Maldives vs. Seychelles: Which Destination is Better?

The Maldives offers more value when compared to the Seychelles. While both destinations are known for their beaches and luxury offerings, the Maldives is the undisputed leader for luxury resorts, diving, and romantic escapes.

Seychelles might be a better fit for those looking to enjoy a wider range of island activities, diverse landscapes, gold, and hiking.

Before you continue reading…

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We offer comprehensive packages for guesthouses and resorts in the Maldives. To provide you with the most reliable information, all our articles are written independently by experienced writers and rigorously fact-checked by our editors for accuracy.

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Maldives vs. Seychelles at a Glance

Choose the Maldives if you want luxury, privacy, world-class diving, and a pure relaxation experience. It's perfect for honeymoons, special celebrations, and those seeking an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experience with iconic overwater villas and beautiful beaches.
Choose Seychelles if you prefer adventure activities, diverse landscapes, and cultural experiences. It's ideal for active travellers, nature lovers, and those who want variety in their tropical vacation with hiking, wildlife, and cultural immersion.

Reasons to Choose the Maldives Over Seychelles

Overwater Villas: Perfect choice if overwater villas are a big part of your dream vacation.
Privacy: One-island-one-resort setup means each resort is on its own private island, making it ideal for honeymoons.
Diving: The Maldives is better for diving with clearer waters and more diverse underwater experiences.
Marine Life: Best place for seeing marine life like manta rays, dolphins, and whale sharks in their natural habitat.
Budget Options: Compared to Seychelles, budget accommodations like guesthouses on local islands can be cheaper and offer better value for money.
Flight Access: Better accessibility for international flights, depending on where you're traveling from.
Surfing: Better surfing spots and conditions compared to Seychelles.
Wellness: More wellness offerings with spas available in most resorts for relaxation and treatments.
All-Inclusive: The Maldives offers better all-inclusive packages with more luxury resorts that include meals, drinks, and activities in one price.
Room Options: There are more room options and even islands to choose from, with both luxury and budget choices available.
Transport Flexibility: Regular and more flexible transport options are available between islands and resorts.

Reasons to Choose the Seychelles over the Maldives

(Image: Adobe Stock)

Hiking: Perfect choice if hiking is an important part of your holiday with many trails and nature walks available.
Flight Costs: Depending on your location, flights to Seychelles might be cheaper than flights to the Maldives.
Mixed Scenery: Better option if you prefer a mix of mountainous scenery and beaches rather than just ocean views.
Wildlife: Great for spotting rare birds and giant tortoises that you can't find in the Maldives.
Local Culture: More accessible local culture in Mahé with easier interaction with locals and cultural experiences.
Budget Alcohol: If you want to travel on a budget, alcohol is available everywhere. In the Maldives, alcohol is not allowed on local islands (though it's permitted at resorts).
Higher Ground: Unlike the Maldives (the world's lowest-lying nation), Seychelles has boulders and mountainous ranges that offer different landscapes and viewpoints.
Homestay Options: Much more homestay options available apart from hotels.
Easy Public Transport Booking: Booking public transport between islands is much easier and you can do it online.

Room Options in the Maldives vs. Seychelles

The Maldives focuses on luxury accommodations with iconic overwater villas, beachfront suites, and private pool villas.

There is more variety of room options such as water villas with slides, underwater rooms and unique features that create distinctive experiences.

These villas are located on private, exclusive islands designed for complete privacy, seclusion, and relaxation.

The Maldives also has a much wider range of resorts to choose from compared to Seychelles. While luxury resorts can be expensive, the Maldives offers guesthouses at every price point across different islands, making it accessible for various budgets.

Resorts in Seychelles are expensive compared to the Maldives, but apart from hotels there are much more homestay options available. However, Seychelles doesn't have any overwater villas, which are a signature feature of Maldivian resorts.

What Seychelles offers instead are villas with more diverse views. You can find accommodations that provide stunning panoramic views combining mountains, beaches, and ocean - something you can't get in the flat landscape of the Maldives.

Most room options in Seychelles are also not standalone villas hence they might be more suitable for families.

Maldives vs. Seychelles for a Honeymoon

Resorts in the Maldives are specifically built for honeymoon experiences.

These luxury resorts have carefully perfected the romantic atmosphere for guests through decades of fine-tuning and service excellence.

The iconic overwater villas in the Maldives, combined with complete seclusion and a dreamy, intimate setting, create an unparalleled honeymoon experience that's hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Most resorts also feature world-class spas where couples can enjoy relaxing treatments together.

The one-island-one-resort concept means you'll have maximum privacy with your partner, making it ideal for couples who want to focus entirely on each other without distractions.

Couples can celebrate Seychelles without any complaints. However, the focus here is more on adventure and exploration rather than pure romance and relaxation like in the Maldives.

If you want romance mixed with exciting activities like hiking through lush mountains, exploring local culture, and discovering unique wildlife, Seychelles might be a better choice.

Maldives vs. Seychelles for Diving

Diving at Ayada Maldives

The Maldives is a global leader in diving experiences. No matter where you stay in the Maldives, you can find excellent dive sites nearby.

Every resort has its own dive center with experienced guides and professional instructors, making diving highly accessible for both beginners and advanced divers.

The crystal-clear waters and abundant marine life make the Maldives perfect for spotting manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins, and colorful tropical fish.

The consistent warm water temperatures and excellent visibility create ideal diving conditions year-round.

Seychelles offers a different but equally exciting diving experience. Here, you can discover rare fish species that you won't find elsewhere and explore unique granite boulder formations underwater - a sight you can't experience in the Maldives.

The highlight of Seychelles diving is the underwater caves that provide thrilling exploration opportunities for adventurous divers. These granite formations create a completely different underwater landscape compared to the coral reefs of the Maldives.

One thing to note is that the water in Seychelles is slightly cooler (temperature-wise) compared to the Maldives.

Accessing the Maldives

Velana International Airport (MLE) in Malé, the capital city of the Maldives is the main airport. Flight options to MLE include:

Extensive International Connections: Well-connected with direct flights from major international hubs. Including key cities in the Middle East (e.g., Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi), prominent hubs in Asia (e.g., Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok)
Europe Connections: Connectivity from European cities particularly more during peak seasons. There are also direct flights from United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, and Turkey.
Charter and Seasonal Flights: During peak tourist seasons, additional charter and scheduled flights are often introduced from a wider range of international origins, including more European cities and some specialized tour operator flights.

Upon arrival at Velana International Airport, transfers to resort islands are pre-arranged by the resorts or your travel agent, offering a seamless transition to your vacation. When you book with Maldives.com resort transfers are included in your package.

Speedboat Transfers: Resorts situated closer to Velana International Airport use comfortable speedboat transfers.
Seaplane Journeys: For resorts located further, a scenic seaplane journey is the mode of transfer. These seaplane rides offer breathtaking aerial views.
Domestic Flights & Speedboats: For resorts in the most distant atolls, a combination of a domestic flight to a regional airport followed by a speedboat transfer to the resort is the transfer method.

Accessing the Seychelles

Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) on Mahé is the main airport. All international flights land here. It also serves as the hub for domestic flights to other islands like Praslin and Denis. Flight options to SEZ include:

Direct Flight Coverage: Direct flights are available from major international hubs in the Middle East (e.g., Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha), key African cities (e.g., Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg)
Major Airline Hubs: The most important international connection points include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Frankfurt, Istanbul, and Mumbai
Regional Connectivity: Strong connections from neighboring Indian Ocean islands including Mauritius, Madagascar, and Réunion

Upon arrival at Seychelles International Airport, transfers to your accommodation are typically arranged by your hotel or travel agent. The airport is small but functional, with limited facilities and a lounge available for longer waits.

Hotel Transfers: Most hotels on Mahé offer direct transfers via taxi or shuttle bus, with journey times ranging from 15-45 minutes depending on your destination
Domestic Flights: For resorts on Praslin Island, you can take short domestic flights (15-20 minutes) operated mainly by Air Seychelles, or opt for ferry transfers
Ferry Services: Regular ferry services connect Mahé to Praslin and La Digue islands, offering scenic journeys across the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean

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