The islands, in particular, Bali and the Maldives, are some of the favorite spots for luxury holiday lovers. However, there are plenty of options for recreation in the Indian Ocean, such as Mauritius and Seychelles, which offer spectacular views with turquoise-clear waters, white sand beaches, colorful fish, and ocean-view hotels. Although it can be challenging to choose between the two since both look the same, each offers its benefits. Thus, I go into the nitty-gritty to help you to decide which one is best for you.
Where is Seychelles?
The Republic of Seychelles in the western Indian Ocean, comprising about 115 islands, with lush tropical vegetation, beautiful beaches, and a wide variety of marine life. Victoria is the capital of Seychelles, situated on the north-eastern side of Mahe island, the archipelago's main island.
Where is Mauritius?
Mauritius, a tropical island paradise and arguably Africa's wealthiest destination, is one of the world's top luxury tourism destinations. It possesses a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, enjoys a tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna, and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural Mauritius population friendly and welcoming. Port Louis city is the capital of Mauritius.
Wildlife
Seychelles are home to the UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Aldabra Atoll and Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve. Aldabra Atoll was listed in 1982 and consists of four large coral islands surrounded by coral reefs. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, the site has very few visitors. Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve on Praslin was listed in 1983. The island's 19.5-hectare palm forest has been preserved almost in its original condition. More than 1,000 species of fish live in the waters around Seychelles Islands. You can even watch the whale, the largest fish species in the world. Unlike Seychelles, Mauritius is not rich in wildlife due to the human factor. Therefore, the winner is the Seychelles Islands.
Activities
Seychellesconsists of 115 islands with spectacular views waiting for adventure-lovers to explore. These islands can be easily reached by a small plane or helicopter. But do not worry; traveling to this island is not costly, depending on the number of islands you wish to visit. You can visit the reserves mentioned above and enjoy the magnificent landscape. You can rent a car to explore Mauritius Island, 45 km wide and 65 km long. In this regard, Mauritius is cheaper. Unlike Seychelles, Mauritius offers every opportunity for travelers, such as golf, various water sports (Jet Ski, windsurfing, and water ski), parasailing, trekking, hunting, and more activities to make your holiday unforgettable. In brief, you shall definitely travel to Mauritius if you are looking for a holiday full of various activities.
Flights
Seychelles flightstend to be more expensive than flights to Mauritius. In terms of comfort, they are pretty evenly matched, so you'll be comfortable with either. However, there are some differences between the two planes. The most significant difference between the two planes is the high-tech system in the Air Seychelles, where you can watch movies and TV shows through your device that connects to the Wi-Fi called SeyStream.
Cuisine
With a population of only 1 million, Mauritius has an incredibly rich and diverse cuisine. The street food is especially popular here. The extremely palatable coconut drinks, cut fruits decorated with sugar and various mixes, spicy currants stuffed with chili, pickles wrapped in oily bread, and fried noodles are only a few examples of the tasty food of Mauritius islands. If you want to have dinner in the luxury restaurants, no worries, there are plenty of them offering local and world cuisine. Visitors to Seychelles fall in love with many things on this island, one of which is food. From freshly caught fish, island-grown fruits, and spicy currants to fried bananas, you can find food for every taste. In summary, both is the winner when it comes to the delicious and diverse cuisine.
Climate
Seychelles has a tropical climate with constant high temperatures throughout the year. Mauritius has a similar climate: winter from May to October and summer from November to April. Still, there are differences between the islands concerning the climate. Thus, the summer in Mauritius is very hot and humid, and there is a risk of tropical storms during the hot summer months. Therefore, in terms of climate, the Seychelles Islands is one step ahead.
Beaches
Seychelles Islands has the most stunning and magnificent beaches globally, which is the main reason to travel to Seychelles. There are no negative comments about the beaches here. You will be just astonished by the soft and clean sand, turquoise and crystal clear waters, and green hills. It is not difficult to understand why photographers and filmmakers chose this island. The most stunning beaches in Seychelles are Anse Intendance (Mahe Island), Anse Lazio (Praslin Island), and Anse Source d'Argent (La Digue Island). Mauritius is also popular with the clean beaches; however, it loses to Seychelles with not-so-clean and soft sands. Besides, the picturesque lush forests on the shores of Seychelles are much better than in Mauritius. In this light, Seychelles leaves Mauritius in the dust.
