Seychelles on a budget

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.