beauty. Thanks for these helpful tips.
Any saving is good enough for me.
Archana Kapoor says
Such an alluring place… mera number kab aayega… 🙂
Thanks for sharing dear 🙂
rupam { xhobdo } says
Amazing. Beautiful pics 🙂
Shrinidhi Hande says
Very useful for potential travelers. on my wishlist
Arun says
Had heard Seychelles can burn a hole in the pocket. But I guess with the tips you have mentioned, we can easily survive through 🙂
Great post! Sharing it.
Maniparna Sengupta Majumder says
Beautiful images and very useful tips for travellers. Thanks a lot for sharing… 🙂
The Tales of a Traveler says
Thank you so much Mani … hope it helps others in planning 🙂
Puru says
Have been thinking of this place ever since the Kaho na Pyar hai days but never got a chance to visit. You brought the memories back with some great photographs, especially that of a coconut tree on the beach 🙂
The Tales of a Traveler says
Kaho na pyaar hai was shot in Thailand Phranang beach in Krabi ( http://thetalesofatraveler.com/2014/04/06/things-to-do-in-krabi/ )
” Ghar se nikal te hi , kuch dur chalte hi ” – Papa Kehte Hain and one song from Pyar to hona hi tha was shot in Seychelles
Ami says
Very useful tip. Well captured.
Arulmaharaj says
Beautiful pics and great tips 🙂 thanks for sharing
The Tales of a Traveler says
Glad you liked it 🙂
Prasad Np says
This place is absolutely amazing..
The Tales of a Traveler says
Yes it is a beautiful country 🙂 you should plan a trip 😀
Arun Kumar says
thanks for sharing.. keep updating..
Ticking the Bucketlist says
We found that using the local transport was ideal only if you have plenty of time at hand! We rented a car and piled our snorkelling gear and beach towels in it … Seemed like the perfect way to explore Mahe and Praslin!
The Tales of a Traveler says
We completely agree with you on that 🙂
Manu VOHRA says
Hi is it advisable to drive from Mahe to Prasline. I am staying in Mahe- baum Island and still deciding how to travel to Palin for a day. Ferry is costing 100 euro per person return.
The Tales of a Traveler says
They are two different islands and there is no road connecting them. You will have to take the ferry from Mahe to Praslin.
Joyce says
Everything about this place looks amazing! That tortoise in the end is sooo cute! Thanks for all the helpful tips on how to save cash on the trip, definitely love that beautiful places like this can be experienced on a budget!
Characters & Carry-ons
Jitendra Meghrajani says
Hi,
We are planning a trip to Seychelles. A small help . Which villa were you suggesting at praslin booked through AirBnb ?
Thanks
Sandy N Vyjay says
Seychelles is an absolute wonder. The beauty is phenomenal.The tips are really good and I am going to bookmark this and save it for my trip to Seychelles.
Agnes says
Oh, what a beautiful paradise. I’m happy to hear that it’s possible to travel there on a budget. Thanks for all the great tips.
Aisha says
Seychelles has always been my dream destination…it literally looks like paradise on earth and I can’t wait to experience it first hand. This post paints such a beautiful picture with your words and photos, it got me even more excited to plan this trip!
stacey veikalas says
Seychelles is so on my dream list! It is such a beautiful island, thanks for all the tips! That beach looks amazing and the tortoise is so cute!
Rosie Benton says
Seychelles looks stunning! I hope we make it there one day – paradise!! Great travel tips thanks for the recommendations, and those photos are making me so jealous, the sand is just so white!!
Ami says
The beaches here are just gorgeous. This place has been on my list and hope to do it sooner. And with your tips, I am sure it is going to be pretty easy 😀
Vishu Saumya says
Really good tips to save on money and still enjoy a luxurious destination like Seychelles. Will definitely look for an option of a good AirBnB while visiting. The pics are alluring and definitely pushes this place up on our bucket list! Thanks for the post guys!
Bhushavali says
Too bad to know that vegetarian food is difficult in Seychells, but thanks for the heads up, so we can be prepared when we plan to go! At Rs.4200, renting a Sedan is pretty economical!
Ruchita Sinha says
Nice To See This Beautiful Beaches its so good.
heena khan says
wow wish to add in wishlist obviously and loved this post. keep exploring more and let us know more as you can bon voyager. 🙂
delhi says
nice content.
soniya says
good post. thank u so much.
Tiska says
Beautiful And Awesome