Africa > 🇸🇨  Seychelles > Desroches Island (DES)

TL;DR: Car barely useful
car v no car
car v no car
The Car or no Car advice for  Desroches Island can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Desroches Island ;  is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).

🚆 🚌⛴️ Do you need to rent a car in Desroches Island ?

These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t strictly need to rent a car.

🇸🇨 Mode

Score

🚆 Trains - includes all types of inter-city rail based transport: No rail services operate. trains score 0
🚌 Bus & Metro - includes bus rapid transit, trams, suburban rail and metro / subway: Local transport is minimal. buses score 1
👀 Guided Tours - includes bus or car based private tours and guided walking tours: Guided island and marine tours dominate visits. walking score 9
🚶‍♂️ Walking - includes both urban walking and rural hiking: Walking limited around resort areas. walking score 4
🚴 Cycling - includes urban cycling and bike share + rural cycling. Considers safety and hire availability: Lack of infrastructure limits cycling. cycling score 1
⛴️ Ferries & Cruises - includes river crossings, dinner cruises, lake steamers etc (not long duration cruise packages): Boats are essential for all access and movement. ferries score 9
  • For all transport modes, a score of 0 = very poor or none available; 10 = outstandingly good.

💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Desroches Island?

These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.

🇸🇨 Factor

Score

🚗 Car Availability & Cost - is there a wide choice of self-drive rental cars at decent prices? No self-drive car hire available. car rental availability score 0
⛽ Fuel & Toll Costs - Not applicable. Typical: $7.5/gal | 2 €/l fuel and tolls score 0
🛣️ Road Quality - Very limited internal roads. road quality score 2
⚠️ Road Safety - Very limited internal roads. road safety score 9
🅿️ Parking Availability & Cost - Not applicable. parking score 0
  • For all factors, a score of 0 = very poor; 10 = outstandingly good


Desroches Island Car Rental Costs

J F M A M J J A S O N D
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Price bands:
  • From 1 ($0-10 per day) to 10 ($90-100 per day);
  • For typical cheapest available economy hire car;
  • Jan - Mar 2027 / Apr - Dec 2026.
  • Prices correct as of Feb 2026 - estimates only, not a guarantee.
🚗Do we need a car in Desroches Island? Is it worth it? Should we rent one? | Comment
Desroches Island in the Seychelles is unlike almost any other destination on our list. This private, remote coral island has no towns, no public roads, no scheduled flights, and no conventional transport infrastructure. So should you rent a car on Desroches Island? The answer is a very easy no, simply because cars do not exist here. Everything about Desroches is slow, quiet, and environmentally controlled, and the island’s single resort handles all transport needs internally.


✈️ Getting to Desroches Island

Desroches is technically served by Desroches Airport (DES), but you cannot book flights in the traditional sense. There are no scheduled commercial services. Instead:

  • Guests fly in on charter flights operated by Four Seasons or authorised local aviation partners.

  • All flights depart from Mahé (SEZ), the main gateway to the Seychelles.

  • The runway is directly beside the resort, so transfers take minutes.

Because of this setup, you never need to worry about transport once you land. Everything is coordinated for you.


🏝️ Getting around the island

Desroches is extremely small (about 6 km long), flat, and quiet. As a result, the resort manages mobility through:

  • Golf carts (buggies)

  • Bicycles, which many guests prefer

  • Walking paths through the palm forests

  • Short buggy transfers arranged by the hotel

There are no rental car agencies, no petrol stations, and no practical way for private vehicles to operate here. In fact, the island’s environment would not allow them. The resort is the hub, and movement happens gently and quietly.


☀️ What can you actually do without a car?

Almost everything:

  • Explore long, empty beaches

  • Cycle around the island

  • Visit secluded coves and picnic spots

  • Snorkel or dive straight from the beach or nearby reefs

  • Take guided nature walks or marine excursions

  • Enjoy the spa, restaurants, and water sports at the Four Seasons

Because the entire island is managed as a low-impact luxury destination, you never need to venture far, and you never face traffic of any kind.


🛳️ If you want to explore further

Even though Desroches feels remote, the Seychelles makes island-hopping easy from Mahé, not from Desroches itself. All onward travel requires flying back to Mahé and then connecting by ferry or domestic flight to islands such as:

  • Praslin

  • La Digue

  • Silhouette Island

None of these require or encourage rental cars either, since public transport, bicycles, and golf carts are the norm in the outer islands.


Conclusion — Should you rent a car on Desroches Island?

Absolutely not — and wonderfully so. The island has no cars, no roads, and no need for them. Guests move around on bicycles and golf carts, and the entire experience is built around slow travel, quiet exploration, and effortless movement within the resort. It is one of the rare destinations where “no car” doesn’t feel like a limitation but part of the luxury.


Search for Car Rental in Desroches Island with Economy Bookings .com

🚗Do we need a car in Desroches Island? Is it worth it? Should we? | Comment

🚗 ✅ ❌ Summary Table

This summary score brings together how much you really need a car, whether it’s worth it, and an overall recommendation.

🇸🇨 Factor

Score

Road Trips - Is Desroches Island a good place to start a road trip? Very limited road network road trip score 1
Road Trip Length - How long might a typical road trip last? | In a loop / out and back / one way? 0–1 day - Local access only

Structures - Are there loads of impressive bridges and tunnels around Desroches Island? Minimal paved infrastructure structures score 1
🚦 Overall Need for a Car - Is it necessary to hire a car in Desroches Island? (high score = yes). need score 4
💶 Is It Worth It? - High score = good value worth score 6
Partial car rental doodle Partial Rental: Is it worth renting a car in Desroches Island for some of the time, rather than all or nothing (e.g. for a 7 day trip)?

1/7

Do most people visiting Desroches Island rent a car? (From 0 to 10). worth score 1
🚗Should You Rent a Car in Desroches Island?
overall should you rent a car score 6

Frequently Asked Questions

Visited? – Have we visited Desroches Island in person (year)? N/A
  • How do we define "road trips" and suggest their duration?
Updates – When was this page last updated:
  • Automatic*: Feb-26
  • Manual*: Oct-25
  • Automatic = update of table data; Manual = update of page text | How do we update pages ?
What are the general advantages and disadvantages of renting a car in any location?
  • Pros include – time freedom, wider access, often best value for groups of 4–7.
  • Cons include – hassle of driving on unfamiliar roads and parking, often expensive for solo travellers and couples, less environmentally friendly than public transport.
I'm still not sure whether or not to rent a car in Desroches Island – can you offer more advice?
  • We always welcome comments using the form below.
  • Unfortunately we can’t take phone calls or answer individual emails.
Can you advise us on how to get the best car rental deal in Desroches Island?
  • Our most useful advice is not to rent a car you don’t need!
  • After that, our advice is similar to what you would expect anywhere else – book well ahead, use your own CDW insurance, watch out for fuel contracts, avoid fines and shop around.

👍🏾 / 👎🏻 Will You Rent a Car in Desroches Island?

Will you rent a car?Would you rent a car in Desroches Island, or would you rely on tours or public transport instead? Everyone travels differently, and the right choice often depends on where you’re going, how long you’re staying, and what kind of trip you’re planning.

Hopefully this page has given you a quick, practical overview of the pros and cons of renting a car in Desroches Island, and whether it’s really necessary or not. Maybe it’s helped you make up your mind — or maybe you’ve already visited and have insights to share.

We always welcome comments, questions, and comparisons with other cities.

All feedback is read, and any questions or clarifications are usually replied to within 24 hours.