Mindful luxury, unique nature: there’s nowhere like the Seychelles for family adventures

The Seychelles tops the family holiday bucket list for Lisa McGarry. Find out why the Indian Ocean archipelago is also the ultimate tropical escape for families.

Beachfront, Deni Private Island, Seychelles

The pure joy of the Seychelles

From looking into the eyes of a tortoise born in 1898, to eating ‘fruitshi’ in an organic orchard high in the hills of Mahé, to wandering the ancient forest of Vallée de Mai under its priceless coco de mer palms, the term ‘trip of a lifetime’ feels insufficient to describe the Seychelles.

The islands may be best known for their beautiful beaches, but the interior landscapes are just as magical. Add stunning hotels, gorgeous sunsets with secluded fire pits, wild Indian Ocean swims and unforgettable animal encounters, and we had a tropical holiday going far beyond cocktails and sun loungers, whilst also enjoying these things thoroughly. This is a destination where caring for nature is just as important as taking advantage of its gifts. Where kids get to learn and feel free (as well as live their best holiday selves in the pool).

While fellow Indian Ocean favourites like the Maldives and Mauritius tend to focus on the resort-first experience, the beauty of the Seychelles lies in its flexibility. This archipelago of 110 islands is perfect for island hopping, via small planes (so exciting!) which give incredible views of the landscapes below, flying low over the endless turquoise seas and coral reefs. Incredibly, you can even spot whale sharks in migration season, usually between September and November, when flying low over the islands.

READ MORE: Why the Seychelles could be your perfect multi gen family holiday destination

Mango House, Seychelles

Magical Mahé: the first stop on our family bucket list holiday

We began our Seychelles adventure on Mahé, the country’s largest island, arriving early morning via Doha before a 30-minute drive south to Mango House Seychelles, part of Hilton’s LXR Hotels & Resorts collection. Once the private home of fashion photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri, the hotel is all sumptuous wraparound sunsets and sweeping ocean views, with its namesake mango tree still bearing fruit outside the main building. It’s an actual fashion icon.

Suites are scattered across the hillside and reached by buggy through lush gardens on arrival, after which time it’s all very walkable. Ours, in the Beach House section near the main hub, overlooked a pretty beach and had gorgeous dark wood furnishings, four-poster bed, private terrace and seriously amazing bathroom. Higher up, Cliff House gives private pools and panoramic views, while the main pool, with its beach bar, inflatables and plentiful loungers, is a perfect family base for a lazy (or  energetic if you keep falling off the inflatables) afternoon.

There’s a choice of beautiful bars and restaurants, all of which cater for kids: refined Creole and international dishes at Muse, Mediterranean Azido, and poolside classics at Kokoye. While there’s no formal kids’ club, the infinity and family pools serving smoothies, snacks, and – perhaps more importantly – cocktails for parents, are pretty much all you need. And as for the views – pure Seychelles bliss, everywhere you look.

READ MORE: 10 amazing adventures to have on family holidays in Seychelles

Vallee des Fruits, Mahé

Attractions beyond the resort teach kids about Seychelles life

There’s loads to do on Mahé, and you’ll discover more about Creole cultured. The long coastal roads are a place to gaze and dream, and everywhere is drivable. The historical capital, Victoria, has a replica of Big Ben, cool shops and bustling markets: you can pick up local jewellery at decent prices here, as well as coco de mer and turtle knick knacks.

Close to Victoria, make sure you visit Eden Island with its buzzy marina. It’s home to some prime real estate, more shops, a vibe and cute waterside restaurants like Bravo, which serves amazing Japanese food alongside Creole specialities, and where we stopped for lunch.

Fruistshi, Vallee des Fruits

An organic fruit plantation with a difference

If your kids like fruit and running around, there’s no better excursion than a plantation tour at Vallee des Fruits. It’s the Seychelles’ first organic fruit plantation and eco-tourism experience, cultivating local purpose alongside orchards. They’re involved in all the good initiatives locally: environmental protection, sustainable development, and giving back to the community through education, healthcare, and environmental initiatives. It’s incredibly beautiful to wander: with extensive orchards, a giant coco de mer shell and waterfall, and hillside ocean views. They also host wellness events.

We loved sampling fruitshi: an addictive combination of banana, mango and coconut, served in leaves, which goes nicely with a freshly-husked coconut water.

Beach adventures, Denis Private Island, Seychelles

Denis Island and White Lotus vibes on our bucket list holiday

Arriving on Denis Island is something of a dream. The plane is even smaller (and feels very exclusive, as you proceed to a different section of the airfield and feel pretty special), the flight to the island is even more incredible over the shallow turquoise waters and visible coral reef, and then you land….on grass. It’s a bit like the White Lotus, with the staff waving from below, though entirely without sinister agendas or unbearable fellow guests.

The resort is made up of wooden cottages, all incredibly charming, and facing their own section of wild Indian Ocean. Ours had a huge bed, wooden furniture, and an adjoining door to a proper rainforest bathroom, so you’re literally showering within metres of the ocean. Outside in the garden we had a terrace, day bed with ocean views, and long stretch of sand leading to beach chairs and the sea. It’s the perfect spot for a little wild swimming, as neighbours are few and far between, similarly discreet, and utterly heavenly whatever you wear. One hour of this is self-care operating at a seriously high level.

You’re also kitted out with bikes, which you can use to roam the island, or just pop up to the main building. Wi-Fi is not available in the rooms, but you can check your emails in main hub, which is just enough connection to truly immerse in these special surroundings.

READ MORE: The best family hotels in the world recommended by parents who know

Beach Cottage, Denis Island, Seychelles

The wildest wildlife and true farm-to-table

Here, you learn about the wildlife: on an island free of rats, cats and dogs, where several indigenous bird species have been successfully reintroduced. Swim in what feels like your own stretch of Indian Ocean, and embrace the eco ethos, all while being treated like royalty (the kind who ride their own bicycles).

Not only that, but the resort holds two prized Michelin Keys, meaning we ate like royalty too. It’s the only independent, locally-owned hotel to receive this honour in the Seychelles, and a fantastic accolade to their true farm-to-table system. You eat according to daily harvest here. The freshest fish, the sweetest passionfruit, and the nicest staff all meant the best time for us.

Giant tortoise, Denis Private Island, Seychelles

Hungry tortoises: an elegant Victorian gentleman

One of the biggest draws on Denis are the giant tortoises. Among them is Toby, now 129, who has undoubtedly seen some things — his slightly rheumy eyes entirely forgivable for such an eminent Victorian. Unsurprisingly, Toby is a living legend. He lives in a special enclosure reserved for senior tortoises (the under-40s have their own area), and feeding him and his companions spinach leaves – in what felt like a gentle, slow-motion Jurassic Park scene – was one of the highlights of our trip.

We also visited the younger tortoises in their various enclosures, who seemed speeded up like Duracell bunnies. Our island tour took us by buggy through a fern-tastic, Jurassic-feeling tropical forest, onto the island farm, where produce defines farm-to-table. Before heading into the workshop, where the reef restoration project is already forming coral stars that will be distributed across the ocean floor from April 2026. This kind of eco-education combined with proactive solutions is the perfect way to elevate a family bucket list holiday to something truly inspiring.

Snorkelling the reef and meeting some locals

Another incredible thing about Denis Island Resort is that you can snorkel right off the beach, but we hopped in a boat anyway, to check out the reef restoration site with its bleached coral, before setting off back towards the colourful, living reef. Visibility was good, there were lots of fish to spy on, and we even saw a majestic turtle.

READ MORE: Indian Ocean wonders to add to your family holiday bucket list

Indian Ocean Lodge, Seychelles

Charming Praslin Island is the Coco de Mer HQ

Our final stop was Praslin Island, home of the world’s only coco de mer palm forest: the wondrous Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It’s the second largest island in the Seychelles, and feels even more laid back than Mahé, and its home to some of the Seychelles’ most famous natural treasures.

We stayed at beachfront Indian Ocean Lodge on the almost surreally beautiful Grand Anse, where stingrays frolic in the shallows, and the bright white sand backs into lush forest. Kids can roam barefoot between beach, infinity pool, restaurant and the rooms, for that irreplaceable feeling of utter freedom. Cottage-style, they are spacious, wooden, and beautifully-decorated thanks to a recent refurb. The sunsets here are incredible, and there are plenty of swinging chairs to kick back and enjoy them from with a cocktail or juice. We loved the barbecued jackfish on the buffet too – like a cross between mackerel and tuna – and the huge, rather elegant breakfast spreads.

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Our guide (and also driver) Vincent, Vallée de Mai, Praslin Island © Lisa McGarry

Vallée de Mai: where coco de mer lives (and tarantulas don’t)

A visit to Praslin means a visit to Vallée de Mai, because there’s nowhere quite like it on earth. The Vallée is an UNESCO-listed primeval forest of towering coco de mer palms, which don’t grow elsewhere in the world.

Our guided walk taught us more than anticipated about the enthusiastic fertilisation habits of local geckos, and the famous coco de mer palms which come in male and female varieties, alongside their famously suggestive forms. While euphemisms come in handy with smaller kids, it really is the equivalent to a botanical birds-and-bees talk.

Rain fell lightly as we walked through the forest, but the towering canopy sheltered us almost completely. One member of our group, terrified of spiders, kept pointing at the thick strands stretched between trees: “Like a washing line!” Yet the dramatic threads belonged only to harmless golden orb spiders; there are no tarantulas or similar creatures in the Seychelles, which only reinforces its status as a dream family bucket list holiday destination.

READ MORE: Find out why children really love family holidays in the Seychelles