Seychelles Island Kayaking

Mahe · Seychelles

Easy10 daysAfrica~£3,000 est.

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Overview

The granite inner Seychelles are made for paddling: short crossings, sheltered leeward coasts, and shorelines where 750-million-year-old boulders slump into water the colour of bottled light. Basing on Praslin and La Digue, you kayak beneath the sculpted granite of Anse Source d'Argent - arguably the world's most photographed beach, and best seen from the seaward side at sunrise before the day-trippers arrive - circle the islet of St Pierre over coral gardens, and land on Curieuse to walk among free-roaming giant Aldabra tortoises. Praslin's Vallee de Mai adds a UNESCO-listed palm forest where the coco de mer grows its infamous double nut, and a boat day to Cousin Island delivers the once-nearly-extinct Seychelles warbler and nesting seabirds at arm's length. Paddle the calm windows between the trade-wind seasons - April-May and October-November - when the sea glasses off and visibility peaks; the June to September south-easterlies demand more respect on crossings. Guided kayak days, inter-island ferries and self-catering guesthouses (the affordable Seychelles most visitors never find) bring ten days to about £3,000 excluding international flights. Reef-safe sunscreen and a bow line for granite beach landings are the two bits of kit everyone forgets.