Seychelles

The Seychelles' beaches are not like other beaches: pink-grey granite boulders sculpted over millions of years frame coves of implausible clarity, takamaka trees lean over sand that squeaks, and Anse Source d'Argent — the most photographed shore on earth — somehow exceeds its own postcards. Add giant tortoises wandering like garden furniture and a Creole ease closer to the Caribbean than the Maldives, and you have the Indian Ocean's most distinctive paradise.

The shape of the trip

The classic (6 nights): island-hop the trio. Mahé (2) for Victoria's market, Beau Vallon and the mountain drives; ferry to Praslin (2) for Anse Lazio and the primeval Vallée de Mai, where the coco de mer grows; then bicycle-only La Digue (2) — Anse Source d'Argent, ox-cart lanes and the tortoises. Ferries stitch it all in under an hour a hop.

The money

The honest news: Seychelles runs European prices — but self-catering guesthouses (₹6,000–10,000) sit legally beside the resorts and transform the budget, as do takeaway Creole curries at ₹400–600. Ferries run ₹3,500–5,000 per hop; hire cars on Mahé and Praslin are the freedom worth paying for.

Worth knowing

Do the ETA before flying. Book La Digue accommodation earliest — the island is small and beloved. Snorkel gear travels well here, and October's calm brings whale sharks past Mahé for the lucky.