SEZ-Spot1
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November 15, 2017Seychelles Point Larue Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on November 10, 2023
The Seychelles Point Larue International Airport (SEZ/FSIA) was opened back in March 1972 and is located around 10km southeast of the capital Victoria on Mahé island. The Point Larue Airport is the only international airport which connects the Seychelles to the mainland. It offers flights to Europe, Arabia, Asia and of course within Africa.
Of course Air Seychelles is connecting the little Islands to the world, with destinations like Mumbai, Mauritius and Johannesburg. Apart from the international routes the national carrier flies domestic routes (from SEZ) regularly, too. The smaller island Praslin is being served up to 20 times a day. Furthermore there are visits from Aeroflot, Air Austral, Condor, Emirates, Edelweiss, Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, Turkish and Qatar.
The Seychelles Intlernational Airport is visited by a lot of private/business jets and helicopters, too, as many rich people and governmental/monarchs like to spent holidays here.
Written by Severin Hackenberger, Christian Preinl, Markus Mainka, Robert Häntschel and Martin Rogosz. Last change: November 2023 (Spot 8 added)
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 13/31 | 2.987m x 45m (concrete) |
| Terminals | There is just one terminal which is used for all flights. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not necessary, but might be useful at spot #1 – otherwise your pictures might have dark corners, because the lens doesn’t fits through the mesh. |
| Car/Public Transport | Spot #1-3 can easily be reached from the terminal by foot, but walking outside is very unpleasant due to climate. The bus transport around the airport is good and can be used to get to spot #4. |
| Restrooms | In the airport terminal or in the gas stations/shops. |
| Drinks/Food | In the airport terminal or in the gas stations/shops/restaurants. |
| Hotels | Around the airport you’ll find a lot of hotels, chalets or little apartments. |
| Season | The Seychelles are an all year round destination. |
| Runway Usage | |
| 13/31 | Used in both directions and used for all arrivals/departures. |
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Spot #1 – Carparking – Parking apron |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located inside the airport carpark which can be found just next to the terminal buildings. Inside the parking area you have to choose your position on your own which depends on the plane and angle you want to spot.
If this parking should be closed, you can walk next to the fences (outside the parking area) for about 300m to a little gate on your right. The angle is worser than from inside, but this is an alternative for the mentioned situation. |
| WHAT | All planes which are parked on the parking apron at the western end of the airport. Here you will see most of the private and business jets as well as some passenger aircraft which are resting at SEZ for many hours like the Qatar A319LR or the Turkish A330. Sometimes Air Seychelles planes are parked on this apron, too. |
| TIME | This depends on the parking position, but for most of the planes light will be better in the morning – in the afternoon hours you’d have kind of backlight! |
| MISC. | Everything you need is inside the terminals buildings. A ladder might be useful, otherwise you will have dark corners on your pictures, because the fence wholes aren’t too big (77mm doesn’t fits – too wide). |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18 – 200mm A340 = 30mm / B737 = 24mm |
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Spot #2 – Unnamed Road – All activities on runway + terminal apron |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Next to the terminal apron there is the “Air Seychelles Head Office”. On the opposite side of the E Coast Road there is an unnamed Road which leads you up the hill, turn into this street and follow it for about 400m. Then you should see a little wall projection on your left and some free space on your right (if you look up the hill). Park your car nearby at the roadside and come back to the mentioned concrete outlook on the right roadside (exact spot can be seen on the map). |
| WHAT | All arrivals/departures on the runway as well as all activities on the infront of the terminal. |
| TIME | On the runway: From Mid-March till Mid-September the light is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset.
On the terminal apron: This depends on the angle, but for most of the planes light will be better in the morning. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby, next spot for restrooms/snacks would be the terminal or the shops among the E Coast Road. No ladder needed. Don’t block the street with your car and take all your rubbish with you again! Especially as there You might have problems with heathaze.
Advantage to spot #3: This spot is easier to reach and isn’t as far away as the other hillspot, so you’d have less heathaze! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 150 – 450mm Do228 = 420mm / B777 taxiing = 170mm / A320 arriving = 320mm |
A bit more to the left/up the street the tree here is not blocking the view anymore thus you can make pictures like above with Isle Anonyme in the back:
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Spot #3 – Hilloutlook – All airport activities |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Next to the terminal apron there is the “Air Seychelles Head Office”. On the opposite side of the E Coast Road there is an unnamed Road which leads you up the hill, turn into this street and follow it for about 500m, to the highest point (just before you’d go down again) – next to a long white orange wall. The exact position is difficult to discribe, so use the map. Park your car nearby at the roadside and come back to the front outlook on the left roadside (if you look down the hill). |
| WHAT | All arrivals/departures on the runway as well as all activities on the terminal and the western parking apron. |
| TIME | On the runway: From Mid-March till Mid-September the light is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset.
On the terminal apron: This depends on the angle, but for most of the planes light will be better in the morning. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby, next spot for restrooms/snacks would be the terminal or the shops among the E Coast Road. No ladder needed. Don’t block the street with your car and take all your rubbish with you again! You might have problems with heathaze.
Advantage to spot #2: This spot offers you a much better overview with no obstacles. Apart from that this spot is higher, that’s why the terminal buildings aren’t disturbing as much as at the other spot. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 150 – 450mm B738 = 370mm / B737 = 350mm / B757 = 210mm / G650 = 330mm / DHC6 = 430mm |
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Spot #4 – Air Seychelles Head Office – Ramp |
|---|---|
| WHERE | +++THIS SPOT NOT LONGER AVAIABLE DUE TO A NEW FENCE+++
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| WHAT | |
| TIME | |
| MISC. | |
| FOCAL LENGTH | |
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Spot #5 – Hill road – All runway activities |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located at the end of an unnamed little road which connects the busy “East Coast road” with a private living house and a company territory. The road can be entered on your right side just after you have passed a gravelfactory or similar on your right as well, when driving from the airport into eastern direction. Just follow this street, which is quite sharp and steep, to its top and park your car in the bulge on the side of the street, which is nearer to the runway – the bulge is on the opposite side of a private living house. |
| WHAT | All arrivals/departures on the runway. |
| TIME | From Mid-March till Mid-September the light is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset. |
| MISC. | You can find a little store some meters away into eastern direction along “East Coast road” (marked on the map). Enough shadow thanks to some trees here.
No ladder needed. Take care of cars and other vehicles. Don’t block the street or any properties with your car! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm B77W = 70mm / B738 = 140mm / DHC6 = 300mm |
 |
Spot #6 – Quarrystreet – 31 Activities + 13 Departures |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located at the southwestern end of the airport at the “E Coast Road”. Just get to the corner of the mentioned street and the unnamed street which leads construction vehicles to a quarry on the other side of the runway – or choose your preferred position, this depends on the angle you like the most. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 31 as well as planes which are tracking back before departure on runway 31. Departures on runway 13 can be photographed from there, too (but most of them are already very high). Apart from that you might be lucky and get arrivals on runway 13, if the planes are using the whole runway and turning back at the end. |
| TIME | The times of light/backlit are very difficult to discribe here, because the sun changes the sides (she shines from) on her way to the Tropic of Capricorn/Cancer! From Mid-March till Mid-September the light on runway 13/31 is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby so bring with you what you need or you can visit the terminal. No ladder needed. Take care of cars and other vehicles. Don’t glock the street with your car! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100 – 400mm |
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Spot #7 – Airport gate – Backtrack Runway 31 |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located at the southwestern end of the airport at the “E Coast Road”. Just get to the corner of the mentioned street and the unnamed street which leads construction vehicles to a quarry on the other side of the runway – or choose your preferred position, this depends on the angle you like the most. |
| WHAT | Most activities on the runway, best for arrivals/departures on runway 13. |
| TIME | The times of light/backlit are very difficult to discribe here, because the sun changes the sides (she shines from) on her way to the Tropic of Capricorn/Cancer! From Mid-March till Mid-September the light on runway 13/31 is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby so bring with you what you need or you can visit the terminal. No ladder needed. Take care of cars and other vehicles. Don’t block the street with your car! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm VIP 763 = 130mm |
|
Spot #8 – Mont Sebert – 13 and ramp movements |
|---|---|
| WHERE | The location is very hard to reach as it is on the top of the Mont Sebert, which is a rocky plateau. Park at the the church of Cascade at E Coast Rd and take the small road southwards until the trail entrance (marked on the map). The journey up will take around 1 hour, with an altitude of 500 meters. If you feel uncomfortable you can go up there with a tour guide. |
| WHAT | Fantastic sight from the top of the complete airport. Best use when runway 13 is active. The ramp can be photographed as well. |
| TIME | From Mid-March till Mid-September the light is okay from about 1-3pm till around one hour before sunset and from Mid-September till Mid-March the light is okay from about 11.30am till around one hour before sunset. |
| MISC. | Keep in mind it is hot and humid on the island. The walk up the mountain is not easy! Be prepared with good shoes (rocks are slippery) and enough water. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Pictures were taken with a 100-400 but at least 600mm for the 777 approach. |
Hello. I July this year we re going to vacation to Seychelles.
As spotting is in our blood please tell me if I predict right in that time of year as season winds are from southeast most of the landings and departures should be on 13 runway?
Now most happen on 31 as winds are northwest.
Thanks for some answers.