Trying to find out if Seychelles widely accepts Amex cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
American Express has limited acceptance in Seychelles. Luxury resorts, some tour companies, and high-end restaurants on Mahé or Praslin may take it, but local eateries, small shops, and ATMs usually won’t. Visa and Mastercard are far more common. If you’re budgeting SCR 300-500 for meals or SCR 1,000+ for day trips, you’ll need another card or cash. Amex can cover resort stays, but daily island life requires Visa/Mastercard.
Brought my Amex thinking I’d earn points on all my seafood dinners… ended up using it once at a hotel gift shop. Everyone else either didn’t take it or said their machine couldn’t process it. I used Visa everywhere else without a hitch. Even some tour operators didn’t want to try Amex. I’d keep it for emergencies or big-ticket items, but definitely not for daily stuff like meals or shopping.
Seychelles isn’t great for Amex acceptance. I tried it at three different ATMs (MCB, SCB, Absa) - only Absa gave me cash, and that too after a couple of tries. Restaurants on the main drag in Beau Vallon sometimes took it, but smaller places just said “Visa only.” It’s not rejected rudely, it’s just not supported. I use my Wise Mastercard 90% of the time and rarely have issues. Wouldn’t make Amex your primary here.
Used my Amex for a few hotel payments and one dinner at a high-end spot in Victoria - no problem there. But local shops, markets, and most cafés didn’t accept it. Even at a gas station, I had to pull out my Mastercard because their terminal didn’t support Amex. Same story with ATMs - inconsistent. If you're traveling around the islands and eating or shopping locally, definitely bring a Visa or Mastercard for smoother payments.
Tried using my Amex in a beach café in Praslin and they just shook their heads. Most small places don’t take it. Big resorts and some fancy restaurants in Mahé were fine, but everywhere else I got better luck with my Visa. Even some ATMs didn’t work with Amex - MCB rejected mine, but Absa worked once. Honestly, don’t count on it. Bring a Visa or Mastercard as your main, and maybe use Amex as backup for hotels or rental cars.