A week around Mahé: Thérèse, Beau Vallon, Silhouette
The gentlest loop in the Seychelles: a week around Mahé, about 60 nm and not a single long leg. The granite west coast with its marine parks, Beau Vallon beach, almost empty Silhouette with rainforest up to the summit, and the Sainte Anne reef opposite the capital. Legs of one to three hours and a lay day on Silhouette make it a good choice for a first week in the tropics and for families.
Day by day
Eden Island Marina
- Mahé (Eden Island)-4.636, 55.474
Boat handover after 17:00, fifteen minutes from the airport. Provision at the supermarkets in Victoria, with fish and fruit from the central market; dinner on the marina waterfront.
Eden Island → Thérèse
- Thérèse-4.656, 55.387
Round Mahé to the granite west coast, the wild side of the island under the Morne Seychellois range. Night on a buoy off the islet of Thérèse opposite Port Glaud, in water clear to the bottom.
Thérèse → Beau Vallon
- Baie Ternay-4.633, 55.367
- Beau Vallon-4.619, 55.429
A short leg north past Port Launay and the Baie Ternay marine park, with a snorkelling stop on the way. Beau Vallon is the long beach on the north-west of Mahé; on Wednesdays there is an evening street-food market on the shore.
Beau Vallon → Silhouette
- Silhouette-4.483, 55.250
The one open leg of the week, west to Silhouette, the third-largest island in the Seychelles. One village, no roads and rainforest to the summit: most of the island is a national park. Anchor off La Passe.
Silhouette
- Silhouette-4.483, 55.250
A lay day. In the morning the forest trail across the island to Anse Mondon, best with a guide from the village; in the afternoon a snorkel on the reef off the beach or a lazy day on board.
Silhouette → Sainte Anne marine park
- Sainte Anne-4.609, 55.500
East round the northern tip of Mahé and past Victoria into the Sainte Anne marine park, six islands and a reef opposite the capital. A buoy off Moyenne for the snorkel, the night in the lee of Sainte Anne.
Sainte Anne → Eden Island
- Mahé (Eden Island)-4.636, 55.474
A last swim and four miles into the marina by late morning. Refuelling and handover; the afternoon is for Victoria and the botanical garden. Night on the boat in the marina, fly out the next day.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Season: December to April is the north-west monsoon, with light winds rarely over 15 knots and short tropical downpours. From May to October the south-east trades blow harder, 15–25 knots: Mahé's west coast is then in the island's lee, but the leg to Silhouette gets wet.
- Plan B: Silhouette is the only exposed leg. On a squally day wait a night in Beau Vallon or Port Launay and cross in the morning; if there is no window at all, stay on the Mahé coast and give Sainte Anne park a second day. Beau Vallon is open to the north-west: in a fresh monsoon Port Launay is the calmer night.
- Parks: Baie Ternay, Port Launay and Sainte Anne are marine national parks. Fees are charged per person, fishing is banned, you moor on buoys and never anchor on coral. The fleet arranges the permit to cruise between the islands along with the boat.
- Logistics: about fifteen minutes by taxi from Mahé airport to the marina. Take all the week's provisions from Mahé — there is next to nothing to buy on Silhouette.
When to go and what it costs in the Seychelles
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in the Seychelles
All boats in the Seychelles
How long is the Mahé — Silhouette route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 60 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Mahé. Overnight stops in order: Mahé (Eden Island), Thérèse, Beau Vallon, Silhouette, Silhouette, Sainte Anne. The longest leg is day 2, 18 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Mahé — Silhouette route?
The Seychelles are sailed all year round. The calmest months are April, October and November, between the trade-wind seasons. From May to September the south-easterly blows, fresher and drier; from December to March the north-westerly, calmer and more humid. The fleet is almost all catamarans, booked 4–8 months ahead. By the agent's latest checks (catamarans), the cheapest month is December: a median of €616 per berth per week. The most expensive is March, at €840. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 57%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in the Seychelles for a week starts from €2,940 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in the Seychelles”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
