So you’re looking for boat share deals in Africa? How about the mysterious, magical, remote Seychelles, an archipelago that some call the most beautiful on the planet? Lying 4 – 10 degrees south of the equator and far from the nearest land, the exotic east coast of Africa, these legendary islands are special. Very special.

Here’s what you can expect from the Republic of Seychelles’ 115 stunning islands of varying sizes, covering an impressive 455km² of seascape.

About the Seychelles

The Seychelles lie like tiny jewels about 1100 miles from the coast of Tanzania. They’re less polished, more wild than the Maldives, but offer all sorts of unusual and unique attractions including weird rock formations, richly tropical forests and a warm, welcoming Creole heritage.

41 of the Seychelles’ islands are the oldest mid-ocean granite islands to be found anywhere. The remaining 74 are made from coral, a collection of low-slung atolls and islands with coral reefs. The main island is called Mahé, where you’ll find the airport and the capital city, Victoria. The nearby islands of Praslin and La Digue are also populated, and together these three islands make up the tiny nation’s main cultural and economic hub. They also just happen to offer the most spectacular sandy beaches, each a little slice of heaven.

Yachting here is being established but there’s a long way to go, which means the yacht scene is comparatively quiet and relaxing. The Seychelles are slowly, surely becoming a destination rather than just a stopping off point. You’ll find brand new marinas and leading yacht builder brands represented here, and the pleasures of fractional yacht ownership are becoming more popular as time passes.

Adventures on the Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is nothing if not picturesque. The waters are blue, the sea-life extraordinary and varied, and you can boat and sail all year round in the balmy seas. Best of all it’s the very opposite of crowded, nothing at all like the popular destinations of the Med and Caribbean. You’re likely to find yourself alone on the reef all day, surrounded by picture postcard seascapes and islands so lovely it’s hard to believe your eyes.

Discover Mahe Island’s amazing arts and crafts

Mahe island is a great place to pick up souvenirs, and two local artists in particular are well worth visiting. Donald Adelaide has been a professional artist for at least two decades, inspired by the brilliant ocean views and coastlines of his homeland. And Andrew Gee is a popular watercolour artist who also creates mouth-wateringly lovely silk paintings, textiles and handmade cards.

Visit glorious Aride island

Aride Island is one of the jewels of the Indian Ocean, an awe-inspiring place that just happens to also be one of the planet’s most important nature reserves, jam-packed with natural treasures and wonderfully wild. In 1973 the island was bought by Christopher Cadbury, today it’s managed by the Island Conservation Society. If you’re into nature you’ll adore it; more than a million breeding seabirds across ten different species, exotic local bird life, remote turtle beaches, amazing plant life and more all thrive safely in the sunshine, and because landing is restricted to the reserve’s own boats, you’ll need to grab a boat from Aride island then board a special transfer boat.

Some interesting facts about the Seychelles

• The islands lie almost 1000 miles from mainland Africa
• The islands welcome around 300,000 foreign visitors every year, including just under 20, 000 from Britain
• The average May temperature is 30C
• May is one of the best times to visit
• The archipelago is home to 275 species of birds
• 88 per cent of the Seychelles is rainforest and 42% is protected with conservation initiatives

Arrange yacht share in the Seychelles

If you’d like to experience the Seychelles, we have a glorious, fabulously equipped Ferretti 500 Elite boat in the area open to 1/3rd share for 8 weeks a year at just €189,000. If warm waters and extraordinary sea life are your thing, it’s perfect. And you really won’t believe the beauty of the anchorages!