Planning · 6 July 2026

Do you really need to rent a car in Seychelles?

We rent cars, so you'd expect us to say yes. The honest answer is: on Mahé, usually — but not always. Here's the fair comparison we give friends who ask.

The bus: SCR 12 and endless patience

Mahé's SPTC buses are genuinely charming and nearly free (about SCR 12–15 a ride). They reach the main beaches on the coast roads. The catches: most routes wind down by early evening, timetables are approximate, luggage space is minimal, and the interior mountain roads and smaller coves aren't served. Great for a single planned outing; frustrating as your only transport.

Taxis: convenient, but the meter adds up

Taxis are easy at the airport and hotels, but a single airport–Beau Vallon run costs roughly the same as a whole day of car hire. Two or three taxi rides a day for a week costs multiples of a rental — without the freedom to chase a sunset on a whim.

A rental car: when it wins

• You're staying more than two or three days — the economics tip quickly at €45/day with unlimited mileage.
• You want more than one beach — the whole point of Mahé is that paradise changes every 10 minutes of driving.
• You're staying in self-catering — supermarket runs and restaurant trips stop being logistics.
• You land with luggage or kids — met at arrivals, seats fitted, done.

When you can honestly skip it

• A short stopover staying at one resort with its own beach and restaurants.
• You're heading straight to La Digue — it's a bicycle island; nobody needs a car there.
• You plan one excursion only — a single taxi or tour will do.

The middle path

Plenty of guests rent for part of the stay: two or three "exploring days" with a car, the rest on the sand. Since we hand over and collect anywhere on Mahé for free — airport, hotel, or the Cat Cocos ferry terminal — a partial rental works beautifully. And with free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, booking early costs nothing.

More reading: How our airport hand-over works