Maldives or Seychelles?

Home · Journal · Indian Ocean

Both are Indian Ocean shorthand for paradise. They are not interchangeable. Here is how they differ in practice.

The two are often mentioned in the same breath, yet they ask for different instincts. The Maldives is one resort to one island, low and luminous, built around the lagoon and the reef — a place to settle, slow down and let the water set the agenda. The Seychelles is granite peaks, jungled interiors and public beaches you can wander, spread across islands you can move between.

Which suits you

Choose the Maldives if you want seclusion, world-class diving and the overwater idyll, with little reason to leave your island. Choose the Seychelles if you like variety — hiking, hire cars, markets, beaches such as Anse Source d'Argent — and the freedom to island-hop between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. Families often find the Seychelles' space and activity easier over a longer stay.

Or both

They pair well across a fortnight, the Seychelles' texture followed by the Maldives' stillness, usually via a single connection. We plan either as a single, unhurried journey — see our Seychelles and Maldives resorts, or share what you have in mind.