Sailing

What better way to enjoy an island nation than to hop from one island to the next on a sailboat? Offering visitors the ultimate way to experience the diversity and beauty of the archipelago, a trip on a chartered boat can last a day or a week. Most trips leaving from Mahé will sail around the island itself, anchoring at snorkel spots, and including a bit of actual sailing at some point in the journey (wind providing). Diving, kayaking, and waterskiing may also be offered on your cruise. A week-long live-aboard is a truly special experience—itineraries vary depending on the time of year and sea conditions.

Silhouette Cruises. Offering fabulous day- or weeklong excursions on a fleet of beautiful liveaboard vessels, a journey with Silhouette cruises may just be the highlight of your time in the Seychelles. Itineraries vary according to season to avoid rough seas, but always include visits to all the major islands, multiple small islands, and snorkeling and swimming in otherwise inaccessible marine parks. Scuba fanatics should check out the "dive safari" trips, which take place between October and November. If you have the fortune of traveling from late September to early October, the special whale shark expedition is a trip of a lifetime. Delicious hearty meals, a friendly professional crew (always including a licensed dive instructor), and clean comfortable cabins make this hotel on the sea a wonderful and über-relaxed way to explore numerous islands and their marine life at a leisurely pace. Victoria, Mahé, Inner Islands. 432–4026; 251–4051; www.seychelles-cruises.com.