Seychelles · getting between the islands
Mahé to Praslin and La Digue: ferry or a private crewed yacht?
Short answer: the ferry is the cheaper way to get from island to island, and the right one for a short stay or a tight budget. A private crewed yacht is a different thing: you sleep aboard, your bags stay put, and the crossings become part of the days rather than transfers between hotels. It costs more per person, especially for two, and the captain decides the route for the weather.
Real fleet material
What a week on the water can look like.
The partner supplied these photographs of real yachts and Seychelles waters. The actual yacht, layout, availability and price are confirmed in the personal proposal before payment.
Ferry or private crewed yacht, side by side
Ferry fares and crossing times come from the operator’s and ticket seller’s own pages. Compare what is covered, not only the headline figure.
| Point | Public ferry (Cat Cocos, Cat Rose) | Private crewed yacht |
|---|---|---|
| Time between islands | Published: Mahé–Praslin 1 h 15 min; Mahé–La Digue 1 h 45 min via Praslin; Praslin–La Digue 15 min | No timetable. The captain sets each day’s passage for wind and sea, and you sleep aboard |
| Cost, as published | Adult one way, economy: Mahé–Praslin EUR 56, Mahé–La Digue EUR 68, Praslin–La Digue EUR 15, plus a port fee of EUR 1–2 per trip | Priced for the whole boat and crew: EUR 17,500–20,500 for up to six guests, seven nights (planning guidance) |
| Baggage | 25 kg free in economy, 30 kg in business, one suitcase no more than 32 kg; excess EUR 3 per kg | Bags stay aboard for the week and are not weighed at each crossing |
| Flexibility | Fixed timetable; two or three Mahé–Praslin departures a day; sailings can be withheld in bad weather | Days shaped with the captain; the route follows the weather and no order of islands is promised |
| What it includes | A seat on the crossing; hotel transfers are an optional extra | The yacht and crew for your group; the exact scope is whatever the named-yacht quote lists |
| What to check | Lodging, meals, tours and transport on each island are not included; see the port fee and excess-baggage rate above | Fuel, marine park, marina and mooring fees, port and local charges, drinks with meals, transfers, inter-island flights and the Seychelles environmental levy are already inside the guidance figure and named in the proposal; diving for 7 nights is an option EUR 1,600 per group for up to 4 divers, EUR 2,000 for 5–6 divers (two dives, equipment, licensed centre) |
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What the ferry gives you
Cat Cocos is the public ferry between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue; Cat Rose and Cat Cocos both run Praslin–La Digue. Crossing times as published by Cat Cocos: Mahé–Praslin 1 hour 15 minutes, Mahé–La Digue 1 hour 45 minutes via Praslin (1 hour 10 minutes on the direct sailings), Praslin–La Digue 15 minutes. Mahé to Praslin has two or three departures a day, depending on the weekday, per the operator’s published 2025 schedule.
Fares as published by SeyFerry, a ticket seller for both ferries, on 6 October 2026: adult one way, economy main cabin, EUR 56 Mahé–Praslin, EUR 68 Mahé–La Digue, EUR 15 Praslin–La Digue. A loop Mahé–Praslin–La Digue–Mahé therefore adds up to EUR 139 in fares per adult before port fees (our arithmetic, not a published package). The seller’s FAQ says ferries are often sold out.
The ferry moves you and nothing else: lodging, meals and island transport are separate, and crossings may be withheld in bad weather.
Fares and times checked on 6 October 2026; operators change timetables, so confirm before you travel.
How a yacht week uses the three islands
A crewed catamaran week is built around the inner islands: Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. You sleep aboard, so there are no hotel check-ins and no luggage weighed at each hop; the crossing is part of the day.
We do not promise anchorages or an unchanged order of islands. The route follows the weather and the captain’s judgement, and an operator who guarantees otherwise is describing a brochure rather than the sea. Visits ashore are paid separately: Vallée de Mai on Praslin is SCR 450 per person and the Veuve Reserve on La Digue SCR 150, as listed in our cost guide. The sailing season guide shows how conditions change through the year.
When the ferry is the better choice
If you have a few nights, stay on one or two islands, or the budget comes first, the ferry plus your own lodging is the sensible plan. You pay for each island separately, whereas our planning figure for a two-guest yacht week is EUR 8,750 per guest. We do not sell ferry tickets; they come from the operator or its sellers.
When a private yacht is the better choice
A yacht earns its price with a family or a group of four to six who want to travel and sleep in one place, with one set of luggage and a pace of their own. The cost is shared: our planning figure falls from EUR 8,750 per guest at two to EUR 3,417 at six, for seven nights, with an exact quote to follow. It suits people who accept that the sea sets the pace.
What to check in a yacht quote
Ask for the named yacht, the licensed operator, crew and guest berths, meals, fuel, marina and park fees, the levy, transfers, the deposit, and weather and cancellation terms. Marine park fees run from SCR 200 at Sainte Anne to SCR 300 at Curieuse as a day ticket, per person, for one park (non-residents over 12), and the environmental levy is SCR 100 per person per night (from 1 January 2026; it does not apply to citizens and residents of Seychelles, airline and yacht crew members, or children aged 12 years and under, per tourism.gov.sc); the quote must state which of these are inside the figure.
Ocean Safari Club is an agent: the proposal names the licensed operator and each party’s role before any booking, and this website takes enquiries only, with no payment. The line-by-line list is in the private yacht cost guide; if you are still choosing between a shared cabin and a whole yacht, read cabin or private charter.
Common questions
- How long is the boat from Mahé to Praslin?
- By the Cat Cocos ferry the published crossing is 1 hour 15 minutes; Mahé to La Digue is 1 hour 45 minutes via Praslin, and Praslin to La Digue 15 minutes. On a private yacht there is no timetable: the captain sets each passage for wind and sea.
- How much does the ferry cost?
- As published by SeyFerry, a ticket seller for Cat Cocos and Cat Rose, on 6 October 2026: adult one way, economy main cabin, EUR 56 Mahé–Praslin, EUR 68 Mahé–La Digue and EUR 15 Praslin–La Digue, plus a port fee of EUR 1–2 per trip. Check the fare at booking.
- How much luggage can I take on the ferry?
- Cat Cocos terms for non-residents give 25 kg free in economy and 30 kg in business, with no single suitcase above 32 kg. SeyFerry lists excess luggage at EUR 3 per kg. On a yacht your bags stay aboard for the week.
- Can a private yacht week cover all three islands?
- It is built around them, but the captain sets the route and the order of islands for the weather on the day, and we do not promise a fixed itinerary. The sailing season guide shows how the monsoons change conditions.
- Is a private yacht cheaper than the ferry?
- Not per person for a couple, and they are different products: the ferry sells a crossing, while the yacht is priced for the whole boat and crew. Our planning guidance is EUR 8,750 per guest for two and EUR 3,417 for six, seven nights, subject to an exact quote.
Personal estimate
Build the journey around your group and dates.
We first confirm the configuration, availability and operators. This website takes no payment and the figures are not a public offer.