Seychelles is not a budget destination, but if you do it yourself (DIY), you can save a significant amount than buying the holiday packages. If you are lucky, you can fly for less than five hundred euro from Europe. We got a reasonable air ticket with Etihad Airways and Air Seychelles, but we booked the flight eleven months in advance. However, it was a flight with a long layover in ABU DHABI.
Eventually, Seychelles is affordable than ten years ago. There is now a tremendous range of budget accommodation on the three big islands: Mahe, Praslin, La Digue. However, it is advisable to make a reservation far in advance as this can be rapidly full.
We opted for self-catering accommodation and cooked our meal. I usually don’t like the idea of doing my household chores during my trip, but it is the cheapest way. So in this blog, I share the cost of our trip. The expenses that mentioned in this blog based on two people, and the style of living during our ten days trip to Seychelles. You’ll find out Seychelles it isn’t so costly as everyone may think.
Rent A Car As Option
Taxis and tours are expensive in Seychelles. Buses are very cheap for 7 rupees. However, we decided to rent a car for Mahe and Praslin, to make life easier when visiting beaches. See my other post of Seychelles by clicking here. If you search online, there are competitive prices for car rentals in Mahe. But we opt for the cheapest company, KREOLE CARS. It is pretty cheap; we pay for 126 euros for four days in Mahe and 159 euro for Praslin.
3-4 nights in Mahe
We stay three nights for the first time in Mahe and booked one additional night on our return trip; we want to be close to the airport before flying out. Mahe is the biggest island of Seychelles. You’ll find a great deal on accommodation. But how closer you want to the center how more expensive. The outlying accommodation is cheaper, but reaching without a vehicle is impossible. That’s why considering hiring a car.
We have a fantastic stay at Ocean Spray Self Catering Apartments. The location lies uphill with an ocean view, but one thing can be annoying; you’ll have to go through a staircase every time. We only pay 60 euro a night, a lovely apartment equipped with a kitchen and everything on it, really a bargain. On our return trip from La Digue, we stay on our last night at Les Maisonettes for 90€. The location close to the ferry terminal in Mahe. As we haven’t the car, the owner offers us an airport transfer for 20€. We spend a total amount of 680€ on everything in Mahe.
three nights in Praslin
We spend more money on Praslin. Also, there are tons of things to do, such as visiting the parks and island hopping. We spend 1100 euros on everything — fast ferry, food/drinks, car, fuel, island hopping, and park admission. Also the accommodation and car rental in Praslin are expensive than Mahe. A car is the best way of exploring the entire island. I know it is not a budget option, but if you’d like hopping on beaches and visiting the parks, you’ll get there in a short time.
We stay at Coquillage Apartments, a walking distance to Cote d’Or beach. One thing that lacks on Praslin is a big supermarket. However, there are smaller shops around the island that carry almost everything.
two nights in la digue
We spent about 500 euro in La Digue: accommodation, fast ferry, bike, food, and drinks. Although it is a smaller island, there is a bigger grocery store, ideal if you’re into self-catering. Bicycle is an essential way of exploring the island. Prices are from 100 – 150 rupees each day. We get the bike for 100 rupees from our host, considerable cheap means of transportation in La Digue.
Most people come to La Digue for one day. It is only 15 minutes with a ferry from Praslin, but it is worth spending the night. There are a variety of offers on accommodation but booking in advance is highly recommended. We stay at Paradise Flycatchers Lodge for 90 euro a night. Excellent location close to the famous Anse Source d’Argent. As we’ve book the bungalow six months in advance, we got the spacious triple room.