Backpacking In The Seychelles: Top 22 Sights In Victoria, Mahe Island

“Come eat tomatoes with me” / “I’m Vicky, not Victoria” – (East Belfast’s) Vicky Everitt.

Victoria isn’t your awe inspiring, roping you in capital city. It’s not the Oceanic Belfast of tomorrowyear nor the Seychellian Warszawa from yesteryear nor even the Victoria of Hong Kong in days gone 1997ly for a Burton. This Victoria however is at least pleasant, if not mind blowing.

What will Vicky do? She’ll smile you in and she’ll smile you out. I wished I was here with my dream girl from those Belfast days. Alas alone I backpacked. Ridiculously I backpacked it during two consecutive days, which is completely mad as 5 hours would suffice and fulfill you into Victoria’s jewels. I picked a sharp 22 backpacking sights for the blog. You can walk all of these easily. They’re within a 2mile radius of each other. Seriously. My other stories about The Seychelles include my stay at the excellent Le Chateau Bleu (The Blue House) in Anse Aux Pins on the east coast and my bar crawling during a tough COVID time. Let’s go Vicky…

1.The Clock Tower

Drivers must be good here as this magnificent clock tower was unbroken, unblemished and uncrooked. Yet it sits in the nucleus of the city, acting as a roundabout in what to the Seychelles could be considered a busy junction. Take your snaps and be on your way.

“And stop crying your heart out” – Oasis.

2.Victoria Bus Station

“Way on down south London town”- Mark Knopfler.

All good cities deserve a decent bus station. Victoria bus station ain’t in London town anymore. Here in Mahe, I liked Victoria’s as it was clear and easy to understand. Everything was centralised. Perhaps this government share my controlled, rightwing perfect ideals of paradise. I passed in and out of Victoria bus station multiple times, never far from a dream about East Belfast sensation Vicky Everitt. They don’t even share a name, whence Vicky noted that this Jonny wasn’t actually called John or Jonathan, she’s mirrored this in her un-Victorian dream.

3.The People’s Stadium

As a global football geek and groundhopper, I was lucky enough to catch a match when I was here. I went groundhopping in The Seychelles to the centrally located People’s Stadium. 🇸🇨💚⚽ I was lucky to catch a match here between a team from Victoria and an away side – Future Club (in black) v Glacis FC (in orange). It finished 1-1.

Though I sat alone, I chatted to the lady next to me who took this photo. Her son was playing in the match.

4.Independence House

The Seychelles gained independence in 1976 and the house on the corner represents that, the corner is where 5th June Avenue meets Independence Avenue. On the other side is Freedom Square and there’s a Freedom Monument too.

5.Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Hindu Temple அருள்மிகு நவசக்தி விநாயகர் ஆலயம்

It was a welcome but unexpected sight to see this Hindu temple here . It wasn’t open but easy to admire from the outside. It’s called the Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple அருள்மிகு நவசக்தி விநாயகர் ஆலயம்

6.Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Domus

Just beyond the bus station, I veered up the hill to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, which also has the Domus beside it for the piests to reside in.

7.Catholic Church

I’m putting 4 religious buildings on the list. There was another Catholic Church on St. Joseph Street.

8.Quincy Mall

There are a few markets and malls in Victoria. I liked Quincy Mall as the restaurant there, Le Rendezvous cafe has a balcony overlooking the street, it had Wi-Fi and served beer. When I was here, all bars and restaurants had to close at night, so it was nice to find some that were open.

9.Bel Air Cemetery

Behind the State House and accessed from Bel Air Road, sits a huge cemetery. Entrance is via the Bel Air Road, so I didn’t go all the way up.

10.Flag at Peace Park

The colourful Seychelles flag flies from a few places in downtown Victoria. Peace park has a prominent one.

11.Government: Mayor Office and State House.

This was private, closed and inaccessible. I dandered up to the gate of the Seychelles government and also saw the Office of the Mayor of Victoria.

12.Sir Selwin Clark Market

Off Albert Street and Benezet Street is an old-school market with colourful buildings. It was so so quiet and many places closed due to COVID sadly. I visited some other markets near the bus station too.

13.St. Paul’s Cathedral

As far as I saw, St. Paul’s Cathedral was the largest church on Mahe Island. It sits prominently on the corner of Revolution Avenue and Albert Street.

14.Statue of Pierre Poivre

There is a statue of Pierre Poivre in the gardens near of the museum, Pierre was a French missionary who introduced spiced plants to the Seychelles.

15.Jubilee Fountain

This small fountain sits in the gardens in front of the museum.

16.Natural History Museum

Both these museums (16 and 17) are on the same street. Sadly due to COVID and my timing of my two visits to Victoria, neither were open when I was here. I stayed in Le Chateau Bleu in Grand Anse.

17.Seychelles National Museum

This museum was also closed on my only two days in Victoria. However I walked around the gardens and the cafe was open until 18.30 each day. So I had an afternoon drink and bite here, outside.

18.Bicentennial Monument

On the roundabout that links Independence Square to 5th June Avenue, you’ll see the Bicentennial Monument.

19.Liberty Monument

Laliberte is an historic monument in Victoria, Seychelles. It was erected in celebration of the Seychelles’ independence from Britain.

20.Harbour

The Seychelles is all about views out at sea. Victoria is not a beach haven, but it is coastal. It has a harbour, a yacht club and a small island off the coast called Ile Hodoul. You also catch ferries here to the other islands.

21.Murals

There are a few murals around the city to admire, including the “I love Seychelles” one.

22.Casino – Gran Kaz

The only reason I went into the Casino, which is called Gran Kaz, and became a member was that if you did that at the time, during COVID, it was the only bar that was open in the capital city after 18.00!! So I became a member and could drink beer at night!

Here are some of my videos from backpacking in Victoria, Mahe Island, The Seychelles: