2 Weeks in the Seychelles with a Toddler
We spent two weeks in the Seychelles with our daughter, who was almost two years old. We stayed for one week on Mahé and one week on La Digue. The organisation by SeyVillas and the local support provided by Creole Travel Services were both very efficient and professional.
On Mahé, we stayed at Fleur de Sel on the outskirts of Anse Royale. The holiday apartment is very spacious and attractive, with direct access to the sea. However, it is located a little way outside the village. As we were sometimes the only holidaymakers staying at the property, it could occasionally feel a little lonely or even unsettling. As the tourists are spread discreetly around the village, you mainly find yourself among the local residents, which gives you quite a good impression of life in the Seychelles. There are good shopping facilities locally, although the choice and prices in the Seychelles cannot generally be compared with those in Europe. As so much has to be imported, prices are correspondingly high and the selection is limited. For dining, we particularly recommend ‘Kaz Kreol’ and ‘Dauphin Heureux’.
On Mahé, we mainly travelled by bus, which works well as long as you have some flexibility with your schedule. However, it is worth bearing in mind that many buses stop running between 18:00 and 19:00, which is relatively early.
For anyone who would also like to learn about the flora and fauna of the Seychelles, we can wholeheartedly recommend the ‘Jardin du Roi’ spice garden. We preferred both its location and its layout to the Botanical Gardens in Victoria.
Takamaka Beach is also well worth a visit and is easy to reach by bus. The restaurant there makes excellent cocktails using fresh fruit, although they are not exactly inexpensive.
On La Digue, everything was naturally a little smaller and easier to navigate than on Mahé. We cannot really agree with the often-repeated claim that you get a better sense of ‘real’ life in the Seychelles there. Everything seemed much more touristy to us than on Mahé, and with all the bicycles, it sometimes felt almost like being in a Danish holiday village. However, this is also because everything on La Digue, as elsewhere in the Seychelles, is very well maintained and clean, with hardly any litter lying around, unlike in many Mediterranean countries, for example.
Our accommodation on La Digue was Le Surmer, which we liked even more than Fleur de Sel on Mahé. The support provided locally by the hotel staff was considerably more attentive and personal than on Mahé.
You can make many excursions on La Digue on foot if you do not wish to hire a bicycle for your entire stay.
We highly recommend climbing Nid d'Aigle, the highest mountain on La Digue, because of the beautiful route and excellent views. However, it may be enough to walk as far as Snack Bellevue. The view is already very beautiful from there, while the path becomes considerably rougher and more strenuous over the remaining short ascent.
Ferries run regularly from La Digue to Praslin, making it easy to take a day trip to the Vallée de Mai. Although Coco de Mer palms also grow in some botanical gardens, this is the only place where you can admire an entire forest of these ancient palms.
We would recommend the Seychelles to families with young children, although the condition of the roads and paths means that a pushchair is only practical to a limited extent. We brought a baby carrier with us and were able to get everywhere without any major difficulties. Our daughter loved the beaches and the many different animals. The local people are generally very welcoming towards children, which makes travelling much easier. The only things our daughter struggled with were the hot, humid weather and skin irritation caused by the combination of sun, sand and salt water.
What made the Seychelles particularly special for us was the largely unspoilt natural environment – the rainforest often begins just a few metres beyond the last house – with its many endemic animal and plant species. Most of what you see there can only be found in the Seychelles. You will encounter giant tortoises on the main islands, although they are mainly kept in enclosures.
Only on La Digue did we also have the chance to admire a few living in the wild.
The beaches really are usually as deserted as they appear in the travel brochures. However, this exclusive experience comes at a considerably higher price than most other destinations.
Nevertheless, we would happily recommend both the Seychelles and SeyVillas.
