Mahe to Praslin to La Digue (and Back): Ferry or Plane? 

We flew into Mahe and immediately ferried over to La Digue, with a brief stop in Praslin.

After three nights at an incredible boutique hotel in La Digue, we took a short 20-minute ferry to Praslin, stayed two nights, and then flew back to Mahe the morning of our international flight to Tanzania.

Here’s the rundown:

• Fly into Mahe
• Ferry to La Digue (via Praslin)
• 3 nights in La Digue
• Ferry to Praslin
• 2 nights in Praslin
• Flight from Praslin to Mahe → Connect to international flight

We landed in Mahe around 8:30 am after a long-haul flight from Doha.

Our ferry to La Digue via a quick stop in Praslin was booked for 11:00 am.

I’d recommend leaving at least two hours (and probably more!) between landing at the Seychelles International Airport and your ferry departure.

Just a heads-up: You can’t fly directly to La Digue. There’s no airport on the island.

So if it’s on your itinerary (and it definitely should be), you’ll need to take a ferry. The usual route is catching a ferry from Mahe with a short stop in Praslin.

Alternatively, you can fly from Mahe to Praslin, take a taxi from the Praslin airport to the ferry terminal, and then hop on another ferry to La Digue.

Cat Cocos is the public ferry that connects Mahe to La Digue, with a short stop in Praslin. Here are the usual departure times (but ALWAYS check their official website):

• 8:00 am
• 10:30 am
• 4:30 pm

*When we went on May 11, the time offered was 11 am (which we booked).

We got to the Mahe ferry terminal around 9:45 am.

The ferry pulled out a little after 11 and arrived in Praslin at 12:20 pm. We stayed on board the same boat and reached La Digue by 1 pm.

Super smooth!

That said, we heard that on some days you might need to switch boats in Praslin, so it’s worth checking your booking info closely.

There are three seating options:

• Economy (Coco de Mer)
• Economy Upper Deck (Island Hopper)
• Business (Lazio Lounge)

We went with the Upper Deck seats because people warned us the seas can get a bit choppy. It was 80€ per person. We appreciated the breeze and fresh air. Plus, you get some solid views.

There are actually two upper deck areas. Here’s a photo of Upper Deck section #1:

We grabbed the front row on the very top level (Upper Deck #2) for extra leg room and easy horizon-staring in case things got bumpy.

It was sunny and dry the day we went, but if it starts to rain, I imagine those flaps on the sides get pulled down to shield passengers from the rain.

We traveled in early May, which is a shoulder season between the trade winds.

Northwest winds blow November – March, southeast ones pick up May – September. Translation? It can get choppy during that transition period.

Our ride wasn’t awful, but it definitely wasn’t smooth.

A few people around us started to puke. The staff even passed out little white bags halfway through. I grabbed one… you know, just in case.

My husband, who gets very seasick on boats,  popped a Bonine and wore his seasickness wristband. He did fine (to my surprise).

Trust me, I thought those nausea wristbands were gimmicky too, until my husband started wearing one and hasn’t puked on a boat since.

And we are avid snorkelers and have been on MANY rocky boat tours (like that time in Rangiroa)! It has different shock levels, so you can adjust based on the situation. Always check with your doc first what’s right for you.

You can book directly on the Cat Cocos website, but we actually used seychellesbooking.com because they let us add a transfer from the airport to the ferry terminal (super helpful after a long flight).

Creole Travel Services handled the transfer. 10€ per person.

They were waiting for us with a sign as soon as we exited the airport. Shared shuttle, air conditioning, quick ride. Loved it.

Once we arrived, we popped into the Cat Cocos office to weigh our bags (economy max is 25 kg or 55 pounds).

We booked our tickets about six weeks in advance and got an email with e-tickets and a QR code. Easy.

After three perfect days in La Digue, we took the ferry (this time with Cat Rose) to Praslin.

We booked that ticket the day before right at the dock in La Digue. Super easy.

At Praslin’s ferry jetty, we were met by Meggie from Capricorn Car Rental. She was waiting for us with a friendly smile and a perfectly-maintained car. We cruised off in our rental for two days of beach-hopping.

When it was time to return to Mahe, we flew with Air Seychelles.

Our flight was mid-morning, giving us time to sleep in, eat breakfast, and not rush. Bonus? It was only a 10-minute drive from our amazing vacation rental (with 5-star views) to the airport.

• Ferry runs at 8 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm (very limited times)
• Our international flight from Mahe was at 7:30 PM
• We didn’t want to risk missing it (or waste our last day sitting in a ferry terminal)

Depending on the time of year, Air Seychelles operates 17 flights daily between Praslin and Mahe, departing at 6:25 AM. The flexibility made all the difference!

We arrived early to the airport (hubby loves a nice cushion), and they actually moved us to an earlier flight.

That meant more time exploring Mahe with Nils on our amazing Mahe island tour before our international flight!

I get nervous on tiny planes.

Like, sweaty palms and gripping my husband’s knees kind of nervous. I’ve done a few of them (seaplane in the Maldives, Ambergris Caye in Belize, landing on the shortest commercial runway in Saba, and the bush planes in Tanzania), and it doesn’t get easier.

But this one? It was quick, smooth, and absolutely beautiful.

You’ll be flying over turquoise water and coral reefs for a solid 15 minutes. I barely had time to freak out.

Truly a lovely flight!

We booked directly through Air Seychelles. Easy process.

Our tickets were $165 USD per person. Not cheap, and double the cost of the ferry, but the cost was worth the convenience.

Both have their perks. It just depends on your schedule, budget, and how much you’re willing to tolerate.

Go With the Flight If:

• You want flexibility with timing
• You’re worried about rough seas
• You’re flying in or out the same day and want to keep things smooth

Stick With the Ferry If:

• You’re on a tighter budget
• Your international flights line up well with ferry departures
• You want to go straight to La Digue without multiple transfers

Best Combo (What We Did):

• Ferry from Mahe to La Digue
  You stay on the same boat and avoid juggling bags and taxis between the airport and ferry terminal in Praslin.
• Fly from Praslin to Mahe
  You skip the tight ferry schedule and get a scenic, low-stress end to your trip.

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Have questions about our ferry or plane experience? Drop me a comment below.