Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Most travel happens across three main islands. Mahé holds the capital Victoria, the international airport and the bulk of hotels. Praslin sits about 45 kilometres northeast and is known for the Vallée de Mai palm forest. La Digue, a short ferry ride from Praslin, is smaller and quieter, with Anse Source d'Argent its best-known beach. Crime patterns are mostly opportunistic. Break-ins at self-catering villas, bag snatches on beaches and theft from parked cars come up across Mahé. Including around Beau Vallon and quieter stretches near Anse Royale. Praslin and La Digue see fewer incidents but the same pattern: unattended belongings on the sand are the main target. Walking alone after dark on isolated beaches is flagged by official advisory guidance as a higher risk. The outer islands, including Desroches, Alphonse and the Aldabra group, sit far from Mahé. The official advisory guidance places these, along with Praslin and La Digue, at a higher caution tier purely because medical facilities are limited. Anyone needing hospital treatment has to be moved to Mahé by boat or plane, which can take hours.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance reissued its Seychelles advisory on 9 December 2025 and kept it at Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions. That is the lowest of four levels. Praslin, La Digue and the outer islands are flagged at Level 2 inside the same advisory. But only because of healthcare access rather than crime or unrest. There is no ordered departure and no evacuation order in place. The official advisory guidance refreshed its Seychelles travel advice on 21 January 2026 and the page remained current as of 7 April 2026. The latest change added new information about illegal drugs and the long prison sentences that follow conviction. The official advisory guidance does not warn against travel to any part of Seychelles. Both governments treat the country as a low-risk destination overall, with the caveats sitting around health logistics. Drug laws and routine theft rather than political instability or terrorism.
What travellers should know
Drug laws are strict and enforcement is active. The official advisory guidance update specifically points to long prison sentences for possession, including for small amounts. Prescription medication should be carried in original packaging with a copy of the prescription, since some common UK medicines are controlled locally. Medical care on Mahé is reasonable for routine issues but limited for anything serious. On Praslin, La Digue and the outer islands the gap is wider, and transfers to Mahé by boat or helicopter are not always quick. Comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is worth checking before departure, especially for diving trips, which are popular around the inner islands. Petty theft is the most common problem reported by visitors. Valuables left on the beach, in hire cars or in unlocked villas are the usual targets. Hotel safes, registered taxis and well-lit routes after dark cut most of the risk. Cyclone season runs roughly November to April and can bring heavy rain and rough seas, occasionally disrupting inter-island ferries and small-plane flights.