Car rental in Seychelles

Car Rental in the Seychelles: Cheap and Comfortable Travel!

Slowly becoming a top tourist destination, the Seychelles are an archipelago of over 100 islands, with a central government in Victoria on Mahé Island. Whether you plan to explore only Mahé or Praslin or to travel by boat between the populated granite islands and the remote coral islands of the archipelago, be sure to make time for beach lounging, snorkeling, and day trips by car to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Indian Ocean. Cap Ternay on Mahé and Vallee de Mai on Praslin are just two sites not to be missed! Explore these islands thoroughly, inexpensively, and comfortably through automobile hire.

The Seychelles are an excellent destination year round, even during the wettest time of year in January and February, as rain showers typically occur in spurts and are followed by sunshine. April and October are the best months to experience warm and wind-free weather conditions, ideal for beach going, snorkeling, and diving.

Seychelles Creole, English, and French are the primary languages of the Seychelles, making travel easy for anyone who speaks even basic English or French. Financial transactions occur in the Seychellois rupee.

Rental cars are only available on the islands of Mahé and Praslin, which are also the sites of the primary airports. Particularly if you’re traveling during tourist season, you’ll want to reserve a car beforehand at the airports or in Victoria, as many rental agencies quickly run out of available vehicles. Hiring a car is highly recommended in the Seychelles! You’ll miss out on so many incredible beaches and breathtaking views if you’re limited to one area of the islands or to public transportation, which is often unreliable.

Before you arrive

Although you don’t need a visa to enter Seychelles, you will need to have most of the documents that you’d be accustomed to supplying in order to apply for a visa on hand when you enter. This includes:

• a passport valid for the entire length of your stay
• your return ticket ensuring you have already paid to exit the country again
• your hotel voucher
• sufficient funds to finance your stay in cash or credit lines (be prepared to prove this)
• and the statements of good health and the absence of any noxious plants or animals in your luggage that your flight attendants should provide you en route.

Driving in the Seychelles

The roads on Mahé Island are narrow, mountainous, winding, and often bordered either by a steep drop or a stone wall, so be prepared for a bit of a learning curve when you arrive. You’ll quickly find, however, that renting a car is well worth the stress, and most visiting drivers quickly adjust to island driving. Compared to Mahé, Praslin Island’s roads are a breeze!

Left-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road.
• You are likely to be overtaken by local drivers or bus drivers; they’ll pass on the right. Feel free to slow down as they pass in order to make the narrow roads more comfortable for everyone.

Speed Limits

• The speed limit in residential or metropolitan areas is 40 km/h. On highways and open roads, the speed limit is 65 km/h.
• There can be some congestion in Victoria as people drive to and from work, but roads are typically fairly unpopulated throughout the Seychelles.
• Particularly at night, be careful of drunk drivers and sudden changes in road conditions or direction.

Other Regulations

• Your domestic driver’s license is valid on Mahé and Praslin Islands for up to three months.
• You must be at least 21 years old and have at least 3 years of driving experience in order to rent a car in the Seychelles.
• Parking is free in downtown Victoria.

Other Tips

1. Take pictures of the car you rent when you pick it up and drop it off, and ask your rental provider to write down any damages to the car that he or she can see before and after you rent it. Keep a copy of these documents to avoid any unfair additional charges.
2. Roads in the Seychelles are narrow and mountainous, often accompanied by steep drops or low walls. It is recommended to drive only when well rested, and we would recommend hiring smaller rather than larger vehicles.
3. Due to the narrowness of the roads, take advantage of the few wide road shoulders whenever you find them to stretch, reconsider your map, and take photos of the archipelago’s natural beauty.
4. Mahé Island is almost completely circumnavigated by a mountainous and scenic highway. Though you can drive to Morne Seychelles National Park more directly from Victoria, following the entirety of the circular highway around the island can take as little as two hours! Praslin Island is also absolutely worth circumnavigating and can be driven in as little as an hour.