When imagining how Paradise might look like, many of us think of the Seychelles (even if they do not know this). This island country in the Indian Ocean fascinates many with its beauties, its world-like landscapes, its spectacular beaches with fine white sand, unreal blue water and tall palm trees that blow in the wind.
How much is a holiday in Seychelles? It is not exactly a destination for a small budget. Seychelles is a paradise for celebrities, honeymooners and those with great financial opportunities. Exclusive oceanfront hotels are waiting for you at exorbitant prices, but there are also some “tricks” to reduce costs a bit (but only a little!) – for example, renting a home on Airbnb and preparing your own food.
Being a fairly isolated island country in the Indian Ocean, 1600 km east of Africa, in the north of Madagascar, in Seychelles almost everything is imported, with a few exceptions: fish caught by locals, some fruits and vegetables, local beer, Takamaka rum and bottled water.
From the beginning, a big expense is the plane tickets to Seychelles. If you do not sell the offers of the airlines, the prices are quite high. Tickets start at 800 euros round trip, with prices exploding in December, January and February. But by carefully following the offers, you can “save” one or two hundred $.
If you dream of a holiday in Seychelles as you see in the movies, with accommodation at five star resorts, located on the beach, then you will have to have an impressive budget. Luxury is expensive – at exclusive hotels a night’s accommodation can start at $ 1,000 without food. The average price for a 5-star hotel is around 500-600 dollars for one night’s accommodation, but on booking, there are also variants at 7000 dollars per night, so… according to the possibilities.
But don’t panic! At three-star hotels you can stay for $ 100-200 a night. There is also the possibility to rent a room / apartment through Airbnb, with prices between 70 and 150 dollars per night. The advantage of these rented apartments or studios is that you can prepare your own meal. Some of them are very well positioned in front of the beach and supermarkets.
The cheapest way to travel in Seychelles is by local buses, which run frequently, but are not recommended for the most demanding. A ticket costs about $ 0.35. A good option is to rent a car to explore the island where you are staying. Prices are better than if you choose a taxi, for example. A small car, but one you can do your job with, costs about $ 40-50 a day.
The problem is that you can only find rental cars in the main islands – Mahé and Praslin. From Praslin to La Digue you can get by ferry for about $ 30. There are smaller boats that also race between La Digue and Mahe. Taxiing is a luxury in the Seychelles. You can also travel on the island by renting a bicycle, with prices ranging from $ 7 to $ 25 per day.
Don’t expect to find supermarkets with fresh produce on any street corner. Their number is quite limited.
For a takeaway meal, expect to pay around $ 10-15. For better services, the price of a single meal at a restaurant can cost around $ 30. But don’t expect anything spectacular with this money. A fast food meal costs around $ 8-10. If you plan to prepare your own food, expect to pay about $ 70-80 a week for shopping.
The good news is that the beaches are all open to the public, including those at the luxury resorts. The more popular beaches have free parking and various other facilities. If you plan to go on day trips to other islands, do water sports, etc. you should allocate a budget of 75-200 dollars a day.
