Probably the question we get the most from people after visiting both The Seychelles and The Maldives, is which place is better?? How do the two countries compare? Which one should you choose?
Let’s start with the Maldives…
The Maldives is a collection of islands located southwest of Sri Lanka and India. It is probably most well-known for its luxury overwater bungalows, private hotel islands and crystal-clear waters. It’s no doubt a fantastic place for a honeymoon, anniversary trip or any special occasion!
Best time to visit:
The best time to visit is before or after the rainy season. The rainy season can vary but typically takes place between April-October with the heavier rains being towards the end of the season. The thing to note here is that the rainy season can be VERY rainy, not like the Caribbean where it may rain for a few mins throughout the day but 90% of the time it’s fine. The rain in the Maldives can last for most of the day and be very heavy with strong winds, especially in October. Outside the of the rainy season, the weather is absolutely perfect, with a slight breeze.
What to do:
Depending on where you’re staying, there’s quite a few water based activities to do in the Maldives, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, diving, catamaran rides, etc. In general the Maldives has great diving opportunities. Although there are tons of water based activities to do, you’ll likely be on a small private island owned by the hotel so you’ll be limited to what they offer and their prices as well. Most people spend their time in the Maldives relaxing, swimming and enjoying their overwater bungalows.
Seychelles
Seychelles is located off the coast of Africa. The main island of Mahe is where all flights will fly into and unlike the main island of Maldives, has a lot of tourist activities and nice hotels. There are 4 other “large” islands in the Maldives with transportation options and larger hotels. Outside of these larger island, there are many small islands, with private hotels. You won’t find nearly as many small private hotel islands as you would in the Maldives, many of them are uninhabited.
Best time to visit:
The rainy season here is like the Maldives in that when it rains, it can be quite strong. From talking to the locals, the rainy season is changing and can be difficult to predict. In any given week during the rainy season, it can rain for one of those days, and the rest of the time it will be nice. In addition, if it’s raining on the North side of the island, then it’s likely not raining on the South island, so it’s possible to temporarily “escape” the rain, especially when on the main island of Mahe. Generally this rainy season runs from November-March.
What to do:
Seychelles in another great location for diving. As it’s quite common to stay in the large island of Mahe, there can be much more activities to do than the Maldives, like for example visiting the country’s Rum distillery, hiking through various well-established trails and exploring the town. You’ll also find all the water based activities that you would find in the Maldives as well. It’s much easier to explore the other large islands in the Seychelles with small flights and ferries in place connecting the main island to the smaller islands. Of course, you could always book excursion to visit the less popular islands as well.
Which one to visit??
Both countries are beautiful and offer unique experiences. In both countries you will find the fox bats flying around you!
If you’re looking for more of a luxurious, relaxing stay and want the overwater bungalow experience, then the Maldives is for you. You won’t find the overwater bungalows in the Seychelles, at least not for a few years. This is the place to visit if you’re interested in unwinding and just relaxing in an amazing resort.
If you’re looking for more adventure, and also experience more of the local culture, then the Seychelles is for you. In the Maldives you won’t experience as much of the cultural experience given you’ll likely stay on an island with just the resort on it. Just keep in mind it’s much harder to get the luxurious hotel stay, in the Seychelles. The 5 star luxury resort experience is not the same in the Seychelles as it is in the Maldives.
Can you visit both at the same time?
While the countries are not too far from one another, you won’t be able to fly direct from one to another. You’ll need to first get a 5-hour flight to either Dubai, Doha, or Sir Lanka, and then take a flight to the other country. This would add quite a bit of time, but of course would save you making the super long to one of those connection points twice. Personally, we would just plan the visits as separate trips and spend a week in each country during different times.
Can you visit on points?
Yes! Check out our blog posts on how visit on points. By using hotel and airline points, we were able to visit both countries a year apart from another.
What about Bora Bora?
Click here to see our review.
