Seychelles: Snorkels, Songs, and Smiles

Sometimes when you get off a cruise ship, the day becomes a race through town — admiring old churches, snapping shots of colonial architecture, learning about the culture and cuisine, and soaking up as much as you can before you’re herded back to the ship. And sometimes… it’s just, Let’s go snorkeling!

Our stop in Mahé, the largest island of the Seychelles, definitely fell into the latter category — but what a day it was.

A Quick Dive Into Seychelles (Before Our Actual Dive)

For those who (like us) love a little context before jumping in:

The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands floating in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar. It’s often thought of as a dreamy honeymoon destination — white sand beaches, turquoise water, lush hills — but it’s also got a fascinating geopolitical story.

Once uninhabited, the islands became a French colony in the 1700s before falling under British control in the early 1800s. Seychelles gained independence in 1976 but, like many small nations, has seen its fair share of political ups and downs. Despite this, it’s a stable democracy today, balancing tourism, fishing, and environmental conservation — the last one especially important, since these coral islands are on the front lines of climate change and ocean health.

Geographically, Mahé is the heart of the country, where about 90% of the population lives. It’s small — just 28 km long — but packed with steep granite mountains, dense forests, and postcard beaches.

Okay, history lesson over. Let’s get back to the boat!

Catamarans and Crystal Waters

After docking in Mahé, we hopped onto a bus for a short ride through town — a quick blur of colorful buildings, palm trees, and smiling faces — to reach another pier. There, we boarded a large catamaran for an afternoon of sea adventures.

From the boat, we had beautiful views back toward Mahé’s mountainous interior. The contrast of dark green hills, light pastel town buildings, and that ridiculously blue water was just stunning. We cruised past small islands dotted with fancy-looking resorts and private homes — definitely someone’s dream getaway spot.

Below the Surface: Reef Adventures

About 30 minutes into the ride, we anchored near a reef system. Here’s where the real fun began.

First, we climbed aboard a small glass-sided semi-submersible boat — kind of like a mini-submarine but you don’t fully submerge. It reminded us a lot of our time at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia: table corals, potato corals, little zebra-striped fish darting near the surface, larger silvery ones cruising by, and more colorful fish — bright yellows, blues, and rainbow shades — hiding near the bottom and among the kelp.

Then it was time to gear up and jump in.

The water was like bathwater — warm, clear, and just begging us to float around. Snorkeling there was super chill: no crazy currents, no mad dash to see everything, just relaxed drifting alongside schools of fish, watching the smaller ones nibble at coral and shimmer in and out of view.

Sadly, we did notice signs of coral bleaching, which was a sobering reminder of how vulnerable these ecosystems are — even in paradise.

The Real Highlight: The Crew

After drying off and sipping a soft drink back on deck, the real magic happened.

The boat crew (all local guys) transformed into an impromptu band, grabbing guitars, flipping plastic water bottles into drums, and turning small bottles into shakers. They belted out upbeat tunes with such energy and joy that the whole boat lit up.

And they didn’t stop there. After the serenade, they put on music and led a dance show, pulling in passengers to join. It was simple, fun, and utterly charming — not a slick performance, but one that felt genuine and full of heart.

Even as we cruised back to port and the boat was docking, the guys were still dancing, tying up the boat with grins on their faces.

More Than a Tour

We might not have wandered through Mahé’s historic sites or chatted with local guides about colonial history and Creole culture, but we got something just as memorable: a front-row seat to the warmth, humor, and musical spirit of the Seychellois people.

Sometimes, that’s all you need to understand a place.

If you’re heading to the Seychelles — whether for culture, adventure, or just to float in perfect water — know that it’s not just about what you see but who you meet. And we were lucky enough to meet some of the happiest, most talented folks on the water.

Stay tuned for more from the next port! 🛳️✨