The Seychelles has long been shorthand for barefoot luxury, with powdery beaches and granite boulders splashed across honeymoon brochures. Now this Indian Ocean archipelago is in the headlines for a different reason. In early February 2026, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice, warning travelers of an outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito borne virus that can cause intense, sometimes long lasting joint pain. For travelers with tickets in hand, the news raises an urgent question: is it still safe to visit, and what precautions are essential if you go?

What the New CDC Warning Really Means

The CDC’s Level 2 advisory, issued on February 5, 2026, does not tell travelers to cancel trips to the Seychelles. Instead, it urges visitors to “practice enhanced precautions,” a step up from routine travel health advice but well short of a call to avoid travel. In practice, that means the islands remain open for tourism, flights are operating normally, and resorts, guesthouses, and tour operators are welcoming guests, but health authorities want travelers to be far more vigilant about mosquito protection.

Chikungunya is not new to the region, but the current outbreak has pushed case numbers high enough for U.S. authorities to flag a distinct increase in risk. The CDC’s dedicated Seychelles traveler page and global outbreak listing both highlight the country as an active chikungunya hotspot, placing it alongside destinations such as Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Cuba that are also experiencing outbreaks. Travelers are being advised to factor this risk into their planning, just as they would consider hurricane season, air quality, or political unrest when choosing where and when to travel.

Importantly, a Level 2 notice is not a blanket alarm that the Seychelles has become unsafe in a broader sense. It is focused specifically on the health risk posed by chikungunya and the steps individuals can take to protect themselves. For healthy adults who are prepared to follow rigorous mosquito bite prevention measures and consider vaccination where appropriate, experts still regard travel as possible with caution. For pregnant travelers, older adults, and those with underlying medical conditions, the calculus is more complex and may favor postponement.

Understanding Chikungunya and How It Spreads

Chikungunya is a viral infection spread primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same aggressive day biting species that transmit dengue and Zika. These mosquitoes thrive in warm, humid tropical climates and breed in small collections of standing water, from roof gutters and flower pots to discarded containers. Once a mosquito bites an infected person, it can transmit the virus to others it feeds on afterward.

Symptoms typically begin three to seven days after an infectious bite. The classic presentation is a sudden onset of high fever accompanied by intense joint pain that can be severe enough to limit movement, along with headache, muscle aches, rash, fatigue, and sometimes nausea. Most people start to feel significantly better within about a week, but joint pain can linger for months or even years in a subset of patients, particularly older adults or those with preexisting joint problems. Deaths are rare, but the illness can be debilitating and disruptive to travel plans.

Unlike respiratory infections, chikungunya does not spread directly from person to person through casual contact, coughing, or touching shared surfaces. Human to mosquito to human transmission requires the presence of infected mosquitoes. That distinction matters for travelers. It means that your primary risk in the Seychelles comes down to whether you are bitten by mosquitoes and how effectively you can prevent those bites, rather than from being near other tourists or locals who might be sick.

Who Is Most at Risk and Should Anyone Avoid Travel?

While anyone can contract chikungunya if bitten by an infected mosquito, some travelers face a greater chance of severe illness or complications. According to recent CDC guidance, people aged 65 and older, newborns infected around the time of birth, and individuals with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or compromised immune systems are considered higher risk. For these groups, the probability of severe joint problems, prolonged symptoms, or hospitalization is higher than for otherwise healthy adults.

Pregnancy adds an additional layer of concern. Infection during the final stages of pregnancy can, in some cases, lead to transmission to the newborn during delivery, potentially causing severe disease in the infant. As a result, U.S. health authorities are specifically advising pregnant travelers to reconsider or postpone nonessential trips to areas with active chikungunya outbreaks, including the Seychelles at this time. That does not mean every pregnant traveler who goes will become ill, but it does mean the margin for error is much smaller.

Healthy travelers in their teens, twenties, and middle age without significant medical conditions are generally less likely to develop life threatening complications, though they are not immune from the intense pain and fatigue that can come with the virus. For them, the decision often hinges on risk tolerance and readiness to adhere strictly to mosquito precautions. If your dream trip centers on long days outdoors, rainforest hikes, and open air guesthouses, you will need to weigh the enjoyment of those experiences against the elevated risk of being bitten.

Vaccine Options and Pre Trip Medical Planning

One of the most important developments for travelers is the availability of a chikungunya vaccine in the United States. A virus like particle vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic received approval for use in adults and adolescents aged 12 and older in 2025 and is now recommended for travelers heading to areas with active outbreaks, including the Seychelles. Unlike routine travel shots such as hepatitis A, chikungunya vaccination is targeted to those with a realistic exposure risk due to geography and timing.

Travelers considering the Seychelles in the coming months should plan a pre trip consultation with a travel medicine specialist or knowledgeable clinician ideally four to six weeks before departure. This appointment is the time to review standard immunizations, discuss the chikungunya vaccine, and talk through your personal risk profile, including age, pregnancy status, and any chronic health conditions. For some travelers, particularly those staying long term or engaging in high exposure activities, vaccination will be strongly recommended. For others, particularly those with very brief or low risk itineraries, a physician may judge the benefit more marginal, though the current outbreak tilts the balance toward vaccinating in many cases.

Beyond chikungunya, the CDC continues to recommend other routine travel vaccines for Seychelles visitors, including hepatitis A and MMR for measles protection, given the broader global rise in cases. Up to date COVID 19 vaccination is also advised as part of baseline travel health. None of these immunizations replace mosquito avoidance measures, but they help prevent other illnesses that could complicate a trip or require medical care in a destination far from home.

On the Ground: How to Reduce Your Mosquito Exposure

The core of any chikungunya prevention strategy in the Seychelles is diligent mosquito bite avoidance from the moment you land to the moment you depart. Aedes mosquitoes are primarily day biters, with peak activity in the early morning and late afternoon, but they can bite at any time in shaded or indoor areas. That means protection is not just a nighttime concern.

Insect repellent should become as routine as sunscreen. Health authorities recommend using products that contain active ingredients with proven efficacy, such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Apply repellent to all exposed skin, following the manufacturer’s instructions for reapplication, especially after swimming, sweating, or towel drying. For trips that combine beach time with forested hikes or mangrove excursions, consider higher concentration formulas that last longer in tropical conditions.

Clothing choices also matter. Light colored, long sleeved shirts and long pants provide a physical barrier to bites and are especially important during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes can be most active. Some travelers opt for insecticide treated clothing, which adds an additional layer of protection. Footwear that covers the ankles, rather than flip flops alone, can help reduce bites on the lower legs and feet, common targets for Aedes mosquitoes.

Where you sleep is another key factor. Whenever possible, choose accommodation with air conditioning and well fitted screens on windows and doors. In more rustic lodges or guesthouses where open windows are the norm, insist on intact bed nets and check for gaps where insects could enter. Even in high end resorts, keeping terrace doors closed when not in use and using fans to keep air moving can reduce mosquito presence indoors.

The Seychelles is a scattered chain of 115 islands, ranging from the main hubs of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue to remote coral atolls deep in the Indian Ocean. While the CDC notice covers the country as a whole, individual islands and districts may experience different levels of mosquito activity and case numbers over time. Local health authorities, supported by the World Health Organization, have been working to strengthen surveillance and vector control after recent reemergence of mosquito borne diseases, including chikungunya and dengue.

For travelers, that means that beach days on the more developed main islands, guided national park hikes, and boat trips to nearby islets can still go ahead, but with an increased emphasis on personal protection. Coastal resorts are doubling down on landscaping and property maintenance to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed, while some tour operators are adjusting early morning departure times or recommending additional protective gear for clients heading into forested interior trails.

Activities that involve dense vegetation, freshwater pools, or mangroves, such as birdwatching in forest reserves or exploring interior jungle paths, may carry higher exposure risk than time spent on breezy open beaches. If your itinerary is heavy on back country trekking, it is worth discussing with your guide or hotel which areas have seen more mosquito activity recently and whether certain trails are better scheduled for cooler times of day when you can comfortably wear more protective clothing.

The outbreak may also influence the type of accommodation travelers choose. Properties that can demonstrate robust mosquito control, regular fogging where appropriate, and clear communication about protective measures will likely see stronger demand. Smaller guesthouses and self catering villas without air conditioning or screened windows can still be viable options, but visitors should be prepared to supply and use their own nets, repellents, and plug in vapor devices consistently.

What to Do If You Feel Unwell During or After Your Trip

Even with the best precautions, no measure is perfect. Travelers to the Seychelles during a chikungunya outbreak should be prepared to recognize symptoms and seek prompt medical advice if they become ill. If you develop sudden fever, joint pain, severe headache, or rash during your stay, reduce mosquito exposure immediately by staying indoors under a net or in screened rooms and continue to use repellent. This helps protect others by limiting the chance that mosquitoes can bite you and then pass the virus on.

Local clinics and hospitals in Victoria and the main islands are familiar with chikungunya and other tropical infections and can arrange appropriate testing and supportive care. There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya, but clinicians can provide pain relief, fever management, and monitoring, especially for those at higher risk of complications. Adequate hydration and rest are essential, and travelers should avoid self medicating with nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs until dengue has been ruled out, as these medications can increase bleeding risk in dengue cases.

After returning home, any fever and joint pain that appears within a couple of weeks of your trip should prompt a call to a healthcare provider. Make sure to tell them where and when you traveled and mention the chikungunya outbreak in the Seychelles. This information helps clinicians order the right tests quickly. While most people recover fully, persistent joint pain can require follow up, and early medical evaluation can rule out other serious conditions that can mimic chikungunya in the early stages.

Balancing Travel Dreams with Evolving Health Risks

The Seychelles remains one of the world’s great island destinations, with giant tortoises wandering coral atolls, coco de mer palms arching over forest paths, and a coastline that still feels wonderfully wild in many places. The current chikungunya outbreak and CDC Level 2 advisory do not erase those attractions, but they change the context in which travelers must plan and experience their journeys.

For some, particularly pregnant travelers and those with serious underlying illnesses, the prudent choice in 2026 may be to postpone a Seychelles trip until the outbreak subsides and health notices are downgraded. For others, especially healthy adults willing to be meticulous about vaccination, repellent, clothing, and accommodation choices, the islands can remain on the itinerary, albeit with a heightened awareness of risk and responsibility.

Ultimately, safe travel to the Seychelles in a season of mosquito borne disease is less about fear and more about informed preparation. By understanding what chikungunya is, who it threatens most, and how it spreads, and by rigorously applying protective measures from the planning phase through the end of your journey, you can make a clear eyed decision about whether now is the right time to visit this fabled archipelago or whether it is wiser to let the tides and trade winds wait for another year.