Silhouette

The remaining 7% of the land is reserved for the small settlement of around 140 islanders, who have lived here for a long time, and for the luxury hotel Niva Labriz Seychelles, which until recently operated as the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. It is the only large resort on the island. There is no airstrip on Silhouette.

The island is named after Étienne de Silhouette, finance minister to Louis XV. It was permanently settled from the early 19th century. From the 1860s the Dauban family established plantations here for timber, fruit, spices and oils. The state bought the island in 1983, the surrounding waters were declared a marine national park in 1987, and the national park on land followed in 2010.

At Anse Lascars there are old graves which for a long time were attributed to Arab seafarers. That is also where the name comes from, as "Lascar" means "Arab" in Seychellois Creole. More recent accounts date them to around 1800. A legend also says that the corsair Hodoul buried treasure on Silhouette.

The boat crossing takes about 45 minutes. It departs from the jetty at Bel Ombre on the northwest coast of Mahé and ends at the jetty at La Passe, the island's only harbour. The scheduled service is run by the resort, and as far as I can tell there is no public ferry in the usual sense. Do not trust older timetables on the internet, as the departure times have been changed several times. Ask the resort or your tour operator for the current times before you book.

A helicopter transfer from Mahé is also possible and takes around 15 minutes. Resort guests book it through the hotel. If you want to travel independently of the timetable, you can charter a private boat from Bel Ombre to the jetty at La Passe. You will find operators on our page Boat trips in the Seychelles.

There is no road network for cars. You go on foot, and within the resort grounds the resort runs electric vehicles. All the walking trails start in La Passe. If you would like to see more of the neighbourhood, you will find excursion ideas on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

The beach at Anse La Passe is the most convenient on the island. The water is sheltered by the reef and calm, and plenty of trees provide shade. South of the village lies Anse Lascars, a pale sandy beach reached by a short path. There are no facilities there, so take water and something to eat.

If you have more time, head for Anse Mondon. The path leads from La Passe through forest, and the landscape is shaped by wild vanilla and cinnamon. You will find more beaches under Baie Cipailles. The reefs off the coast are part of the Silhouette Marine National Park. Snorkelling is worthwhile even from the shore. You can read more about dive sites and equipment under Diving & snorkelling and Dive spots.

The Plantation House in La Passe was built around 1861 as the home of the Dauban family. It is a protected national monument and today houses a small museum with photos and mementos from the plantation era. There is also a restaurant in the house. The Dauban Mausoleum is the island's second national monument. This neoclassical cast-iron structure stands among coconut palms, and Aldabra giant tortoises often graze nearby.

The Silhouette National Park protects forests all the way up to Mont Dauban. Almost all of the roughly 75 endemic plant species of the granite islands grow here, including the pitcher plant. Several frog species live in the Mare aux Cochons highland marsh, one of which occurs only on Silhouette. The island is also important for the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat, one of the rarest bats in the world.

The best-known route leads from La Passe over the ridge to Anse Grand Barbe on the west coast. According to Tourism Seychelles it is 4.4 km long, graded difficult, with an ascent of about 420 m, and takes around 3 hours one way. Visitors report 6 to 7 hours in total, including a break on the beach. The path is poorly marked in places and very slippery in the rain, so do not go alone. You can book a guided walk through the resort. You will find more routes under Walking in the Seychelles.

The main accommodation on Silhouette is the Niva Labriz Seychelles resort, a 5-star hotel with villas right on the beach, several restaurants, a spa and a dive centre. It belongs to Small Luxury Hotels of the World. According to the hotel, construction and renovation work ran until the end of October 2026. When booking, ask whether all restaurants and facilities are open. You will find current offers under Accommodation on Silhouette, and places to eat and drink under Restaurants on Silhouette. General booking advice is on the page Hotel booking.

Bring enough cash, as shopping opportunities outside the resort are very limited. You will find information on ways to pay under Money & banks. For medication and sun protection, the rule is to get them on Mahé beforehand. The hospitals are on Mahé, and advice and emergency numbers are under Hospitals, clinics & emergency numbers. For guests, the resort is the first point of contact if you have any health problems.

A day trip is possible. The resort offers a day-guest programme that includes the crossing and use of its facilities. Allow six to seven hours on the island, which is enough for snorkelling on the house reef, lunch and a stroll along the beach. For the Grand Barbe hike, or for the quiet hours after the day guests have left, I recommend at least two nights. If you are planning ahead, it is also worth a look at the travel checklist.