What to choose Seychelles, Mauritius or the Maldives?

Have you ever dreamt about going on a vacation to any of the tropical islands of Seychelles, Mauritius or the Maldives? I been to all of them and would summarize by saying: same, same but different. Depending on what you would like to do during your vacation it is important to do your homework and pick the destination that suits you the best. And since I have experience from them all I would like to share my recommendations.

Airfares and island travel

It is not a budget vacation to visit any of the three islands, however, since the competition for airfares is quite intense you can find some great deals if you are flexible with dates and routes. I guess you can find a roundtrip ticket för about 600 EUR if you research the market to any of the destinations.

Maldives: here you need to add up extra costs in terms of a local flight if you stay at any outlaying island. That can be very expensive. To closer islands you can take a ferry but that is not cheap either. There are some public ferries that goes to a few islands but the schedule of them is not the best so this is really a cost to consider in addition to the airfare from abroad.

Local transportation you barely need since the islands are small so that post in your budget you can almost leave empty.

Mauritius: taxi is available all around the island. It is not really cheap, but it will neither ruin you. If you have the knowledge of driving to the left you can rent a car. Local transportation is also available and Dryden.se has for example tried it as a part of a day trip. Highly recommended for getting the local feeling.

Seychelles: taxi is available here and not that expensive if you bargain. You can also easily travel around using the public busses which I did both times I went to the Seychelles. They cost almost nothing and are very punctual. If you want to travel between the Seychelles and outlaying islands like Praslin or La Digue I would recommend to book a flight or ferry in advance since they can sell out.

Seychelles is my preferred choice when it comes to traveling around.

Accommodation

Maldives: has according to my experience the most expensive accommodation. You can of course find cheaper places if you just want to see Male but there is nothing to see. Airbnb barely exist here.

Mauritius: at this island you can find a lot of different accommodation alternatives. From five star luxury hotels to airbnb’s and guesthouses. I stayed at one Radisson resort while I visited the island and it was really good although the nearby beach was soso.

Seychelles: here you can also find a lot of luxorious resorts but also many different alternatives catering different budgets. If you spend 100EUR a night you can get a huge and modern self catering apartment. To find cheaper hotels is difficult though.

Seychelles is my preferred choice when it comes to the accommodation market.

Food & drinks

Common for all three islands is that it is rather difficult to find food. There are no Starbucks or Mc Donald’s in every corner (if any) and it is not like in Greece or Spain that you find a boulevard with all kinds of food. You need to do your research here. There are a few restaurants but the opening hours are rather limited at many of them. The best place to eat is at the hotel. If you stay in a self catering apartment you need to pay attention to the opening hours of supermarkets since they can be limited. Finding restaurants along the beach is possible at all places.

Mauritius is my preferred choice in this category due to its variation of food and less strict opening hours.

Beaches

Maldives: here you can find the finest beaches but it is one beach for one island. This is not the place to do beach-hopping if you don’t go on a boat trip. Here you can find sandbanks aswell.

Mauritius: If you like to have a walk on the beach and do beach-hopping this is the very best place. White sandy beaches are to be find at many places around the island. They can be a bit crowded though.

Seychelles: here you find beach heaven. Especially at Praslin island which is one of my two favorite beach island worldwide. The beaches here are all postcard like with their white sand surrounded by green hills and crystal clear water and rocks like Anse Lazio that of many also is considered as the best beach worldwide.

Seychelles is my preferred choice when it comes to beaches and access to them.

Worth seeing

Maldives: you don’t go to the Maldives for sightseeing. You go there for having a quite time with near and dear ones, snorkel and diving, the concept of luxuary resorts, spending time at the beach or just to be. There is not much to do or see other than beach related things.

Mauritius: here you can explore great beaches, hiking, the local community and some sights like sugar plantations, Pamplemousses garden with exotic flowers and of course also do water sports. 

Seychelles: like Mauritius there is a lot to do here more than beaches. Also the capital of Victoria is worth a visit for half a day. Although I would consider beach going as the main activity there is other stuff to see and do.

Mauritius is my preferred choice if you are up for sights.

Overall feeling

Maldives: is a destination for couples or families that want to be at a resort. The whole country is strictly religious so you have to take that into notice if you visit the main island.

Mauritius: is not only a honeymoon destination. The place is suitable to everyone that wants to explore a bit of local city life, nature and beaches. This is the very best option for an active vacation. Works for couples, solo travelers and families.

Seychelles: like Mauritius Seychelles caters a wider span of travelers than the Maldives does. The activities are a bit less than at Mauritius but if you love beaches this is the place to be. Works for couples, solo travelers and families.

Seychelles is my best in class destination if you consider going to any of the paradise islands in the Indian ocean.

So, after reading my comparison between the islands, would your choice of destination still be the same? if so, which one were you up for before and are you up for now?

/ Pernilla that want to go to the Seychelles again