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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

Seychelles

Freediving with turtles, a seasonal whale shark science programme and gentle island nature.

Granite boulders and turquoise water on the coast of La Digue
La Digue · Photo: Christian Cacciamani on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, open for travel. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Conservationists revitalise whale shark monitoring in Seychelles with national grant, Seychelles Nation, 2023; Whale sharks project, Marine Conservation Society Seychelles; Hawksbill turtle monitoring in Cousin Island Special Reserve: an eight-fold increase in annual nesting numbers, IOTC, 2011.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The US State Department rates Seychelles at Level 1, exercise normal precautions, in an advisory from 9 Dec 2025. It notes Level 2 for Praslin, La Digue and the outer islands because of limited medical care. Smartraveller advises normal safety precautions. Sources: US State Department travel advisory, Seychelles · Smartraveller travel advice, Seychelles Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

FreedivingSnorkellingWhalesWhale sharksTurtles

Why Seychelles

Mahé offers freediving and reef days with turtles, and a seasonal whale shark science programme, with whale sharks usually from August to November. On Praslin and Curieuse, snorkelling brings turtles and reef fish, and giant tortoises live on Curieuse. La Digue is a slow island for beaches and nature, a gentle extension for non-divers. Dolphins and whales are seen only occasionally, from the boat.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

FijiTanzaniaDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadZimbabweBotswanaNamibiaCentral African Rep.ZambiaMalawiMozambiqueAngolaBurundiMadagascarMyanmarIndiaSri LankaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandUgandaRwandaS. SudanLa Digue, SeychellesMahé, SeychellesPraslin and Curieuse, Seychelles

When to go

Apr-May, Oct-Nov. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass

Meets the Ocean Calling standard.

In the Seychelles the whale shark is protected by law, and a research group code asks swimmers to keep 3 m from the head, 4 m from the tail, never touch and use no flash, with no more than 8 swimmers. We join whale shark days that follow this code, snorkel quietly with turtles and see dolphins only from the boat.

Checked 30 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Seychelles

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

La Digue

Exploring

A slow island for beaches and nature, a gentle extension for non-divers.

When: Apr-May, Oct-Nov. Best in the calmer months between the two main seasons.

Mahé

Exploring

Freediving and reef days with turtles, plus a seasonal whale shark science programme.

🤿 In the water: Whale sharks (seasonal), Hawksbill and green turtles, Reef fish, Sharks and rays

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Dolphins (occasional, from the boat)

When: Aug-Nov. Whale sharks usually August to November. October is calmer, with a whale shark science programme.

Praslin and Curieuse

Exploring

Island nature with snorkelling among turtles and reef fish, and giant tortoises on Curieuse.

🤿 In the water: Green and hawksbill turtles, Reef fish, Rays

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Giant tortoises, Nesting sea turtles (seasonal)

When: Apr-May, Oct-Nov. April to May and October to November are calmer. Turtle nesting on Curieuse is seasonal.

Animals

Animals recorded in Seychelles

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Tiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTawny nurse sharks swimming in sunlit Maldives waterTawny nurse sharkNebrius ferrugineusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBull shark swimming in clear blue water off Quintana Roo, MexicoBull sharkCarcharhinus leucasSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhite-spotted eagle rays gliding over coral at Heron Island, Great Barrier ReefSpotted eagle ray (ocellated eagle ray)Aetobatus ocellatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasEndangeredRound ribbontail ray swimming over rocks at Santa Cruz, GalápagosRound ribbontail rayTaeniurops meyeniSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePale reef stonefish resting between anemones in KwajaleinReef stonefishSynanceia verrucosaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWell camouflaged scorpionfish on dark sand in Lembeh StraitScorpionfishScorpaenopsis speciesSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesTitan triggerfish swimming over a reef slope in blue waterTitan triggerfishBalistoides viridescensSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPicasso triggerfish with painted pattern over sand in the MaldivesPicasso triggerfish (lagoon triggerfish)Rhinecanthus aculeatusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClown triggerfish with big white spots over reef in the Coral SeaClown triggerfishBalistoides conspicillumSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDay octopus beside a coral head on a sandy Red Sea reefDay octopusOctopus cyaneaSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHuge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSandbar shark with its tall dorsal fin over a sandy seabed in HawaiʻiSandbar sharkCarcharhinus plumbeusSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasEndangeredLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableAldabra giant tortoise walking across short grass with its head raisedAldabra giant tortoiseAldabrachelys giganteaSeen in 4 countries in the AtlasLives on landVulnerableSchool of bumphead parrotfish swimming over coralBumphead parrotfishBolbometopon muricatumSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitetip reef sharks resting stacked in a reef creviceWhitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernShort-finned pilot whale surfacing off Tenerife with the island behindShort-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumphead wrasse swimming over a coral reef in Raja AmpatHumphead wrasse (Napoleon wrasse)Cheilinus undulatusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasEndangeredWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpotted garden eels rising from sand, black spots clearly visibleSpotted garden eelHeteroconger hassiSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant oceanic manta with T-shaped white shoulder patches and remorasOceanic manta ray (giant manta)Mobula birostrisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasEndangeredScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFalse killer whale surging through blue water off Rota, Mariana IslandsFalse killer whalePseudorca crassidensSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePink whipray and a blacktip reef shark in Moʻorea's lagoon, mountains behindPink whiprayPateobatis faiSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSicklefin lemon shark swimming over coral among butterflyfish in French PolynesiaSicklefin lemon sharkNegaprion acutidensSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredWhitespotted eagle ray gliding over reef and sand in BelizeWhitespotted eagle rayAetobatus narinariSeen in 58 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPortuguese man o' war floating with purple crest off Pico, AzoresPortuguese man o' warPhysalia physalisSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedWedge-tailed shearwaters resting togetherWedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificaSeen in 46 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMasked booby on Ascension IslandMasked boobySula dactylatraSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed-tailed tropicbird in Glendowie, Auckland, New Zealand, iNaturalist research-grade observationRed-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon rubricaudaSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSailfish swimming in open blue water, seen from below, with its long bill and tall dorsal finSailfishIstiophorus platypterusSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasVulnerableClose view of a red-footed booby head with blue, pink and red bill and throat skin among green leavesRed-footed boobySula sulaSeen in 91 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPotato cod resting on sand under a coral overhang at Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier ReefPotato codEpinephelus tukulaSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant trevally swimming close to a coral head, with small reef fish in blue water behind itGiant trevallyCaranx ignobilisSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRobber crab on rough coral rock with bent legs and large claws, in daylightRobber crab (coconut crab)Birgus latroSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLives on landVulnerableGreat frigatebird in flight, with long angled wings and a forked tailGreat frigatebirdFregata minorSeen in 44 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLesser frigatebird soaring against a blue sky with its wings spread and tail forkedLesser frigatebirdFregata arielSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSargasso shearwater gliding over a grey sea, dark above and pale belowSargasso shearwater (Audubon's shearwater)Puffinus lherminieriSeen in 27 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTropical shearwater flying low over blue waves, with dark wings and white underpartsTropical shearwaterPuffinus bailloniSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBottlenose wedgefish swimming close past a reef, white spots along its backBottlenose wedgefishRhynchobatus australiaeSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredBroad cowtail ray resting on pale sand in shallow water, seen head-on with its tail behindBroad cowtail rayPastinachus aterSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasVulnerable

Read before you go

Whales and wildlife ethicsWhere to See Tiger Sharks in the World, HonestlyRead ↗
Dreaming of Seychelles?

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Also in Indian Ocean
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