Ferragosto in the Seychelles!
This year, my husband and I treated ourselves to a truly ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ trip, especially for August, which people generally tend to avoid because of the prices and larger number of tourists. The Seychelles islands, however, had more than one surprise in store for us and gave us a fantastic Ferragosto holiday.
With their dazzling white beaches and crystal-clear waters, the islands enchanted us with the feeling of being somewhere that awakens each morning to offer you the very best that nature can provide.
Thanks to the SeyVillas team, and with only 2 weeks’ notice, we planned 12 perfect days in which to explore 3 of the archipelago’s main islands: Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
We flew with EMIRATES, which is always a reliable choice, and after a 10-hour journey with a stopover in Dubai, we landed at Mahé airport right on time at 6.45 am. The first thing we did was use the airport bureau de change, where we obtained our first rupees at an exchange rate of 14.5. A 15-minute taxi ride then took us to the port of Mahé, where Cat Cocos ferries connect the 2 islands of Praslin and La Digue with several daily sailings.
Praslin
After 50 minutes, we were already at the little port of Praslin, where we stayed at our first guesthouse, Ocean Bay, overlooking Anse Possession.
It is a small beach where fishermen with boats are ready to take you out fishing and arrange a barbecue on the beach. We immediately made friends with the local children, who, incredibly, spoke perfect Italian! There was a bus stop in front of the guesthouse, and buses are the most widely used means of transport on the island. A ticket costs €0.60, or €0.90 if the service includes air conditioning, but the island is very breezy and the temperature was perfect.
Almost all the beaches can be reached by bus, although the most beautiful ones, such as Anse Lazio, require a 10-minute walk uphill.
Anse Georgette is another very beautiful beach. You can reach it by walking along the beach and crossing the rocks; otherwise, access is available for a fee through the resort in front of it.
One truly unique experience not to be missed on Praslin is a visit to the Vallée de Mai to see the famous Coco de Mer. Admission costs €23, and it is easily reached by taking the bus towards Anse Anne.
Grand Anse, on the opposite side of the island, was covered in seaweed during our stay, so we decided not to visit it.
In the evening, the liveliest part of the island is the village, where most of the accommodation is concentrated and there is a promenade with bars and little shops. The beach at Anse Volbert is long and very beautiful, and you can enjoy a fantastic sunset from here, although the afternoon high tide greatly reduces the size of the beach. Days on the island start early and end early: the sun sets at 6.30 pm, the shops close around 5 pm, and by 9 pm it already feels like bedtime!
We also appreciated the complete relaxation of enjoying dinner with a sea view at our guesthouse, gazing at the stars and making the most of the time to read our favourite books. We were not even bothered by mosquitoes, as there were none at that time of year, and we enjoyed sunset walks along the beach.
La Digue
After 4 days, we boarded the ferry from Praslin to the small island of La Digue. I had already been fortunate enough to see it and could not wait to show it to my husband. The beauty of this place is timeless, and the island was even more captivating than I remembered. We fell in love with it and are already working out how we can return!
Our enthusiasm for this place is due not only to the spectacular Anse Source D’argent, which looks like something straight from a postcard, but also to the simplicity of island life: wearing shorts and flip-flops from dawn until dusk and cycling around in close contact with nature. Along the road, you come across giant tortoises that are perfectly happy to be hand-fed. The sound of the Indian Ocean provides the island’s soundtrack, together with the reggae tunes locals play on small portable stereos. Smiling faces and the incredible scent of vanilla that fills the air everywhere complete what is nothing short of a perfect picture!
We spent 3 days enjoying the sea at L’Union Estate, just a short cycle ride from our guesthouse, La Diguoise. Admission costs 100 rupees per person, but the place is worth far more. Anse Source D’argent remains the beach that stole our hearts!
We spotted some beautiful tropical fish while walking along the shore, and the water is so clear that you can photograph them without even going underwater. Early in the morning, you can also watch the coconut mill at work, and before reaching the beach you may spot a small group of tortoises blending in with the rocks.
It takes around 40 minutes to cycle all the way around the island, discovering delightful sights along the way, as well as incredible fresh-fruit smoothies available for €5 from the little beach bars. Make sure you do this before 4 pm, though! For lunch, we bought some truly excellent takeaway food. Creole cuisine is flavoursome and spicy, with plenty of fish, especially tuna, as well as chicken, rice and lots of curry.
Opposite the little port of La Digue, there is a very good takeaway run by Italians. Bat is among the dishes on the menu, and they say it tastes like sweet chicken, although we did not get the chance to try it. In the evening, a buffet is always the best option. We tried the one at Zerof, a very well-known restaurant with live music.
The lady at the guesthouse spoilt us by bringing breakfast to our veranda, surrounded by jungle, every morning. We enjoyed some excellent jams, our favourite being mango and tomato, together with the ever-present eggs and a fragrant cup of vanilla tea.
Bicycles can be hired for €6 per day, and if you arrange this through the guesthouse, they are delivered straight to your accommodation. You need to bring a torch because it is very dark in the evening and the roads are poorly lit. We brought head torches, which proved more convenient when cycling.
Sadly, wonderful days fly by, and already feeling nostalgic, we packed our suitcases to return to Mahé. The journey to the port of Mahé takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Mahé
On the largest island, we stayed in a guesthouse at the top of the hill above Carana Beach, at Carana Hilltop Villa. It is run by a very friendly married couple: he is British and she is Asian, and they have an extremely affectionate cat called Bruschi!
As distances are greater on the island, we hired a small car for 2 days. The rate was €55 per day, and the cars were brand new. Petrol is very inexpensive, you drive on the left, and the main road is paved throughout.
We began our tour of the island with an excellent dinner at the Boat House, opposite the famous Beau Vallon beach. This very distinctive restaurant, which feels like the inside of a large boat, offers a fixed-price buffet of Creole cuisine with live music (€25 per person), excluding drinks. We also enjoyed some good South African wines, as well as the ubiquitous local beer.
The following morning, we decided to pop into Victoria to visit the spice market. The world’s smallest capital has a charming little centre, distinguished by its Clock Tower and the main thoroughfare, Independence Street.
Pleased with our purchases of excellent curry powder and plenty of vanilla, we decided to continue along Sans Souci Road, the inland route leading to the Mission and the tea plantation. The Mission was where the first freed slaves were educated. Only a few traces remain, but there is a splendid view from the top of the hill.
The site is surrounded by cinnamon trees, and we could smell their fragrance throughout our visit. Continuing onwards, we reached the tea factory and plantation, where we were fortunate enough to photograph the women packing boxes of tea, which we then bought from the shop.
The road crosses the island from east to west, so we descended the opposite side towards the sea. Here, we enjoyed the view of Port Launay and its beautiful beach, and found a really good takeaway along the road before the junction leading back towards Sans Souci. It is run by a young woman whose cooking is also popular with the locals.
We spent the end of the day on the lovely Beau Vallon beach, enjoying the sunset, and followed the locals’ example by dining on the beach with some tasty noodles.
On our final day on Mahé, we decided to explore the beaches in the south, heading towards Anse Royale and Anse Forbans. The truly unique one, however, was Anse Takamaka, with its vivid green water and powder-white sand, popular with many local children.
Before sunset, to complete our tour, we decided to visit Cassedent Waterfall, which had been recommended to us as one of the nearby attractions not to be missed. This place was a real little discovery, especially as a local showed us an ‘alternative’ route through the jungle, which took us there in 10 minutes. The official route requires a 40-minute walk and there is an entrance fee of 100 rupees.
The island deserved several more days, as there are so many places to see, but our stay was drawing to a close and it was time to pack our bags. The relentless 5 am alarm announced that the time had come to return home.
Once home, we spoke enthusiastically about our trip, our eyes still filled with so much beauty, and I can still feel myself swaying on that swing suspended between the palm tree and the sky.
