Sister, Coco, and Felicite Island: Seychelles Catamaran Tour

The best part of this day is the mix of three very different island settings: Sister Island for a private beach and turtle spotting, Coco for granite rocks and shallow sea, and Félicité for thick island greenery. You spend the day moving between scenery, swimming, snorkeling, and a BBQ lunch instead of sitting on one beach.

I like the roomy Oplezir catamaran, which gives you open-air and indoor places to sit, plus showers. I also like the practical package: lunch, water, snorkeling equipment, landing fees, ferry tickets, and Praslin transfers are included. The main drawback is simple: if you want a long stretch of beach time, this tour may feel rushed, especially when the sea conditions or group schedule limit time ashore.

Key points to know before booking

• Sister Island is the main scenic stop: Expect a private beach, clear lagoon water, tropical forest, and the chance to see sea turtles.
• Coco and Félicité offer different snorkeling settings: Coco is small and rocky, while Félicité is larger and heavily wooded.
• The Oplezir catamaran is spacious: You have room inside or outside, and onboard showers are a useful extra after swimming.
• Lunch is more than a basic snack: The BBQ meal includes variety and dessert, with water provided and a rum cocktail available as an extra.
• Transfers differ by departure point: Praslin pickup and return transfers are included, while La Digue visitors meet the boat at the jetty and arrange their own land transfer.
• Plan for a full sea day: The tour lasts six to eight hours, and conditions can affect the exact schedule.

Three islands, one full day at sea

This is a classic Seychelles island-hopping day, but it has enough variety to keep it from feeling like a simple boat ride. You start from Praslin or La Digue and head toward Sister Island, then continue to Coco and possibly Félicité for snorkeling and swimming.

The exact order and stop selection can vary. The plan includes snorkeling at either Coco, Félicité, or both, so you should not treat every listed stop as a guaranteed long visit. That flexibility helps the crew work with sea conditions, but it also means you should book this for the overall day rather than for one exact beach or reef.

The catamaran is the Oplezir, a large boat with indoor and outdoor seating. That matters in the Seychelles, where a shaded place to sit can make a long day much more comfortable. You can move around, dry off after swimming, and use the showers before the return journey.

The tour is guided in English and French. Jaqueline is one of the guides associated with the experience, and the crew handles the practical details, from transfers and landing fees to snorkeling equipment and lunch.

Sister Island: a private beach and clear lagoon

Sister Island is privately owned, which gives this stop a different feel from a public beach visit. The island has granite rock formations, tropical forest, and clean sandy beaches. You get time to take in the scenery, walk on the beach, swim, and look out over the lagoon.

The water around Sister Island is especially important for anyone who enjoys seeing marine life without needing an advanced snorkeling skill level. Visibility is described as excellent, and sea turtles may be spotted in the lagoon. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but this is one of the strongest reasons to pay attention in the water rather than simply sunbathe on shore.

I like this part of the day because it gives you a proper island stop before the snorkeling focus begins. You are not just looking at beaches from the boat. You can step onto the sand, walk among the tropical vegetation, and get a closer sense of the island.

The possible tradeoff is time. One four-star assessment wished for a longer beach stay, and that is a useful warning if beach lounging is your main goal. The tour tries to cover several locations in one day, so Sister Island is better for a scenic visit and swim than for spending half a day in one place.

Coco Island: granite rocks and shallow-water appeal

Coco Island is small, photogenic, and easy to recognize. Granite boulders frame the sandy beach, palm trees line the shore, and the island has the postcard look many people hope to find in the Seychelles.

The island is part of Coco National Park, and the landing fee is included in the price. You can snorkel in the surrounding water, swim, and look for fish and other sea life among the reefs. Snorkeling equipment is supplied, though you should still bring your own gear if you prefer a particular mask or snorkel.

Coco is a strong stop for photographs because the setting changes quickly from rock to sand to sea. It also gives you a chance to get out of the boat and enjoy a more intimate island view. The sandy beach is appealing, but you should remember that this is a protected natural area, not a developed resort beach with a long menu of facilities.

The sea is the main event here. You might find the best experience by splitting your time between a short walk on shore and a proper swim. The supplied equipment makes this easier, but bring sunscreen and a towel. A towel is not listed among the required items, yet you will be glad to have one after snorkeling.

Félicité Island: more forest, less postcard simplicity

Félicité is larger than Coco and covered in dense vegetation. Its appeal is less about one small perfect beach and more about the feeling of a substantial natural island rising from the sea.

If the tour stops here, expect another chance to swim and snorkel in clear water. The surrounding sea supports marine life and underwater plant life, giving you a different setting from Coco. The two islands complement each other: Coco is compact and rock-framed, while Félicité feels more heavily wooded and expansive.

Do not assume that both Coco and Félicité will receive equal time. The experience allows snorkeling at either island or both, depending on the operating plan and conditions. I would regard this as a benefit if you care most about good sea conditions, but a drawback if you have your heart set on a particular island.

BBQ lunch on the Oplezir catamaran

Lunch is served onboard, which keeps the day moving and avoids losing more time to a separate restaurant stop. The meal is a BBQ with variety and dessert, and water is included.

The food received strong praise, with specific mention of a tasty lunch, good dessert, and a rum cocktail. The cocktail is not listed as part of the included package, so expect extra services and drinks beyond the supplied water to cost more. Bring a credit card and some cash for that reason.

Eating on the catamaran also makes practical sense. You get to stay close to the islands and the sea, rather than spending a large part of the day traveling to shore for lunch. The tradeoff is that a boat meal is a casual meal. If you want a quiet table in a restaurant, this is not that kind of experience.

The boat’s size helps here. The Oplezir has plenty of seating, both inside and outside, and one assessment specifically praised the comfortable spaces. On a sunny day, you can eat outdoors when conditions suit you, then move into shade afterward.

What the boat ride is really like

A large catamaran is a good match for a full day on the water. It offers more stability and room to move than a small open boat, though you can still expect some motion at sea. If you are sensitive to seasickness, sit where you feel most comfortable and keep the open horizon in view.

The indoor seating matters if the sun becomes intense. The outdoor areas matter when you want clear views of the granite islands and open sea. Showers are another practical advantage, especially after two or more swims.

The catamaran was not described as overcrowded on every departure, but capacity and demand can vary. One person found the boat spacious and not too busy, while another praised the large amount of room. You should expect a shared excursion, not a private charter.

Solo visitors can also consider this outing. The tour has a structured schedule, a professional crew, and guided transfers, which can make a full day alone feel straightforward. A solo woman specifically found the experience safe, though you should still keep your valuables secure and follow the crew’s instructions around the water.

Transfers from Praslin and La Digue

The departure details matter more than they may seem. If you are staying on Praslin, return transfers are included, along with ferry tickets. Confirm the pickup details when you receive your voucher, and make sure every name matches the passport exactly.

If you are staying on La Digue, the catamaran picks you up directly at the La Digue jetty. You arrange your own land transfer to the jetty, so allow enough time to reach the meeting point. The tour is not a hotel pickup from every La Digue location.

If you are coming from Mahé, allow for a long ferry ride. One practical note is that the ferry can take about an hour, so bring something to occupy yourself. The boat portion is only part of the day’s transport, and the total schedule can stretch toward eight hours.

The included ferry tickets and landing fees add real value. Those costs can otherwise appear as small surprises when you book a multi-island outing. Here, the main extras are optional onsite services and anything you choose to buy beyond the supplied water and lunch.

Is $166 a fair price?

At $166 per person, this is not a cheap beach transfer. It is priced as a full day of transport, guided sightseeing, island access, snorkeling, food, and boat time.

The value is strongest if you plan to visit several islands anyway. You get the Oplezir catamaran, Sister Island’s landing fee, access to Coco National Park, a BBQ lunch, water, snorkeling equipment, ferry tickets, and return transfers for Praslin departures. Arranging all those pieces separately would take more time and might not cost less.

The value is weaker if you only want one long beach session. In that case, a shorter boat trip or a beach day could suit you better. This tour charges for variety, not for uninterrupted time on one stretch of sand.

I also think the large catamaran improves the price equation. A spacious boat, onboard seating, showers, lunch, and organized transfers make this more than a basic snorkeling shuttle. You pay for comfort as well as access.

What to pack for comfort

The supplied essentials list is sensible, but I would add a towel to it. You need swimwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, comfortable clothes, and a camera. Comfortable shoes help when walking on beaches and around granite rock.

Bring insect repellent for time on the islands, plus cash and a credit card for optional purchases. Snorkeling equipment is included, but pack your own mask and snorkel if fit and comfort matter to you.

Keep your passport details handy when booking. The names on the reservation must match the names on your passport. This is a small administrative point, but it can cause trouble if ignored.

Children under two cannot join the sea excursion. The activity is also not suitable for pregnant women or people with mobility impairments. Those limits reflect the boat, island landings, swimming, and snorkeling demands.

How to decide if this is your Seychelles day

You should book this if you want a full, organized day that combines island scenery with water time. It suits you especially well if you enjoy snorkeling, want to see more than one island, and prefer having lunch, equipment, and transfers arranged in advance.

It is also a good fit if you are staying on Praslin and want a simple way to reach Sister, Coco, and Félicité. Solo visitors can benefit from the structure, and the English or French speaking crew makes the day easier to follow.

Think twice if you dislike boat motion, need long periods on shore, or want a private experience. The schedule covers a lot, and the exact balance between beach time and snorkeling can change. The six to eight hour length is substantial, especially when ferry travel is part of your day.

The tour has a rating of 4.6 from 121 assessments, with particularly strong praise for the crew, food, boat space, snorkeling locations, and organization. My advice is to book it for the complete package and the chance to see several sides of the Seychelles sea, not for a guaranteed long stay on one beach.

FAQ

Where does the catamaran leave from?

The tour can depart from Praslin or La Digue. On La Digue, the catamaran picks you up directly at the La Digue jetty.

How long does the experience last?

The excursion lasts approximately six to eight hours. Starting times vary, so you need to check availability for your chosen date.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A BBQ lunch onboard the catamaran is included, along with water.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment is included, although you may bring your own gear if you prefer.

Are ferry tickets included?

Yes. Return ferry tickets are included in the package. Return transfers are included for Praslin departures, while La Digue visitors arrange their own land transfer to the jetty.

Which languages are available?

The live tour guide service is available in English and French.

Can young children or pregnant women join?

Children under two are not allowed on the excursion. The activity is also not suitable for pregnant women or people with mobility impairments.