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A 30 to 40m yacht the Seychelles in 2026 peak (April to May and October to November) runs $85,000 to $135,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Eden Island Marina on Mahé. The bracket inventory in the Seychelles is thin (roughly 12 to 18 yachts at peak across the inner islands and the catamaran fleet) and most weeks run the granite inner-island circuit rather than the long-range outer-atoll work. Guests fly into Mahé International (SEZ) on the British Airways, Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad lift and join the yacht at Eden Island. This page covers Seychelles pricing and tactics at the bracket.
Why the Seychelles at this bracket
The Seychelles archipelago splits into the inner granite islands (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, North Island) clustered within a 45nm radius of Mahé, and the outer coralline islands (Alphonse, Desroches, Aldabra, Cosmoledo) running 200 to 600nm southwest. The inner islands hold the charter calendar at the bracket. The outer islands sit beyond the range of most 30 to 40m motor yachts on a one-week contract and book on 14-day-plus rotations with autonomy planning.
The 30 to 40m bracket fits the inner-island rotation because the passages are short (Mahé to Praslin 25nm, Praslin to La Digue 5nm, La Digue to Curieuse 3nm), the size carries the at-anchor stabilizers for the Anse Lazio and Anse Source d'Argent open-anchor product, and Eden Island Marina accommodates the bracket on transit berthing without complication.
Above 40m the inner-island anchorages tighten (Anse Lazio holds 3 to 4 yachts at the bracket above 40m on a busy weekend), and the programme tilts toward the Aldabra and Cosmoledo expedition product that the bracket cannot serve on a single contract. Below 30m the crewed-catamaran market dominates the inventory.
Weekly rates from the Seychelles in 2026 to 2027 season
Ranges below are for peak shoulder weeks (April, May, October, November) before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 10 to 15 percent. The Seychelles has a true year-round charter calendar with two cleaner windows (April to May and October to November, light winds between the monsoons) and two windows (December to March, northwest monsoon; June to September, southeast monsoon).
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $85K to $105K per week | $65K to $90K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $100K to $120K per week | $80K to $105K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $115K to $135K per week | $95K to $125K per week |
The southeast monsoon (June to September) trims rates roughly 10 to 15 percent and trades the cleanest water for steadier wind on the south coast of Mahé. The December to March northwest monsoon is the strongest swimming and snorkel window but Anse Lazio runs choppy in late January.
What you get in the Seychelles fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests on motor yachts. The Seychelles catamaran fleet (30 to 24m, 4 to 5 cabins for 8 to 10 guests) is well-developed and books at 30 to 40 percent below the motor-yacht rate at comparable capacity.
Crew. 5 to 7 on motor yachts, 4 to 5 on large catamarans. The Seychelles crew bench is thin for AV and engineering work. Confirm AV spec and engineering qualifications before booking; problems on a peak charter resolve 24 to 36 hours slower than in the Med.
Tenders. A beach-landing tender is mandatory because Anse Lazio, Anse Source d'Argent, and Anse Georgette are all open-beach approaches. A dive-rated tender is useful for the Cousin and Aride snorkel sites but not the trip's draw.
At-anchor stabilizers. Recommended at 33m and above. The inner-island anchorages run calm on the leeward sides but the windward Anse Lazio anchorage at La Digue and the Aride exposure flips with the monsoon. Yachts without at-anchor stabilizers on the windward side roll through the night.
Itinerary patterns from the Seychelles at this bracket
The classic inner-island rotation. Embark Mahé, one night Therese Island, two nights Praslin (Anse Lazio, Anse Georgette, Curieuse turtles), two nights La Digue (Anse Source d'Argent), one night Silhouette or North Island, return Mahé. Seven nights. The first-trip Seychelles charter at the bracket.
The North Island anchor week. Embark Mahé, three nights North Island (the on-island lodge service, the granite beach product), two nights Praslin and La Digue, two nights Silhouette. Seven nights. Pairs with a North Island lodge night for a fly-in/fly-out hybrid.
The shoulder-season explorer. Embark Mahé in late April, four-night reach to Alphonse and Desroches with the fishing and dive product, return inner islands for the final three nights. 10 to 12 nights. Requires a 36m-plus motor yacht with the bunkering for the 250nm reach.
Where the bracket struggles in the Seychelles
Aldabra and Cosmoledo. The outer-atoll product runs 600nm from Mahé and demands an expedition-grade vessel with 14-day autonomy, a tender garage, and a fuel reserve that the standard 30 to 40m charter inventory does not carry. Aldabra books on 50m-plus explorer yachts and bare-bones expedition vessels.
Quiet weekends in peak shoulder. Anse Lazio and Anse Source d'Argent run busy on May and October weekends and the anchorages absorb day-trip traffic from Praslin and La Digue. Charter clients who want quiet should book mid-week and consider a Silhouette or North Island anchor.
What we said no to
Yachts without dedicated air-conditioning service on every cabin for any Seychelles week between December and March. The humidity in the northwest monsoon runs at 85 percent and the failure mode on an undersized AC system is a guest complaint by night two. We would also pass on any 30 to 40m motor yacht without a watermaker on the Aldabra-range or Alphonse-range trip; the outer-atoll bunkering is not reliable enough to plan a return without it.
The pick
For two couples, seven nights in early May: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, embark Mahé, inner-island rotation. Budget $95K plus APA, all-in roughly $135K. Booking lead time: 6 to 9 months.
For a family of 10, ten nights in October: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, embark Mahé, inner-island rotation with a four-day Alphonse reach in the middle. Budget $200K plus APA plus reach fuel surcharge, all-in roughly $300K. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months.
Build, refit, what to ask
The Seychelles 30 to 40m fleet is small and rotates slowly. Several inner-island yachts have been on the Seychelles circuit for five to eight seasons. A 2016 build or later with a 2022 refit is the motor-yacht threshold. The catamaran fleet runs newer on average; the threshold there is a 2020 build with documented sail and rigging service.