How To Get From Mahé To Praslin (All 4 Options)
From The Authors: Gaelle was born and raised in the Seychelles while Viktor has been living here for 1+ year. Unlike many other travel blogs, we actually have first-hand knowledge and experience of the places we write about. If you have any questions, we respond quickly to comments!
Praslin, the second biggest island of the Seychelles archipelago, is a must see for every visiting travel.
In this guide, we will detail all four different options with which you can travel from Mahé, the main island, to Praslin – some more extra than others.
👉 Where Praslin Is Located | Cat Cocos Ferry | Air Seychelles | Boat Hire | Helicopter
Where Is Praslin Island?
Praslin, a key member of the Seychelles’ 115-island group, is counted among the 43 inner islands. This island is a significant hub for tourism, sharing the spotlight with Mahe and La Digue as one of the top three tourist islands.
It is located about 50 kilometers (~ 31 miles) northeast of Mahe, the principal island, and a mere 10 kilometers (~ 6.21 miles) away from La Digue.
And in case you wonder why visiting Praslin is worth it, then wonder no more. It is home to the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as stunning beaches like Anse Lazio or Anse Georgette.
Cat Cocos Ferry
The most common method to travel from Mahé to Praslin is by ferry, namely Cat Cocos. They are also the ones offering transportation from Praslin to La Digue.
Expect to be on the ferry for about 1.5 hours (including check-in and travel time). You should be at the jetty 30 minutes before departure and make sure to bring your passport for identification.
Plan in sufficient time, especially if you depart in the morning or afternoon, due to the traffic in Victoria where the jetty is located.
Here’s the current schedule of Cat Cocos for the first half of 2024 (which is also available here):
The earliest boat from Mahé departs at 8 am while the last one leaves at 4:30 pm. Those traveling to La Digue can just stay on the boat as it continues immediately once it reaches Praslin.
Tickets can either be purchased online, in one of Cat Cocos’ offices, or via a travel agent. Certainly, the most convenient and cheapest option is to book online.
You can book directly on the Cat Coco website or through various third-party booking sites like GetYourGuide or Viator.
Personally, we recommend purchasing through Viator as it’s slightly cheaper (since you pay in the local currency on Cat Cocos’ website). Plus, the booking can be cancelled up until a day prior to the trip.
Cat Cocos offers three booking options, namely Lower Deck (cheapest), Upper Deck, and Business (most expensive).
Business doesn’t really offer too many benefits, so you should either pick the lower or upper deck. The lower deck is climatized and naturally offers more stability, which may be of help for those getting sea sick easily.
However, some people still do get sea sick, so it may smell a little odd every now and then – especially if the sea is rough (normally during Southeast Monsoon from May to September).
Consequently, the upper dick is a little shakier but does offer a fresh ocean breeze and sunshine. In any case, Cat Cocos’ employees aren’t really too hung up on checking your supposed seating area, so you can always switch.
Air Seychelles
The second option is to fly with Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles. It was established in 1978 and has since expanded from solely offering domestic flights to various international destinations.
Air Seychelles is also the only airline allowed to fly from Mahé To Praslin. It normally does so in a Twin Otter airplane, a high-winged, twin-engine turboprop short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft (title image of this post).
The airplane can normally seat up to 20 people while the flight itself takes round about 20 minutes.
Plus, it offers some incredibly scenic views over the Indian ocean (as you can see in our above IG post).
Another huge advantage is the optionality. Over 30 flights depart from Mahé to Praslin (and vice versa) every day. You could theoretically land before 7 am and get back to Mahé at 9:30 pm, making it particularly suitable for a day trip.
Flights can be booked directly on the Air Seychelles website as well as via aggregators such as Google Flights, Kiwi, or Skyscanner.
While aggregators are slightly cheaper, they are not directly integrated with Air Seychelles. Normally, you are booking excess seats via a travel agency and the likes. This means that you oftentimes can’t change the flight.
If you book directly via Air Seychelles, then you can change your flight up to 72 hours prior to your departure (equal to the applicable fare difference).
Meanwhile, cancelling the flight will cost USD 150 and the rest will be refunded (roughly USD 70).
Lastly, international non-residents can check in up to 30kg of baggage and 7kg of hand luggage.
Private Boat
Cat Cocos isn’t the only boat transporting tourists to Praslin. If you prefer more privacy and slightly faster turnover times, then you can also book a smaller boat for you and your group.
However, that privacy and speed comes at a cost. Expect to pay anywhere from USD 500 to USD 2000 for the boat transfer, depending on the provider you choose.
Some of the most popular ones are Angel Tours, Mimi, Leo’s Boat Charter, or Ocean Blue Travel. Most of them will depart from Eden Island (but do be sure to check with the provider).
Helicopter
The last and certainly most extravagant option you have is to charter a helicopter. Your service of choice would be Zil Air, which has been in operation since 2007 and has conducted 25,000+ successful flights.
While we have personally never done a helicopter flight (hit us up Zil Air, if you want to sponsor us), we have friends who booked the experience and said it was an incredible experience.
That said, you don’t necessarily have to book them for transfer services. Zil Air also offers a variety of different experiences, such as excursions to Cousin Island.
